Interruptions & quiz

In meetings, it is sometimes necessary to interrupt someone who’s speaking, especially in a discussion. Here are some phrases you can use to interrupt politely. 

May I have a word?
Excuse me for interrupting.
Sorry to interrupt.
May I come in here?
Could I just interrupt you there?
Could I make a point here?
If I may, I think… (this is not recommended unless you know the person well as you don’t give the person you’re interrupting, a chance to object or not.)

And when you are interrupted, these are some phrases you can use to

Let the person speak

Sure of course, jump in.
That’s okay, go ahead.
Not a problem.
Of course.
Thanks for your opinion.

To stop someone from interrupting

Just a second please. I promise we’ll come back to you.
Hold on a moment, please. We’ll come back to you soon.
Can we come back to your point in a minute?
How about we come back to that at the end of the meeting?
Sorry, but I haven’t finished what I was saying.
Just a moment, please. You’ll get a chance to speak soon.

Now here’s a quiz to learn how to put the sentences together.