TELEPHONE COURTESY 

(SOPAN SANTUN
BERTELEPON)
Learn About It!
In this series you will practise your English skills a lot.
To make you able to speak nature as a native speaker you have to use the variety of words that
you are speaking. Don’t forget to practice your sentence rhythm and pronunciation of the words.
By practicing a lot, you will be better. The more you are practicing the better you are.

To study In this lesson you have to read a lot about the topic that you are studying. You are
searching for the information needed by googling will improve your knowledge and make you
be literate.

Listening to the telephone conversation below.

then read the tapescripts below to give you some information about the topic that you are
studying.
JANICE : Hello … Flagstone
JON : Oh hello; is that Flagstone Properties?
JANICE : Yes, that's right. Flagstone here. How can I help you?
JON : Hello. I'm ringing just to make inquiries about renting a house. My name's
Jon Anderson.
JANICE : Yes, Mr. Anderson. What sort of thing were you looking for?
JON : Two-bedroomed house with garden.
JANICE : Well… yes, sir, that shouldn't be any problem … just to let you know that
our main areas, the main areas, we deal with, are the city center itself…
JON : City center… uh-huh
JANICE : And the north suburbs.
JON : Oh well … were most interested in the northern areas actually.
JANICE : Right … yes … What sort of price were you thinking of?
JON : Well … could you give some idea?
JANICE : Certainly. It really ranges from £250 per month.
JON : Only £250?
JANICE : Yes, to about £500 depending on a number of different factors.
JON : What does it depend on?
JANICE : Well, obviously the quality of the area. And then whether there's a garden.
JON : Well. As I said, we'd want a garden.
JANICE : And a garage pushes up the price.
JON : Right … well, we wouldn't necessarily need one. I think about £350 a month
would be our limit.
JANICE : OK well … would you like to have a look at a couple of properties, sir?
JON : Yes, that'd be great.
JANICE : Looking at our files … I think we've got two which might suit you …
JON : Hang on. I 'll just get a pen. Right.
JANICE : OK. Well, there's one West Park Road which is £325 a month.
JON : Are the bills included?
JANICE : Well, that one just includes the water bill.
JON : OK, right
JANICE : And the second house is in Tithe Road. I'll just spell that for you …OK
JON : Yep.
JANICE : T-I-T-H-E Road
JON : Got that. And how much is that one?
JANICE : That's £380
JON : 380. It that including water?
JANICE : No, I'm afraid not, but it does include the telephone rental.
JON : Oh well, that's not too bad then. So, …
JANICE : So, when would you be available to see them?
JON : Well, I'll be in town next week …say …Thursday?
JANICE : No, I'm sorry we don't have any availability for Thursday. How about
Wednesday afternoon?
JON : OK. That's fine. Would 5.00 be OK?
JANICE : Yes, fine. 5.00 it is. Just come to the Flagstone Offices.
JON : Oh, before I forgot. What sort of things do I need to get done … to rent with
you?
JANICE : Well, the most important thing is a letter from your bank …
JON : No problem …
JANICE : And then a reference letter from your employer.
JON : Yes, that's OK
JANICE : Great, and then we would need you to give 2 weeks' notice of moving in …
JON : Right … 2 weeks' notice. And what about a deposit?
JANICE : That's one month's rent, whatever the amount is.
JON : OK. One month, Is that it?
JANICE : No, sorry, one more … you will have to pay for the contract.
JON : Oh yes. I'd forgotten about that. OK, fine. Do I'll start arranging those, and
I'll …
JANICE : … I'll see you next week.
JON : Yes. Thank very much. Bye
 JANICE : Goodbye

When you're working in customer support, you know that answering phone calls becomes the bread and
butter of your position. A frontline worker typically is hired for their strong communication skills.

While it may seem obvious — just pick up the phone and say "Hello?" — answering professional calls is
very different from answer personal calls. It's easy to slip up and accidentally speak to your customers the
way you would to your best friend or mother. Thay why phone etiquette is very important to be learned.
The Phone etiquette will be presented in this order.

1.       Answer the call within three rings.

2.       Immediately introduce yourself.
3.       Speak clearly.
4.       Only use speakerphone when necessary.
5.       Actively listen and take notes.
6.       Use proper language. 
7.       Remain cheerful.
8.       Ask before putting someone on hold or transferring a call.
9.       Be honest if you don't know the answer.
10.    Be mindful of your volume.
11.    Check for and respond to voicemails.
Why they are necessary would be explained below.

