Business English B1 · Lesson 7← Back to Business English
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Section 1 / 8

Warm-up

Lesson 7

Phone Calls & Teleconferencing

Business English B1Lesson 78 sections57 exercises
1.1

Phone Calls & Teleconferencing

Today is about the language of the phone and online calls — getting through to the right person, taking and passing on messages, handling a bad line, and speaking clearly on a conference call. The grammar focus is reported speech, which you need every time you say "she said she would call back".
1.2

After this lesson you'll be able to...

  • Use key phone and conference-call vocabulary
  • Start, route and end a call politely
  • Take a message and report it correctly with reported speech
  • Deal with a bad line and unclear speakers on a call
1.3

Get to know each other (3 minutes)

  • Do you prefer phone calls, video calls or messages at work? Why?
  • What is the hardest thing about a phone call in English?
  • Have you ever been on a conference call where you could not hear anyone?
  • Do you ever leave voicemail messages, or do you hang up?
1.4

Say it out loud

Practise answering a call. → Good morning, Brightway Logistics, Olena speaking. How can I help you?

1.5

Fact worth knowing

Many people speak faster on the phone than in person. Slowing down by just 10% makes you much easier to understand, especially in a second language.
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Section 2 / 8

Vocabulary

2.1

Phone and call vocabulary

to get through
to reach the person you want by phone
додзвонитися
to put someone through
to connect a caller to another person
з'єднати (з колегою)
to hold on
to wait on the line for a moment
зачекати на лінії
to call back
to phone someone again later
передзвонити
to take a message
to write down what a caller wants to say
прийняти повідомлення
to leave a message
to say what you want when the person is not there
залишити повідомлення
a bad line
a poor connection where it is hard to hear
поганий зв'язок
to break up
to lose sound or signal during a call
уриватися (про зв'язок)
to dial in
to join a conference call by phone
під'єднатися до дзвінка
to mute
to switch off your microphone
вимкнути мікрофон
an extension
an internal number inside a company
внутрішній номер
a conference call
a phone call with three or more people
конференц-дзвінок
to share your screen
to show your computer screen to others on a call
показати свій екран
voicemail
a recorded message left on a phone
голосова пошта
to be tied up
to be too busy to talk
бути зайнятим
to reschedule
to change the time of a meeting or call
перенести на інший час
2.2

Useful phone phrases

Could I speak to…?Чи можна поговорити з…?
I'm calling about…Я телефоную щодо…
I'll put you through.Я з'єдную вас.
I'm afraid he's in a meeting.На жаль, він на нараді.
Could you spell that, please?Чи можете продиктувати по буквах?
Sorry, you're breaking up.Вибачте, зв'язок уривається.
Can everyone hear me?Усім мене чути?
Let me read that back to you.Дозвольте повторити, що я записав.
2.3

Try out the new words

Say what you do when you cannot get through to someone. → If I can't get through, I usually … or I leave a message.

Describe a call that was hard to follow. → The line was bad and it kept breaking up, so …

2.4

Which word is it?

To reach the person you want by phone
To connect a caller to a colleague
To wait on the line for a moment
To phone someone again later
To write down what a caller wants to say
A poor connection where it is hard to hear
To join a conference call by phone
To switch off your microphone
2.5

Fill in the missing word

I tried three times, but I couldn't ____ through to the manager.
Please ____ on — I'll check whether she is free.
Could you ____ yourself while you aren't speaking?
The extension number for Sales is 214. I'll put you ____.
Sorry, he is tied ____ at the moment. Can I take a message?
We need to ____ the call — can we move it to Thursday?
2.6

Choose the correct word

Sorry, the line is ____ up. Could you repeat that?
Can I ____ a message for her?
I'll ____ you back in ten minutes.
Please dial ____ with this code at 10:00.
Can everyone see my ____? I'm going to share it now.
2.7

Translate the phrase

Write each phrase in English.

