How to Make Meetings Less Rubbish - Interactive Worksheet

1. Before watching: meeting habits

Discuss these questions first. Try to use complete sentences and examples from your own work or study experience.

1. What makes a meeting useful instead of a waste of time?

2. Should every meeting have a clear agenda? Why or why not?

3. Is it rude to decline a meeting invitation if you think you are not needed?

2. Vocabulary matching

Match each word or phrase with the correct meaning. The answer choices are arranged in a side column.

1. agenda

2. outcome

3. to keep someone on track

4. to wrap up

5. action points

6. to dominate the discussion

Answers: 1 B, 2 D, 3 A, 4 F, 5 C, 6 E.

3. Useful meeting language

Drag each phrase into the correct sentence. The answer choices are in the side column.

1. “Let’s start by looking at the main ______ of today’s meeting.”

Drop the answer here

2. “Could we come back to the ______?”

Drop the answer here

3. “Before we finish, let’s agree on the ______.”

Drop the answer here

4. “I’m not sure this point is ______ to today’s goal.”

Drop the answer here

5. “Can we make a ______ on this today?”

Drop the answer here

Answers: 1 purpose, 2 agenda, 3 next steps, 4 relevant, 5 decision.

4. Grammar focus: should, need to, have to

Choose the best option. Think about the difference between advice, necessity and obligation.

1. Every meeting ______ have a clear objective.

2. We ______ invite people who cannot contribute to the discussion.

3. If the decision is urgent, we ______ agree on action points before leaving.

4. You ______ attend a meeting if the topic is not connected to your role.

Answers: 1 should, 2 shouldn’t, 3 need to, 4 don’t have to.

5. Grammar practice: first conditional

Complete the sentences with your own ideas. Use this structure: If + present simple, will + verb.

1. If a meeting has no agenda, ...

2. If one person dominates the conversation, ...

3. If we set a time limit, ...

4. If nobody writes down the action points, ...

Example answers:
1. If a meeting has no agenda, people will waste time.
2. If one person dominates the conversation, quieter people will not share their ideas.
3. If we set a time limit, the meeting will be more focused.
4. If nobody writes down the action points, people will forget what they need to do.

6. Critical thinking: make meetings better

These questions are designed to create deeper discussion. There is not only one correct answer.

1. Are bad meetings usually a problem of time, leadership, communication or company culture?

2. Is it better to have fewer meetings or better meetings?

3. Should employees be allowed to leave a meeting if they feel it is not useful?

4. What is one meeting rule every company should introduce?

7. Speaking task: design the ideal meeting

Work alone or in pairs. Design a 20-minute meeting for a team. Include the purpose, agenda, participants, timing and expected outcome.

Purpose

Agenda

Participants

Expected outcome