ENGLISH PILL 157/365: TELEPHONE ENGLISH

ANSWER THE PHONE: Good morning. / Hello? / Can I help you? / John Smith speaking.

OFFER HELP: How can I help you? / How may I help you? / What can I do for you today?

ASK TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE: Can I speak to … please? / I’d like to speak to … / Is … there? / Do you know when he’s free?

ASK WHO’S CALLING: Is that Diana? / Can I have your name, please? / Can I ask who’s calling?

SAY WHO’S CALLING: It’s … here. / This is … (name) of … (company name). / I’m a friend of … / I’m a colleague of …

GREETINGS: Hello, how are you? / Nice to hear from you again! / I didn’t recognize your voice! I’s ages since we spoke.

GIVE A REASON FOR CALLING: Can I speak to someone about … ? / I’m calling in connection with … / The reason I’m phoning is … / I’m calling to … / It’s with regard to … / It’s about …

CONNECT THE CALLER: I’ll put you through to … / Let me just see if someone’s available to … / I’ll try his number for you. / I’ll just connect you to … / I’ll transfer you to …

ASK THE CALLER TO WAIT: One moment. / Do you want to hold? / Can I put you on hold? / Are you OK to wait a couple of minutes? / Just bear with me a moment. / Hang on a second.

CHECK THE PERSON WHO ASNWERS HAS TIME TO TALK: Is this a good moment? / Have I rung you at a bad moment? / Can we talk now or later? / Do you have a second? / Do you want me to call later? / Are you busy right now? / Is this a convenient time?

ASK THE CALLER TO CALL BACK LATER: Do you mind calling back this afternoon? / Sorry, can you call again later? 

EXPLAIN THE PERSON IS UNAVAILABLE: Sorry, she’s unavailable at the moment. / She can’t get to the phone right now. / She’s in a meeting. / She’s at lunch. / She’s out of the office, I’m afraid. / I’m sorry, but he’s on another call. 

LEAVE A MESSAGE: Do you know how long he’ll be? / Do you know when she’s free? / Can I leave a message? / Please ask him to call me back. / Please say I called. / Can you ask her to call me back? / Can I leave my phone number?

TAKE A MESSAGE: I don’t know when she’ll be back. / Can I take a message? / Can I give him a message? / I’m just getting a pen. / OK, go ahead. / What’s it in connection with? / Can you spell that? / Anything else? / Let me read that back to you. / I’ll give her your message.

SHOW YOU’RE LISTENING: I see. / Right. / OK. / I understand. / That’s fine. / Is that right? / Really?

ASK FOR REPETITION OR CLARIFICATION: Please speak up. / Please speak more slowly. / Can you repeat that? / Would you mind saying that again? / Do you mind repeating that? / Sorry, I didn’t catch that. / I couldn’t hear you, I’m afraid.

CLARIFY: Let me spell it. It’s W-A-Y-N-E. Got that? / Let me read it back to you. / So that’s ’A’ as in ’Amsterdam’. 

END THE CALL: Is there anything else I can help you with today? / Sorry I’ll have to stop you there. I’m expecting another call. / I wonder if I could call you again in a month’s time? / Thank you for your time. / It’s been nice talking to you. / Sorry but I must go now. / Thanks for calling.

REFER TO FUTURE CONTACT: OK. See you at seven. / Look forward to hearing from you. Bye. / When can I expect to hear from you?