English Listening: Comprehensive Guide to Common Expressions for Event Planning and Organization

Organizing an event is a big job as Christine Koloji explained. There are a lot of tasks that need to be done. Let's look at those tasks that Trey has to do, and we'll look at some common words we can use to describe those tasks. As you look at these words and phrases, notice which words commonly go together. Have you set a date yet? Here are some other things that we would set. Set a deadline. Set your priorities. The word set is different from set up. Trey is going to set up a meeting. I'll set up a meeting in a few weeks. That is one of the most common words that follows set up. For an event, there are other things that we might set up. We can set up equipment ourselves. We'll set up tables and chairs. And we can take down the equipment after. It means we move, arrange, or organize these things. It also means that later we will take them down.

There are always a lot of decisions to make when you're planning an event. When we choose something, we use the phrase, decide on. We decided on the landing at North Cut. There are many things that we decide on, but the two most common are the venue and the caterer, the place and the food. We might also decide on the music or the photographer. Any time we are talking about a choice, we can use this phrase.

At the beginning, when you organize an event, you contact a lot of people. Trey says to Sarah, I was hoping you'd contact the caterer. You can contact a venue like Mohae or a company like Rainier Chocolate. We say that when we don't know the name of a person at that place. You can contact a specific person by name, like Christine Callogi. But often we use the word contact with the name of a person's role. I need to contact the events planner. Notice that we use the with the person's role. Can you think of other people you might contact when you plan an event? Here are a few other people that you might contact. The photographer, the speaker, the band, the caterer, the florist, the printer. You may have different people you need to contact in your culture for an event. Keep those in mind for later.

We usually meet with different people when we are organizing an event. Meet with means it's professional. Meet usually means it's just social. Meet with also indicates that the people are going to work on something together. You can meet with a person. I'm going to meet with the events planner next week to discuss a lot of the details. Or you can meet with a committee or team. After that I need to meet with the entertainment committee.

Sometimes we need to ask someone else to take care of something. We can use Get Someone to. Could you get someone to work on the slideshow? We can also use Have Someone. I need to have someone contact the florist. Notice how those structures are a little different. Use to with Get. And remember that Get Someone to is a little more informal.

As an organizer you need to arrange things. The most common thing we arrange is a meeting. We can also arrange a schedule. We should arrange a meeting with the photographer. Let's arrange a schedule for the event. If someone is organizing a task that will be done by someone else, we often use the phrase arrange for. Trey asks Jordan. Could you arrange for a cake? Trey isn't asking Jordan to make a cake. He's asking her to have someone else make it. Here are some other things at an event that we arrange for. We need to arrange for delivery before 9 a.m. Could you arrange for pickup at the airport? She'll arrange for cleanup.

Sometimes you may have to apply for certain things, like a special license or a permit when you have an event. This is very common in the United States. Those two words license and permit have a similar meaning. Jenny is going to apply for the banquet permit. You should apply for a license early.

Of course you have to order things. Sherry is ordering the invitations. What other things would you need to order for a business event? Here are a few things we might order. The food, of course. Gift bags for guests. Flowers.

Sometimes you need to get more information about something. To get that information you follow up or take action. You follow up on something. I need to follow up on that. Or you follow up with a person. I should follow up with Jack Phillips.

There are a lot of details to remember. So you want to keep track of everything. When you keep track of something, you stay informed about it. Trey asks Dylan to keep track of the people coming to the event. We also need someone to keep track of the people who are coming. People who keep track of things are important in organizing an event. She's a great manager of the event. She keeps track of everything. Let's look at some other things we keep when planning an event. She keeps notes on all of the details. She told us to keep the receipts when we buy something.