30 English Phrases for Video Calls That Keep Meetings Moving

A video call can lose momentum when people cannot hear, do not know who should speak, or leave without clear next steps. These 30 phrases help you handle those moments naturally in Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, and other online meetings.

30 Video Call Phrases at a Glance

#	Phrase	Best used for
1	Can everyone hear me?	Checking your audio
2	Thanks for joining.	Welcoming participants
3	Shall we get started?	Opening the meeting
4	Let's start with a quick round of introductions.	Introducing participants
5	The purpose of today's call is to...	Stating the goal
6	You're on mute.	Telling someone their microphone is muted
7	I think your audio is cutting out.	Reporting an unstable connection
8	There's a bit of an echo.	Reporting repeated sound
9	Your video seems to have frozen.	Reporting frozen video
10	Could you turn your camera off and back on?	Suggesting a quick video reset
11	Can everyone see my screen?	Checking screen sharing
12	Sorry, I missed the last part.	Asking for a partial repetition
13	Could you say that again a little more slowly?	Slowing down a repeated point
14	Could you put that in the chat?	Recording a name, link, or number
15	If I understand correctly, ...	Restating a point
16	When you say X, do you mean Y?	Checking an interpretation
17	Just to confirm, ...	Confirming a detail or decision
18	Let's come back to the main question.	Returning to the agenda
19	Could we park that for now?	Postponing a side issue
20	We have about ten minutes left.	Signaling the time remaining
21	Let's keep this brief so we can cover...	Limiting one discussion
22	That sounds like a separate discussion.	Separating a larger issue
23	What do we need to decide today?	Refocusing on the outcome
24	[Name], would you like to add anything?	Inviting one person to speak
25	Let's hear from [Name] first.	Setting a speaking order
26	Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.	Recovering after talking over someone
27	Please go ahead.	Giving the floor back
28	Let's recap the action items.	Summarizing tasks
29	Who will take ownership of this?	Assigning responsibility
30	I'll send a summary after the call.	Confirming written follow-up

Starting the Call

Open with a quick audio check, welcome the group, and state the purpose. This gives late arrivals enough context without making everyone sit through a long introduction.

1. Can everyone hear me?

Use this before beginning your agenda, especially when you are the host or presenter.

Example: Can everyone hear me? Great. Let's begin with the sales update.

2. Thanks for joining.

This is a simple, professional welcome. Add a time reference if people joined early or outside their normal working hours.

Example: Thanks for joining. I know it is early for the team in Toronto.

3. Shall we get started?

Use this when the main participants have arrived and you are ready to begin. Shall we sounds collaborative rather than abrupt.

Example: It looks like everyone is here. Shall we get started?

4. Let’s start with a quick round of introductions.

Use this when participants have not met. Ask for specific information so introductions stay short.

Example: Let's start with a quick round of introductions. Please share your name, role, and region.

5. The purpose of today’s call is to…

Complete this sentence with one concrete outcome, such as reviewing a draft or choosing an option.

Example: The purpose of today's call is to choose a launch date and assign the remaining tasks.

Handling Audio, Video, and Screen Sharing

Describe the technical problem without blaming the person. Short, specific language helps them fix it quickly.

6. You’re on mute.

Use this when someone is speaking but their microphone is muted. It is direct, familiar, and usually all they need to hear.

Example: Maya, you're on mute. We can't hear you yet.

7. I think your audio is cutting out.

Cutting out means parts of the sound are disappearing. Mention what you missed after the connection improves.

Example: I think your audio is cutting out. We missed the figure after "quarterly revenue."

8. There’s a bit of an echo.

Use this when voices repeat or feed back through another device. A bit of softens the report.

Example: There's a bit of an echo. Could everyone except the speaker mute for a moment?

9. Your video seems to have frozen.

Say this when a person’s video has stopped moving. Seems to have leaves room for the problem to be on your side.

Example: Your video seems to have frozen, but we can still hear you.

10. Could you turn your camera off and back on?

Suggest this simple reset when the video is frozen or consuming too much bandwidth.

Example: Could you turn your camera off and back on? The picture is not updating.

11. Can everyone see my screen?

Ask this after starting screen sharing and before explaining the content. Name the visible item to check that you shared the correct window.

Example: Can everyone see my screen? You should see the project timeline, not my email.

Clarifying and Confirming

Connection delays make it easy to miss a word or mistake a pause for the end of a sentence. Ask immediately when a date, number, owner, or decision is unclear.

12. Sorry, I missed the last part.

Use this when you heard most of the point but lost the ending.

Example: Sorry, I missed the last part. Who is reviewing the contract?

13. Could you say that again a little more slowly?

This asks for both repetition and a slower pace without criticizing the speaker.

Example: Could you say that again a little more slowly? I want to note the three deadlines correctly.

14. Could you put that in the chat?

Use the chat for names, links, codes, and figures that are easy to mishear.

