English Vocabulary in Use Pre-Intermediate (Unit 53: Phoning and texting)


A. Starting a phone conversation

The call on the left is between two friends: Joe and Lily. When British people answer the phone at home, they usually just say ‘hello’. The call on the right is a more formal business call.
  • JOE: Hello?
  • LILY: Is that Joe?
  • JOE: Yeah.
  • LILY: Hi. It’s Lily.

  • RECEPTIONIST: Good morning. Chalfont Electronics.
  • PAUL SHARP: Oh, could I speak to Jane Gordon, please?
  • RECEPTIONIST: Yes. Who’s calling, please?
  • PAUL SHARP: My name is Paul Sharp from Bexel Plastics.
  • RECEPTIONIST: Right, Mr Sharp. I’m putting you through [I’m
  • connecting you] … (pause) …
  • JANE GORDON: Hello?
  • PAUL SHARP: Mrs Gordon?
  • JANE GORDON: Speaking. [Yes, this is Mrs Gordon.]

Common mistakes

We say: Is that Joe? (NOT Are you Joe? or Is it Joe?)
And we say: It’s Lily. (NOT I am Lily or Here is Lily.)

B. Problems on the phone

I tried to ring you this morning [phone you] but I think you were on the phone to your mother [using the phone].
I think I dialled [made a phone call to a particular number] the wrong number (e.g. 451 and not 351) this morning – I got a very angry person on the phone!
I left a message (e.g. Please ring me) on Dan’s answerphone as he was out [not there; syn not in], but he never phoned me back [returned my phone call], so I don’t know if he got my message.
I gave her a ring this morning [phoned her], but I couldn’t get through [make contact / speak to her]; the line was engaged [being used, someone was on the phone].

C. Phone numbers

  • Q: What’s your home phone number? (also landline)
  • A: 603 884
  • Q: What’s your mobile number?
  • A: 07723 259369
  • Q: What’s the emergency number for the police, fire or ambulance?
  • A: 999
  • Q: What’s the dialling code for the UK when you are phoning from Hungary?
  • A: 0044

D. Mobile phones and texting

Many people use their mobile mostly/mainly [most of the time] for texting [sending short written messages from one phone to another]. Do you text your friends and family all the time?

These are common text abbreviations [letters which represent words].

ASAP = as soon as possible CU = see you
BF = boyfriend (GF = girlfriend) IMO = in my opinion [this is what I think]
B4 = before FYI = for your information
2DAY = today U = you
2MORO = tomorrow THX = thanks
Y = why? LOL = laughing out loud
PLS = please X = kiss

Exercise-53.1


Bình luận


Các task khác trong bài học