05 - Communications

How do you feel about speaking and listening on the telephone?

Talking on the telephone

Listen to this short phone call

What is the conversation about?

Man: Hello?
Woman: Hello, I’d like to speak to Paul Verhoeven, please.
Man: I’m afraid he’s with a client at the moment. Can I take a message?
Woman: Er, OK… Do you know when he’ll be available?
Man: I’m not sure, but I can take a message or just get him to call you back.
Woman: Well, what I need is quite hard to explain, so could you just tell him Wendy called, from ProLingua.
Man: Sure, and what’s the number?
Woman: He should have it, but just in case: it’s 020 411 7685
Man: OK, I’ll let him know.
Woman: The only thing is that I’m leaving in two hours, at 4.00. After that it’ll have to wait till tomorrow.
Man: OK, I’ll tell him.
Woman: That’s great, thanks very much.
Man: No problem, bye bye!
Woman: Bye!

Write the dialogue into your book

Man: Hello?
Woman: Hello, I’d like to speak to Paul Verhoeven, please.
Man: I’m afraid he’s with a client at the moment. Can I take a message?
Woman: Er, OK… Do you know when he’ll be available?
Man: I’m not sure, but I can take a message or just get him to call you back.
Woman: Well, what I need is quite hard to explain, so could you just tell him Wendy called, from ProLingua.
Man: Sure, and what’s the number?
Woman: He should have it, but just in case: it’s 020 411 7685
Man: OK, I’ll let him know.
Woman: The only thing is that I’m leaving in two hours, at 4.00. After that it’ll have to wait till tomorrow.
Man: OK, I’ll tell him.
Woman: That’s great, thanks very much.
Man: No problem, bye bye!
Woman: Bye!

​Follow along this time

1. Can I take a message? = Give information to the person
2. Get (someone to do something) = "...get him to call you back."
3. He should have it = The person probably knows already.
4. (Just) in case = you do something to be careful, because you’re not 100% sure what will happen. For example: Take an umbrella, in case it rains.
5. Phone numbers in English are usually pronounced digit-by-digit. We normally say “oh” instead of zero. If there are two of the same numbers next to each other, we say “double”.
6. The (only) thing is is a phrase used to introduce a small problem or something you’re worried about. For example: That sounds fine, but the only thing is that I won’t be able to start until next month.
7. Till = until

​Vocabulary and information

Reorder

You say this if a caller asks to speak to someone but that person cannot speak now. Put the words in the right order.

• Can

• I

• take

• a

• message

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Drag and Drop

“I can take a message or just ​

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​​

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​ ​to ​​

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​ ​

Placeholder

​

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​ ? ”.

This is a different thing that you can do if you answer the phone. It means to ask someone to return the call later.​

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

get

him

call

you

back

Drag and Drop

This is a common question to ask when someone phones.



​​

Placeholder

​​

Placeholder

​

Placeholder

?

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

What's

your

number

his

birthday

When

dog's name?

Who

her

Reorder

This sentence means the person speaking will say something to another person.

• I'll

• tell

• him

1

2

3

• 1
• 2
• 3

Reorder

This sentence also means the person speaking will say something to another person.

• I'll

• let

• him

• know

1

2

3

4

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4

Fill in the Blanks

You say this if a caller asks to speak to someone but that person cannot speak now.

"Can I

a message?

Drag and Drop

It means to ask someone to return the call later.

“I can take a message or just get him to call you ​

Placeholder

.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

back

time

same

name

birthday

number

Reorder

Put the five things in the order the woman says them.

• She says the name of the person she wants to speak to.

• She says her name.

• She says her company name.

• She says her phone number.

• She says the time she is leaving.

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Fill in the Blanks

Who does the woman want to speak to?

Check the dialogue again and check your spelling!

Multiple Choice

What is the woman's name?

• Mandy

• Wendy

• Dandy

• She doesn't say

Multiple Choice

What company does she work for?

• She doesn't say

• ProLingua

• LinguaPro

• Paul Verhoeven

Audio Response

What is the woman's phone number?

Open Audio Recorder

Dropdown

What time will the woman leave?

​ ​ ​

Select answer

Sending a message

Now imagine that you’re the man in the dialogue and you’re going to write an email to your colleague to say that the woman phoned.

Hi Paul,

Wendy ______ from ProLingua. She didn’t leave a ____ , but I said you would ___ her back.

___ number is 020 411 7685. She said to call before 4pm, or ______.

Cheers,
Andrew.

Drag and Drop

Hi Paul,

Wendy ​

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from ProLingua. She didn’t leave a ​

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, but I said you would ​

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her ​back.

​

Placeholder

number is 020 411 7685. She said to call before 4pm, or ​

Placeholder

.Cheers, Andrew.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

phoned

message

call

Her

tomorrow

his

number

yesterday