ESL: Improve Your English Telephone Skills

 Source: https://www.thoughtco.com/telephone-practice-english-with-dialogues-1211307 

By Kenneth Beare - Updated July 18, 2019 

Practice your telephone skills using the short English conversations provided below that focus on several everyday situations. Print these telephone scenarios for use in class or share telephone conversations with your friends online. For example, you could Skype your friend, navigate to a telephoning English practice page, and rehearse together by each taking a role, exchanging roles, and practicing a few times. 

Telephone Tips

Practice each dialogue with a friend or classmate a few times. Next, write your own telephone dialogues, go into another room, and use your smartphone to call your partner. Practicing by using a real phone will make future conversations with native speakers much easier. After you've practiced with a friend, try these tips:

1. Call local businesses: The best way to get better is by practicing calling various stores or businesses. Before calling, jot down a few notes on the information you would like to find out. Use your notes when you call the stores to help you feel more confident when you speak.
2. Call yourself: To practice leaving messages, call yourself and leave a message. Listen to the message to see if you can understand the words clearly. Play the recording for a native-speaking friend to see if she understands the message you have left. 
3. Introduce yourself properly: When on the phone, use "This is..." rather than "I am..." when introducing yourself in English. 

Don't be shy about asking the speaker (politely) to repeat names and numbers to ensure that you get the right information. Repeating names and numbers will help slow speakers down.

Key Vocabulary

Before practicing the following dialogues, familiarize yourself with the following terms, which are common to many telephone conversations:

• This is ...
• May (Can, Could) I speak to...?
• I'm calling ...
• Please hold...
• put someone through...
• Who's calling...?
• take a message

Calling Someone at Work

• Caller: Hello. This is [your name]. May I speak to Ms. Sunshine, please.
• Receptionist: Hold the line a moment, I'll check if she is in her office.
• Caller: Thank you.
• Receptionist: (after a moment) Yes, Ms. Sunshine is in. I'll put you through.
• Ms. Sunshine: Hello, this is Ms. Sunshine. How can I help you?
• Caller: Hello, my name is [your name], and I'm calling to ask about the position advertised on JobSearch.com.
• Ms. Sunshine: Yes, the position is still open. Could I have your name and number, please?
• Caller: Certainly, My name is [your name]...

Leaving a Message

• Fred: Hello. Could I speak to Jack Parkins, please?
• Receptionist: Who's calling, please?
• Fred: This is Fred Johnson. I'm a friend of Jack's.
• Receptionist: Hold, please. I'll put your call through. (after a moment)—I'm afraid he's out at the moment. Can I take a message?
• Fred:  Yes. Can you ask him to give me a call? My number is 909-345-8965.
• Receptionist: Could you repeat that, please?
• Fred:  Certainly. That's 909-345-8965.
• Receptionist: OK. I'll make sure Mr. Parkins gets your message.
• Fred: Thank you. Goodbye.
• Receptionist: Goodbye.