Speaking guide
Make phone calls in English with confidence
Phone calls are harder than face-to-face talk: no lip-reading, no gestures, and the other person can't see you thinking. Rehearse the opening and the details (names, numbers, dates) and the call feels much shorter.
A sample to rehearse
Hello, my name is Elif Kaya. I'm calling about my order, number four-seven-two-nine. It was due last Friday, but it hasn't arrived yet.
Could you tell me where it is now? … Sorry, could you repeat the date? … The fourteenth, OK. So it should arrive by the fourteenth, and you'll send me a tracking number by email.
That's great, thank you for your help. Goodbye.
Change the details to your own, then practise your version out loud.
How to practise it
- Write it firstPut what you want to say into short sentences. Write who you are, why you are calling, the details they will need, and how you will check what they said.
- Say it out loud and record itSay it out loud, or to the camera. Notice where you stop in the first take; it should sound like talking, not reading.
- Listen back, then try againListen to your take and try the same script once more. A third take is usually much smoother than the first.
Common mistakes
Instead of Hello, I am Elif, I want my order.
say Hello, my name is Elif Kaya. I'm calling about my order.
Name, then the reason for the call, is what the other person listens for.
Instead of Saying a long number all at once.
say Four-seven-two-nine.
Say numbers in small groups; it is easier to hear and to write down.
Instead of Saying “yes, yes” without understanding.
say Sorry, could you spell that? / So that's …, right?
Repeating the details back is how people check on the phone.
Useful phrases
- I'm calling about …
- Could you tell me …?
- Sorry, could you repeat that?
- Could you spell that for me?
- So, just to confirm, …