Imagine you are calling a company and want to speak to someone who works there. Can you think of any phrases you might use, or that you might hear?
Michelle:
|
Hello, you've reached the marketing
department. How can I
help?
|
Male:
|
Yes can
I speak to Rosalind Wilson, please?
|
Michelle:
|
Who’s calling please?
|
Male:
|
It’s Richard
Davies here
|
Michelle:
|
Certainly. Please hold and I’ll put you through.
|
Male:
|
Thank you.
|
Michelle:
|
Hello, marketing. How can I help?
|
Male:
|
Could I speak to Jason Roberts please?
|
Michelle:
|
Certainly. Who shall I say is calling?
|
Male:
|
My name’s Mike
Andrews.
|
Michelle:
|
Just a second - I’ll see if he’s in. Hello,
Jason, I’ve got Mike
Andrews on the phone for you ... OK - I’ll put him
through.Hang on a moment,
I’m just putting you through.
|
Telephone –Connecting Quiz
Instructions: Choose the one correct answer
1. When you telephone a company the
person answering the phone may ask you a question. Which is the correct
question?
A)
Who’s calling please?
B)
Who calls?
C)
Who it is?
D)
Who called?
2.
Which Phrase means the same as ‘hang on a moment?’
A)
Just a
second
B)
I’ ll
put you on
C)
Go
ahead
D)
I’m
ready
3.
Choose the correct word: “ Please …… and I’ll put you through.”
A)
Stop
B)
Stay
C)
Talk
D)
Hold
4.
What is
the expression used to connect two people on the telephone?
A)
I’m
sending you through
B)
I’m
putting you through
C)
I’m
calling you through
D)
I’m
talking you through
Telephone: messages
In this section we'll learn some phrases you might hear if the person you wish to speak to is busy.
Imagine you work as a receptionist and you receive a call for someone who isn't there. What might the caller say, and what would you say in reply?
Now listen to a telephone conversation between the finance department of a company and Jennifer McAndrews. Jennifer wants to talk to Adrian Hopwood but he's not available so she has to leave a message.
Check your understanding by reading the script below:
Claire:
|
Hello, finance department
|
Female:
|
Hello, can I speak to Adrian Hopwood, please?
|
Claire:
|
I’m afraid he’s in a meeting at the moment. Can I help?
|
Female:
|
No I need to talk to Mr Hopwood, I think. What time will he be
out of the meeting?
|
Claire:
|
In about an hour. Can
you call back later?
|
Female:
|
Okay, I’ll do that.
|
Claire:
|
Or can I take a message?
|
Female:
|
Actually, would you mind? Could you tell him that Jennifer McAndrews called and that
I’m in the office all day if he could call me back.
|
Claire:
|
Can I take your number, please?
|
Female:
|
Yes, it’s 5556872.
|
Claire:
|
5556872. Okay, I’ll make sure he gets the message.
|
Female:
|
Thanks very much for your help, bye!
|
Claire:
|
Goodbye!
|
Telephone - Messages Quiz
Instructions:
Finish the sentence by chosing the correct words and writing them into the
empty boxes.
__________ ______________ _____________ ___________ _______?
take / can / your / message / I / a / please
2. She’ll be back in the office this afternoon,
__________ ____________ _________ ______________ _________ ?
later / call / can / back / you / soon / message
3. Can I speak to June Wilkinson please?
__________ ____________ _________ ______________ _________ _________.
meeting / afraid / I’m / she’s / a / in / at / on
4. Could you ask him to ring me back please? My number is 020 7558 4567.
__________ , ____________ _________ ______________ _________ _________
_________ ________________.
message / I’ll / sure / make / OK / gets / he / the / an / on
Telephone: wrong number
If you dial the wrong number it can be confusing and embarrassing. But how do you find out that you've made a mistake? And how can you check to be sure?
Imagine you've dialled the wrong number. What might the person who answers your call say? What would you say in reply?
Check your understanding by reading the scripts below:
Male:
|
Hello, this is the press office.
|
Michelle:
|
Rachel Allsop please.
|
Male:
|
I’m sorry, you must have the wrong number.
