Phone calls: messages, spelling and numbers
The phrases for every stage of a work call.
15 minutes · A free lesson from Phone calls and meetings
A work call from start to finish
Answering
- Good morning, Al Noor Tuition, Sana speaking.
- How can I help?
Asking for someone
- Could I speak to Mr Ahmed, please?
- Is Ms Khan available?
Taking a message
- I'm afraid she's in a meeting. Can I take a message?
- Could I have your name and number, please?
- Let me read that back to you…
Checking
- Sorry, could you say that again?
- Could you spell that for me?
- Was that fifteen or fifty?
Ending
- I'll make sure he gets the message.
- Thanks for calling. Bye.
Spelling on the phone: letters like B, D, P and T sound alike on a bad line. Say B for Bravo, D for Delta — or any clear word: M for Mother, N for Nothing.
Numbers: say phone numbers in groups — oh-three-hundred, five-five-five, oh-one-four-two. English speakers often say "oh" for 0 and "double" for a repeated digit: double seven.
A call to a company
Sign in to play the recording. The transcript:
- Receptionist: Good morning, Crescent Travel, Hina speaking. How can I help?
- Caller: Hello. Could I speak to Mr Baig, please?
- Receptionist: I'm afraid he's out of the office today. Can I take a message?
- Caller: Yes, please. It's Daniel Wright, W-R-I-G-H-T. Could he call me back on oh-seven-seven-double-oh, nine-one-two, three-four-five?
- Receptionist: Of course. Let me read that back: oh-seven-seven-double-oh, nine-one-two, three-four-five. I'll make sure he gets the message.
Say it out loud (40 seconds): Your colleague is out. Take a message from a caller: say she is away, ask for name and number, and read the number back.
Lesson quiz
Check what you have learned. Choose an answer to see whether it is right, and why.
Quick check: Which phrase offers to take a message?
- “Is Ms Khan available?”
- “Thanks for calling. Bye.”
- “I'm afraid she's in a meeting. Can I take a message?”
Show the answer
C: “I'm afraid she's in a meeting. Can I take a message?” — Then ask for a name and number, and read them back.
Quick check: How do English speakers usually say 77 in a phone number?
- seventy-seventh
- double seven
- seven hundred and seven
Show the answer
B: double seven — “oh” for 0 and “double” for a repeated digit: oh-seven-seven-double-oh.
Quick check: B and D sound alike on a bad line. How can you make a letter clear?
- Say a word that starts with it: “B for Bravo”
- Say it louder
- Leave it out
Show the answer
A: Say a word that starts with it: “B for Bravo” — Any clear word works: M for Mother, N for Nothing.
Quick check: You are not sure whether the caller said fifteen or fifty. What do you say?
- Nothing: write fifty
- “Is that one-five or five-oh?”
- “Sorry, bye.”
Show the answer
B: “Is that one-five or five-oh?” — When a number matters, check it digit by digit.
Marked as soon as you finish — free with an account.Practise now
Marked as soon as you finish — free with an account.Practise now