What is the suitable tense for the minutes of meeting?

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sebayanpendam

#563450 Sun, 07 Sep 08 02:16 PM

Dear Sir,

When I was school, my english teachers never told me what was the suitable tense for the meeting minutes.Even now, I am still confused, stop and try to decide whether to use the present or the past tense for example, things like strategies or plans which will be implemented but not written as a reported speech.

Can you give a good sample of the minutes of meeting?

By the way, the noun for minutes is spelt with an 's' right?

Thank you.

sebayanpendam

Joined on Wed, Apr 30 2008

Sarawak

Junior Member (68)

kinstona

Tenses, Nouns, Past Tenses, Sample

Avangi

#563475 Sun, 07 Sep 08 04:19 PM

sebayanpendam
By the way, the noun for minutes is spelt with an 's' right?

Yes.

I never got into anything really complicated, but I never found anything where simple past didn't work. "Jack said that . . . "; Joe moved that . . . ."; the motion carried."; "Bill was absent."; etc.

I think it's the nature of the minutes to be reported speech. "The following plan was approved by a voice vote: 1. The president will attend the city council meeting on January 10, etc."

- A.

Avangi

Joined on Mon, Nov 19 2007

Senior Member (3,767)

". . . le plaisir delicieux et toujours nouveau d'une occupation inutile." - Henri de Regnier

Tenses, Nouns, Simple Past

sebayanpendam

#563561 Sun, 07 Sep 08 11:59 PM

Hello again,

So, we don't have to use the past tense throughout when writing minutes, do we?

for example, 'All the members agreed to build a new building.' This sentence should be in the present tense, right?

".The construction of a new building will start next year.' This sentence should be in the past tense, right?

thanks

sebayanpendam

Constructions, Tenses, Present Tenses, Past Tenses

Avangi

#563573 Mon, 08 Sep 08 01:25 AM

sebayanpendam
So, we don't have to use the past tense throughout when writing minutes, do we? When describing the events of the meeting (what took place in the meeting) in my opinion, past tense should be used. (He moved; It was seconded; The motion carried; The treasurer argued that; The vice president said; etc.)

I think it would be possible to properly record a three-hour meeting without ever using any tense other than the simple past. You might need to use a past perfect. "The member protested that the motion had not been seconded before the chairman called for the "ayes and nays."

The only need I can see for other than past tense would be (as you suggested in your OP) the description of the details of some plan which has been proposed, or the details of a report which has been presented.

for example, 'All the members agreed to build a new building.' This sentence should be in the present tense, right? Wrong! Your job is to tell what happened, not what is happening, or what is going to happen.

".The construction of a new building will start next year.' This sentence should be in the past tense, right? You're kidding! "The construction of a new building started next year?"

"The chairman of the building committee reported that bids will be let on the new construction in January." You tell what happened in the meeting. The chairman gave his report. PAST TENSE. What did he report? He reported that progress is being made. PRESENT PROGRESSIVE TENSE. He reported that the building will be completed in 2010. SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE.

Best wishes, - A.

Avangi

Present Progressive, Constructions, Tenses, Present Tenses, Past Perfect, Simple Past, Past Tenses

sebayanpendam

#573432 Sun, 05 Oct 08 02:17 PM

Can you check the grammar, please?

3. Confirmation of minutes (2/2004) The minutes of the last meeting (2/2004) were noted and approved as true record of the meeting with minor amendments on the numbering.Proposer: Mr Muzayin AlimonSeconder: Prof Madya Dr Wan Fuad Wan Hassan 4. Matters arising 4.1 Item 4.1 Representatives from electronic manufacturers Prof Madya Dr Luay expressed that USM has a compiled list of the manufacturers. Dr Luay will email to secretary this list for onward actions.(Action: Prof Madya Dr Luay) 4.2 Item 5.2 MS 866 – Specification for barytes used in oil-well drilling & ISO 13500: 1998 Secretary reported that ‘ISO 13500: 1998 Petroleum and natural gas industries – Drilling fluids materials – Specifications and tests’ has been forwarded to ISC H on Petroleum and Gas. Member will be informed of the ISC H decision as soon as they had their next meeting, which is scheduled on late August/ early September.

(Action: Secretary)

Thanks.

sebayanpendam

Grammar, Tenses

sebayanpendam

#573439 Sun, 05 Oct 08 02:26 PM

hello,

"The chairman of the building committee reported that bids will be let on the new construction in January." You tell what happened in the meeting. The chairman gave his report. PAST TENSE. What did he report? He reported that progress is being made. PRESENT PROGRESSIVE TENSE. He reported that the building will be completed in 2010. SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE.

Can you explain why the tenses are mixed in these sentences e.g.he reported that the progress is being made, he reported that the building will be completed in 2010? Why not just use the past tense?

Thanks.

sebayanpendam

Present Progressive, Constructions, Tenses, Past Tenses

Avangi

#573589 Sun, 05 Oct 08 11:20 PM

sebayanpendam
"The chairman of the building committee reported that bids will be let on the new construction in January." You tell what happened in the meeting. The chairman gave his report. PAST TENSE. What did he report? He reported that progress is being made. PRESENT PROGRESSIVE TENSE. He reported that the building will be completed in 2010. SIMPLE FUTURE TENSE.
Can you explain why the tenses are mixed in these sentences e.g.he reported that the progress is being made, he reported that the building will be completed in 2010? Why not just use the past tense?

I'd describe the secretary's use of other than past tenses in these three cases as "discretionary." Would be let; was being made; would be completed, are all fine.

For practical purposes, the secretary may view his work as a record for posterity, or he may be thinking in terms of how the minutes of the meeting will be used (or will sound) when they are reviewed at the following meeting a month hence. At that time, the projected events may well be still in the future.

Perhaps you should seek more professional advice. My "secretary" experience has been somewhat informal.

(I'll try to catch up on your previous post, if no one beats me to it.) - A.

Avangi

Present Progressive, Constructions, Tenses, Past Tenses

optilang

#573590 Sun, 05 Oct 08 11:30 PM

Sometimes an infinitive is used for actions to be taken.

JB requested that sales figures be available more quickly. IT dept to look into the possibility and report by 01/11/08.

optilang

Joined on Tue, May 13 2008

Poland

Senior Member (2,234)

OptiNative British English Speaker Wherever I may roam, I'm still a Londoner.

Tenses

sebayanpendam

#573751 Mon, 06 Oct 08 01:53 PM

The actions you cited if written in infinitive form indicates that they will be carried out in the future, is it right? We use the past tense for a reported speech because we record what have been discussed or said. The time of recording is emphasized because we will report it to the other people, isn't? So, the past tense is used. Can you, however, explain why the present tense can be used in reported speeches, particularly in minutes of meeting. Sometimes, i come across this tense is used in newspaper reporting such as the Prime Minister said the economic strategies have been implemented. (I couldn't think of a good example).

Thanks

sebayanpendam

Tenses, Present Tenses, Past Tenses

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