Lesson 4 of 6
Phone and Video Calls
Start, manage and end calls smoothly, even when the connection is bad.
Calls are harder than face-to-face conversation: you can't see expressions, the audio may be poor and people speak fast. Having set phrases ready removes most of the stress and helps you sound professional.
LearnThe key ideas
Call phrases
| Situation | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Starting | Hi, this is Elina from Daily English. Is this a good time? |
| Asking for someone | Could I speak to John, please? |
| Bad connection | Sorry, you're breaking up. Could you say that again? |
| Asking to slow down | Sorry, could you slow down a little? |
| Checking information | Let me read that back to you: ... |
| Video issues | You're on mute. / Can everyone see my screen? |
| Ending | Thanks for your time. Talk soon! / I'll send a quick recap by email. |
Spelling and numbers
Spell names using the American alphabet style: "A as in apple, L as in Lima". Read phone numbers in groups: 555-123-4567 → "five-five-five, one-two-three, four-five-six-seven". Say "oh" or "zero" for 0.
ListenListen and repeat
- Hi, this is Omar calling about the order.Not "I am Omar speaking".
- Sorry, you're breaking up.Bad connection.
- You're on mute.Very common on video calls.
- I'll shoot you an email with the details."Shoot" = send quickly.
AvoidCommon mistakes
SpeakShadowing practice
Press Listen, then repeat straight away, copying the speed, rhythm and tone. Say each sentence three times, then record yourself.
- Hi, this is Sara from Daily English. Do you have a minute?
- Sorry, I didn't catch that. Could you repeat the last part?
- Great, I'll send you a quick recap. Talk soon!
CheckQuick quiz
1. Standard phone self-introduction:
2. "You're breaking up" means:
3. "I'll shoot you an email" means:
PracticeToday's speaking task
Record a 2-minute practice call: book an appointment, spell your name, give your phone number and end politely.