How to confirm a business meeting in English (B2 upper-intermediate): call and confirmation email

Business meetings are often agreed in two steps. On the phone you hold a time provisionally (“Could we pencil in two o’clock provisionally?”) and say what you still need to check. Then you confirm in writing (“I’m pleased to confirm our meeting for Tuesday at 14:00.”) with the place, what you will send beforehand and a backup contact. This B2 (upper intermediate) topic is for people who arrange meetings with clients, suppliers or colleagues abroad. Ten minutes a day is enough.

Who this is for

People who set up meetings with clients, suppliers or head office by phone and then follow up by email.
Anyone whose meetings depend on a flight, a manager’s approval or a room booking, so a time is “probably” before it is “definitely”.
Assistants, coordinators and project leads who send confirmations, agendas and visitor details.
Too early: if “Can we meet on Tuesday?” and a basic calendar invitation still feel hard, start with requesting a meeting and confirming the date at beginner level.
Too easy: if you already handle holds, changes and follow-ups smoothly, move on to updating someone who missed the meeting or explaining what a supplier visit will check.

Open the sample pages

Word cards

I’m writing to introduce myself and suggest a meeting.

opening an introductory email with purpose

I’m writing to introduce myself and discuss the regional launch.

Would Tuesday afternoon suit you?

proposing a time politely

Would the tenth at eleven suit you?

Could we pencil in 14:00 provisionally?

holding a time that is not yet final

Could we pencil in Thursday morning until Finance confirms?

I’ll confirm as soon as I’ve checked my travel arrangements.

promising confirmation after a necessary check

I’ll confirm after I have checked the return train.

Could you send a short agenda beforehand?

requesting preparation before the meeting

Could you send the latest forecast beforehand?

I’m pleased to confirm our meeting for Tuesday at 14:00.

turning a provisional plan into a firm arrangement

I’m pleased to confirm our call for 11:30 on the tenth.

Conversation

Maya Hello Owen. I’m calling about a first planning meeting for the Helsinki launch.

Owen Good to hear from you. Would Tuesday afternoon suit you?

Maya Possibly. My flight lands at twelve thirty. Could we pencil in two o’clock provisionally?

Owen Yes. I’ll hold the room until four today. Can you confirm after checking the airport train?

Maya Certainly. I’ll confirm by three and send the risk summary beforehand.

Owen Perfect. I’ll send the visitor details now.

Language pattern

I usually meet new suppliers online.

present simple for routine

Owen normally checks the agenda before a first call.

Our office overlooks the harbour.

present simple for a permanent fact

The regional team works from Warsaw.

I doubt that estimate.

present simple for a state or reaction

Maya believes the revised evidence.

The train leaves at 18:10.

present simple for a timetable

The conference begins at nine.

I’ll call when I arrive.

present simple after a future time word

We will confirm the room after the client replies.

We are reviewing our public profile this month.

present continuous for a current temporary project

The team is testing a new introduction this week.

More clients are requesting video meetings.

present continuous for a developing trend

Recruiters are checking public profiles more carefully.

I’m meeting the design lead tomorrow.

present continuous for a personal arrangement

Maya is having lunch with the supplier on Friday.

More practice

Exchange and verify details

Maya and Owen review a working life task.

Maya Could I have Leo’s direct number and the best email for the invitation?

Owen Certainly. His number is zero two zero, seven nine four six, one eight three zero. His email is leo.hart@example.com.

Maya Let me read the number back: zero two zero, seven nine four six, one eight three zero.

Owen That’s right. I don’t have the visitor code with me, but I’ll send it this afternoon.

Write the meeting confirmation

Maya and Owen go through the meeting confirmation at a desk.

Subject: Helsinki launch meeting — Tuesday 14:00

Hello Owen,

I’m pleased to confirm our first planning meeting for the Helsinki launch at 14:00 on Tuesday in Meeting Room 4. I have checked the airport train and expect to arrive by 13:30. I will send the one-page risk summary before 10:00 on Tuesday. Thank you for arranging the visitor details. If my flight is delayed, please contact me on my direct number below.

Best regards,

Maya Chen

Direct line: 020 7946 0715

Listen for status and responsibilities

1
What is agreed at the end of the call?
Show answer and explanation
Tuesday at 14:00 is held provisionally; Maya checks the train, confirms by 15:00 and sends the risk summary.
The room is held, but Maya must check travel and confirm; she also owns the risk summary.