1. Answer a call within three rings.

If your position entails always being available to callers, you should actually be available. That means
staying focused and answering calls immediately. The last thing you want to do is keep a customer
waiting after a string of endless ringing or send them to voicemail when you should've been able and
ready to reply.

As long as you're alert and at your phone at all times — excluding breaks — this rule should be fairly
simple to follow. However, we recommend responding within three rings in order to give yourself enough
time to get in the zone and prepare for the call. Picking up the phone right away might leave you
flustered.

2. Immediately introduce yourself.

Upon picking up the phone, you should confirm with the person whom they have called. In personal calls,
it's sufficient to begin with a "Hello?" and let the caller introduce themselves first. However, you want to
allow the caller to know if they've hit a wrong number, as well as whom they are speaking with.
Practice answer the phone with, "Hi, this is [Your first name] from [Your company]. How can I help
you?" Your customer will be met with warmth, which will encourage a positive start to your call. And, if
it ends up being an exasperated college student trying to order pizza, they'll at least appreciate your
friendliness.

3. Speak clearly.
Phone calls, while a great option for those who detest in-person interaction, do require very strong
communication skills. For one, the person on the other end of the line can only judge you based on your
voice, since they don't get to identify your body language and — hopefully — kind smile.

You always want to speak as clearly as possible. Project your voice without shouting. You want to be
heard and avoid having to repeat yourself. A strong, confident voice can make a customer trust you and
your support more. In case of bad cell service or any inability to hear or be heard, immediately ask to
hang up and call back.

4. Only use speakerphone when necessary.

We all know the trials of the speakerphone. It's easier for you because you can use your hands to
multitask. However, for the other caller, it's like trying to hear one voice through a honking crowd of taxis
in Manhattan — impossible and frustrating.

Give your customers your full attention, and avoid speakerphone. This will make it easier for both parties
to be heard, and it will ensure that you're actually paying attention to them. You may need to use
speakerphone at rare occasions, such as when it's a conference call or when you're trying to troubleshoot
on the phone. While speakerphone may be appropriate at these times, it's always better to use a headset to
remain hands-free.
5. Actively listen, and take notes.
Speaking of paying attention to your customers, it's essential that you're actively listening to them
throughout the conversation. Actively listening means hearing everything they have to say and basing
your response off of their comments, rather than using a prescribed script. This proves to your customers
that you're present and are empathetic to their inconveniences.

It's helpful to take notes during support calls. You'll want to file a record post-conversation, and notes will
be immensely helpful. It also ensures that, during long-winded explanations from customers, you can jot
down the main points and jump into problem-solving without requiring them to repeat.

6. Use proper language.

The key difference between professional and personal phone calls is obvious — the language. It might be
acceptable to use slang and swears when talking on the phone with your friends, but this kind of language
can cause you to lose a customer for life.

Always be mindful and respectful when on the phone. You never know what customers might be
offended by something you say, so it's best to use formal language. It's okay to throw in humor if
appropriate, but never crack a joke that could upset a customer.

7. Remain cheerful.
You never know when a customer is having a bad day. When someone is rude to you on the phone, your
immediate reaction may be to put them in your place. First, though, take a moment to step into their shoes
and recognize why they're so upset.
The point is to always remain positive and friendly, especially in the face of negativity. Your optimistic
outlook may be enough to turn a failing phone call right around. Remind yourself that the last thing your
customer probably wanted was to spend their afternoon on the phone with customer support. So, make
that call the best it can be, and it may create a loyal, lifetime customer.

8. Ask before putting someone on hold or transferring a call.

There's often nothing more infuriating than being put on hold. After waiting on hold for ten or fifteen
minutes to speak with a real-life human being, you finally get to explain your problem. Then, you're
immediately put back on hold and then transferred to someone else to whom you must re-explain the
whole problem. Talk about exhausting.

However, if you must put a customer on hold or transfer their call, always ask for their permission first.
Explain why it's necessary to do so, and reassure them that you — or another employee — are going to
get their problem solved swiftly. By keeping your customer in the loop, they'll be less inclined to
complain about a long wait time.

