10 Essential Business English Phrases for Handling Uncertainty at Work (Meetings, Updates, Negotiations)

A work situation

Essential Business English Idioms - PDF

Professional phrases for uncertain situations

Business English Phrases in Context

At work, people are often asked for answers before anything is fully decided. This happens in meetings, status updates, and everyday work conversations. You may understand the situation, but finding the right Business English phrases to explain it clearly isn’t always easy.

When decisions are still being discussed, the wording matters. The same situation can sound careful, unclear, or overly firm depending on the language you choose. This page looks at how professionals talk about uncertainty at work in natural, everyday Business English.

Today’s Challenge

You’ve been with your company for a few years now.

You’ve taken on more responsibility.

You’ve stayed late.

You’ve delivered results.

Last week, your manager hinted that a promotion might be coming. Nothing was promised, but the conversation stayed with you.

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Since then, colleagues have started asking questions. They’ve noticed the extra meetings. They’ve seen you working closely with senior leadership.

Today, during lunch, a coworker leans over and asks quietly, “So… did you get promoted?”

You pause for a moment. You don’t want to overshare. You don’t want to sound unsure. You also don’t want to sound defensive or dramatic.

You choose your words carefully and say:

A) under the table

B) over the moon

C) in the loop

D) up in the air

Choose the option that sounds most natural in this situation.

Let’s look at what each option means and how professionals actually use it at work.

UNDER THE TABLE

idiom

done secretly, in an illegal or dishonest way

• They paid him under the table to avoid taxes.

• The contract was approved under the table, without any official process.

OVER THE MOON

idiom

very happy, excited

• She was over the moon when she got the job offer.

• He’s over the moon about the results this quarter.

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IN THE LOOP

idiom

informed about what is happening

• Please keep me in the loop on any changes.

• I wasn’t in the loop when that decision was made.

UP IN THE AIR

idiom

not decided yet, still uncertain

• The budget is still up in the air.

• Our travel plans are up in the air until we get approval.

That's right! The correct answer is D) up in the air.

Need more practice with Business English idioms? Sign in to download the PDF.

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Professional Business English Phrases for Uncertain Situations

In real work conversations, professionals often need to explain uncertainty without sounding unsure, defensive, or unprepared. The phrases below are common in meetings, updates, and negotiations. They help you stay neutral, calm, and professional when nothing is final yet.

Nothing’s been decided yet.

There is no final decision at this moment.

• Nothing’s been decided yet, so we’re keeping all options open.

• Nothing’s been decided yet — we’ll know more next week.

That’s still being discussed.

People are talking about it, but no decision has been made.

• The timeline is still being discussed with the team.

• That’s still being discussed at the management level.

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It’s not finalized yet.

The decision has not been officially confirmed yet.

• The agreement isn’t finalized yet.

• It’s not finalized yet, but we’re close.

We’re still evaluating our options.

We are comparing choices before deciding.

• We’re still evaluating our options and will share an update soon.

• The company is evaluating its options.

That could go either way.

Both outcomes are possible.

• The approval could go either way.

• At this stage, it could go either way.

We don’t have a clear answer yet.

The situation is not clear at the moment.

• We don’t have a clear answer yet, but we’re working on it.

• I don’t have a clear answer yet — I’ll follow up.

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It’s too early to say.

There isn’t enough information right now.

• It’s too early to say how this will affect the budget.

• It’s too early to say whether the project will move ahead.

That’s still under review.

The decision is being checked or approved.

• The proposal is still under review.

• That’s still under review by legal.

We’re waiting for confirmation.

We need official approval before we can move forward.

• We’re waiting for confirmation from headquarters.

• I’m waiting for confirmation before sharing details.

It's up in the air.

The situation is not decided yet and could change.

• The promotion is still up in the air.

• Our travel plans are up in the air until we get approval.

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Practicing Business English Phrases in Real Work Situations

You’ve just seen a small set of Business English phrases professionals use when decisions aren’t final yet. Now it’s time to use them in context. In the situations below, the goal isn’t to sound polished or impressive, but to choose wording that feels natural, calm, and appropriate for real meetings, updates, and conversations at work.

Choose the wording a professional would use.

1. Waiting for internal approval

A client asks when they can expect a final answer. Internally, the document is being checked by senior management. You say:

A) approved B) aligned C) ready to proceed D) under review

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2. Is restructuring happening? People keep asking if the company is actually going to restructure. Some days it sounds likely. Other days, it doesn’t. Nothing’s been decided. You say:

A) is locked in for Q2 B) is moving into execution C) could go either way D) is a done deal

Erin West is a Business English educator, writer, and founder of RealBusinessEnglish.com. She creates practical lessons, quizzes, and learning materials that help professionals use clear, natural, and confident English at work — with just the right amount of fun.