This document provides guidance on telephoning in English. It covers topics such as starting and finishing phone calls politely, exchanging information over the phone, and dealing with problems that may arise. Specific guidance is given on introducing oneself, asking to speak to others, checking information, spelling words clearly, and summarizing or recapping discussions for teleconferences. Common mistakes to avoid are also highlighted. The overall purpose is to help improve English phone skills.

1. Core Systems Transformation Solutions
Telephoning in English
16 December 2014

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2 Agenda
• Starting and finishing a
telephone conversation
• Sounding friendly and polite
• Exchanging information on the
phone
• Dealing with problems
• Teleconferencing
• Q&A

3. • Introducing yourself:
the person who receives the call: Hello. John
Smith speaking. - formal
the caller: Hello. This is John Smith. - formal
the caller: Hi! It’s John (here). /It’s me. - informal
• Asking to speak to someone:
Can I speak to Jane Doe, please?
Could you put me through to the Sales
department, please?
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3 starting the conversation

4. Hello, this is James Dean.
Could you put me through to
Sales please?
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4 starting the conversation
Certainly. One moment.
Yes. Can I speak to
Peter Davies please?
Good morning. AIC
computing. Maria speaking.
How can I help you?
Peter Davies speaking.
Hi Peter! It’s James here.
Oh, James? How are
you?
Fine, thanks! And you?
Hello. Sales. Can I help
you?
Putting you through.

5. Look at the sentences below. Someone is leaving a
message. Complete the gaps in the sentences with
tell, ask or say.
1 Could you …………………. him I rang?
2 Could you …………………. him to call me back?
3 Can you ……………………. I’m arriving at five?
4 Can you …………………. him it’s urgent?
5 Just ……………………. I’ll call again at six.
6 I’d be grateful if you could ……………………. him
to call me back.
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5 leaving a message
I’m sorry, he’s not
available right now. Can
I take a message?
Sure. Don’t
worry, I’ll pass it
on.
Yes, please.
tell
ask
say
tell
say
ask

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6 finishing the conversation
Thank you for calling.
Goodbye.
Gotta run. Bye!

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7 finishing the conversation
A Goodbye.
B Must go. Got another meeting!
C See you at seven.
D Thanks for calling.
E Look forward to hearing form you.
F Thanks very much.
G Is there anything else I can help you
with today?
H Sorry, I’ll have to stop you there.
I’m expecting another call.
I Thanks for your time.
J It’s been nice talking to you. Bye!
K When can I expect to hear from you?
L Speak to you again in a minute.
Categorize the phrases on the
right according to their function:
1 TO SAY GOODBYE
A J
2 TO GIVE REASON FOR ENDING
B H
3 TO REFER TO FUTURE CONTACT
C E K L
4 TO THANK THE OTHER PERSON
D F I
5 TO OFFER HELP
G

8. Sounding friendly and polite
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8  Asking questions
 Giving bad news
 Formal and informal language

9. Sounding friendly and polite
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9 What’s his name?
What do you do?
Why are you calling?
Do you have our number?
Do you know what his name is?
Can you tell me what you do?
Can I ask you why you are calling?
I was wondering if you have our
number?
Asking indirect questions
NOTE. Mind the word order in indirect questions!
Compare:
Where is he? → Can you tell me where he is?
Where does he live? → Do you know where he lives?

10. Sounding friendly and polite
I’m afraid …
I’m sorry, …
Unfortunately, …
Actually, …
When giving ‘bad news’ or a negative
answer, soften your message.
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10 Giving bad news
too direct:
I don’t know.
She’s in a meeting.
We have a problem.
No, he doesn’t.
more polite:
I’m afraid I don’t know.
I’m sorry, she’s in a meeting.
Unfortunately, we have a problem.
Actually, I don’t think he does.

11. Sounding friendly and polite
Formal and informal language
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11 Informal
1. ask for
2. ask
3. need
4. get
5. give
6. say sorry
7. tell
8. book
9. help
10. check
Formal
a) receive
b) reserve
c) request
d) assist
e) require
f) inform
g) apologize
h) enquire
i) verify
j) provide
Answers 
1. (c) request
2. (h) enquire
3. (e) require
4. (a) receive
5. (j) provide
6. (g) apologize
7. (f) inform
8. (b) reserve
9. (d) assist
10. (i) verify
match the informal verb on the left with the formal
verbs on the left which have a similar meaning:

12. Exchanging information on the phone
 Reasons for calling
 Checking information
 Dealing with specific information:
- names
- numbers
- symbols
- quantities
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12

13. Exchanging information on the phone
Exchanging information
What was your question?
What would you like to know?
Could you tell me?
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13 Reasons for calling
I’m calling about…
I have a question about…
I wanted to ask about…
Are you the right person to ask?
Checking information
Would you like me to spell that for you?
Did you say… ?
Sorry, I didn’t catch that.
Let me just read that back to you.
Let me just check that.