голосова пошта
внутрішній номер
поганий зв'язок
конференц-дзвінок
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Section 3 / 8

Grammar

3.1

Reported speech: passing on a message

Why it mattersWhen you take a message you report what the caller said or asked. The tense usually moves one step back (backshift).
Present → Past"I'm in a meeting." → She said she was in a meeting. / "I need the file." → He said he needed the file.
will → would"I'll call you back." → She said she would call me back.
can → could"I can join at three." → He said he could join at three.
Past → Past Perfect"I sent the invoice." → She said she had sent the invoice.
QuestionsYes/no: asked if/whether + normal word order: "Can you send it?" → He asked if I could send it. Wh-: "When is the meeting?" → She asked when the meeting was.
Pronouns & timeI → he/she, my → his/her, today → that day, tomorrow → the next day, now → then. The pronouns change with the speaker.
3.2

Direct or reported?

"I'll call you tomorrow."
She said she would call me the next day.
He asked if I could send the report.
"When does the call start?"
They told me they were running late.
3.3

Choose the correct form

"I'm in a meeting." → She said she ___ in a meeting.
"I'll send the contract." → He said he ___ send the contract.
"Can you hold on?" → She asked if I ___ hold on.
"I've finished the draft." → He said he ___ finished the draft.
"Where is the office?" → He asked where the office ___.
3.4

Open the brackets

"I'm calling about the order." → He said he ____ (call) about the order.
"I'll be late." → She said she ____ (be) late.
"We need more time." → They said they ____ (need) more time.
"Is Ms Kovalenko available?" → He asked if Ms Kovalenko ____ (be) available.
"I can't hear you." → She said she ____ (can) hear me.
3.5

Report this message

Write the message in reported speech.

"I'll call you after lunch." (Anna said…)
"Can you send me the price list?" (Mark asked…)
"I'm stuck in traffic." (Ivan said…)
"We have received your invoice." (They said…)
3.6

Correcting mistakes

Each sentence has one mistake. Write the correct sentence.

She said she will call back later.
He asked me where was the office.
She told that she was busy.
He asked if could I send the file.
They said me they were late.
3.7

Put the words in order

Put the words in the right order and write the full sentence.

said / call / she / would / back / she
asked / if / I / he / could / hold on
in / said / he / meeting / a / was / he
me / they / the / told / were / on / call
3.8

Say it about your own work

Report one message you received today. → My colleague said that … / My manager asked if …

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Section 4 / 8

Reading

4.1

Read: a call that goes wrong — and gets fixed

Receptionist: "Good morning, Brightway Logistics, Olena speaking." — Caller: "Hello, could I speak to Mr Danylenko, please? I'm calling about the delivery for Friday." — Receptionist: "I'm afraid he is tied up in a meeting until eleven. Can I take a message?" — Caller: "Yes, please. It's Peter Walsh from Norbay Foods. Could you tell him that the delivery has been delayed? Our driver will arrive on Monday, not Friday." — Receptionist: "Sorry, the line is breaking up. Could you say that again, and spell your surname?" — Caller: "Of course. W-A-L-S-H. And the delivery will now arrive on Monday." — Receptionist: "Let me read that back: Peter Walsh, Norbay Foods, delivery delayed until Monday. Is that right?" — Caller: "Perfect. Please ask him to call me back on extension 214."

The note Olena left for her manager: "Mr Danylenko — Peter Walsh from Norbay Foods called at 9:40. He said the delivery had been delayed and that the driver would arrive on Monday. He asked if you could call him back on 214."

4.2

True or false?

Mr Danylenko answered the phone.
False — he was tied up in a meeting.
The caller works for Brightway Logistics.
False — he works for Norbay Foods.
The line was bad, so the receptionist asked him to repeat.
True.
The delivery was moved from Friday to Monday.
True.
Olena checked the message by reading it back.
True — "Let me read that back".
The caller asked for an email, not a call.
False — he asked to be called back on extension 214.
4.3

Answer the questions

Why couldn't Mr Danylenko come to the phone?
He was tied up in a meeting until eleven.
What was the problem with the delivery?
It had been delayed and would arrive on Monday, not Friday.
How did Olena make sure she understood?
She asked him to repeat, asked him to spell his surname and read the message back.
What number should Mr Danylenko call?
Extension 214.
4.4

Find the phone language

Write the phrase from the text.

