How To Use English On The Telephone

How to Use
English on the
Telephone
This guide will help you with business
telephone calls
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Good news!
To use English on
the telephone you
just need some
basic template
phrases for the
common tasks
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This guide includes how to:
 make, answer, and receive phone calls in
English
 avoid and solve communication problems
 make arrangements
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Direct links to each section
Jump to:
 Make a call
 Answer & transfer a call
 Receive a call
 Make arrangements
 Avoid communication problems
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Use this guide as a reference
OR
Learn 3 phrases every day for 1 month
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Make
a call
Say who you are
 This is [name]
 It’s [name] informal
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Ask to speak to someone
 Could I speak to [name], please?
 Could you put me through to [name],

please?
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Leave a message
 I’d like to leave a message for [name]
 Could you ask [name] to call me back?
 Could you tell [name] I called?
 Can I give you my number?
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You get through to the wrong person
 Sorry, is that [name]?
 I’m sorry I think I’m through to the wrong

extension
 I’m sorry, I think I’ve got the wrong

number
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Check if the person has time to talk
 Is this a good time to talk?
 Do you have five minutes?
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Explain why you’re calling
 Good morning / afternoon / evening. I’m

calling / phoning …
 about our meeting / our latest offer / the
email you sent …
 to talk to you about … , to arrange a meeting,
to make a complaint, to …
 I’m returning a call from [name]
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End the call
 I think that was all
 That’s it, I think
 I look forward to hearing from you soon/

meeting you soon
 Speak to you/ see you/ I’ll be in touch soon
 Thanks a lot. Bye
 You’re welcome. Bye

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Answer &
transfer a call
Answer the phone
 Hello? informal
 Hello, how can I help you?
 Hello, [name of company]?
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Transfer a caller
 One moment please, I’ll try to connect

you
 Putting you through
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Ask caller to wait
 Please hold
 Would you like to hold the line?
 Would you mind holding?
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You can’t put the caller through …
 I’m sorry there’s no answer
 I’m sorry the line’s busy / engaged
 I’m afraid he/she’s on another call at the

moment
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The person the caller wants is not available
 I’m afraid he/she’s …

 not available just now
 out of the office
 away on business
 He/she should be back …

 at (time)
 on (date)
 Tomorrow
continued…
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 Would you like to call back later?
 Can I take a message?
 Would you like to leave a message?
 Would you like [name] to call you back?
 Could I take your name and number,

please?
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Receive
a call
Confirm who you are
 [name] speaking
 This is [name]
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Ask who is calling and why
 May I ask who’s calling?
 May I ask what this is about?
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Thank caller for returning your call
 Thanks / thank you for calling back
 Thanks for getting back to me
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You receive a call intended for someone else
 I’m sorry, I think you’ve got the wrong

number
 I think you were put through to me by

mistake
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You are busy
 I’m sorry I’m on my way to a meeting

right now
 Could I call you back in a few minutes?
 This isn’t a good time. Can I get back to

you?
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Make
arrangements
Ask for a meeting or appointment
 Shall we meet next week?
 Can we schedule a meeting for next

week?
 Could we set up a meeting for [day]?
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Find a time and day
 When would be convenient for you?
 What day/ time would suit you?
 How about/ What about [day]?
 Could you manage the week after next?
 Let me check my diary
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Suggest alternatives
 I’m afraid I can’t make it then. Do you

think we could meet in the afternoon
instead?
 Could we make it earlier/ later/ the

following day?
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Agree on a location
 Shall we meet at …
 Where would you like to get together?
 Let’s meet in …
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Confirm arrangements
 Right, so that’s 10.30 next Tuesday at

your office
 Could you email me the details?
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Avoid
communication
problems
Technical problems
 I’m afraid this is a very bad line
 The reception is very bad here
 Let me try and ring you back
 I’m sorry, we were cut off
 Sorry, the line dropped
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You don’t understand the caller
 I’m sorry, could you slow down a bit?
 I’m afraid this is a bad line. Could you

speak, please?
 I’m afraid I didn’t catch the first / last part
 I’m sorry I didn’t get that. What was that

again?
 Could you repeat that, please?

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Check the spelling
 Let me spell that for you
 Could you spell that, please?
 Can I read that back to you?
 Could you read that back to me?
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Confirm and summarise
 Can I just check what we’ve agreed?
 Let me see if I’ve got that right
 Can I just summarise the details?
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Learn
more
Improve your Business English with more
great resources, tips and free guides
at our blog:
http://blog.tjtaylor.net
Click here to visit

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Come and say hello.
Check us out on:
www.facebook.com/TJTaylorEnglish
twitter.com/TJTaylorEnglish
www.linkedin.com/company/tj-taylor
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How to Use

 avoid and solve communication problems

 It’s [name] informal

 Could I speak to [name], please?

 Could you put me through to [name],

 I’d like to leave a message for [name]

 Could you ask [name] to call me back?

 Could you tell [name] I called?

 Can I give you my number?

 Sorry, is that [name]?

 I’m sorry I think I’m through to the wrong

 I’m sorry, I think I’ve got the wrong

 Is this a good time to talk?

 Do you have five minutes?

 Good morning / afternoon / evening. I’m

 I’m returning a call from [name]

 That’s it, I think

 I look forward to hearing from you soon/

 Speak to you/ see you/ I’ll be in touch soon

 Thanks a lot. Bye

 You’re welcome. Bye

 Hello, how can I help you?

 Hello, [name of company]?

 One moment please, I’ll try to connect

 Putting you through

 Would you like to hold the line?

 Would you mind holding?

 I’m sorry there’s no answer

 I’m sorry the line’s busy / engaged

 I’m afraid he/she’s on another call at the

 I’m afraid he/she’s …

 He/she should be back …

 Can I take a message?

 Would you like to leave a message?

 Would you like [name] to call you back?

 Could I take your name and number,

 May I ask who’s calling?

 May I ask what this is about?

 Thanks / thank you for calling back

 Thanks for getting back to me

 I’m sorry, I think you’ve got the wrong

 I think you were put through to me by

 I’m sorry I’m on my way to a meeting

 Could I call you back in a few minutes?

 This isn’t a good time. Can I get back to

 Shall we meet next week?

 Can we schedule a meeting for next

 Could we set up a meeting for [day]?

 When would be convenient for you?

 What day/ time would suit you?

 How about/ What about [day]?

 Could you manage the week after next?

 Let me check my diary

 I’m afraid I can’t make it then. Do you

 Could we make it earlier/ later/ the

 Where would you like to get together?

 Right, so that’s 10.30 next Tuesday at

 Could you email me the details?

 I’m afraid this is a very bad line