Telephoning- Brainstorming Dialogues
A LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS
Line by line brainstorming of a typical business phone call, including getting through to someone, taking and leaving messages, and checking/ clarifying, with two optional extra practice activities.
Lesson Plan Content:
Brainstorm replies to make the telephone dialogue
Work in groups of two. Cover all but the top line of the worksheet below. Brainstorm as
many different replies as you can to the phrase that you can see. Discuss which of those
might be the most common and/ or useful, then reveal the next line, which should
hopefully be one of those options. Do the same for replies to that next line, then do the
same line by line to make the whole conversation.
Receiver: Good morning. British Council. Alex Case speaking. How may I help you?
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Caller: Hi Alex, this is John.
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Receiver: Hi John. How’s it going?
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Caller: Good thanks. How about you? How’s business?
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Receiver: Great, thanks. I think this new product is going to be a hit! So, how can I help
you today?
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Caller: I’m phoning about the new product, so can I speak to Jill Dando, please?
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Receiver: Of course, please hold the line and I’ll check if she is available.
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Caller: Okay, thanks.
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Receiver: John? I’m afraid she’s not answering her phone. Would you like to leave a
message?
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Caller: Yes, please. Can you ask her to call me back?
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Receiver: Of course. Does she have your number?
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Caller: Yes, I’m pretty sure she does.
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Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2015
Receiver: Okay, I’ll make sure she gets your message. Is there anything else?
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Caller: There is just one more thing, actually. Can you tell her that I need 1260 HLB871s
by the 13
th
?
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Receiver: Okay. Can I check that back?
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Caller: Of course. Please go ahead.
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Receiver: You need 1216 HLV871s by the 30
th
. Is that right?
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Caller: Actually, it’s 1260 (six zero) HLB (for baby) 871s by the 13
th
(one three).
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Receiver: Okay, thanks. Got it. Can I help you with anything else today?
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Caller: No, that’s all thanks.
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Receiver: OK. Thanks for calling.
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Caller: Thanks for your help. Bye.
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Receiver: Bye.
Go back though and brainstorm at least one or two other possible answers to each line.
Speaking practice
Work in pairs. Read through the dialogue above six times, each time covering more lines
at the bottom of the dialogue and continuing from memory and/ or your own ideas. Cover
just two lines at the bottom the first time, three more lines the second time, four more lines
the third time, etc.
AND/ OR
Choose a random line above to cover the dialogue from. Read out the dialogue above that
line, then make up the rest of the dialogue. The continuation doesn’t need to be like the
dialogue above, but you should continue until you can smoothly finish the conversation.
Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2015
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