9. Be honest if you don't know the answer.

You might need to put a customer on hold or transfer their call if the dreaded occurs — you don't know
the solution. Perhaps you've tried everything you can or simply have no idea what they're talking about.
Don't panic; customer support representatives are humans, too, and it's okay not to be the omniscient
voice of reason.

It's best to admit when you don't know something, rather than making excuses or giving false solutions.
However, tell them that you're going to do everything you can to find an answer and get back to them
momentarily, or find a co-worker who does know the answer. Customers don't typically expect you to
have all the solutions at hand, but they will expect you to be transparent.

10. Be mindful of your volume.

You may be so focused on your phone call with a customer that you're barely paying attention to your
present setting. When working in a call center, things can get pretty loud. You always want to be mindful
of your volume and ensure that you're not disrupting the ability of your co-workers to speak to customers
and get their work done.

If you are on a call that requires you to speak louder due to a bad connection or a hard-of-hearing
customer, simply step out of the room and speak with them separately. Your customers are always your
main concern, but you don't want to inhibit the work ethic of others in your workplace.

11. Check for and respond to voicemails.

It's quite possible that a customer might reach out to you when you're on a break or after you've left work
for the day. If it's possible for you to receive voicemails, make sure you're always checking for them. It's
easy for a voicemail to slip under the radar, but the customer won't easily forget.

Start and end each day by checking your voicemail. It takes just a few minutes and can avoid a lost
customer support request. Your customers will appreciate your prompt response, and you can get on to
doing what you do best — providing knowledgeable and friendly support.

These tips should provide you and your team with basic guidelines for phone etiquette and, if executed
properly, your company should see significant improvement in costomer experience.
However, there will be some interactions where these actions may not be enough to defuse the situation.
Some customer interactions will require your team to take special measures to ensure you're meeting the
 customer's immediate and long-term needs. In the next section, we'll break down a few of these scenarios
and what you can do to resolve them.

Do You Understand?
As well as speaking clearly when talking on the phone, it is vital to use the right level of
formality. If you are too formal, people might find it difficult to feel comfortable when talking to
you. If you are too informal, they might think you are being rude!
Generally speaking, when you are calling in a business context (making calls related to
employment, finances, law, health or applications of any sort), you should show politeness by
using words like:
         could
         would
         can
         may
when making a request. When you ask for something, or receive help or information, you should
use:
         please
         thank you 
         thank you very much.
It is also okay to use some of the informal features of the English language such as short forms,
phrasal verbs and words like okay and bye – in other words, everyday English! So phrases like:
If it is more of an informal phone conversation (speaking to a friend, family member, close work
colleague or even a friend of a friend), then a high level of formality is usually not required, but
you should still speak with a polite manner, as it is seen as respectful.
It’s fine to use less formal phrases in these conversations, such as
         ‘thanks’
         ‘cheers’
         ‘bye’
         ‘okay’
         ‘no problem’
Another useful thing to remember is, 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 is
absolutely fine to use phrases like:
         ‘Could you repeat that please?’
         ‘Could you speak a little more slowly please?’
         ‘Would you mind spelling that for me please?’
Using phrases like these will help you to have a more successful phone call, and may save you
from any problems later on. You could always say:
         ‘I’m
afraid the line is quite bad’,
if you can’t hear very well.
 It also a good idea to practise words, phrases and vocabulary that you might need to use, before
the call! So to help you out a little, here is a list of commonly used phrases:

Introduction / Making Contact

If answering a business call, start by introducing yourself or if the caller fails to identify themselves, then
you could ask them to state who they are by using the following phrases:

Formal

         ‘Hello’
         ‘Good Morning’
         ‘Good Afternoon’
         ‘This is ___ speaking’
         ‘Could I speak to ___ please?’
         ‘I would like to speak to ___’
         ‘I’m trying to contact ___’
Informal
         ‘Hello’
         ‘Hi, it’s ___ here’
         ‘I am trying to get in touch with ___’
         ‘Is ___ there please?’

Giving more information

This would probably be used in a business context mainly, but could sometimes be helpful in an informal
conversation too. It is good to specify where you are calling from, if you feel it may be helpful to the
person you are calling.