14. Exchanging information on the phone
dealing with specific information
• Could you spell that (for me please)?
• Could you repeat the number/date?
• Could you say it a bit more slowly?
• I’m sorry, was that ‘one three five’ or ‘one three nine’?
• Is it ‘a’ for ‘apple’ or ‘i’ for ‘island’?
• Did you say November or December?
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15. Exchanging information on the phone
Spelling difficult words or names
• My name is Ruth, AR-YOU-TEE-EITCH.
• It’s R for Red, U for University, T for Table, H for House.
• It’s R as in Red, U as in University, …
• My name is Dennis, spelt with double ‘n’.
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16. Exchanging information on the phone
Numbers
• say long numbers digit-by-digit:
45-678-23: four five - six seven eight - two three
NOT: forty-five, six hundred…
• 0 → ‘oh’ (British English)
→ ‘zero’ (American English)
205: two-oh-five (Br) or two-zero-five (Am)
• two similar digits → double
77→ ‘double seven’ (or ‘seven seven’)
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17. Exchanging information on the phone
Symbols
symbol: how it is pronounced:
at
dot
underscore
hyphen, dash
slash, forward slash
backslash
asterisk, star
hash, pound, number sign
www.abc.com/products
“The webpage you
need is: www dot abc
dot com forward slash
products.”
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17 @
.
_
-
/
*
#
bob_jones@abc-company.com
“My e-mail address is: bob
underscore jones at abc
hyphen company dot com.”
*43#
“To receive your
balance information,
dial star four three
hash.”

18. Exchanging information on the phone
quantities
Was it 13 or 30? 14 or 40?? 15 or 50???
To avoid confusion, you can say, for example:
13 (one - three) or 30 (three - zero)
Decimal fractions:
35.235 thirty-five point two three five
0.0126 point zero one two six
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19 Dealing with problems
What problems do you have to deal
with when talking on the phone?

20. Dealing with problems
The other person is speaking too quietly.
Sorry, could you ……………………… up a bit, please?
You didn’t hear something that the other
person said.
You want the other person to repeat
what they said.
catch
Sorry, I didn’t ……………………… that.
Sorry, could you ……………………… that again, please?
The other person is speaking too fast.
Sorry, could you say that a bit more ……………………… , please?
You don’t know how to write a word.
Sorry, could you ……………………… that for me, please?
There are some technical problems.
Sorry, this is a really bad ……………………… .
The previous call was disconnected.
Sorry, we got ……………………… off.
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20 slowly speak cut
catch spell say line
say
cut
line
spell
slowly
speak

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21 Teleconferencing
KEY STEPS:
 Organize the conference call thoughtfully.
 Communicate clearly.
 Prepare to deal with any technical problems that
arise.
 Take control of the teleconference.
 Summarize and outline future action.

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22 Teleconferencing
A Let’s speak again in two weeks.
B Ok, Bob, do you want to start?
C Thanks for joining us today.
D Miranda?
E How are things in Melbourne?
F Is that any better?
G Can I remind you all to say your
name when you speak?
H Can you hear me?
I So, to summarize, …
J No, you go first.
K Let me just recap.
L Is everyone picking up all right?
Categorize the phrases on the
right according to their function:
1 MAKING SMALL TALK
E
2 SORTING OUT PROCEDURAL AND
TECHNICAL PROBLEMS
F G H L
3 WELCOMING PARTICIPANTS
C
4 TURN-TAKING AND TURN GIVING
B D J
5 SUMMARIZING
I K
6 REFERRING TO FUTURE ACTIONS
A

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23 Typical mistakes
Each of these sentences has a mistake in it. Can you find it?
1. Hello. I am Marco speaking.
2. I’m afraid but he is out of the office today.
3. I really sorry about this.
4. Can you say him that I called?
5. I call you back tomorrow.
6. It’s “A” like in “apple”.
7. Sorry but I must to go now.
8. My email address is: john at abc point com.
9. Can you tell me where is he?
10. Thanks you for calling.

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24 Typical mistakes
1. Hello. I am This is Marco speaking.
2. I’m afraid but he is out of the office today.
3. I am really sorry about this.
4. Can you say tell him that I called?
5. I’ll call you back tomorrow.
6. It’s “A” like as in in “apple”.
7. Sorry but I must to go now.
8. My email address is: john at abc point dot com.
9. Can you tell me where is he he is?
10. Thanks you for calling. (or: Thanks for calling)

25. Any questions?
Sophie Remizova
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25 English Teacher
Sophia.Remizova@returnonintelligence.com
Thank you for your
participation!