Telephoning- Errors Pairwork
A LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS
Correcting typical mistakes with telephoning phrases communicative practice, with optional more basic error correction and brainstorming stages to help remember the correct phrases, including starting calls, the body of calls, and ending conversations.
Lesson Plan Content:
Telephoning errors pairwork
Student A
Read out what is written and listen to your partner’s different version. Decide which
version is correct and which is wrong, then the person who has the wrong version should
change it.
Useful language for the task
“How do you spell…?”
“Can you repeat…?”/ “Can you say… again?”
“Can you speak more slowly?”
“Can I read that back?”/ “Can I check that back?”
“Sorry, did you say… or…?”
Starting phone calls
Answering the phone
Greeting
1. Good evening.
Information about the company/ department etc and name of the person answering
(= receiver)
2. Alex Case speaking. Claims Department. AIG.
Offering help
3. How can I help you?
The first sentence by the caller – Giving the caller’s name and other personal
information
4. Hi Alex. John Smith from GIA speaking.
Small talk/ Chitchat/ Social language at the beginning of the telephone call
5. Hi John. How’s it going?
6. How’s business?
7. Did you have a good weekend?
8. What time is it here now?
9. How the weather there now?
10. Thanks for phoning me back.
11. How does your project go?
Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2015
Finishing the small talk and talking about the topic of the phone call
12. So, how can I do for you today?
13. Anyway, the reason why I’m phoning you is…
Asking to speak to someone
14. Could you connect me through to extension 345, please?
15. I like to speak to Harold Jones, please.
Ending
Checking that there’s nothing left to talk about
16. Is there anything else?
Smoothly finishing/ Giving reasons for finishing
17. Well, I have another call waiting, so…
18. So, it is been great to talk, but…
19. I think that is all I needed to know, thanks.
20. Anyway, I know you are being very busy, so…
Talking about future contact
21. See you on Monday.
22. I’ll phone you back ten minutes after.
23. I’ll call again this afternoon.
Polite language at the end of phone calls
24. Thanks for calling.
25. Thanks for your cooperation.
Check your answers as a class.
Telephoning errors pairwork
Student B
Read out what is written and listen to your partner’s different version. Decide which
version is correct and which is wrong, then the person who has the wrong version should
change it.
Useful language for the task
“How do you spell…?”
“Can you repeat…?”/ “Can you say… again?”
“Can you speak more slowly?”
“Can I read that back?”/ “Can I check that back?”
“Sorry, did you say… or…?”
Starting phone calls
Answering the phone
Greeting
1. Good night.
Information about the company/ department etc and name of the person answering
(= receiver)
2. AIG. Claims Department. Alex Case speaking.
Offering help
3. Can I help you?
The first sentence by the caller – Giving the caller’s name and other personal
information
4. Hi Alex. This is John Smith from GIA.
Small talk/ Chitchat/ Social language at the beginning of the telephone call
5. Hi John. How it going?
6. How’s your business?
7. Did you have good weekend?
8. What time is it there now?
9. How’s the weather there now?
10. Thanks for phone me back.
11. How’s your project going?
Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2015
Finishing the small talk and talking about the topic of the phone call
12. So, what can I do for you today?
13. Anyway, the reason why I phone you is…
Asking to speak to someone
14. Could you put me through to extension 345, please?
15. I’d like to speak to Harold Jones, please.
Ending
Checking that there’s nothing left to talk about
16. Is there nothing else?
Smoothly finishing/ Giving reasons for finishing
17. Well, I have other call waiting, so…
18. So, it has been great to talk, but…
19. I think that is every I needed to know, thanks.
20. Anyway, I know you are very busy, so…
Talking about future contact
21. See you on next Monday.
22. I’ll phone you back in ten minutes.
23. I’ll call again in this afternoon.
Polite language at the end of phone calls
24. Thanks for your calling.
25. Thanks for your help.
Check your answers as a class.
Without looking above, brainstorm suitable phrases into these gaps:
Starting phone calls
Answering the phone
Greeting
Information about the company/ department etc and name of the person answering
(= receiver)
Offering help
The first sentence by the caller – Giving the caller’s name and other personal
information
Small talk/ Chitchat/ Social language at the beginning of the telephone call
Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2015
Finishing the small talk and talking about the topic of the phone call
Asking to speak to someone
Ending
Checking that there’s nothing left to talk about
Smoothly finishing/ Giving reasons for finishing
Talking about future contact
Polite language at the end of phone calls
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