Formal

         ‘I am calling from ___

         I’m calling on behalf of ___’
Informal

‘I’m in the post office at the moment, and I just needed ___’

Taking / Receiving a Call

 You may need to use these if you are answering someone else’s phone, because they are unable to answer
it themselves, or if you are answering an office phone.

Formal

         ‘Hello, this is ___ speaking’

         ‘___ speaking, how may I help you?’
Informal

         ‘Hello, John’s phone’

Asking for more information / Making a request

If you need to ask for a specific person, then phrase your request as a polite question, if you only have an
extension number and no name, you can say so. If you’re calling for a specific reason, just explain briefly
what it is.

Formal

         ‘May I ask who’s calling please?’

         ‘Can I ask whom I’m speaking to please?’
         ‘Where are you calling from?’
         ‘Is that definitely the right name/number?’
         ‘Could I speak to someone who ___?’
         ‘I would like to make a reservation please’
         ‘Could you put me through to extension number ___ please?’
Informal
         ‘Who’s calling please?’
         ‘Who’s speaking?’
         ‘Who is it?’
         Whom am I speaking to?

Asking the caller to wait / Transferring a call

If you are transferring a caller to someone else, you should let them know that you are doing so, just so
they know what is happening, as the silent tone could be mistaken for a disconnected line! If you are the
one being transferred, you will often hear the person use the following phrases:

Formal
         ‘Could you hold on a moment please’
         ‘Just a moment please’
         ‘Hold the line please’
         ‘I’ll just put you through’
         ‘I’ll just transfer you now’
Informal

          ‘I’m off to a conference, okay, bye’,

 ‘Hang on a moment, I’ll put you through’
 ‘Hold on a minute’
         ‘Just a minute’
         ‘Okay, wait a moment please’
are perfectly acceptable, as long as the overall tone of your voice is polite and friendly.

Giving Negative Information

If you are the one answering a call, you might not be able to help the caller. You can use some of the
following phrases in these circumstances:

Formal

         ‘I’m afraid the line is busy at the moment’

         ‘That line is engaged at the moment, could you call back later please?’
         ‘I’m afraid ___’s busy at the moment, can I take a message?’
         ‘I’m sorry, he’s out of the office today’
         ‘You may have dialled the wrong number’
         ‘I’m afraid there’s no one here by that name’
Informal

         ‘Sorry, ___’s not here’

         ‘___ is out at the moment’

Telephone Problems

If you don’t understand everything the other person is saying, be honest. Tell the other person
immediately, otherwise you might miss some important information! Most people will appreciate your
honesty, and will be happy to oblige.

Formal
         ‘I’m afraid I can’t hear you very well’
         ‘Would you mind speaking up a bit please?’
         I’m afraid my English isn’t very good, could you speak slowly please?’
         ‘Could you repeat that please?’
Informal

         Sorry, I didn’t catch that’

         ‘Sorry, this line is quite bad’
          ‘Say that again please?’
          ‘I can’t hear you very well’

Leaving / Taking a Message

If the person you’re calling is not available, be prepared to leave a message. This could be
a voicemail, (which is a digital voice recording system), or an answering machine (this records
messages onto a tape). If you’re leaving a message with another person, they’ll either ask if you want to
leave a message, or you could request to leave a message with them. Be sure to leave your number, if you
want the other person to call you back!

Formal

         ‘Can I take your name and number please?’

         ‘Can I leave a message please?’
         ‘Could you please ask ___ to call me back?’
         ‘Could you spell that for me please?’
         ‘Can I just check the spelling of that please?’
Informal

         ‘I’ll ask him to ring you when ___ gets back’

         ‘Could you tell ___ that I called please?’
         ‘I’ll let ___ know that you rang’

Saying Goodbye

The easiest part of the conversation! Simply be polite, and speak with a friendly manner.

Formal

         ‘Thank you for calling’

         ‘Have a good day’
         ‘Goodbye’
Informal

         ‘Bye!’
         ‘Talk soon’
         ‘Speak to you again soon’

Common Phrasal Verbs

1. hold on
means wait

         ‘Could you hold on a moment please?’

2. hang on
also means wait! (informal)

         ‘Could you hang on a moment please?’