There’s no-one of that name here.
|
Michelle:
|
Oh. Can I check the number I’ve got…. is that not 5568790?
|
Male:
|
No, it’s 5558790.
|
Michelle:
|
Oh sorry about that. I must have dialled the wrong number.
|
Male:
|
No problem! Bye!
|
Male:
|
Hello, press office, can I help you?
|
Ruth:
|
Hello. Paul Richards, please.
|
Male:
|
I’m sorry, you’ve got the wrong
number, but he does work here. I’ll try and put you through. In future his direct number is 5558770.
|
Ruth:
|
Did I not dial that?
|
Male:
|
No you rang 5558790.
|
Ruth:
|
Oh, sorry to have troubled you.
|
Male:
|
No problem. Hang on a moment and I’ll put you through to
Paul’s extension.
|
Ruth:
|
Thanks.
|
Telephone - Wrong number Quiz
Instructions: Choose the correct word to complete the sentence.
1. You ______ have the wrong number.
A should
B would
C must
D can
2. His _______ number is 998922.
A straight
B direct
C certain
D sure
3. I'm ________ to have troubled you.
A upset
B apologise
C sorry
D sad
4. I'm sorry, you've _______ the wrong number.
A got
B had
C have
D put
Telephone: appointments
Making an appointment can be complicated if two people are very busy. How do you find a time that is convenient for both of you?
Once again, imagine you are making a telephone call. This time you are arranging an appointment to see someone. What phrases might you use or hear?
Check your understanding by reading the scripts below:
Michelle:
|
Mr Hibberd’s office!
|
Peter:
|
Hello, can I speak to Brian Hibberd, please?
|
Michelle:
|
I’m afraid he’s in a meeting until lunchtime. Can I take a message?
|
Peter:
|
Well, I’d like to arrange an appointment to see him, please. It’s
Peter Jefferson here.
|
Michelle:
|
Could you hold on for a minute, Mr Jefferson. I’ll just look in the diary. So when’s convenient for you?
|
Peter:
|
Some time next week if possible. I gather he’s away the
following week.
|
Michelle:
|
Yes, that’s right, he’s on holiday for a fortnight.
|
Peter:
|
Well, I need to see him before he goes away. So would next Wednesday be okay?
|
Michelle:
|
Wednesday . let me see . he's out of the office all morning. But
he's free in the afternoon, after about three.
|
Peter:
|
|
Michelle:
|
So shall we say 4.15 next Wednesday, in Mr Hibberd's
office?
|
Peter:
|
Yes, that sounds fine. Thanks very much.
|
Michelle:
|
Okay, then. Bye.
|
Telephone - Appointments Quiz
Instructions:
Finish the sentence with the correct phrase.
1. I’d
like to ___________ an appointmentA arrange
B have
C do
D save
2. I could ________ it after four
A take
B fake
C get
D make
3. Let’s meet next Wednesday… shall we _____ 4.15?
A arrange
B say
C suggest
D see
4. Would next _________ be OK?
A day
B morning
C week
D afternoon
Telephone: flights
Modern business often involves international travel. When booking a flight, what questions do you need to ask?
Imagine you are booking a flight and a hotel over the phone. What words and expressions do you use?
Check your understanding by reading the scripts below:
|
Dolores:
|
Hello! Dolores speaking…
|
|
Tim:
|
Ah yes, hello. I’d like to enquire about flights to
|
|
Dolores:
|
Certainly. Do you want
to go economy, business or first class?
|
|
Tim:
|
Well, I’d like to go first class, but unfortunately I’ll have to
go economy - company rules, you see.
|
|
Dolores:
|
Yes, sure, I understand. How many of you will be travelling?
|
|
Tim:
|
Ah, it’s just me.
|
|
Dolores:
|
Okay, so that’s one seat … economy …
|
|
Tim:
|
And how much will that be?
|
|
Dolores:
|
Let me see … to qualify for the discount rate, you need to stay
over a Saturday, which you are doing … Yes, that’ll be $830.
