Preparing for a Client Meeting
CEFR: B1
Read/Listen first
Next Tuesday I have an important client meeting to discuss a long-term maintenance contract. We are going to review the contract line by line and confirm the main conditions. The last time we planned to meet, the customer cancelled just two hours before, but I still finished my slides and the action plan, so now I can reuse a lot of that work. This week I want to feel fully ready and professional. First, I review the client’s last e-mail and highlight their main questions about price, quality and delivery time. Then I update the proposal and check every figure carefully, because I do not want any mistakes during the presentation. After that, I send the agenda to the client and to my colleagues so everyone knows the sequence of topics and who speaks when. I also check the meeting room, test the laptop and camera, and print a short summary for the client. I think about the deadline for the project and the preparation we still need on our side. Finally, I practise my introduction aloud, imagine possible feedback from the client, and decide concrete follow-up actions for the next day.⚡ Learning goals
- Describe how you prepare for a client meeting in clear, simple English.
- Sequence your preparation steps using first, then, after that and finally.
- Ask and answer polite questions about the agenda, deadlines and follow-up actions.
✨ Key language
- Our client meeting is next Tuesday at ten o’clock. “Our client meeting is next Tuesday at ten o’clock.”
- We are going to review the proposal and the action plan. “We are going to review the proposal and the action plan.”
- First we check the figures, then we share the agenda. “First we check the figures, then we share the agenda.”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1️⃣ Present simple for scheduled meetings
Rule: Use the present simple with a future time expression to talk about fixed timetables and meetings.Examples: Next Tuesday we have a client meeting at ten.; The call starts at three on Thursday.; Our team meeting finishes at five o’clock.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners often say “We are have a meeting” — use “we have a meeting” instead.
Choose the correct sentence about a scheduled meeting.
Tip: Remember, for fixed meetings we often use present simple + future time.
Fill with the best answer: Our video call ______ at three o’clock tomorrow.
Tip: Think of the verb we normally use with “a meeting” or “a call”.
2️⃣ Be going to for plans
Rule: Use “be going to” + verb to talk about intended actions and plans you decided before now.Examples: We are going to review the contract line by line.; I am going to update the proposal tonight.; They are going to send their questions before the meeting.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners forget the verb “be” — always use am/is/are before “going to”.
Which sentence correctly uses “going to” for a plan?
Tip: Check you have be + going to + base verb in the correct order.
Fill with the best answer: We are ______ the client’s agenda before the meeting.
Tip: Use the pattern “are going to” + a verb that means “check carefully”.
3️⃣ Sequencing with first, then, after that, finally
Rule: Use sequence words to show the clear order of preparation steps.Examples: First, I review the client’s e-mail.; Then I update the proposal.; After that, I send the agenda.; Finally, I practise my introduction.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners repeat “and then” too often — vary with “after that” and “finally”.
Which sentence shows a clear sequence of meeting preparations?
Tip: Look for a logical beginning, middle and end of the preparation.
Fill with the best answer: First we confirm the agenda, ______ we check the deadline.
Tip: Use a linker that means “next, in the second step”.
4️⃣ Because / so for reasons and results
Rule: Use “because” to give the reason, and “so” to show the result of an action.Examples: I check every figure carefully because I do not want mistakes.; The client cancelled two hours before, so I reused the slides.; We start on time because the client has a busy schedule.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners sometimes mix the order — keep “because + reason” and “so + result”.
Which sentence correctly uses “because”?
Tip: Put the reason after “because”, not before it.
Fill with the best answer: I send the agenda today ______ everyone has time to prepare.
Tip: Choose a word that introduces the result of your action.
✍️ Vocabulary
agenda
Meaning: list of topics to discuss in a meeting.Synonyms: meeting plan, schedule
Chunk/Idiom: set the agenda
Example: Please send the agenda before the client meeting tomorrow.
Morphology: noun; plural agendas
Self-practice: Write a short agenda for your next real client meeting.
deadline
Meaning: final time or date when something must be finished.Synonyms: due date, time limit
Chunk/Idiom: meet a deadline
Example: We must confirm the deadline with the client during the meeting.
Morphology: noun; often used with verbs meet or miss
Self-practice: Write two sentences about deadlines in your current projects.
proposal
Meaning: document that explains your solution, product or service for a client.Synonyms: offer, suggestion
Chunk/Idiom: review the proposal
Example: I updated the proposal before sending it to the client yesterday.
Morphology: noun; related verb propose
Self-practice: Describe one change you would make to a proposal you know.
preparation
Meaning: work you do before an important event, such as a meeting.Synonyms: planning, groundwork
Chunk/Idiom: careful preparation
Example: Good preparation helps you feel confident in front of the client.
Morphology: noun; related verb prepare and adjective prepared
Self-practice: List three preparation steps you take before a big meeting.
feedback
Meaning: comments and reactions that show what people think about your work.Synonyms: response, opinion
Chunk/Idiom: ask for feedback
Example: After the meeting we ask for feedback about our presentation style.
Morphology: noun; usually uncountable in business English
Self-practice: Write one question you can use to ask for feedback.
follow-up
Meaning: action or communication that happens after a meeting or event.Synonyms: next step, continuation
Chunk/Idiom: follow-up call
Example: We planned clear follow-up actions for the day after the meeting.
Morphology: noun or adjective; related phrasal verb follow up
Self-practice: Write three follow-up actions for your next client discussion.
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
Next Tuesday we have a client meeting to discuss the new maintenance contract.
We are going to review the proposal and check the figures together.
First we share the agenda, then we answer the client’s main questions.
Finally we agree the deadline and decide clear follow-up actions.
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
Which sentence correctly describes a scheduled client meeting?
Tip: Use present simple for fixed times in your calendar.
Choose the correct sentence about a planned action.
Tip: Remember the order be + going to + base verb.
Fill with the best answer:
We ______ going to check the figures again before the meeting.Tip: Add the correct form of “be” before “going to”.
Fill with the best answer:
First we review the slides, then we ______ the action plan.Tip: Use a verb that means “talk about something in detail”.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
Why does the speaker send the agenda before the meeting?
Tip: Look back at the mini text and read the sentence with “agenda”.
What is the deadline in this context?
Tip: Think about when a project must be completed.
Fill with the best answer:
The client asked questions about price, quality and delivery ______.Tip: Use the same word you saw in the mini text after “delivery”.
Fill with the best answer:
After the meeting we plan clear follow-up ______ for the next day.Tip: Choose a noun that goes naturally after “follow-up”.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: Are we ready for the client meeting next Tuesday?B: Almost. First I want to check the figures again and update the proposal.
A: Good idea. Could you also send the agenda to the client this afternoon?
B: Yes, I will send the agenda and write the follow-up actions after the meeting.
Why this matters:
Clear preparation makes your client meetings shorter, more focused and more professional. It also shows respect for the client’s time and helps you feel more confident when you speak.Verb & Adjective Pack:
prepare — I always prepare my slides before I meet an important client.confirm — Please confirm the meeting time by replying to my e-mail.
organised — She feels more organised when the agenda is clear and simple.
flexible — We stay flexible in case the client needs to change the deadline.
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: Before the meeting I always ______ the client’s last e-mail carefully.
Tip: Use the base form of the verb you use with “a book or an e-mail”.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: We going to review the agenda with the client carefully.
Tip: Be sure to include the correct form of “be” before “going to”.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
First we review the proposal, then we confirm the deadline with the client.
Tip: Pay attention to the order of “first” and “then” in the sentence.