TELEPHONING

Vocabulary area code /dialing code - bad line busy / engaged enquiries extension number phone/home/office/work/mobile/fax number receiver telephone book/ directory - to ring switchboard operator -wrong number telephone charge - telephone box/ booth telephone network telephone bill answer phone/ answering machine missed call voice mail voice message Important phrasal verbs call back/ ring back cut off get through speak up hang up hold on look up pick up put on put through

On the phone Introducing yourself Asking for the callers name

Good morning, Swissair. (How can I help

Whos calling, please? Can I have your name, please?

Responding

Can I have the accounts department? Id like to speak to . Could I speak to , please? Is there, please? Im calling about .

Ill put you through. Hold the line, please. Im sorry he/ she is not available. Im afraid he/ shes busy at the moment. Im afraid he/ shes away/ not in at the moment/ in a meeting.
Leaving and taking a message

Reason for calling

Im ringing to Id like to I need some information about .

Can I leave a message? Can I take a message? Would you like to leave a message? Please tell him/ her Could you ask him/ her to call me? Could you tell him/ her I called?

Asking for repetition

Im sorry, but I didnt catch your name/ your number. Sorry, I didnt hear that. Could you repeat it, please? Could you say it again? Im afraid I didnt understand. Could you spell that, please? Could you speak up?

Practice: Telephoning
Vocabulary 1 Complete the sentences with the most suitable word. a If you dont know his number, why dont you look it up in the __________________ ? b The phones __________________ . Would somebody answer it, please? c I called you a while ago, but your line was __________________ . d The telephone __________________ has been increased. e I left her a message on the __________________, but she didnt call me back. f Our telephone __________________ was enormous last month. I had to call abroad several times, so it is not a big surprise. g Im sorry, its a __________________ . I cant hear you very well. h Sorry, you have the __________________ number. 2 Complete the sentences with the most suitable phrasal verb. a The phones ringing. Ill ________ it ________ . b Sorry, Ive got to go now. Ill ________ you ________ later. c Could I speak to Mr Barring, please? Ill ________ you ________ . d I tried to call you several times last night, but I couldnt ________________ . There must have been something wrong with the lines. e I was going to explain the details when suddenly we were ________________ . f Could you ________________ for a moment. Ill check the figures for you. g Why dont you ________________ his number in the directory? h I was waiting for a couple of minutes but there was no answer, so I ________________ . i Could you _________ Harry _______ ? Id like to talk to him as well. j Sorry, I cant hear you very well. Could you ________________ ? On the phone 1 Match the words and phrases with similar meaning. a Ill put you through. 1 Is that all? b Whos calling, please? 2 Im ready. c Anything else? 3 Ill connect you. d The lines busy. 4 speaking f Go ahead. 5 Could I have your name? g Hold on. 6 The lines engaged. h This is 7 One moment. 2 Use the following chart to complete a telephone conversation. Receptionist Caller

Good morning, Triad Publishing. Introduce yourself. Ask to speak to Mr Barry. Say Mr Barry is not in. Ask when you can contact him. Explain that he is out of office for a few days. Offer to take a message. Say you would like Mr Barry to call you. Ask the caller to repeat his/ her name and give you his/ her telephone number. Repeat your name and give your number. Confirm the information. End call. End call.

2. Fill in the gaps in these phone conversations with suitable words or phrases: A A: Good morning. Boulding Limited. Can I help you? B: Yes. (1).. Paul Mathews and I'm trying to contact Mr. Patterson. He actually left a (2).. on my answer phone yesterday afternoon. A: I see. Well, I'm afraid Mr. Patterson (3) at the moment. Can I ask him to (4) later? B: Yes, please. I shall be here until lunchtime. My (5) is 748 7267. B A: Hello. B: Hi. (6) Sandra? A: No, sorry. I'm (7) Sandra's not here at the moment. B: Oh. Do you know when she'll (8) ..? A: No, I've no idea. B: OK. Well in that case, could I (9) a . for her? A: Yes, of course. B: Could you ask her to (10) .. this evening, please? A: Sure. What's your name? B: Cathy. I'm a colleague from work. She's got my

number. A: Right. I'll tell her. B: Thanks very much. Bye bye. A: Bye. C A: Hello? B: (11) .Carlos? A: Yes, speaking. B: Hi Carlos. (12) Serena. A: Oh hello. I was expecting you to ring yesterday. B: I did or at least I tried. I (13) . your number about six times last night, but I couldn't (14). It was (15) .. all the time. A: Oh yes, I'm sorry about that. I was (16) . the phone to my brother for about an hour and then someone from school rang me about the table tennis tournament next week. B: Oh well, never mind. Anyway, I'm phoning about 3. Telecommunications Vocabulary (From English for Secretaries): charge codes connect dial digit direct engaged extension hands-free local message operator receiver tone units wrong number 1. A call to someone in the same area is a .. call. 2. To make a call to another town or country, you need to know the area, country and international .. Make sure you don't miss out a in the number. 3. If you are using a conventional phone you should pick up the .. and .. the number you want; perhaps you have a modern phone with a . facility. 4. If the person you have called is already speaking to someone else, you will hear a sound which tells the line is . 5. You'll get a .. if you aren't careful and make a mistake. 6. When the phone rings at the other end you will hear a ringing . 7. Nowadays, you can call most countries and you don't need to ask the . to .. connect you. 8. Some companies have an answering machine where you can leave a . 9. If you reach a switchboard, you will have to ask for the you require. 10. The cost of a call depends on how long, where and when you phone. The cost is known as a .. and it is calculated in .. 4. Can you answer these questions? a) What is the emergency number for the police, fire brigade or ambulance? b) Is there a Directory Enquiries? What number is it? c) How often do you have to pay your phone bill? d) Is it cheaper to phone during the night? e) What's the phone number of your school? f) Have you ever made a reverse charge call? If so, who was it to?