Listening Content

[1:32] English Listening Tutorial: How to Reschedule a Meeting via Email

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This article explains how to reschedule a meeting via email in English, including email structure, example phrasing, and common expressions, helping improve business English communication skills.

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Let's quickly look at what happens if we actually decide to reschedule a meeting. Basically, we should send an email to all the people on the original invitation saying that the meeting time needs to be changed. We should give the reason for the change and, of course, the new time and any change in location. We then finish with a closing sentence, for example asking if anyone has any concerns or questions.

Keep the following two example emails and pay attention to the phrases in bold. Hi everyone. Unfortunately we need to reschedule Monday's team meeting so that Neil can attend. Looking at everyone's schedules, it seems that Wednesday at 3pm would work. We'll still meet in room 401. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Unfortunately I'm going to have to postpone Monday's team meeting because Neil won't be able to make it. I've rescheduled it for the following Monday, May 9th. Same time, same place. I'm sorry for the inconvenience and short notice. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

So, let's review what we've covered in this lesson. You've learned how to respond by email to a meeting announcement with questions about the agenda. Then how to let the organizer of the meeting know that you can't attend. Finally, how to reschedule a meeting.

Listening Comprehension

postpone
verb
1. hold back to a later time
e.g. let's postpone the exam
Synonym: proroguehold overput overtableshelveset backdeferremitput off
agenda
noun
1. a temporally organized plan for matters to be attended to
Synonym: docketschedule
2. a list of matters to be taken up (as at a meeting)
Synonym: agendumorder of business
invitation
noun
1. a tempting allurement
e.g. she was an invitation to trouble
2. a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something
e.g. an invitation to lunch
she threw the invitation away
organizer
noun
1. a lightweight consumer electronic device that looks like a hand-held computer but instead performs specific tasks
can serve as a diary or a personal database or a telephone or an alarm clock etc.
Synonym: personal digital assistantPDApersonal organizerpersonal organiserorganiser
2. a person who brings order and organization to an enterprise
e.g. she was the organizer of the meeting
Synonym: organiserarranger
3. someone who enlists workers to join a union
Synonym: organiserlabor organizer