Notice how the caller clarifies the spelling by using a place name. In the next dialogue the caller (C) gets through to a secretary (S).
Date: 2015-10-07; view: 468.
In the dialogue below the caller (C) wants to speak to someone who isn't available. The receptionist (R) takes the call.
A. Read the dialogues aloud. Do it by yourself or with a colleague (changing roles at the end). Practise several times until you're fluent.
Promise action.
Take a message.
Leave a message.
Do you know how long he'll be?
Can I leave a message?
This is… / It's … / My name is Frank Hayden.
Can you ask him to call me back?
Would you like to leave a message?
Let me just get a pen.
OK. Go ahead.
Can you spell that (for me)?
Is that with an “i” or an “e”?
Is that “i” as in Italy, or “e” as in Egypt?
Let me read that back to you.
I'll tell him as soon as he comes out of the meeting.
I'll make sure he gets the message.
Vocabulary skills.
| R: ICT. Teresa speaking. How can I help you? C: I'd like to speak to Stefan Lipska, please. R: I'll try his number for you. … Hello? C: Hello. R: I'm not getting any reply. Just bear with me for a moment while I try another number. C: OK. R: I'm sorry, I'm not having any luck – he must be in a meeting. Would you like his voicemail? C: No, I need to talk to him personally. R: I can ask him to call you back. C: Yes, please do that. It's Frank Hayden here. He knows me. R: OK, I'll just make a note of your name. Frank Hayden. Is that with an “i” or an “e” at the end? C: It's an “e”, “e” as in Egypt. H-A-Y-D-E-N. R: OK, Mr. Hayden, I'll tell him as soon as he comes out of the meeting. C: Thank you. Goodbye. |
| C: Hello, can I speak to Stefan Lipska, please? S: I'm sorry. Stefan Lipska is out if the office this afternoon. This is his secretary speaking. Would you like to leave a message? C: Yes, please. Can you ask him to call me back? S: OK. Let me just get a pen. Right. Can you give me your name and number? C: Yes, it's Ella Vogelaar. S: Can you spell that? C: It's Ella, E-double L-A, V-O-G-E-L-double A-R. S: And the number? C: It's 0031, that's the code for the Netherlands, 20 512 6149. S: OK, so that's Ella Vogelaar on 0031 20 512 6149. C: That's right. S: Anything else? C: No, that's all. Just ask him to call me as soon as possible. It's an urgent matter. S: I understand . I'll make sure he gets the message. C: Thank you. Goodbye. S: Goodbye. Thank you for calling. |
· Notice at line 10 how the caller says the names before spelling them. Hearing the whole word first helps the listener.
· Notice at line 14 how the secretary checks by repeating the name and number.
· Notice how the receptionist and the secretary finish the dialogues by promising action (I'll …)
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