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Business English Useful Telephone Tips

This document provides useful English phrases for telephone communication. It includes phrases for making contact, giving information, asking for information from the caller, asking the caller to wait, connecting calls, dealing with telephone problems, leaving and taking messages, confirming information, giving negative information, and listening to answering machines.

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July Rojas
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69 views

Business English Useful Telephone Tips

This document provides useful English phrases for telephone communication. It includes phrases for making contact, giving information, asking for information from the caller, asking the caller to wait, connecting calls, dealing with telephone problems, leaving and taking messages, confirming information, giving negative information, and listening to answering machines.

Uploaded by

July Rojas
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Useful Telephone Vocabulary and Phrases in English

o Hello / Good morning / Good afternoon ...


o This is John Brown speaking
o Could / May I speak to ......... please?
Making contact:
o I'd like to speak to..... .....
o I'm trying to contact..........
o Is Fred in? (informal)

o I'm calling from Tokyo / Paris / New York / Sydney ...


Giving more information:
o I'm calling on behalf of Mr. X ...

o X speaking.
Taking a call: o This is she.
o Can I help you?

o Who's calling please?


o Who's speaking?
Asking for a name / information:
o Where are you calling from?
o Are you sure you have the right number / name?

o Hang on one second. (informal)


o Hold the line please.
Asking the caller to wait: o Could you hold on please?
o Just a moment please.
o Can you please hold for a minute? I have another call.

o Thank you for holding.


o Do you know the extension number?
Connecting:
o The line's free now ... I'll put you through.
o I'll connect you now. / I'm connecting you now.
o I'm afraid I can't hear you. Could you speak up a little, please?
o The line is very bad ... Could you speak up please?
o Can you call me back? I think we have a bad connection.
Telephone problems: o Could you please repeat that?
o Sorry. I didn't catch that. Could you say it again please?
o Would you mind spelling that for me?
o Can you speak a little slower, please? My English isn't very strong.

o Can I leave a message?


o Could you give him/her a message?
o Could you ask him/her to call me back?
o Could you tell him/her that I called?
Leaving a message: o No, that's okay, I'll call back later.
o Yes, it's Liz from BLC Inc. When do you expect her back in the office?
o Thanks; could you ask him to call Brian when he gets in?
o Do you have a pen handy? I don't think he has my number.
o Thanks. My number is 222-3456, extension 12.

o Can I take a message?


o Would you like to leave a message?
o Could you give me your name please?
Taking a message:
o Could you spell that please?
o What's your number please?
o I'll let him know you called.

o OK, I've got it all down.


o Let me repeat that just to make sure.
Confirming information: o Did you say 555 Arlington Av.?
o You said your name was John, right?
o I'll make sure he gets the message.
o I'm afraid the line's engaged/busy. Could you call back later?
o I'm afraid he's in a meeting at the moment. / He's busy right now. Can
you call again later?
o I'm afraid he's on lunch right now / he's stepped out.

Giving negative information: o I'm sorry. He's out of the office today / He isn't in at the moment.
o I'm afraid we don't have a Mr./Mrs./Ms/Miss. ... here
o I'm sorry. There's nobody here by that name.
o Sorry. I think you've dialed the wrong number.
o I'm afraid you've got the wrong number.

o Hello. You've reached 222-6789. Please leave a detailed message after


the beep. Thank you.
o Hi, this is Elizabeth. I'm sorry I'm not available to take your call at this
time. Leave me a message and I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
Listening to an answering machine:
o Thank you for calling Dr. Myer's office. Our hours are 9am-5pm,
Monday-Friday. Please call back during these hours or leave a message
after the tone. If this is an emergency please call the hospital at 333-
7896.

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