‘In terms of the meeting, we made a number of important decisions.’

What’s wrong with this sentence? It’s active, complete, and properly punctuated…What could it be?

‘In terms of’ is one of the worst stock phrases in formal business writing. Its horror lies within its utter ambiguity. What does it mean, exactly? How does it relate to the matter at hand? In the above example, what does it imply: that the meeting can be translated into ‘terms’? What terms? How would these terms make the meaning of the sentence any clearer?

‘In terms of’ confuses, rather than clarifies, your sentences and their meaning.

So, we don’t want to hear any more of these ‘in terms of the meeting’ type sentences.

A better construction?

‘We made a number of important decisions at the meeting.’