On the phone
Verbs :
To make a phone call
To answer a phone call
To call back
To dial up
To hung up
To be cut off
Making contact :
Hello / Good morning / Good afternoon ...
This is John Brown speaking
Could I speak to ......... please?
I'd like to speak to ..... .....
I'm trying to contact ..........
Taking a call :
X speaking.
Can I help you?
Asking for a name /
information :
Who's calling please?
Who's speaking?
Where are you calling from?
Are you sure you have the right number / name?
Asking for someone
Could I speak to John Martin, please?
I’d like to speak to John Martin, please.
Could you put me through to John Martin, please?
Could I speak to someone who …
Asking the caller to
wait :
Hold the line please.
Could you hold on please?
Just a moment please.
Connecting :
Thank you for holding.
The line's free now ... I'll put you through.
I'll connect you now / I'm
connecting you now.
Giving negative
information :
I'm afraid the line's engaged. Could you call back later?
I'm afraid he's in a meeting at the moment.
I'm sorry. He's out of the office today. /
He isn't in at the moment.
I'm afraid we don't have a Mr./Mrs./Ms/Miss. ... here
I'm sorry. There's nobody
here by that name.
Sorry. I think you've
dialled the wrong number./
I am sorry ! I think you’ve got the wrong number.
I'm afraid you've got the wrong number.
I can’t hear you very well.
Mobile phone
problems
My battery is about to run out
I am about to run out of credits
I need to charge up my mobile phone
I can’t get a signal
I have got a very weak signal
Telephone problems :
The line is very bad ...
Could you speak up please?
Could you repeat that please?
I'm afraid I can't hear you.
Sorry. I didn't catch that.
Could you say it again please?
Leaving a message :
Can I leave / take a message?
Would you like to leave a message?
Could you give him/her a message?
Could you ask him/her to call me back?
Could you tell him/her that I called?
Could you give me your name please?
Could you spell that please?
What's your number please?
