Telephone

Conversation skills
Workshop
 Why phone calls in english are difficult?

• English isn’t our first language

• We are not able to use nonverbal

communication

• It commonly happens in a
professional context
 Can we improve our performance?

• Key to improve language skills = PRACTICE!

• Study key phrases

• Try to relax before you make/receive the

call

• Speak slowly and politely

• Ask for clarification or repetition

Formal phone call Key phases
 Making a call

• Hello, this is [your name] from

[company name].

• Hi, it’s [your name] from [company

name].
 taking a call

• Hello/Good morning/Good afternoon.

[Company name], [your name] speaking,
how may I help you?

• [Company name], [your name] speaking.

 asking for somebody

• May I speak to [person’s name]?

• I’d like to speak to [person’s name],

please.
 giving reasons for calling

• I’m calling to ask about/discuss/clarify…

• I just wanted to ask…

• Could you tell me…

 taking messages

• I’m sorry, she/he’s not here today. Can I

take a message?

• I’m afraid he/she’s not available at the

moment. Can I take a message?

• I’ll give him/her your message as soon as

he/she gets back.

• Could I ask who’s calling, please?

 leaving messages

• Could you please take a message? Please

tell her/him that…

• I’d like to leave her/him a message. Please

let her/him know that…
 Asking the other person to repeat information

• I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your first name.

• How do you spell that, please? / Could you

spell that for me, please?

• Let me see if I got that right.

• Would you mind speaking up a bit? I can’t

hear you very well.
 Transfering the call

• One minute, I’ll transfer you.

• Please, hold the line and I’ll put you

through.

• I’m putting you through.

• Let me see if [the person] is available.

 ending the call

• Thank you very much for your help.

• Thanks for calling.

• Thank you for your time.

inFormal phone call Key phases
 Making - taking a call

• Hi / Hey [person name], it’s [your

name].

• Hi/Hello, who is it?

 Small talking

• How’s it going?
• What’s up?

• Great!
• Pretty good, thanks.
• Not so good.
• Not much.
• Nothing much.
• Kind of/kinda.
 asking for somebody

• Is [the person] there?

• Is [the person] around?

• Can I talk to [the person]?

 Asking for waiting

• Hold on.

• Hang on a sec.

• Just a minute.

• Just a sec.

• One moment, please.

 Difficult in hearing the other person

• There’s a lot of background noise – I can barely hear you.

• You’re breaking up. Could you call me back?

(breaking up = you can only hear parts of what the other person is
saying)

• We have a bad connection.

• Sorry – I didn’t catch what you just said.

• Could you speak a little louder?

• Could you speak a little more slowly?

• What did you say?

• Could you repeat that?/Could you say that again?

listening
Practice