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Two steps: hold the time, then confirm it

To “pencil in” a meeting is to write it in pencil: it can still be rubbed out. The hold protects the slot while one condition is open, here a flight and a train; the confirmation settles it.

Listen and answer: is the meeting final at the end? Who sends the risk summary, and when will Maya confirm? (No, the room is only held; Maya; by three.)

Maya Hello Owen. I’m calling about a first planning meeting for the Helsinki launch.

Owen Good to hear from you. Would Tuesday afternoon suit you?

Maya Possibly. My flight lands at twelve thirty. Could we pencil in two o’clock provisionally?

Owen Yes. I’ll hold the room until four today. Can you confirm after checking the airport train?

Maya Certainly. I’ll confirm by three and send the risk summary beforehand.

Owen Perfect. I’ll send the visitor details now.

Suggesting a time and holding it politely

“Would … suit you?” leaves the choice to the other person, so it sounds more polite than “Is Tuesday OK?” “Possibly.” warns that a condition is coming, and “hold” means reserve for a short time. In a first email, open with your reason: “I’m writing to introduce myself and suggest a meeting.”

“Would Tuesday afternoon suit you?”
“Could we pencil in 14:00 provisionally?”
“Could we pencil in Thursday morning until Finance confirms?”
“Could you send a short agenda beforehand?”

Tenses for plans, timetables and conditions

After time words such as when, as soon as, after and until, use the present simple or present perfect for the future, not “will”. Many languages use a future form there, so this slip is common. Timetables take the present simple; arrangements take the continuous.

“I’ll confirm as soon as I’ve checked my travel arrangements.” (time word + present perfect)
“I’ll call when I arrive.” (time word + present simple)
“The train leaves at 18:10.” (timetable)
“I’m meeting the design lead tomorrow.” (arrangement)
“I’ll send the visitor details now.” (decision now)

The confirmation email in five moves

A firm confirmation is 80–100 words: one job per sentence and a time for every promise. Subject line: “Helsinki launch meeting: Tuesday 14:00”.

“I’m pleased to confirm” is warm and professional; “I hereby confirm” sounds like a contract. Email or call? While a condition is open, call; once it is settled, the email is the record.

Confirm: “I’m pleased to confirm our first planning meeting for the Helsinki launch at 14:00 on Tuesday in Meeting Room 4.”
Settle the condition: “I have checked the airport train and expect to arrive by 13:30.”
Preparation with a deadline: “I will send the one-page risk summary before 10:00 on Tuesday.”
Thanks: “Thank you for arranging the visitor details.”
Backup plan: “If my flight is delayed, please contact me on my direct number below.”

Learn this unit your way

Reading numbers and details back

Before you hang up, read contact details back in the same groups.

“Could I have Leo’s direct number and the best email for the invitation?”
“Let me read the number back: zero two zero, seven nine four six, one eight three zero.”

Common mistakes

These make a confirmation unclear or slightly impolite:

“I’ll confirm when I will check the train.” Use “when I’ve checked”.
“Does Tuesday suit to you?” No “to”: “Does Tuesday suit you?”
“Could you send an agenda before?” End with “beforehand” or “before the meeting”.
Writing “The meeting is confirmed.” after a pencil-in. Until the condition is checked, say “provisionally”.
“I’ll send it soon.” Give a deadline: “before 10:00 on Tuesday”.

A 10-minute daily practice routine

Use a real meeting from your week.

2 minutes: say the hold lines with your own day and time: “Would … suit you?”, “Could we pencil in … provisionally?”, “I’ll confirm as soon as I’ve …”.
3 minutes: write an 80–100-word confirmation in five moves, with no “will” after “when”.
2 minutes: read a phone number back in groups and record it.
3 minutes: repeat the call line by line, then change the day, time and reason.

What comes next

Next, write a project update for someone who missed the meeting, then an email that explains what a supplier visit will check.

Frequently asked questions

How do you write a meeting confirmation email in English?

Start with “I’m pleased to confirm our meeting for …” plus the day, time and place. Then settle the open condition, add preparation with a deadline and a backup contact, in 80–100 words.

What does “pencil in” mean for a business meeting?

Agreeing a time provisionally, knowing it may change: “Could we pencil in Thursday morning until Finance confirms?” It is not final until someone confirms, so say who will confirm and by when.

How do you politely suggest a meeting time in English?

Offer it as a question: “Would Tuesday afternoon suit you?” or “Would the tenth at eleven suit you?” The other person decides, so it sounds more polite than “Is Tuesday OK?”

Keep exploring

English for adults: guide