Telephone Vocabulary
Word Example sentence
answer verb I phoned the shop but
nobody answered so I
guess they're closed.
answering machine Leave a message on the
noun answering machine and
I'll call you back when I
can.
busy (AmE) or engaged If the line's busy and you
(BrE) adj can't get through, call
again later.
busy signal (AmE) or Mum's always on the
engaged tone (BrE) noun phone after dinner, so I'll
get a busy signal if I call
now.
call noun I'm sorry, but I really
have to take this call.
call verb If you need a lift home,
call me and I'll come and
get you.
caller noun I spoke to hundreds of
callers every day while I
was a receptionist.
charge or recharge verb Don't forget to charge
your phone before you
go camping.
conference call noun I'm having a conference
call with some old
friends tonight.
cordless phone noun Have you seen the
Meaning
to take the call and
speak after a phone has
rung
a recording device a
caller can leave a spoken
message on if their call
isn't answered
already being used, of a
telephone line or
number
the sound you hear if
you dial a landline
number that's already
being used
the act of telephoning
someone, or a telephone
conversation
to try to contact
someone by phone,
either by dialling their
number or finding their
name in the list of
contacts on a mobile or
smartphone
the person who calls a
telephone number
to connect a
smartphone, tablet
computer, digital
camera, etc. to an
electricity source to add
power to its battery
a telephone call in which
three or more people
can hear and speak with
one another
a landline telephone
 cordless phone? I had it
in the bathroom but it
isn't there now.
dial verb Are you sure you dialled
the right number?
dialling tone (BrE) or dial I think the line's dead.
tone (AmE) noun There's no dial tone
when you pick up the
phone.
hang up verb Someone called, but as
soon as they heard my
voice they hung up.
hotspot or Wi-Fi hotspot Why don't we use that
noun free Wi-Fi hotspot at the
public library?
icon noun The icon for email on my
phone is a white
envelope on a blue
square.
landline noun We've all got
smartphones, so do we
really need a landline in
the house?
line or connection noun The line was really bad
so I called again to get a
better connection.
missed call noun I check my missed calls
every night in case I've
missed an important
one.
mobile phone (also cell Oh no! I left my mobile
phone or feature phone) phone in the taxi.
noun
receiver you can carry
for short distances while
using
to press numbers on a
landline phone or touch
numbers on a
smartphone keypad to
call someone
the sound a landline
phone makes when you
pick it up
to end a telephone call
a place where people
can get Internet access
either for free or by
using a network access
password
a graphic symbol or
picture on a smartphone
or computer screen that
represents an application
or file and opens it when
touched
a physical telephone line,
or a telephone that uses
one
a telephone connection
used to make a voice call
a call that wasn't
answered
a portable phone with a
SIM card for network
connections, with more
features than a landline
 phone but fewer than a
smartphone
pay phone or phone There aren't many pay a public telephone that
booth noun phones left these days. takes coins or phonecard
payment for each call
made
pick up verb The phone rang and to answer a landline
everybody stared at it. phone by lifting the
Then Maria slowly receiver
picked it up.
receiver noun The phone rang and John the part of a landline
picked up the receiver telephone set you pick
and said "Hello?" up and speak into
return a call or call sb He didn't return my call, to telephone someone
back verb so I knew something was who tried to telephone
wrong. you
ring verb The phone was in the (of a telephone) to make
bathroom so I didn't the sound that tells you
hear it ring. someone is calling
ringtone noun I should change my one of many sounds a
ringtone. I'm sick of smartphone can make
hearing this one. when someone is calling
robocall noun Most people hate getting an automatic call that
robocalls, don't they? plays a recorded
message, usually to sell
something or get votes
in an election
save verb Don't forget to save his to keep a phone number,
number if he calls again. text message, e-mail or
other digital data on a
smartphone or computer
SIM card noun You can use any mobile a small card with a
phone that's got your microchip that's sold by
SIM card in it. a network provider and
inserted into a mobile
phone
smartphone noun We were on the bus a small hand-held
watching video clips on computer with a
my smartphone. touchscreen that can be
used as a mobile phone,
web browser, media
 player, digital camera,
etc.
