Meetings in English are not like everyday conversations. Instead of talking to just one person, you often have to address an entire group of people at the same time. It’s not just “Me” and “You”, when there are 10 people in the room!
In these situations, the conversation is actually between “Me” and… “Everyone,” “Anyone,” “You all,” “Team,” or “Folks.” When using these group terms, your English sentences must be structured correctly, and the context must be right.
Here you’ll discover 5 fast tricks to make sure you are on the right track when addressing a group of people with these phrases. This will boost your professionalism and confidence for your meetings in English.
Trick #1: When to say “everyone”
During your meetings in English, the word “everyone” can be used in two main ways:
1. To speak to the group equally
Sometimes you just want to deliver a short message to the entire room at once. For example:
Thank you, everyone.
If you want to treat the whole group equally in your communication, “everyone” is an effective phrase here.
2. To invite opinions or start a discussion
Perhaps you want to encourage ideas and discussion. “Everyone” is a useful phrase for this purpose. For example:
Does everyone agree?
This phrasing invites all participants to speak up and share their ideas. The downside is that the dynamic can feel a bit less controlled, as multiple people may respond at the same time. But the advantage is that it’s great way to spark discussion and debate, adding energy to your meetings in English!
“It’s like “everyone” – but warmer in its tone, and closer to the group.”
Trick #2: When to use “anyone”
You want a specific piece of information from just one individual of the group. You don’t care which person provides you the answer, as long as you get it!
In that case, during meetings in English, use “anyone” to phrase your question. For example: Can anyone send me the report?
Like “everyone”, the phrase “anyone” addresses the entire group without targeting one poor victim.
However, with “anyone”, the expectation is that just one person from the group will volunteer to provide a response. Once the question is answered, you move forward with the next point for your meetings in English.
Trick #3: How to use "everyone” and “anyone” correctly in English.
For the purposes of creating a correct English sentence, the idea of “everyone” and “anyone” is that it’s one entity.
Incorrect: How are everyone?
Correct: How is everyone?
Incorrect: Have anyone seen this?
Correct: Has anyone seen this?
Incorrect: Everyone know
Correct: Everyone knows (with “s”).
Top tip: don’t worry about the difference between “everyone” or “everybody”. Either option is good when you speak English. The same with “anyone” and “anybody”. They are completely interchangeable.
Trick #4: "You all" in meetings in English
When you want to sound more personal during your work meetings in English, you can refer to the group as “You all” .
It’s like “everyone” – but warmer in its tone, and closer to the group. For example: I hope you all had a nice weekend.
In terms of sentence construction, “you all” is the same as “you”.
Trick #5: "Team" or "Folks" in meetings in English
You might hear “team” or “folks” to address a group of colleagues during meetings in English.
For example:
Hey team, here’s a quick update.
Don’t forget, folks, that we have a workshop on Friday.
“Team” and “folks” are phrases that suggest a feeling of togetherness for meetings in English. That’s why they are often (although not necessarily) used by team leaders and managers in a spirit of motivation. In case you are a manager, this video shares tips on how to push your team in English.
While “team” is neutral in tone, “folks” is particularly warm and casual. Depending on the vibe of your company, that could be appropriate or not!
In general, “folks” and “team” are not expressions to use consistently throughout meetings in English. They are often used when greeting colleagues at the start, or to catch the attention of the group during your meetings in English.
Want to go further?