A phrase to say the boss is busy:
A phrase to offer to write down a message:
A phrase for a bad connection:
A phrase to check you wrote it down correctly:
A phrase to ask someone to phone you:
4.5

Fill in from the text

Olena asked the caller to ____ his surname.
The caller said the delivery had been ____.
The driver would arrive on ____, not Friday.
"Let me read that ____ to you."
The caller asked if Mr Danylenko could call him ____ on 214.
4.6

Reported speech in the note

Direct: "The delivery has been delayed." → The note says: He said the delivery ___ delayed.
Direct: "The driver will arrive on Monday." → The note says: He said the driver ___ on Monday.
Direct: "Could you call me back?" → The note says: He asked if you ___ call him back.
4.7

Your own opinion

  • Was Olena's handling of the call professional? What did she do well?
  • Would you read a message back to the caller every time? Why or why not?
  • What would you do if the caller kept breaking up?
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Section 5 / 8

Practice

5.1

Picture the call

📞 🔀 📝 ↩️

Answer → Route → Take a message → Confirm. A good call always ends with the next step.

5.2

Match the phrase to its function

I'll put you through.
I'm afraid he's tied up.
Could you spell that, please?
Sorry, you're breaking up.
I'll call you back this afternoon.
Can everyone hear me?
5.3

Put the words in order

Put the words in the right order and write the full sentence.

could / speak / I / to / Ms / Pavlenko
I'll / through / put / you
taking / I'm / calling / the / about / order
read / that / back / let / me
5.4

Fill in the missing phrase

Could you ____ your surname, please? (spell)
I'm afraid she's not ____ right now. (available)
Can I ____ a message? (take)
Sorry, could you ____ that? The line is bad. (repeat)
5.5

Choose the best reply

"Could I speak to Mr Danylenko?"
"Sorry, you're breaking up."
"He's in a meeting."
"Can everyone hear me?"
5.6

Translate into English

Write each sentence in English. Several answers are possible.

Вона сказала, що передзвонить після обіду.
Він запитав, чи можу я зачекати.
Вибачте, зв'язок уривається.
Він сказав, що зараз на нараді.
5.7

A phone fact

A clear voicemail has four parts: your name, your company, the reason for your call and your number — said slowly, and repeated at the end.
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Section 6 / 8

Speaking — On the Line

6.1

How to use this section

Your tutor plays the other person on the phone. React in real time — answer, route the call, take and pass on messages, and fix problems on a call. Don't switch to Ukrainian even when you get stuck: use a phrase such as Could you repeat that, please?

6.2

Answering and routing a call

SCENARIO 1

Task: answer the phone for your company and route the caller to the right person.

Caller: "Hello, I'd like to talk to someone about my invoice."

Starter: "Good morning, … speaking. I'll put you through to Accounts — please hold on."

6.3

Taking a message

SCENARIO 2

Task: the person your caller wants is not available. Take a full message (name, company, reason, number) and read it back.

Caller: "Can you tell her that I need the contract by Friday?"

Starter: "I'm afraid she's not available. May I take a message? Could you spell your name, please?"

6.4

Reporting the message

SCENARIO 3

Task: pass the message on to your manager using reported speech.

Starter: "Mr Walsh called at 9:40. He said the delivery had been delayed, and he asked if you could call him back."

6.5

Recovering from a bad line

SCENARIO 4

Task: the line keeps breaking up. Stay calm, ask the other person to repeat, and agree a back-up plan.

Colleague: "…can you … the file … tomorrow…?"

Starter: "Sorry, you're breaking up. Could you say that again? If it's still bad, I'll send you an email."

6.6

Opening a conference call

SCENARIO 5

Task: you chair a conference call with five people. Greet, check the sound and set the agenda.

Starter: "Good morning, everyone. Can you all hear me? Let's start with a quick roll call, and please mute yourselves when you aren't speaking."

