ESL Podcast 190 - Taking a Phone Message

Could I speak to...? - a way to ask if someone is free or available to talk, usually used on the phone

I called the store and asked if I could speak to the manager, but they told me that he just left the building for lunch.

Can I take a message? - an offer to pass on information from one person to another

Julia wasn't home and her sister asked me, "Can I take a message?"

Do you know when (someone) will be back? - a way to ask when someone will be returning

Five minutes after Jack got on the plane, Sasha turned to me and asked, "Do you know when he'll be back?"

Is (a person's name) there? - a way to ask if someone is free or available, usually on the phone

I asked, "Is Helene there?" and her mom replied, "No, she went to the store."

to leave a message - to leave information for someone

The battery on Jean-Paul's phone ran out before he got a chance to leave a message for Kevin.

ask him to call me back - what you say when you want someone to call you back, instead of you calling them again

Please ask Monica to call me back, since I have no idea when she'll get home from her trip.

I'd better... - what someone says when they feel responsible for doing something or think that taking an action is the right thing to do

I'd better clean the house tonight since people are coming over for the party tomorrow.

receiver - the part of the phone that you put your ear and mouth against to listen and talk to the other person

She picked up the receiver but there was no one on the other end.

Is this (a person's name)? - a way to ask if someone you're talking to is the person you believe they are; a way to ask for the person you want to speak to on the phone

Janis wasn't sure if he called the right number so he asked, "Is this Bob?"

to get a hold of - to reach; to make contact with

I'm trying to get a hold of Mimi before she goes on vacation Friday, but she's been in and out of meetings all week.

to give it out - to let other people have something or to know some information that you have

He knew the answer to the hardest question on the test and didn't want to give it out to the rest of the class.

tell you what - a way to suggest or offer an answer to a problem

I was thinking that the sweater cost too much when the salesperson said, "I'll tell you what. I'll give you an extra 20 percent off the price."

Why don't (someone)... - a phrase used to give a suggestion or a solution to a problem

Her car wouldn't start so I said, "Why don't we take my car instead?"

to hang up - to put down the telephone's receiver to end a conversation

She told her boyfriend that she had to hang up when she saw her boss come in to the store.

to take the phone off the hook - to remove the part of the phone that you talk and listen with (the receiver), from the main part of the phone so that no one will be able to call

He didn't feel like talking to anyone that night so he took the phone off the hook.

to have had enough - to lose patience; to no longer be willing to tolerate something

She had had enough of his careless spending of their family savings.

answering service - a company that answers calls and takes messages for people

She decided to use an answering service so that she wouldn't miss any important calls while traveling on business.