|
|
Tim:
|
Right, and does that include airport tax?
|
|
Dolores:
|
No, tax is another $70 on top of that.
|
|
Tim:
|
Okay. Can I book that, then?
|
|
Dolores:
|
Certainly.
|
|
|
|
|
Dolores:
|
Can I help you with anything else?
|
|
Tim:
|
Yes, I'd like to book a hotel room too, for the full five
nights.Could you check if the Regency Hotel has any rooms free?
|
|
Dolores:
|
Yes, they do.
|
|
Tim:
|
And is there a discount rate for conference delegates?
|
|
Dolores:
|
Yes, there is. I think it's 10% but I can check that for you.
|
|
Tim:
|
Okay, do you mind if I book it provisionally for now and I'll call you back later to confirm? I just need to check one or
two details.
|
|
Dolores:
|
That's fine, sir. Can I help you with anything else?
|
|
Tim:
|
No, that's all for now. As I said, I'll call
you back.
|
Telephone - Flights Quiz
Instructions: Finish the sentence with the correct phrase.
1. I’d like to ___________ about flights.
A find
B enquire
C question you
D tell me
2. Tax is $50 on ________ of that.
A plus
B end
C bottom
D top
3. I’d like to book a hotel room ___________.
A proficiently
B provisionally
C professionally
D prescriptively
4. I’ll call you back later to ___________.
A speak
B assure
C confirm
D certify
Telephone: language expert
A lot of people find it difficult to make phone calls in a foreign language – and that's understandable.
You can't see the person you are talking to, their voice might be unclear, and you might find it difficult to find the right words.
Multi-word verbs:
One thing you can do to improve your telephone
skills is to learn some of the multi-word verbs that are commonly used in
telephone conversations. Most of them are featured in this module. Hold
on means 'wait' – and hang on means 'wait' too. Be careful
not to confuse hang on with hang up! Hang
up means 'finish
the call by breaking the connection' – in other words: 'put the phone
down.'
Another phrasal verb with the same meaning as hang
up is ring
off. The opposite of hang up / ring off is ring up – if you ring
somebody up, you make a phone call. And if you pick
up the phone, (or pick the phone up) you answer a call when the phone rings.
"Hang on a second..."
If you are talking to a receptionist,
secretary or switchboard operator, they may ask you to hang
on while they put you through – put through means to connect your
call to another telephone. With this verb, the object (you, me, him, her etc.)
goes in the middle of the verb: put you through.
But if you can't get
through to (contact on the phone) the person you
want to talk to, you might be able to leave a message asking them to call you back. Call
back means to
return a phone call – and if you use an object (you, me, him, her etc.), it
goes in the middle of the verb: call you back.
Level of formality:
Another thing to think about when talking on
the telephone is formality.
It's important to use the right level of formality – if you are too formal, people might
find it difficult to feel comfortable when they talk to you. On the other hand,
if you are too informal, people might think you are rude!
Generally speaking, if you are talking to
someone in a business context, you should use could, can, may or would when you make a request:'Could I
speak to Jason Roberts, please?' 'Can I take a message?' 'Would next Wednesday
be okay?'. You should also use please and thank you or thanks
very much whenever you ask
for, or receive, help or information.
It's important to show politeness by using
words like would, could,
please, thank youetc. But it's also okay to use some of the features of
informal/spoken English - short forms, phrasal verbs and words like okayand bye - in other words - everyday
English! So phrases like I'm
off to a conference..., no problem, bye! and hang on a moment and I'll put you
through are perfectly
acceptable, as long as the overall tone of the conversation is polite.
One last tip - it's better to ask for help or
clarification when you're having a telephone conversation, than to pretend you
understand something that you didn't. It's perfectly acceptable to use phrases
like'Could you repeat that, please?' 'Could you speak a little more slowly,
please?' and 'would you mind spelling that for
me please?' Using phrases
like these will help make sure that you have a successful phone call, and may
save you from lots of problems later on. You could always say that the line's very bad today if you can't hear very well. And it's
also a good idea to practise words, phrases and vocabulary before you make the
call!
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