Making and Receiving a Phone Call

A.

Learning how to communicate well on the telephone is one of the top priorities for many students who need to use English at work. Learning the common phrases that are used on the telephone helps students know what to expect. However, what students often need most is practice, practice, and more practice. Telephoning requires special skills as there are a number of difficulties that arise when telephoning that are specific to telephoning. The first and foremost difficulty is not being able to see the person you are communicating with. This lack of visual communication often makes students, who can communicate quite successfully in other situations, nervous and thereby hinders their communicative abilities. Add to this the typical hectic pace of business communication, and you have a particularly difficult situation.

B.

Most commonly used word-groups while making a phone call

• Hello? Is that (the HDFC bank)?
• Can I speak to (the manager), please?
• Can I have extension 801?
• Could I speak to…? (Can I – more informal / May I – more formal)
• Is George in? (Informal idiom meaning: Is George in the office?)
• I’d like to speak to (Miss Alice)
• I’m calling to ask about…
• I’d like to ask about / in inquire / know if…
• Can / Could you give any information about / on…?
• I’d appreciate it if you could give me some information on…
• I wonder if you could tell me about…
• I was wondering if you could help me…
• I’d like to know…
• I’d like to speak to…
• Could I speak to someone who…
• Could you put me through to Mr. Jones, please?
• Can / Could you tell me…?
• Sorry to trouble you, but is…
• Do you have any idea when / What / Where…
• Hello is this Dr John’s office?

C.

If you are answering the phone on behalf of the company, e.g. as a receptionist would, it is normal to say ‘Hello’ and give the name of the company. If your full name. For example ‘Hello, David Abraham’. If you don’t do that the caller can easily become confused.

It’s a good idea to write down someone’s name at the beginning of a call. If you miss their name, do ask again. Say ‘I’m sorry I didn’t catch your name’. If you want somebody to spell their name, do ask too – say ‘Would you mind spelling your name please?

D.

Answering the phone

• Good morning / afternoon / evening, Jackson Enterprises, Silvia Jones speaking.
• This is … speaking
• How can I help you?
• How may I help you?
• Could you speak up, please?
• Who’s speaking, please?
• Excuse me, who is this?
• Can I ask who is calling, please?
• Am I speaking to…?
• Could you spell that please?
• Am I speaking to..?
• Could you spell that please?
• Am I speaking to…?
• Could you spell that please?
• Who would you like to talk to sir / madam?
• One moment please, I’ll see if Mr. John is available
• Hello / This is (9849227667) / (Venkat)
• Who’s speaking, please?
• Who’s calling?
• Excuse me, who is this?
• Can I ask who is calling, please?
• Speaking.
• This is Swarna.
• Swarna speaking.
• This is (me) speaking
• Hold on / Hang on.
• I’ll call him / I’ll get him.
• I’ll put you through/I’ll connect you.
• Goodbye.

E.

• Putting someone on hold
• Just a moment, please.
• Hold on, please.
• Hold the line, please.

Know the telephone alphabet.
This is particularly important if you have to spell names and addresses.
The Telephone Alphabet
Letter	Pronunciation	Telephone alphabet
A	/ei/	Alfred
B	/bi:/	Benjamin
C	/si:/	Charles
D	/di:/	David
E	/i:/	Edward
F	/ef/	Frederick
G	/djie:/	George
H	/eitsj/	Harry
I	/ai/	Isaac
J	/djei/	Jack
K	/kei/	King
L	/el/	London
M	/em/	Mary
N	/en/	Nellie
O	/eu/	Oliver
P	/pi:/	Peter
Q	/kju:/	Queen
R	/ar/	Robert
S	/es/	Samuel
T	/ti:/	Tommy
U	/ju:/	Uncle
V	/vi:/	Victor
W	dubble /ju:/	William
X	/eks/	X-ray
Y	/wai/	Yellow
Z	/zed/	Zebra

F.

EXERCISE

You need to purchase six new computers for your office. Call Deepika’s Computer Shop and ask for the following information:

• Current special offers on computers.
• Computer configuration (RAM, Hard Drive, CPU).
• Warranty.
• Possibility of discount for an order of six computers.