Complete the 12 sentences below. Choose the best answer for each one.
1............... before we move on, there is one budget assumption I need to clarify.
Wrong!
"If I could just finish" is a polite floor-holding phrase that asks others not to interrupt before the speaker completes the point.
2Before we decide, I would like to ............... Martin, who has been waiting to comment.
Wrong!
"bring in" means invite someone into the discussion, which fits giving Martin a turn after he has been waiting.
3............... I think the figures are being interpreted too narrowly.
Wrong!
"Can I come in here?" is the conventional way to request permission to enter the discussion with a contribution.
4I have covered the legal risk, so I will now ............... Priya for the implementation summary.
Wrong!
"hand over to" means give the floor to another speaker, which matches asking Priya to summarise next.
5Sorry ..............., but the client has just joined the call and needs a quick update.
Wrong!
"to interrupt" is the infinitive used after "Sorry" in the fixed phrase for entering a discussion abruptly.
6Could we speak ............... so the minutes capture each decision accurately?
Wrong!
"one at a time" signals orderly turn-taking, which fits the need for minutes to capture each decision accurately.
7We are drifting into procurement details; let us ............... Jamal's question about priorities.
Wrong!
"come back to" means return to a topic or speaker’s earlier point in the discussion.
8Let's not ...............; several quieter colleagues have not contributed yet.
Wrong!
"dominate the floor" means speak for too long or control the discussion, which fits the warning not to exclude quieter colleagues.
9Leila was interrupted earlier, so we should let her ............... before taking questions.
Wrong!
"finish her point" fits because Leila had been interrupted and the chair is restoring her turn.
10............... the proposal still assumes a level of staffing we do not have.
Wrong!
"I take your point, but" acknowledges the previous speaker’s argument before introducing a contrasting concern.
11...............; then we can take two brief responses from the team.
Wrong!
"Let Ana finish first" is used to protect the current speaker’s turn before others respond.
12May I make ............... before you continue with the substance of the argument?
Wrong!
"a quick procedural point" fits an interjection about process before the speaker continues with the main argument.
Answers
- If I could just finish before we move on, there is one budget assumption I need to clarify.
- Before we decide, I would like to bring in Martin, who has been waiting to comment.
- Can I come in here? I think the figures are being interpreted too narrowly.
- I have covered the legal risk, so I will now hand over to Priya for the implementation summary.
- Sorry to interrupt, but the client has just joined the call and needs a quick update.
- Could we speak one at a time so the minutes capture each decision accurately?
- We are drifting into procurement details; let us come back to Jamal’s question about priorities.
- Let’s not dominate the floor; several quieter colleagues have not contributed yet.
- Leila was interrupted earlier, so we should let her finish her point before taking questions.
- I take your point, but the proposal still assumes a level of staffing we do not have.
- Let Ana finish first; then we can take two brief responses from the team.
- May I make a quick procedural point before you continue with the substance of the argument?