3. put (a call) through
means to connect one caller to another

         ‘I’m
just going to put you through now.’
4. get through
to be connected to someone on the phone
         ‘I
can’t get through to his line at the moment, could you call back later please?’
5. hang up
means to put the receiver down
         ‘I
think the operator hung up on me, the line just went dead!’
6. call up
is to make a telephone call (mainly used in American English or slang)
         ‘I’ll call
up the theatre, and find out about tickets.’
7. call back
is to return someone’s call
         ‘I’ll ask him
to call you back, when he gets home.’
8. pick up
means to answer a call / lift the receiver to take a call
         ‘No
one is picking up, maybe they’re not at home.’
9. get off (the phone)
means to stop talking on the phone
         ‘Whenhe gets off the other phone, I’ll pass on your message.’
10. get back to (someone)
means to return someone’s call
         ‘When do you think she’ll be able to get back to me?’
 11. cut off
to be disconnected abruptly during a telephone conversation
         ‘I
think we got cut off, I can’t hear her anymore.’
12. switch off/turn off
is to deactivate (a cell phone/mobile phone)
         ‘Sorry
you couldn’t get through to me. My phone was switched off, because the battery had
died.’
13. speak up
means to talk louder
         ‘I’m
afraid I can’t hear you very well, could you speak up a little please?’
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, but this isn’t as commonly
used as some of the other phrasal verbs listed above.
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.
Now you can start making those calls!

Key Points
Remember your manners!
         It’s
very important to be polite on the telephone, use phrases like could you, would you like to,
and to make requests, use please. Always remember to finish a conversation with thank
you and good bye.
Write it down!
         If
you’re nervous about speaking on the phone in English, then it may be helpful to write a brief
script or a few bullet points on that you need to say.
         If
you will be speaking to someone you don’t know, it helps to have things written down in front
of you, to calm your nerves!
         If
you have a brief outline of what you need to say, it will help to organise your thoughts
beforehand, and to use it as a reference during the call, if you get confused.
Phrasal verbs
         Onething you could do to improve your telephone skills is to learn some of the phrasal verbs
that are commonly used in English telephone conversations.

Telephone Phrases
Here are some common phrases and sentences you can use when speaking
on the telephone. The informal phrases are mostly for family and friends.
The formal phrases are for business and official calls and for calls to
important people. Caller unknown means the person answering the phone
doesn't know who's calling. This mostly occurs when answering a call to a
landline phone without caller ID or to a mobile phone or smartphone from a
number that isn't listed in the phone's contacts.

Answering the phone (informal)

 Hello. Matt here. (caller unknown)

 Hi, Jody. How are you?
 Hey, Justin. What's up?

Answering the phone (formal)

 Hello? Serena speaking. (caller unknown)

 John Sayles speaking. Who's calling, please? (caller unknown)
 Doctor Martin's office. May I know who's calling, please? (caller
unknown)
 Thank you for calling Jeans Plus. Jody speaking.
 Hello Maria. Nice to hear from you.
 Hello Dr Jones. How can I help you?
 City Library. Kim speaking. What can I do for you, Robert?
Introducing yourself

 Hey George. It's Lisa calling. (informal)

 Hello, this is Julie Madison calling.
 Hi. It's Angelina from the dentist's office here. (informal)
 Hello Sayoko. This is Alan calling from Big Boyz Autobody.

Asking to speak with someone

 Hi. Is Nina there? (informal)

 Can you put Michael on? (informal)
 Can I talk to Josef? Tell him Marilyn's calling. (informal)
 May I speak to Mr. Green in the accounting department, please?
 Good morning. Is Dr Martin available, please?

Connecting someone

 Just a sec. I'll get him. (informal)

 Hang on a moment. I'll see if she's in. (informal)
 One moment please. I'll see if he's available.
 Hold the line please. I'll put you through in a moment.
 Please hold while I put you through to the manager's office.
 All of our staff are busy at this time. Please hold for the next available
person.

Making a request

 Could you please repeat that?

 Would you mind spelling that for me?
 Could you speak up a little, please?
 Can you speak a little slower, please. My English isn't very good, I'm
afraid.
 Could you let me know when she'll be in the office, please?
 Would you mind calling back in an hour? I'm in a meeting just now.
 Can you call again? I think we have a bad connection.
  Please hold for just a minute. I have another call.
 Please don't call this number again.

Taking a message

 Can I take a message?

