Parliamentary Phrases Every Steno Student Should Know

Forms of address, procedure, committees and common speech phrases from parliamentary dictation, with a method to practise them and spelling points to watch.

Why parliamentary language matters

A large share of steno practice material comes from parliamentary debates and speeches. Popular practice series such as the Kailash Chandra passages are built on this kind of language. Exam dictations often sound the same: long sentences, formal forms of address, and the same procedural phrases again and again.

That repetition helps you. If you learn the common phrases well, you can write large parts of a parliamentary passage almost on autopilot and save your attention for the unfamiliar words. This guide lists the phrases that come up most and explains how to practise them.

Learn the outlines for these phrases from your own shorthand book. Pitman's standard texts give phrasing for many of them, and your teacher can confirm the form your system uses.

Forms of address

These open and run through almost every speech.

  • Mr. Speaker, Sir
  • Madam Speaker
  • Mr. Chairman, Sir
  • Hon'ble Members
  • the Hon'ble Member
  • my hon'ble friend
  • the hon'ble Minister
  • the Leader of the Opposition
  • the Prime Minister
  • the Finance Minister

The House and its parts

  • this august House
  • the House
  • the Lower House / the Upper House
  • Lok Sabha / Rajya Sabha
  • both Houses of Parliament
  • the Treasury Benches
  • the Opposition Benches
  • the Chair
  • the Table of the House
  • the Secretary-General

Procedure and business

These are the phrases most worth drilling, because they are long and appear in fixed forms.

  • Question Hour
  • Zero Hour
  • a point of order
  • the Calling Attention Motion
  • the Adjournment Motion
  • the No-Confidence Motion
  • the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address
  • the Bill was introduced
  • the Bill was passed
  • the Bill be taken into consideration
  • the amendment was negatived
  • the House stands adjourned
  • the House is adjourned till
  • leave of the House
  • with your permission, Sir
  • I beg to move
  • I rise to support
  • I rise to oppose
  • the motion was adopted
  • the Ayes have it / the Noes have it

Committees and documents

  • the Standing Committee
  • the Select Committee
  • the Joint Parliamentary Committee
  • the Public Accounts Committee
  • the Estimates Committee
  • the report of the Committee
  • laid on the Table of the House
  • the Statement of Objects and Reasons
  • the Demands for Grants
  • the Appropriation Bill
  • the Finance Bill

Common speech phrases

Speakers repeat these linking phrases constantly, so they carry a lot of words per outline.

  • I would like to say
  • I would like to submit
  • I would like to draw the attention of
  • I want to make it clear
  • it is a matter of great concern
  • it is very unfortunate that
  • in this connection
  • in this regard
  • as far as I know
  • as far as this matter is concerned
  • so far as the Government is concerned
  • on the one hand / on the other hand
  • in the last few years
  • during the last session
  • I hope the Government will
  • I request the hon'ble Minister
  • the Government of India
  • the State Governments
  • the Central Government
  • at the same time
  • in the national interest

Government and economy words

Many parliamentary passages are about schemes, budgets and policy.

  • the Five Year Plan (in older passages)
  • the Union Budget
  • the fiscal deficit
  • the revenue deficit
  • public sector undertakings
  • the Reserve Bank of India
  • rural development
  • the welfare of the people
  • the weaker sections of society
  • law and order
  • the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

How to practise these phrases

1. Learn them in groups. Take one section of this list per day. Write each phrase from your shorthand book five times, then write the whole group from memory.

2. Make a phrase sheet. Keep a single page with your outlines for every phrase above. Read it before each parliamentary dictation, the way you would warm up before a race.

3. Say them while you write. Speak each phrase aloud at normal speaking pace as you write it. This links the sound to the outline, which is exactly what happens in a dictation.

4. Practise with real passages. Pick parliamentary passages from the dictations page, including the Kailash Chandra series. Before you start, scan the text for phrases from this list and practise those first. Then write the passage.

5. Check your transcription for phrase errors. After transcribing, look at every phrase from this list in the passage. Did you transcribe each one fully and correctly? Small words such as "the", "of" and "that" inside phrases are easy to drop.

Spelling and capitals to watch

Transcription mistakes in parliamentary passages often come from capitals and fixed spellings rather than from shorthand:

  • Hon'ble is usually written with an apostrophe in Indian usage. Follow the style your exam passage or teacher uses, and be consistent.
  • House, Chair, Bill, Committee take a capital letter when they refer to the specific House, Chair, Bill or Committee being discussed.
  • Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha are two words each, with capitals.
  • Speaker, Minister, Member usually take capitals when used as titles.

Wrong capitals can count as mistakes in some exams, so it is worth getting these right during practice. Check the skill test marking guide for how mistakes are counted.

Start today

Pick the Procedure and business section, learn those outlines this week, and write one parliamentary passage at your comfort speed every day. By the end of the week, you should notice these phrases flowing instead of slowing you down.