6.7

Interrupting politely on a call

SCENARIO 6

Task: a colleague speaks for too long. Interrupt politely and bring the call back on track.

Starter: "Sorry to interrupt, but we're short on time. Could we move on to the next point?"

6.8

Leaving a voicemail

SCENARIO 7

Task: leave a 20-second voicemail asking someone to call you back about moving a meeting.

Starter: "Hello, this is … from …. I'm calling about Thursday's meeting. Could you call me back on …?"

6.9

Rescheduling a call

SCENARIO 8

Task: you are tied up. Reschedule a call politely, suggest two new times and confirm.

Starter: "I'm afraid I'm tied up at that time. Could we reschedule to Wednesday at 10, or Thursday after lunch?"

6.10

Full call simulation — no stopping

FULL RUN-THROUGH

Now play a full call with your tutor: answer, take a message, deal with a bad line, and finish with a clear next step — entirely in English, even when it gets stressful.

6.11

Let's talk — reflection

  • Which phone phrase was the hardest to say naturally?
  • Did you use reported speech correctly when passing on a message?
  • What is one thing you will do differently on your next real call?
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Section 7 / 8

Cool down

7.1

Now I can...

  • Use key phone and conference-call vocabulary
  • Start, route and end a call politely
  • Take a message and report it correctly with reported speech
  • Deal with a bad line and unclear speakers on a call
7.2

Quick self-check

What happens to "will" in reported speech?
It becomes "would": She said she would call back.
How do you report a yes/no question?
Use "asked if/whether" and normal word order: He asked if I could hold on.
Which phrase says a person is too busy to talk?
"He's tied up."
7.3

One more thing before you go

Tell your tutor one phone phrase you want to use at work this week. → This week I'll use … when …

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Section 8 / 8

Homework

How to do your homework
  1. Do the exercises below and press Check in each one. Green = correct. Red shows what was expected.
  2. Do the writing and speaking tasks and tick them when they are done.
  3. Write your name and press Copy my result, then send the text to your tutor.
8.1

Words to remember

to get throughдодзвонитися
to put someone throughз'єднати (з колегою)
to hold onзачекати на лінії
to call backпередзвонити
to take a messageприйняти повідомлення
to leave a messageзалишити повідомлення
a bad lineпоганий зв'язок
to break upуриватися (про зв'язок)
to dial inпід'єднатися до дзвінка
to muteвимкнути мікрофон
an extensionвнутрішній номер
a conference callконференц-дзвінок
to share your screenпоказати свій екран
voicemailголосова пошта
to be tied upбути зайнятим
to rescheduleперенести на інший час
8.2

Fill in the missing word

I couldn't ____ through to her office.
Please ____ on while I check.
Can I take a ____?
Sorry, the ____ is bad. Could you repeat that?
Could you ____ yourself, please? We can hear your keyboard.
8.3

Fill in reported speech

"I'll call back." → She said she ____ call back.
"I'm busy." → He said he ____ busy.
"I've sent it." → She said she ____ sent it.
"Can you wait?" → He asked ____ I could wait.
"We need help." → They said they ____ help.
8.4

Report the message

Write the message in reported speech.

"I'll send the offer tomorrow." (Nadia said…)
"Is the report ready?" (He asked…)
8.5

Translate the phrase

Write each phrase in English. Several answers are possible.

Чи можу я поговорити з менеджером?
Я з'єдную вас.
8.6

Correct the mistake

Each sentence has one mistake. Write the correct sentence.

He said me he would call.
She asked where was the room.
8.7

Write it yourself

Write a voicemail (5–6 sentences) asking a client to call you back about a changed delivery date. Include your name, company, reason and number.

8.8

Practise out loud

Record yourself leaving that voicemail in 20–30 seconds. Listen back and check your speed.

8.9

Read aloud

Read the phone call from the Reading section aloud twice, playing both parts.

Tick what you have done
  • 8.7 I wrote a voicemail (5–6 sentences)
  • 8.8 I recorded it in 20–30 seconds
  • 8.9 I read the phone call aloud twice

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