 Would you like to leave a message?
 Sammy's not in. I can tell him you called if you like. (informal)
 No, that's okay. I'll call him later. (informal)
 I'm sorry, but Lisa's not here at the moment. Can I take a message?
 I'm afraid he's stepped out. Would you like to leave a message?
 She's busy right now. Would you like her to return your call?
 He's in a meeting at the moment. Can he call you back when he's free?
 Fine. I'll let him know you called.
 I'll make sure she gets your message.

Leaving a message

 Can I leave a message?

 Would you mind giving her a message?
 Would it be possible to leave a message?
 Could you tell her Jonathon called?
 Could you ask him to call Paul when he gets in?
 I don't think he has my number. Do you have a pen handy?
 Thanks. It's James Brown and my number is 222 3456.

Confirming a message

 Let me repeat that just to make sure. It's James Brown at 222 3456?
 Was that 555 Charles Street, Apartment 66?
 I'll make sure he gets the message.
 It's Johnny, right? And you won't be at the club until midnight. (informal)
 Okay, got it. I'll let him know. (informal)
Answering machine and voicemail phrases

 Hey, Brad here. What's up? Let me know after the tone, OK? (informal)
 Hi, this is Liz. I'm sorry I can't take your call right now, but if you leave a
message after the tone I'll get back to you as soon as I can.
 You've reached 222 6789. Please leave a message after the tone.
Thank you.
 Thank you for calling Dr. Mindin's office. Our hours are 9am to 5pm,
Monday to 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.
 You have reached Steve James, your guide to Computer Technology.
Unfortunately, I can't take your call right now, but if you leave me a
message and include your name and telephone number, I'll get back to
you as soon as I can. You can also contact me via email at
computech@XYZ.com. Thank you for calling.

Leaving an answering machine or voicemail message

 Hey Mikako. It's Yuka. Call me, OK? (informal)

 Hello, this is Ricardo calling. Could you please return my call as soon as
possible. My number is 334 5689. Thank you.
 Hi Anderson. This is Marina from the doctor's office calling. I just wanted
to let you know that you're due for a check-up this month. Please call us
to make an appointment at your earliest convenience.

Ending a conversation

 Well, I guess I'd better get going. Talk again soon, OK? (informal)
 Thanks for calling. Bye for now.
 I have to let you go now.
 I have another call coming through. I'd better run.
 I'm afraid that's my other line.
 I'll talk to you again soon. Bye Jules.
Sometimes we have to spell something over the telephone like an address or
a name. Native English speakers often use a special alphabet when they spell
over the phone. For example, "The postcode is B2V 3A8. That's B for Bravo,
number 2, V for Victor, number 3, A for Alpha, number 8."

Telephone Vocabulary
Here are many of the words and terms we use to talk about telephones and
using them. With example sentences and special meanings related to landline
phones, mobile phones and smartphones. You can check your understanding
by doing the Telephone Vocabulary Quiz.

Word Example sentence Meaning

answer verb I phoned the shop but to take the call

nobody answered so and speak
I guess they're after a phone
closed. has rung

answering machine noun Leave a message on a recording

the answering device a caller
machine and I'll call can leave a
you back when I can. spoken
message on if
their call isn't
answered

busy (AmE) or engaged (BrE) adj If the line's busy and already being

you can't get through, used, of a
call again later. telephone line
or number

busy signal (AmE) or engaged Mum's always on the the sound you

tone (BrE) noun phone after dinner, so hear if you dial
Word Example sentence Meaning

I'll get a busy a landline

signal if I call now. number that's
already being
used

call noun I'm sorry, but I really the act of

have to take this call. telephoning
someone, or a
telephone
conversation

call verb If you need a lift to try to

home, call me and I'll contact
come and get you. someone by
phone, either
by dialling their
number or
finding their
name in the
list of contacts
on a mobile or
smartphone

caller noun I spoke to hundreds the person

of callers every day who calls a
while I was a telephone
receptionist. number

charge or recharge verb Don't forget to connect a

Word Example sentence Meaning

to charge your phone smartphone,

before you go tablet
camping. computer,
digital camera,
etc. to an
electricity
source to add
power to its
battery

conference call noun I'm having a telephone

a conference call in which
call with some old three or more
friends tonight. people can
hear and
speak with one
another

cordless phone noun Have you seen a landline

the cordless phone? telephone
I had it in the receiver you
bathroom but it isn't can carry for
there now. short
distances
while using

dial verb Are you sure to press

you dialled the right numbers on a
number? landline phone
or touch
Word Example sentence Meaning

numbers on a
smartphone
keypad to call
someone

dialling tone (BrE) or dial I think the line's dead. the sound a

tone (AmE) noun There's no dial landline phone
tone when you pick makes when
up the phone. you pick it up

hang up verb Someone called, but to end a

as soon as they heard telephone call
my voice they hung
up.