Example: Could you put that in the chat? I am not sure how to spell the supplier's name.

15. If I understand correctly, …

Follow this phrase with a short paraphrase and let the speaker confirm or correct it.

Example: If I understand correctly, the design is approved, but the final copy still needs legal review.

16. When you say X, do you mean Y?

Offer your interpretation instead of asking a broad question such as What do you mean?

Example: When you say "launch," do you mean the beta release or the public release?

17. Just to confirm, …

Use this before repeating a decision, deadline, amount, or assigned owner.

Example: Just to confirm, Priya will send the revised budget by noon on Thursday.

For more ways to check meaning without sounding confrontational, use these English phrases for clarifying misunderstandings at work.

Keeping the Meeting on Track

Redirect the discussion by referring to the shared goal or remaining time. This sounds more constructive than telling someone they are off topic.

18. Let’s come back to the main question.

Use this after a useful but unrelated discussion.

Example: Those hiring concerns are important. For now, let's come back to the main question: can we meet the October deadline?

19. Could we park that for now?

In workplace English, park can mean postponing a topic until later. Say when or where you will revisit it so the idea is not simply dismissed.

Example: Could we park that for now and add it to Friday's product meeting?

20. We have about ten minutes left.

Use a neutral time reminder before asking the group to shorten comments or make a decision.

Example: We have about ten minutes left, so let's move to the two open questions.

21. Let’s keep this brief so we can cover…

Name the item that still needs time. This gives a reason for limiting the current discussion.

Example: Let's keep this brief so we can cover the rollout plan before the call ends.

22. That sounds like a separate discussion.

Use this when a point is valid but too large for the current agenda. Pair it with a concrete follow-up.

Example: That sounds like a separate discussion. I'll schedule 30 minutes with Finance tomorrow.

23. What do we need to decide today?

Ask this when the group is sharing information but not moving toward an outcome.

Example: We have heard both options. What do we need to decide today to keep the project moving?

When the answer is no or not yet, these polite ways to say no in English can help you set a boundary without stopping the conversation.

Inviting Others to Speak

Video calls hide some body language, and small delays can cause people to speak at the same time. Use names and clear handoffs to make the speaking order obvious.

24. [Name], would you like to add anything?

Invite a specific person without demanding a comment. They can contribute or decline briefly.

Example: Luis, would you like to add anything from the support team's perspective?

25. Let’s hear from [Name] first.

Use this when several people begin speaking together or when one person’s input is needed before the others.

Example: Let's hear from Aisha first, and then Ben can respond.

26. Sorry, I didn’t mean to interrupt.

Say this as soon as you realize that connection delay caused you to speak over someone.

Example: Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt. There was a short delay on my side.

27. Please go ahead.

Use this to return the floor after an interruption or overlapping speech.

Example: Please go ahead, Chen. You were explaining the test results.

Ending with Clear Next Steps

A useful closing identifies the tasks, owners, and deadlines. Do not let Any other questions? be the only summary.

28. Let’s recap the action items.

Use this to introduce a short list of agreed tasks before people leave.

Example: Let's recap the action items: I will update the brief, and Sam will confirm the budget.

29. Who will take ownership of this?

Ask this when the group has agreed on a task but has not assigned a person to it.

Example: Who will take ownership of the customer survey and report back next week?

30. I’ll send a summary after the call.

Close by promising a written record. The summary should include decisions, action owners, and deadlines rather than a full transcript.

Example: I'll send a summary after the call with the three decisions and each action item.

For a clear written follow-up, adapt the structure in our guide to writing a professional email.

Make the Phrases Sound Natural

Polite requests in English often use could, would, or a collaborative opening such as let's. Compare these versions:

Too abrupt for many meetings	More collaborative
Repeat that.	Could you say that again?
Stop discussing this.	Could we park that for now?
Let Anna speak.	Let's hear from Anna first.
Who is doing it?	Who will take ownership of this?

Clear does not have to mean indirect. For technical problems, familiar phrases such as You're on mute work because they describe the issue quickly. For requests and redirection, a reason often makes the same message sound more cooperative: Let's keep this brief so we can cover the rollout plan.

Before sending an agenda or follow-up email, the OpenL Grammar Checker can check grammar, spelling, and clarity. Keep the final wording specific: name the decision, owner, and deadline instead of relying on vague phrases such as soon or later.

Sources

• Cambridge Dictionary: Requests - explains polite request forms with can, could, would, and would you mind.
• Cambridge Dictionary: Politeness - explains how English speakers soften requests and avoid sounding too direct.
• Zoom Support: Troubleshooting audio echo in a meeting - official guidance on identifying and resolving echo during video meetings.
• Purdue OWL: Email Etiquette - guidance on concise, purposeful professional email communication.
• OpenL Grammar Checker - official OpenL page for grammar, spelling, and clarity checks.