Speaking English on the phone: 13 useful phone expressions!
Do you know how to speak English on the phone? How many useful expressions do you know? Try our little quiz below. Then, watch the video to check your answers. This will really improve your spoken English, and help you learn lots of useful phone expressions!
Phone expressions quiz
What would you say? See if you can think of an expression for each situation.
1 How would you answer the phone at work? Hi, (Andrea) speaking, how may I help you?
2 How would you answer the phone at home?
3 Imagine you phone a company and you want to speak to Mrs Jones. What would you say?
4 Imagine you answer the phone at a company, and you want to know who is calling and where they’re calling from. What would you ask?
5 Imagine the caller asks to speak to Mrs. Jones, who is on another line. How would you tell the speaker that you will connect them?
6 Imagine Mrs. Jones isn’t there and you want to try another number. What could you say to the caller?
7 Imagine the caller hasn’t spoken to anyone. Ask if they would like to leave a message.
8 Now, ask the caller to repeat some information.
9 Ask the caller to speak a little louder.
10 Ask the caller to speak a little more slowly?
11 Ask the caller to call back later, because the line isn’t very good.
12 Tell the caller that you think they’ve called the wrong number.
13 Ask the caller to repeat some information back to you.
Video script
Teacher: So, you’ve studied the useful phone expressions. Now, I’m going to test you on them.
Student: OK, great.
T: Right, so imagine you’re at work, and the phone rings. How would you answer it?
S: Hi, Andrea speaking, how may I help you?
T: Ok, great! Now, imagine you’re at home.
S: Hi, I’m Andrea.
T: Actually, we use “this” or “it.” So, we’d say “hello, this is Andrea” or “hello, it’s Andrea.” Not “I’m.” Now, imagine you phone the company, and you want to speak to Mrs. Jones.
S: Hi, can I speak to Mrs. Jones?
T: Ok, remember to use “please” and “thank you.” It’s more common.
S: Hi, could I speak to Mrs. Jones, please?
T: Very good! Now, imagine you answer the phone at a company, and you want to know who is calling and where they’re calling from. What would you ask?
S: What company are you calling from, please?
T: Ok, and the name?
S: Could I have your name please?
T: Ok, very good, that’s excellent. So, now the caller asks to speak to Mrs. Jones on another line. How would you tell them that you’ll connect them?
S: I’ll just put you through to Mrs. Jones.
T: So, Mrs. Jones isn’t there. So, you want to try another number. What could you say?
S: I can put you on hold, and I’ll try another number.
T: OK, perfect. So, they haven’t spoken to anyone, but now ask if they’d like to leave a message.
S: Could you repeat, please?
T: Yes, ask if they would like to leave a message.
S: Would you like to leave a message?
T: Very good. Now, ask the caller to repeat information.
S: Could you repeat, please?
T: Remember “that.” “Could you repeat that, please?” Now, ask the caller to speak a little louder.
S: Could you speak louder, please?
T: Ok, try using the phrasal verb “speak up”. So, “could you speak up, please?”
S: Could you speak up, please?
T: Excellent. Now ask the caller to speak a little more slowly?
S: Could you speak a little more slowly, please? My English isn’t very good.
T: Excellent. Now ask the caller to call back later, because the line isn’t very good.
S: Could you call later, please? The line isn’t very good.
T: Wonderful. Tell the caller they’ve called the wrong number.
S: You have the wrong number.
T: Or you could say “I’m sorry but I think you’ve got the wrong number.”
S: I’m sorry but I think you have the wrong number.
T: Excellent. And now ask the caller to repeat some information back to you.
S: Would you mind repeating that back to me, please?
T: Very good. OK, now, we’re going to do a little role play. So, I’ll be this person, and you can be that person, and we’re all happy.
Answers
1 How would you answer the phone at work?
Hi, (Andrea) speaking, how may I help you?
2 How would you answer the phone at home?
Hello / Hello, this is (Andrea).
3 Imagine you phone a company and you want to speak to Mrs Jones. What would you say?
Could I speak to Mrs. Jones, please?
4 Imagine you answer the phone at a company, and you want to know who is calling and where they’re calling from. What would you ask?
Could I have your name please? / What company are you calling from, please?
5 Imagine the caller asks to speak to Mrs. Jones, who is on another line. How would you tell the speaker that you will connect them?
I’ll just put you through to Mrs. Jones.
6 Imagine Mrs. Jones isn’t there and you want to try another number. What could you say to the caller?
I’ll try another number.
7 Imagine the caller hasn’t spoken to anyone. Ask if they would like to leave a message.
Would you like to leave a message?
8 Ask the caller to repeat some information.
Could you repeat that, please?
9 Ask the caller to speak a little louder.
Could you speak up, please?
10 Ask the caller to speak a little more slowly?
Could you speak a little more slowly, please?
11 Ask the caller to call back later, because the line isn’t very good.
Could you call later, please? The line isn’t very good.
12 Tell the caller that you think they’ve called the wrong number.
I’m sorry but I think you’ve called the wrong number.
13 Ask the caller to repeat some information back to you.
Would you mind repeating that back to me please?
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