Telephone skills

With this module, you are going to learn language for phone calls in English. It is important to be able to use the correct language when making a phone call because:

1. The person you are talking to needs to understand you;2. You need to be polite so that you do not upset a client/business partner/other

person;3. You need to sound professional to impress clients or other people and let them think

it is a good idea to work with you.

What do you need to do?1. Translate basic phone vocabulary into Dutch – page 2 2. Decide which expressions for phone calls are formal or informal – page 3 3. Decide which questions for phone calls are formal and polite – page 4 & 54. Improve a phone conversation to make it politer – page 6 5. Create your own useful expressions – page 7

Fill in your answers in this word document.

Fill in your name and class below:

Name

Class:

Print it out and hand it in when you are finished!

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Part 1 Basic vocabulary

English word Translate into Dutch landlinePublic phone / pay phone /phone booth Mobile phone / cell phoneSmart phone Phone chargerText message Voicemail Message Extension To answer a phoneTo hang up To put someone throughI will put you through to Mr. JonesTo connect someoneI will connect you with Mr. JonesTo transfer a callI will transfer your callVideoconferencing VoIP voice over internet protocol Example: Skype

No translation needed here!

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Part 2 Formal and informal language

Expressions to say that you are going to call someone

There are example sentences to show how to use the expressions

Is the expression formal or informal?

You can use the formal expression at workYou can use the informal expression in your private life

To call someoneCould you please call me Could you please call me backTo call up someoneCan you call him To phone someoneWould you please phone him To telephone someoneTo give someone a callCould you give me a call tomorrowTo ring up someone Could you ring him up at the office To give someone a ring Would you give him a ring at home To give someone a bellGive me bell when you have timeTo give someone a buzzGive me buzz as soon as you can

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Part 3 Polite and formal ways to ask a question

Put the phrases from A, B, C & D into the correct category. Look at the next page (page 4)

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B What do you want? What can I do for you? Yes? Can I help you? How can I help you? May I help you? How may I help you? Do you need anything?

D

Wait a minute Wait a second Please wait Hold on Hold the line Please hold the line One moment please Could you hold the line? Could you hold the line

please? Can you hold the line Give me a moment

A Answer the phone Please answer the phone Can you answer the phone? Could you answer the phone? Could you answer the phone

please? Would you answer the phone? Would you answer the phone

please?

C Is that all? Is there anything else? Is there anything else I can

do for you? Do you have any other

questions?

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Formal & polite best choice

RudeFormal & Acceptable

Part 4 Formal and polite English

Look at this conversation. What can you improve to make it politer?

Write down the sentences that you can make politer here.

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Part 5 Useful expressions

Phrasal verbs are two or more verbs that make ONE expression.Look at the phrasal verbs below Write one sentence for each phrasal verb.

Write your sentences here!

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

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