telephone directory Do you have to pay to an alphabetical list
(also directory or phone have your number in the (online or in a book) of
book) noun telephone directory, or people and businesses
is it free? with telephone numbers
text message or text He sent me lots of text a Short Message Service
noun messages after I told him (SMS) text-only message
our relationship was or a multimedia message
over. (MMS) with digital
images, videos, sound
content, etc.
text verb We don't call each other to send an SMS or other
much, but we're always text message from a
texting each other. mobile phone,
smartphone or computer
touch screen or My grandma says she a screen that allows a
touchscreen noun has trouble using the smartphone, tablet
touchscreen on her computer, game console
phone. or similar device to be
controlled with the
touch of a finger
voicemail noun If I can't answer your a system that records
call, leave a message on and stores spoken
voicemail if you like. messages left by people
whose phone calls aren't
answered
Wi-Fi or WiFi noun We have Wi-Fi a technology that allows
throughout the building, smartphones, personal
so you can use your and tablet computers,
smartphone or computer video-game consoles,
anywhere you like. smart TVs, etc. to access
a wireless local area
network
wireless network or Your phone can hook a system of radio-
network noun into networks in other frequency cell towers
countries if your service that transmit phone calls
provider has deals with and other digital data
them. within a limited service
area
Telephone Phrases
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.

Telephone Tips
Here is some advice for ESL learners about speaking in English on the phone.
Speak slowly and clearly
Listening to someone speaking in a second language over the telephone can be
very challenging because you cannot see the person you are trying to hear.
However, it may be even more difficult for the person you are talking with to
understand you. You may not realize that your pronunciation isn't clear because
your teacher and fellow students know and understand you. Pay special attention
to your weak areas (such as "r's" and "l's" or "b's" and "v's") when you are on the
phone. If you are nervous about using the phone in English, you may notice
yourself speaking very quickly. Practise or write down what you are going to say
and take a few deep breaths before you make a phone call.
Make sure you understand the other speaker
Don't pretend to understand everything you hear over the telephone. Even native
speakers ask each other to repeat and confirm information from time to time.
This is especially important if you are taking a message for someone else. Learn
the appropriate expressions that English speakers use when they don't hear
something properly. Don't be afraid to remind the person to slow down more
than once. Keep your telephone in an area that is away from other noise
distractions such as a radio or television.
Practise with a friend
Ask another student to practise talking on the phone with you. You might choose
one night a week and take turns phoning each other at a certain time. Try to talk
for at least fifteen minutes. You can talk socially, or role play different scenarios in
a business environment. If you don't have access to a telephone, you can practise
by setting two chairs up back to back. The most important thing about practising
telephone English is that you aren't able to see each other's mouths. It is amazing
how much people lip-read without realizing.
Use businesses and recordings
There are many ways to get free telephone English practice. After business hours,
you can call and listen to recorded messages. Write down what you hear the first
time, and then call back and check if your notes are accurate. Use the phone in
your everyday life. Call for a pizza delivery instead of going out to eat. Call a salon
to book a hair appointment. You can even phone the movie theatre to ask for the
listings instead of using the newspaper. Some large cities have free recordings you
can call for information such as your daily horoscope or the weather. (Make sure
that you aren't going to get charged for these numbers first.) Some products have
free phone numbers on the packaging that you can call for information. Think of a
question you might want to ask and call the free number! For example, call the
number on the back of the cereal box and ask for coupons. You will have to give
your name and address. Make sure you have a pen handy so that you can repeat
the information and check your comprehension.
Learn telephone etiquette (manners)
The way that you speak to your best friend on the phone is very different to the
way you should speak to someone in a business setting. Many ESL speakers make
the mistake of being too direct on the telephone. It is possible that the person on
the other line will think that you are being rude on purpose if you don't use
formal language in certain situations. Sometimes just one word such as "could" or
"may" is necessary in order to sound polite. You should use the same modals you
would use in a formal "face-to-face" situation. Take the time to learn how to
answer the phone and say goodbye in a polite manner, as well as all the various
ways one can start and end a conversation casually.
Practise dates and numbers
It only takes a short time to memorize English phonetic spelling, but it is
something that you will be able to use in any country. You should also practise
saying dates and numbers aloud. You and a friend can write out a list of dates and
numbers and take turns reading them over the phone to each other. Record what
you hear. Swap papers the next day and check your