Shadowing Practice: 40 English Phrases You Need for Online Meetings - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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In this video, we're going to look at some key words
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and phrases that you absolutely need to know
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if you're having online meetings in English so that you can participate like a pro.
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Let's get straight into it.
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Let's start with small talk.
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I think we all know that feeling
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when you sign into a meeting a couple minutes early and it's just you and one other person there.
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It can be a little awkward.
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So to break the ice and make some polite conversation, you can ask some good open-ended questions like, how's everything in New York?
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What's keeping you busy these days?
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Do you have any interesting projects on the horizon?
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Have you been following the, and then name maybe a global event or something important going on in your industry, for example.
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If you're the one leading the meeting, you need to say something to signal to the group that it's time to begin.
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And we usually start this with words like, okay, all right, followed by things like, it looks like everybody's here, so let's kick off.
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Shall we begin?
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It's two o'clock, so let's get started.
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Now, a frustrating part of online meetings is the tendency for people to talk over each other, even if they don't necessarily mean to interrupt.
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So when that happens, you can say something like, my apologies for interrupting.
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Go ahead, Teresa.
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Now if you want to interrupt someone in face-to-face communication, you can do it more subtly with gestures or facial expressions,
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but in an online setting you have to be a little more direct.
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It's always best to use the person's first name to get their attention in a polite way.
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For example, Martina, if I may, Kevin, can I jump in here for a second?
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Sorry to interrupt, but now if someone interrupts you, you can say, just let me finish my point here.
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I'm not quite finished.
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Or you can allow them to interrupt you by saying, go ahead.
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All right, guys, if you're finding this video helpful so far, give me some feedback by hitting the like button.
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And if you want more business English content like this, you can subscribe to my Instagram.
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I post exclusive lessons there every Monday just for subscribers.
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So go to my profile at English2Excel and click the subscribe button.
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All right, now if you're leading a meeting or presenting during a meeting and you need to pause to do something, like to get a file or to share your screen,
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communicate to the group what you're doing.
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Don't just go silent.
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For example, you can say things like, I'm gonna share my screen now.
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Bear with me while I pull up the document.
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Give me a second.
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I'm going to check my Wi-Fi connection.
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Now, what would an online meeting be without some technical issues?
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If you run into a problem, you can say, apologies, I'm having some technical difficulties.
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There seems to be a problem with the connection on my end.
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When your video doesn't move due to a bad connection, we use the expression to be frozen.
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So we say, for example, the screen is frozen or John, you're frozen.
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Of course, during online meetings, we often have audio issues, which make it hard for people to hear each other or even understand what others are saying.
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So when that happens
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and you need to ask someone to repeat themselves you can say things like I didn't catch
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that can you say
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that again can you speak up a little we can't hear you can you come closer to the microphone
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if there's a lot of noise where you are you can say excuse the background noise
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if someone's microphone is off you can say you're on mute
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or sorry I was on mute and when you can only hear parts of what someone is because the connection is interrupted,
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we use the expression to break up.
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So you could say to them, you're breaking up.
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Now, if someone's unexpectedly disconnected from the meeting, we say that we've lost that person.
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Did we lose Andrew?
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You can also ask if the person is still there.
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Are you there, Carla?
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If everything's back to normal, then you can say, oh, Andrew's back.
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Yes, we can hear you now.
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If the meeting is taking longer than planned
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and you need to leave before it's finished you can say
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sorry i have a hard stop at two o'clock i need to go
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or more informally you can say sorry guys i gotta jump
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or i gotta drop now
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when the meeting is ending before you sign off it's good business etiquette to thank everyone
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and say goodbye don't just sign off without saying anything so you can say thank you everyone bye
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have a nice weekend thanks all have a good one cheers
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all right guys i hope you found this video helpful
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and i hope that you put these words
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and phrases into use in your very next online meeting
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so these were all some of the right things to say
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but what about some of the wrong things to say in
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business english well check out this video right here for seven of the most common english mistakes
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that i see in the workplace thanks so much for watching and i'll see you there next
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Why This Video Is Perfect for Practicing Online Meeting English

If you’re looking to learn English with YouTube, this video is a goldmine. It focuses on real, everyday phrases used in online meetings—no fluff, just practical language you’ll actually need. The dialogue is natural, mirroring how native speakers and global professionals communicate, making it ideal for building confidence in virtual settings. Whether you’re leading a call or joining as a participant, the phrases here help you avoid awkward silences and sound polished.

Breaking Down Natural Phrases: What Makes Them Work

Let’s look at a few standout phrases from the video and why they sound so natural. First, “Bear with me while I pull up the document.” The phrase “bear with me” is a friendly way to ask for patience, much more conversational than “wait a minute.” It shows you respect others’ time. Next, “You’re on mute” is short and direct—critical in fast-paced meetings where clarity matters. Native speakers use this instead of longer phrases like “I think your microphone is off” because it’s efficient. Finally, “The screen is frozen” uses the verb “frozen” to describe a common tech issue, a specific term that’s instantly recognizable to anyone who’s been in an online meeting. These phrases work because they’re concise, context-specific, and rooted in real-world use.

A Simple Practice Routine to Master These Phrases

To turn these phrases into second nature, try the shadowing technique—a proven way to improve English pronunciation and fluency. Here’s how: Play a short clip of the video (5-10 seconds), pause it, and repeat the phrases out loud, mimicking the tone, speed, and stress. Record yourself doing this, then compare it to the original. Notice if you’re rushing or missing the natural pauses (like in “Sorry to interrupt, but…”). For extra practice, use a shadowing app to slow down the audio or loop tricky parts. Do this daily for 10 minutes, and you’ll start sounding more natural in online meetings in no time. Remember, the goal isn’t to memorize—it’s to internalize how these phrases flow in real conversation. Over time, you’ll find yourself using “Shall we begin?” or “I didn’t catch that” without even thinking.

Whether you’re new to online meetings or looking to refine your skills, this video is a great tool. By combining shadowspeak practice with focused repetition, you’ll go from feeling nervous to participating like a pro. So grab your phone, hit record, and start shadowing—your next successful online meeting is just a few practice sessions away!

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

StructureIn the video
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itbe frozen · is frozen · is interrupted
Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around nowyou're having · you're finding · you're leading
Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessaryneed to know · need to say · have to be
Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see comingwe're going to look · gonna share · I'm going to check

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →