Online Meetings

Question 1

JOINING THE MEETING

Answer 1

INFORMAL
It sounds like someone just joined.

FORMAL
It seems that someone has just joined us.
Rosa has just joined the meeting.

Question 2

CHECKING IF OTHERS ARE ON THE CALL

Answer 2

INFORMAL
Is Rosa on the line?
Rosa is not here yet. We can start/carry on without her.

FORMAL
Do we have Rosa on the call yet?
Are we waiting for anyone else?
While we wait on Rosa. Why don’t we …
(wait on = to await some particular person or thing before one is able to proceed)
I’m afraid Rosa is absent today. We will have to proceed without her.

Question 3

SUMMONING TO START THE MEETING

Answer 3

INFORMAL
Is everyone ready to start?

FORMAL
Welcome to …
Shall we start?

Question 4

OVERCOMING SOUND ISSUES

|&raquo_space; GIVING DIRECTIONS

Answer 4

If you are not speaking, please put yourself ON mute.

And remember to switch off the mute button when you are speaking.

Question 5

OVERCOMING SOUND ISSUES

|&raquo_space; BACKGROUND NOISES

Answer 5

I can hear background noises, please can you put yourself on mute when you are not speaking?

Question 6

OVERCOMING SOUND ISSUES

|&raquo_space; POOR SOUND QUALITY

Answer 6

There’s a bit of a delay/ echo.
The sound quality is not good, please can you/everyone speak up?
(speak up = speak loud enough to be audible)

Question 7

OVERCOMING SOUND ISSUES

|&raquo_space; NOT HEARING OTHERS

Answer 7

INFORMAL
Is your mic on?
I can't hear you (very well). You're breaking up. 
Are you with us?
Can you say that again?
(break up = the voice keeps cutting)

FORMAL
I can’t hear you/her/him (clearly).
Can everyone hear her/him?

I’m sorry, I didn’t hear what you said—
— the audio/connection cut out for a second.
(cut out = to lose an audio connection)
— your voice is breaking up
(break up = the voice keeps cutting)
Could you repeat what you’ve just said, please?

Question 8

OVERCOMING SOUND ISSUES

|&raquo_space; APOLOGISING

Answer 8

INFORMAL
Really? I can hear you well.
I’ll check my microphone.
I'm sorry. I was on mute.
Can you hear me now?
Let me start over.

FORMAL
Sorry about that. I’ll check my microphone.
My microphone seems right. I’ll speak a little louder.

Question 9

OVERCOMING SCREEN ISSUES

|&raquo_space; FROZEN

Answer 9

INFORMAL
Am I frozen?
Rosa, you’re frozen.
You keep freezing.

FORMAL
I’m afraid you are frozen.

Question 10

OVERCOMING SCREEN ISSUES

|&raquo_space; CLOSED CAMERA

Answer 10

INFORMAL
Is your camera on?

FORMAL
Would you mind turning on your camera while you’re speaking?
Would you mind turning off your camera while you’re speaking?

Question 11

OVERCOMING SCREEN ISSUES

|&raquo_space; BAD POSITIONING

Answer 11

INFORMAL
I can see only the top of your head.

FORMAL
You’re out of focus. Could you adjust your camera, please?

Question 12

OVERCOMING SCREEN ISSUES

|&raquo_space; APOLOGISING

Answer 12

Really? I can see you clearly.
I’ll check my camera.
Can you see me now?
I’ll try leaving and joining the meeting again.

Question 13

OVERCOMING SCREEN ISSUES

|&raquo_space; SHARING THE SCREEN

Answer 13

INFORMAL

I’m sharing my screen, can you/everyone see it?

Question 14

OVERCOMING SCREEN ISSUES

|&raquo_space; PROBLEMS WITH THE PRESENTATION

Answer 14

INFORMAL
You are not sharing your screen yet.
The screen is (still) blank.
There’s a delay in the video.

FORMAL
I’ve prepared a presentation. I’m sharing it with all of you. You should be able to see it on your screen right now.
Well, we’ll just have to continue without the presentation/video while I try to sort it out. I’m sorry.
(sort out = to solve a problem one is facing at the moment)

Question 15

GETTING CUT OFF THE MEETING

Answer 15

INFORMAL
Sorry. I got cut off.
(cut off = turned off)
I think we lost Rosa.

FORMAL
I’m sorry. I lost connection.

Question 16

LEAVING AND JOINING AGAIN

Answer 16

INFORMAL
To sb: Please, log off and log on again.
(To the others: Let’s see if he/she manages to join us again.)

FORMAL
Let’s wait for a moment to see if it gets fixed. Otherwise, you can try leaving and joining us again immediately after that.

Question 17

INTRODUCING ONESELF/OTHERS

Answer 17

INFORMAL
Who's already here?
Let’s first check who is with us.
I’ll just go round the table so you know who’s here.
I’ll call out your names (one by one)

FORMAL
Before we start, could you, please, introduce yourselves?
Shall we (all) introduce ourselves first?
Perhaps we should start by saying who is here.
Good _____. I’m _____
I’d like to introduce Hermes. He’s the president of Ninho.

Question 18

FINISHING THE CALL

Answer 18

INFORMAL
Let’s finish the meeting. Thank you, everyone.
We’ve run out of time. So, let’s wrap up and close the call.

FORMAL
Is there anything else to discuss?
Thank you for your contribution/participation/ideas.

Question 19

LEAVING THE ROOM

Answer 19

I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.
I have to leave now, but you can just carry on without me.
I just have to step out of the room but I’ll be back in two minutes.

Question 20

INTERRUPTING

Answer 20

INFORMAL
Hold on for a second, please.
Could I just jump in for a second?
Can I just say something here?
Could I just ask a quick question?

FORMAL
Sorry to interrupt you. It’s Daniela. 
I’d like to come in here if I may.
Can I mention something here?
May I add something here?

Question 21

INVITATIONS

Answer 21

INFORMAL
I’ll add him/her/them to the call.

FORMAL
I’ll send him/her/them an invitation to join us.