Step 35: On the Phone
Calls and messages — Telephone English; polite phrases
📖 Read — Ethan Books a Hotel Room
Ethan is calling a hotel in San Francisco. “Hello, Sunset Hotel. How can I help you?” — “Hello, this is Ethan Miller. I'd like to book a room for Friday, please.”
“Hold on, please… Yes, we have a room.” Later, Ethan calls Emma. The line is busy, so he leaves a message: “Hi Emma, it's Ethan. Can you call me back? I'll get back to you about the trip tonight. Bye!”
🧩 Grammar — Telephone English — Polite Phone Phrases
On the phone, be polite with fixed phrases: Hello, this is Ethan. (not 'I am Ethan'), Can I speak to Emma, please?, Hold on, please (wait), Can I take a message?, I'll call you back. Use Could you…? to be extra polite: Could you say that again, please?
- Hello, this is Ethan Miller.
- Can I speak to Emma, please?
- Hold on, please — I'll check.
- Sorry, she's busy. Can I take a message?
🏗️ Key structures
- Hello, this is ___ — Hello, this is Tom speaking.
- Can I speak to ___, please? — Can I speak to the manager, please?
- I'll call you back / Can I take a message? — He's busy. I'll call you back at six.
⭐ Idiom & natural phrases
I don't know yet — I'll get back to you tonight.
🔤 New words
words you leave for someone who is not there
Can I take a message?
a recorded phone message
Please leave a voicemail after the beep.
doing something now; on the phone: the line is being used
The line is busy. Call later.
the connection your phone gets from the network
There's no signal in the mountains.
the part of a phone that stores power
My battery is low.
send a written message on a phone (also the message)
I'll text you the address.
make the phone sound (rang / rung)
The phone is ringing!
pick up the phone and speak; also reply
Nobody answered the phone.
🎧 Say it with me
Hello, this is Ethan Miller. Can I speak to Emma, please? I’ll call you back at six.
🎤 Your turn to speak
Practice a phone call out loud: say who you are (This is…), ask for a person, and finish with I'll call you back or I'll get back to you.
Say it out loud three times. Even better: record it on your phone and listen — your ear is your best teacher.
✍️ Your turn to write
Write a short phone message (voicemail) in 4 sentences.
See a model answer
Hi Jack, it's Sophia. I called about our trip on Friday. Please call me back when you can. I'll get back to you tonight with the hotel name. Bye!
Self-check: capital letters? Full stops? Did you use the grammar of this step?
📝 Quick check
🎉 Saved in your progress!