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EF Business English Book 1 24 A Read the article about taking minutes. Who takes minutes in a meeting? You may think that minute-taking is a skill you will never need to learn. But it is not just secretaries and PAs who take minutes at meetings. The task could be assigned to any one of the participants. The appointed person becomes the ‘minute-taker’ and it is their responsibility to make notes during the meeting. They need to focus on the key points of what is being discussed, which may include issues from the previous meeting and any future business. Afterwards, the minute-taker must write up the notes as part of a formal record. The minutes are important both for the people who went to the meeting and the people who were absent. They should include the date, place and time of the meeting, the names of people who attended the meeting, the main points which were made, and details about the next meeting. Decisions in meetings are often made by taking a vote—proposals are ‘motioned’ and participants can vote for or against them (or abstain). It is important that the results of any motions are also recorded in the minutes. Decisions are often made during meetings about action to be taken in the future and the people to carry out each action. An action plan is a list of these future actions. It may also contain an overall objective as well as other information such as the estimated cost and duration time of each action, the resources available, and any time or budget constraints. The action plan may be included as part of the minutes. People can refer to it as a record of future plans and tasks assigned. es. 1 Rupert to his notes from the conference in Madrid. 2 The committee agreed that Mrs Smith should be as the new Chair. 3 All employees in the Sales department are to a meeting. 4 Sarah the task of sorting company mail to the new employee. 5 Michael is to the task of updating the website. 6 Minutes are a of what was discussed and agreed during a meeting. 7 Kate is for ordering office supplies and equipment. 8 Fred moved that we increase the number of external security cameras. The was seconded and passed. 9 Minute-takers cannot record everything said during a meeting; instead they focus on the points. B Use the words in the box to complete the sentenc- key attend write up responsible motion assigned record (noun) appointed carry out © Signum International S.à.r.l. Luxembourg, Luzern Branch, Luzern, 2012 www.ef.com Minutes & Action Plans 08 Unit Find this unit in the following modules: • Business Correspondence • Meetings Business Grammar: • Infinitives of purpose • Infinitives in notes Effective Communication Grammar Focus • Infinitives of purpose • Infinitives in notes

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EF Business English Book 1 24A Read the article about taking minutes.Who takes minutes in a meeting?You may think that minute-taking is a skill you will never need to learn. But it is not just secretaries and PAs who take minutes at meetings. The task could be assigned to any one of the participants. The appointed person becomes the minute-taker and it is their responsibility to make notes during the meeting. They need to focus on the key points of what is being discussed, which may include issues from the previous meeting and any future business. Afterwards, the minute-taker must write up the notes as part of a formal record.The minutes are important both for the people who went to the meeting and the people who were absent. They should include the date, place and time of the meeting, the names of people who attended the meeting, the main points which were made, and details about the next meeting. Decisions in meetings are often made by taking a voteproposals are motioned and participants can vote for or against them (or abstain). It is important that the results of any motions are also recorded in the minutes.Decisions are often made during meetings about action to be taken in the future and the people to carry out each action. An action plan is a list of these future actions. It may also contain an overall objective as well as other information such as the estimated cost and duration time of each action, the resources available, and any time or budget constraints. The action plan may be included as part of the minutes. People can refer to it as a record of future plans and tasks assigned.es.1 Rupert tohis notes from the conference in Madrid.2 The committee agreed that Mrs Smith should beas the new Chair.3 All employees in the Sales department are toa meeting.4 Sarahthe task of sorting company mail to the new employee.5 Michael is tothe task of updating the website. 6 Minutes are aof what was discussed and agreed during a meeting.7 Kate isfor ordering ofce supplies and equipment. 8 Fred moved that we increase the number of external security cameras. Thewas seconded and passed. 9 Minute-takers cannot record everything said during a meeting; instead they focus on thepoints.B Use the words in the box to complete the sentenc-keyattendwrite upresponsible motionassignedrecord (noun)appointedcarry out Signum International S..r.l. Luxembourg, Luzern Branch, Luzern, 2012 www.ef.com Minutes & Action Plans08 UnitFind this unit in the following modules:Business CorrespondenceMeetingsBusiness Grammar:Infnitives of purposeInfnitives in notesEffective Communication Grammar Focus Infnitives of purposeInfnitives in notesCategory 2: Business FocusCategory 1: Effective Communication Speaking unit Writing unitwww.ef.com 25Publication PrintingOfce of Publication Printing CompanycompanyFNow use headings and infnitives to write Sam Worfs notes as minutes.Meeting to arrange offce party onSeptember 23, 2009 in the Meeting Room, 2:00 pm2:45 pmSara McNeil, Denis Gilliland,Martin Jitney and myself.We decided that the offce party will be on December 10. Martin is going to arrange the food and drink, Sara has to make a list of guests and send invitations, and we asked Denis to book a room at the hotel.There are set phrases that are used when writing up the minutes of a meeting and action plans.If you learn these, your minutes will look clearerand more professional. E Match the defnitions to the headings.1 Items discussed and action plan: 2 Minutes written by: 3 Meeting objective: 4 Attending: a the people who were at the meetingb what the people at the meeting talked aboutand what they decided to do c the goal of the meetingd who took the minutesD Read the meeting minutes. Put the information in the correct order using the boxes. a Minutes written by: Corinna Bose,January 15, 2009b Items discussed and action plan:c 3. Lee to attend Annual Press Conference and support the ceremony for the launch of the new product at the manufacturing plant. Report back at the next meeting (January 28). d Meeting objective: Raise awareness of the new League Pace sports shoe among target audiencese 4. Next meeting: January 28 at 10:00 am,Boardroomf Attending: Adam Clerk, Karen Lauria, Lee Andrews, Corinna Boseg 2. Karen to look into new advertising locations and report back at the next meeting (January 28).h Date: January 15, 2009 Time: 10:00 am Place: Boardroomi 1. Adam to create a database of the prod-ucts features and competitive advantages. This needs to be emailed to everyone before the next meeting (January 28).CLook at how the infnitive is used to talk about a future action. Find examples in Exercise B. Adam to take minutes Publication PrintingOfce of Publication Printing Companycompany Signum International S..r.l. Luxembourg, Luzern Branch, Luzern, 2012