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Business English Phrases for Meetings: Reframe the Conversation
- Erin West
- 9 hours ago
- 4 min read
In this article:
In meetings, it's not always the topic that's hard - it's the moment when the conversation starts to drift. People talk fast, feelings show up. And if you're a non-native speaker, it can be hard to slow things down without sounding awkward or too direct. This article teaches Business English phrases for meetings that help you reset the tone and bring the discussion back to what matters. You'll learn natural phrases professionals use to step back and get clarity. You'll start with a quick challenge quiz, then learn more phrases you can use right away in meetings and negotiations.
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Today’s Challenge
You work on a small purchasing team. Your coworker Mia messages the group: Great news - the supplier agreed to the lower price. Because your team needs the items next week, she tells Finance to get ready for the invoice and emails the warehouse to ask which day they can receive the delivery.
Two minutes later, your manager walks over and asks, Did they send the signed agreement? Mia says, Not yet, but they confirmed it on the call.
Your manager shakes their head and says:
Nothing’s final until it’s in _____ and signed by both parties.
A) gray and white
B) blue and white
C) black and red
D) black and white
Choose the option that sounds most natural in this situation.
CHECK HERE
That's right! The correct answer is D) black and white.
IN BLACK AND WHITE
idiom
in written form and official
Can you send that in black and white? Just so there’s no confusion later.
If it’s not in black and white in the contract, it’s not part of the deal.
He agreed on the call, but I want it in black and white before we start.
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More Business English phrases to reframe the conversation
Below are a few more Business English phrases you’ll hear in meetings when someone needs to slow things down or bring the focus back.
There's a lot to unpack here.
= This is not simple. There are many parts, and we need to talk about them one by one.
I'm doing most of the work, Erika keeps missing deadlines, and now my manager wants me to train the new hire, too. - Wow. There's a lot to unpack here.
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Let's zoom out for a second.
= Let’s stop focusing on one small detail and look at the bigger picture.
I'm stuck on this one sentence. - Let's zoom out for a second - what do we want them to do after they read it?
It's a gray area.
= It's not clear, the rules don't give a clear yes or no.
We can't tell if this counts as a safety issue or just a mistake. It’s a gray area, so let's check with HR and see what they say.
Let's take a step back for a second.
= Let's pause and look at the situation again.
Let's take a step back for a second. What are we actually trying to achieve here?
I see where you're coming from.
= I understand your point, I know why you think that.
I see where you're coming from, but we still need approval before we ship it.
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Let's separate facts from assumptions.
= Let's be clear about what we know is true and what we're guessing.
Before we blame the vendor, let’s separate facts from assumptions. Do we have proof it shipped late?
It's in black and white in the contract.
= It’s written clearly in the contract, so it’s official.
It’s in black and white in the contract. The fee is due on the 1st.
!! Note: It's in black and white in the contract can feel a little blunt, so people often choose a more neutral option: It’s clearly stated in the contract./ The contract states that…)
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Practice the Business English phrases for meetings
Read the situation and what the first person says, reply using the phrase. Click What would you say? button and listen to the example.
The near miss
You work at a warehouse. There’s a wet spot on the floor near a narrow aisle. A forklift comes around the corner and tries to stop, but it doesn’t stop fast enough and almost hits an employee. Nobody gets hurt, but everyone is shaken up. People aren’t sure what caused it. The floor was wet, but the driver may have been going too fast. Later, you’re talking with a co-worker about what to write in the report.
Should I put this down as a near miss? I can’t tell if it was the wet floor or if he was going too fast.
What would you say? Use *the gray area
Yeah - call it a near miss. That's the gray area: wet floor or speed. Don't guess. Just write what we saw, and let Jeff review it.
Want more? The full practice set is in the Members' Library 2026.
Takeaway
Here are the key phrases from this article:
There's a lot to unpack here. = This is not simple. There are many parts, and we need to talk about them one by one.
Let's zoom out for a second. = Let's stop focusing on one small detail and look at the bigger picture.
It's a gray area. = It's not clear; the rules don't give a clear yes or no.
Let's take a step back for a second. = Let's pause and look at the situation again.
I see where you're coming from. = I understand your point, I know why you think that.
Let's separate facts from assumptions. = Let's be clear about what we know is true and what we’re guessing.
It's in black and white in the contract. = It's written clearly in the contract, so it's official.
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.
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