hotspot or Wi-Fi hotspot noun Why don't we use that a place where

free Wi-Fi hotspot at people can get
the public library? Internet
access either
for free or by
using a
network
access
password

icon noun The icon for email on a graphic

my phone is a white symbol or
envelope on a blue picture on a
square. smartphone or
Word Example sentence Meaning

computer
screen that
represents an
application or
file and opens
it when
touched

landline noun We've all got a physical

smartphones, so do telephone line,
we really need or a telephone
a landline in the that uses one
house?

line or connection noun The line was really a telephone

bad so I called again connection
to get a used to make
better connection. a voice call

missed call noun I check my missed a call that

calls every night in wasn't
case I've missed an answered
important one.

mobile phone (also cell Oh no! I left a portable

phone or feature phone) noun my mobile phone in phone with a
the taxi. SIM card for
network
Word Example sentence Meaning

connections,
with more
features than a
landline phone
but fewer than
a smartphone

pay phone or phone booth noun There aren't a public

many pay phones left telephone that
these days. takes coins or
phonecard
payment for
each call
made

pick up verb The phone rang and to answer a

everybody stared at it. landline phone
Then Maria by lifting the
slowly picked it up. receiver

receiver noun The phone rang and the part of a

John picked up landline
the receiver and said telephone set
"Hello?" you pick up
and speak into

return a call or call sb back verb He didn't return my to telephone

call, so I knew someone who
something was tried to
Word Example sentence Meaning

wrong. telephone you

ring verb The phone was in the (of a

bathroom so I didn't telephone) to
hear it ring. make the
sound that
tells you
someone is
calling

ringtone noun I should change one of many

my ringtone. I'm sick sounds a
of hearing this one. smartphone
can make
when
someone is
calling

robocall noun Most people hate an automatic

getting robocalls, call that plays
don't they? a recorded
message,
usually to sell
something or
get votes in an
election

save verb Don't forget to keep a

to save his number if phone
Word Example sentence Meaning

he calls again. number, text

message, e-
mail or other
digital data on
a smartphone
or computer

SIM card noun You can use any a small card

mobile phone that's with a
got your SIM card in microchip
it. that's sold by a
network
provider and
inserted into a
mobile phone

smartphone noun We were on the bus a small hand-

watching video clips held computer
on my smartphone. with a
touchscreen
that can be
used as a
mobile phone,
web browser,
media player,
digital camera,
etc.

telephone Do you have to pay to an

directory (also directory or phone have your number in alphabetical
book) noun the telephone list (online or
Word Example sentence Meaning

directory, or is it in a book) of
free? people and
businesses
with telephone
numbers

text message or text noun He sent me lots a Short

of text Message
messages after I told Service (SMS)
him our relationship text-only
was over. message or a
multimedia
message
(MMS) with
digital images,
videos, sound
content, etc.

text verb We don't call each to send an

other much, but we're SMS or other
always texting each text message
other. from a mobile
phone,
smartphone or
computer

touch My grandma says she a screen that

screen or touchscreen noun has trouble using allows a
the touchscreen on smartphone,
her phone. tablet
computer,
Word Example sentence Meaning

game console
or similar
device to be
controlled with
the touch of a
finger

voicemail noun If I can't answer your a system that

call, leave a message records and
on voicemail if you stores spoken
like. messages left
by people
whose phone
calls aren't
answered

Wi-Fi or WiFi noun We have Wi-Fi a technology

throughout the that allows
building, so you can smartphones,
use your smartphone personal and
or computer tablet
anywhere you like. computers,
video-game
consoles,
smart TVs,
etc. to access
a wireless
local area
network

wireless Your phone can hook a system of

Word Example sentence Meaning

network or network noun into networks in other radio-

countries if your frequency cell
service provider has towers that
deals with them. transmit phone
calls and other
digital data
within a limited
service area