- Open calls with a clear greeting and purpose statement to set a professional tone.
- Have ready-made phrases for technical problems — they are routine, not embarrassing.
- Use softened interruption language to contribute without seeming rude.
- Close every call with a brief recap of action points and next steps.
- Match your formality level to your audience and company culture.
Remote and hybrid working have made video calls a central part of professional life worldwide. For ESL learners, online meetings present unique challenges: background noise, audio lag, and the need to manage turn-taking without normal visual cues all make communication harder. The good news is that a relatively small set of key phrases covers the vast majority of video call situations.
This guide gives you precise, natural-sounding English for every stage of a video call — from the opening greeting to the closing summary — along with practical tips for handling the specific challenges of online communication.
1. Opening a Video Call
The first 60 seconds set the tone for the entire meeting. A clear, confident opening helps everyone feel settled and focused.
| Situation | Phrases |
|---|---|
| Greeting everyone | "Good morning everyone, thanks for joining." / "Hi all, great to see you." / "Welcome — let's get started when everyone's ready." |
| Checking attendance | "I think we're all here." / "Are we still waiting for anyone?" / "Let's give it another minute for latecomers." |
| Stating the purpose | "Today we're here to discuss..." / "The aim of this call is to..." / "We have three items on the agenda today." |
| Setting time expectations | "We have 45 minutes, so let's keep things focused." / "I'd like to wrap up by 3 o'clock." |
| Housekeeping | "Could everyone mute unless they're speaking?" / "Please feel free to use the chat for questions." / "I'll be recording this call — is everyone happy with that?" |
2. Handling Technical Problems
Technical difficulties are a normal part of video calls. Having the right phrases ready means you can handle them calmly and professionally.
- You can't hear someone: "I'm sorry, you're breaking up — could you repeat that?" / "Your audio is cutting out. Could you try disconnecting and rejoining?"
- Someone's microphone is causing noise: "Could someone mute their microphone, please? There's some background noise." / "I think there's an echo — it might be coming from one of the open microphones."
- You have connection problems: "I'm sorry, I'm having some connectivity issues." / "I'm going to disconnect and rejoin — please bear with me." / "My internet is unstable, so I may drop out. If I do, I'll be back in a moment."
- Video is not working: "My camera seems to be off today, so you'll just be hearing my voice." / "I can't see anyone's video — is there a problem with the connection?"
- Someone isn't visible or audible: "We can't see you — could you check your camera settings?" / "We can't hear you — you might be muted."
If technical problems persist, suggest a backup plan immediately: "Let's try moving this to a phone call if the video connection keeps dropping." This keeps the meeting moving and demonstrates professionalism under pressure.
3. Participating and Interrupting
Contributing effectively in a group video call requires different skills from face-to-face meetings. Without clear visual cues, it is easier to speak over one another accidentally.
Asking to speak
- "If I could just come in here for a moment..."
- "Sorry to interrupt, but I have a quick point on that."
- "I'd like to add something, if that's OK."
- "Could I jump in? I have a related comment."
Inviting others to speak
- "What do you think, [Name]?"
- "We haven't heard from [Name] yet — did you have anything to add?"
- "Does anyone else want to weigh in on this?"
Asking for clarification
- "Sorry, could you clarify what you mean by...?"
- "Just to make sure I understand — are you saying that...?"
- "Could you expand on that point?"
4. Presenting and Sharing During Calls
Whether you are sharing your screen, presenting data, or walking through a document, clear narration is essential when you cannot rely on eye contact and pointing.
- Starting to share: "I'm going to share my screen now — let me know when you can see it." / "Can everyone see the document I've just shared?"
- Directing attention: "If you look at the top right of the slide..." / "I'd like to draw your attention to the figures in the second column." / "The key point here is..."
- Checking understanding: "Does that make sense so far?" / "Any questions on this slide before I move on?" / "I'll pause here if anyone wants to look at this more closely."
- Stopping screen sharing: "I'm going to stop sharing now — we should all be back on the main call view."
