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Learning Objectives

2 minutes reading
✓
Open and close phone calls professionally
✓
Ask for clarification and spell names correctly
✓
Transfer calls and take messages accurately
✓
Handle connection problems politely
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Key for this lesson

Phone calls need clear structure: Greeting → Purpose → Information exchange → Confirmation → Closing. Always confirm key details!

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Grammar Explanation

4 minutes reading
Opening Calls

Starting a Professional Call

Greeting + Name + Company + Purpose

Answering: "Good morning, this is [Name] from [Company]."

Calling: "Hello, this is [Name] calling from [Company]."

Purpose: "I'm calling about / regarding..."

This is...I'm calling about...regarding...
Clarification

Checking Understanding

Could you + repeat/spell/clarify?

Repeat: "Could you repeat that, please?"

Spell: "Could you spell that for me?"

Slow down: "Could you speak more slowly, please?"

Could you repeat...?Sorry, I didn't catch...Let me confirm...
🔑
The NATO Alphabet

Use phonetic alphabet for clarity: A-Alpha, B-Bravo, C-Charlie, D-Delta, E-Echo... "That's M for Mike, A for Alpha..."

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Context & Professional Usage

5 minutes reading

Call Handling

📞Answer: "Good morning, Kintail Services, Ana speaking."
🔄Transfer: "I'll put you through to Sales."
⏳Hold: "Could you hold the line, please?"
📝Message: "Can I take a message?"

Problem Solving

🔊Bad line: "The line is breaking up. Could you repeat that?"
❓Unclear: "Sorry, I didn't quite catch that."
✅Confirm: "Let me read that back to you."
👋Close: "Thank you for calling. Goodbye."
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Business English Examples

6 minutes reading
✓

Professional Phone Language

✓
"Good afternoon, this is Maria from Accounting."

Clear identification

✓
"I'm calling regarding your invoice query."

Stating purpose formally

✓
"Could you hold the line while I check that?"

Polite hold request

✓
"Let me read that back: Meeting at 3pm on Friday."

Confirming details

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Common Phone Mistakes

✗
"Hello?" (answering business calls)

Use: "Good morning, [Company], [Name] speaking."

✗
"Wait." (putting on hold)

Use: "Could you hold the line, please?"

✗
"What?" (didn't hear)

Use: "Sorry, could you repeat that?"

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Professional Listening Exercise

6 minutes

Listen to David Chen, a Project Manager at Innovatech Solutions, calling Maria Rossi at Global Logistics about an urgent delivery:

🎵Audio: Urgent Order Delivery
Ready
0:00 / 0:00
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Speed:

Maria (Account Manager): Good morning, Global Logistics, Maria speaking.

David Chen (Project Manager at Innovatech Solutions): Good morning, Maria. This is David Chen calling from Innovatech Solutions.

Maria: Of course, Mr. Chen. How can I help you today?

David: I'd like to speak to Marco Rossi, please. I'm calling about our order, reference number T-X-4-5-9. It's quite urgent.

Maria: Could you hold on a moment, please? I'll just check if he's available.

David: Certainly.

Maria: I'm sorry, Mr. Chen, but Mr. Rossi is away from his desk. He's dealing with an issue in the warehouse. He should be back in about an hour. Can I take a message?

David: Yes, please. This is quite important. Could you tell him that David Chen from Innovatech called about order T-X-4-5-9? We need to know if it's possible to expedite delivery. Our client has moved their project deadline forward, so we need components by this Friday at the latest.

Maria: Okay, I've got that. You need to expedite order T-X-4-5-9 for delivery by Friday.

David: That's right. And could you ask him to call me back as soon as he gets a chance? My direct line is 0207 946 0781. The logistics of this are critical for us.

Maria: Let me just confirm that number. That's 0207 946 0781.

David: Perfect. Thank you for your help, Maria.

Maria: You're very welcome, Mr. Chen. I'll make sure he gets the message as soon as he returns.

David: Great. Have a good day. Goodbye.

Maria: You too. Goodbye.

B2 Vocabulary:
- Expedite (v): To make something happen more quickly.
- Logistics (n): The detailed organization and implementation of a complex operation.

Question 1: What is the main reason for David's call?

Question 2: Why can't David speak to Marco Rossi?

Question 3: According to Maria, when will Mr. Rossi probably be available?

Question 4: Fill: What is David's direct phone number?

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Quick Comprehension Quiz

4 minutes
1

Professional way to answer a business call:

AHello?
BGood morning, Kintail, Maria speaking.
CWho is this?
2

Asking someone to wait on the phone:

AWait a minute.
BDon't hang up.
CCould you hold the line, please?
3

Confirming information before ending a call:

AI hope that's right.
BLet me read that back to you.
CRemember what I said.
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Professional Practice Exercises

7 minutes

Exercise A: Complete the phone phrases

1. Good morning, _______ is Sarah from Customer Service.

2. I'm _______ about your recent order.

3. Could you _______ the line while I check?

4. I'll _______ you through to the sales team.

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Speaking Preparation

4 minutes
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Preparation for Class

Practice phone call role plays with opening, purpose, and closing.

📞 Task 1: Answer a Call (1 min)

Practice: "Good morning, [Company], [Your name] speaking. How may I help you?"

📝 Task 2: Take a Message (2 min)

Practice taking a message and reading it back to confirm.

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Well Done!

Key phrases: This is... calling from..., Could you hold the line?, Let me read that back...
Next: Lesson 4.3 - Email Writing Basics

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