Workshop Workshop originally meals a room or building which contains tools or machinery for making or repairing things, especially by using wood or metal. Regarding meeting, it refers to a period of discussion or practical work or a particular subject in which a group of people learn about the abject by sharing their knowledge or experience. The distinctive feature of workshop lies in its emphasis on practical performance, he- sides the professional and academic discussions. Therefore arranged in a workshop may be many relevant activities—demonstrations, displays and operations during the course of presentation. For example, we can say: 'Dr. Linda chaired a workshop on artificial intelligence and software development. I saw there were lots of computers and software developers gathered in that lecture hall this morning.'

Symposium Symposium (pl, symposia/symposiums) is also a kind of meeting, but it refers exclusively to the meeting for specialized academic discussion. At a symposium, experts, scholars, and other participants of a particular field discuss a particular subject. For instance, we may say 'They are going to participate in file Second International Symposium on Teaching English at Tertiary Level in Hong Kong next May. The teaching of language skills, language learners' styles and strategies, new technology and methodology as well as otter relevant issues will be discussed there.' In terms of scale, a symposium may be smaller than a conference, because sometimes a conference may include several symposiums held simultaneously (as satellite symposiums). Furthermore, some meetings held by the government for political consultation can be called 'political conference' but not symposium.

Seminar Seminar is usually a class-like meeting, where participants discuss a particular topic or subject that is presented by several major speakers. Different from the general situation of a meeting, the presentations are mainly given by speakers, while other people first listen and then join them. For example, we can say 'This afternoon we'll have a seminar on the topics presented this morning.'

Colloquium is sometimes a formal word for seminar. It is usually a large academic seminar like panel discussion. Colloquium is usually attended by certain invited experts or professionals in a particular field. Participants of the meeting will express their ideas and opinions around a specific topic.

Meeting Meeting is a general and summary term of various kinds of assembly of people for a particular purpose. If there are more than two persons coming together, talking and discussing, the event can be called a meeting. So we often say or hear 'Let's have a meeting.' Since the definition of meeting is rather extended and not clearly demarcated, it can mean any kind of gathering, pre-arranged or non arranged, formal or informal; the time can be tong or short; the scale, large or small; the participants, many or a few, and so on. To specifically clarify a meeting, therefore, the names of meeting should be further demarcated. ' It's original meaning is to 'meet with each other', or to 'put heads together.'