5. Managing the Agenda
Keeping a video call on track requires confident facilitation language, especially when conversations go off-topic or run over time.
| Situation | Phrases |
|---|---|
| Moving to the next item | "Let's move on to item two." / "Shall we go to the next point?" |
| Redirecting a digression | "That's an interesting point — let's park that for now and come back to it." / "Let's keep to the agenda so we don't run over time." |
| Managing time | "We're running a bit short on time." / "Let's try to wrap up this point in the next five minutes." / "I'll need to move us along — we have two more items to cover." |
| Deferring topics | "Could we take this offline?" / "Let's schedule a separate call to discuss this in more detail." / "I'll send a follow-up on this by email." |
6. Closing the Call
A strong close ensures everyone leaves the call with clear expectations. Never end abruptly — always summarise and confirm next steps.
- Summarising: "Before we finish, let me quickly recap what we've agreed today." / "So, the key decisions were..."
- Confirming action points: "[Name], you're going to send the report by Friday." / "I'll follow up with the team about the timeline." / "We'll reconvene next Thursday at the same time."
- Thanking participants: "Thank you all for your input today — it was a really productive meeting." / "I appreciate everyone taking the time to join, especially across different time zones."
- Signing off: "Have a great rest of the week, everyone." / "Speak soon — take care." / "I'll send the meeting notes shortly."
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Explore Exercises →Frequently Asked Questions
How do I start a video call in English professionally?
Open with a warm greeting and check everyone is present: "Good morning everyone, thanks for joining. Let's wait a moment for anyone still connecting." Then briefly state the purpose: "Today we're here to discuss X. We have about 45 minutes, so let's get started." This sets a professional, organised tone.
What do I say if there is a technical problem during a video call?
Common phrases for technical issues: "I'm sorry, you're breaking up — could you repeat that?" / "I think there's a lag on my end." / "Could you please mute yourself? There's some background noise." / "I'm going to disconnect and rejoin — please bear with me." Stay calm and apologetic; technical issues happen to everyone.
How do I politely interrupt someone during an online meeting?
Use softened interruption phrases: "Sorry to interrupt, but..." / "If I could just jump in here..." / "I'd like to add something to that point, if I may." On video calls, it also helps to raise your hand virtually or use the meeting platform's hand-raise feature before speaking.
How do I check that everyone understands during a video call?
Use comprehension check phrases: "Does that make sense to everyone?" / "Are there any questions so far?" / "I'll pause here — please feel free to use the chat if you have questions." Checking in regularly is especially important online, as it is harder to read body language than in person.
What phrases can I use to share my screen during a meeting?
Announcing screen sharing: "I'm going to share my screen now — let me know when you can see it." / "Can everyone see my presentation?" / "I'll pull up the document now." When finished: "I'm going to stop sharing my screen. We can all see each other again now."
How do I close a video call professionally in English?
Summarise key decisions and action points: "Before we finish, let me quickly recap what we've agreed." Then confirm next steps: "I'll send a summary email by end of day." Close warmly: "Thanks everyone for your time today. Have a great rest of the week." This leaves a positive, professional impression.
What vocabulary do I need for managing a video meeting agenda?
Key agenda phrases: "Let's move on to the next item." / "We're running short on time, so let's table that for next time." / "Can we park that idea and come back to it?" / "Let's keep to the agenda." / "We have five minutes left, so let's make sure we cover the main points."
How do I politely ask someone to speak more clearly on a call?
Use polite requests: "I'm sorry, could you speak a little more slowly?" / "Could you move a bit closer to your microphone?" / "I'm having trouble hearing you clearly — could you repeat that?" / "Your audio is a little muffled — could you check your microphone settings?" These are standard professional requests, not rude comments.
What does 'let's take this offline' mean?
'Let's take this offline' means postponing a detailed or sensitive discussion for a separate, smaller conversation outside the current meeting. It is used when a topic is too complex, time-consuming, or confidential to address in the current group call. Example: "That's a great point — let's take this offline and discuss it one-to-one."
How formal should my English be on a video call?
The appropriate level of formality depends on your relationship with participants and your company culture. Internal team calls are often more informal than client-facing calls. As a general rule, match the register of the most senior person on the call. When in doubt, lean slightly more formal — it is easy to relax once you have established rapport.