Objectives: to practise the language of business telephone calls

Lesson 3 Business phone calls

Objectives:

• 
  to practise the language of business telephone calls
  
• 
  to practise listening for the main idea, specific information and writing messages
  
• 
  to learn about telephone answering machines
  
• 
  to practise reading for specific information
  

Activity 1a

Objective: to help establish the meaning of new words

This is a normal matching activity. PP look at the pictures and match them

and the words in their Ex.Bks.

Key: answerphone c, mobile phone a, telephone directory b Activity 1 b

Objective: to practise talking about mobile phones, telephone directories and answering machines In groups PP take turns to ask and answer questions.

NOTE: An answering machine is a special tape recorder linked to your phone which can play a recorded message to anyone who calls when you are out. It can also record a brief message from the caller.

Activity 2a

Objective: to practise listening for the main idea Play the tape. PP listen and answer the question.

Tapescript

(ring ring ring ring) Hello. This is Uztech International. I’m sorry. All the lines are busy. Please call again later.

Key: All the lines are busy.

Activity 2b

Objective: to practise listening for the main idea Play the tape. PP listen and answer the question.

Tapescript

(ring ring ring ring) Hello. This is Uztech International. I’m sorry there is no one here now. Please phone again. The office is open Monday to Friday 9.00 to 2.00.Or leave a message after the tone, (bleep bleep bleep bleep.)

Key: There is nobody in the office Activity 3

Objective: to practise answerphone language

PP work in pairs. P1 is the answerphone and P2 is the caller. As PP practise, walk around listening and prompting. Interrupt as little as possible. When they have finished ask PP to change roles.

Activity 4a

Objective: to practise using the Wordlist PP look up the two phrases in the Wordlist Activity 4b

Objective: to practise reading for specific information

Ask PP to read the two telephone conversations and match them with the

messages.

Key 1b 2a Activity 5

Objective: to practise listening for specific information

Ask PP to copy two message forms into their Ex.Bks as in Activity 4b.

For date they can put the date of the lesson.

PP listen to the telephone conversations and complete the message forms. If no information is given, PP should write ‘not known'.

Tapescript

Mrs Smith: Hello. Is Mr. Black there?

Mrs Bing: What number are you calling?

Mr Smith: 486306

Mrs Bing: You’ve got the wrong number.

Mr Smith: Sorry,

(ring ring ring ring)

Mr Smith: I’d like to speak to Mr. Black, please. This is Paul Smith.

Secretary: Sorry Mr Smith. He is in a meeting at the moment. Can I take a message?

Mr Smith: No, thanks. I’ll call him back later. Bye.

Secretary: Goodbye.

Dan: Hello. Could I speak to Lucy, please?

Lucy: Hello. This is Lucy. I’m sorry I can’t take your call now. Please leave a message after the tone and I’ll phone you back.

(Bleep bleep bleep)

Dan: Hi, Lucy. It’s Dan here. Will you be free after 6? I want you to do your homework with me. Call me back as soon as you return, please.

Key:

1

Date: (date of lesson)

For: Mr Black From: Paul Smith Message: He’ll call you later

Date: (date of lesson)

For: Lucy From: Dan

Message: Call him back when you get home. He wants to do his homework with you.

Language Note:

In English many different words are used for ‘telephone somebody’: ‘telephone’, ‘phone’, ‘call’ and ‘ring’ are all frequently used. You could draw PP attention to this - they have had examples of ring back, call back and phone back in the dialogues in Lessons 1, 2 and 3. Suggestion: You could ask PP to do the Word Building Exercise on the Grammar page at the end of the unit here. It is quite easy and short. Grammar Exercise 1 could also be done here or for homework. Again it is quite an easy revision exercise.

Homework

Date: (date of lesson)

For: Jane From: Gemma

Message: You are invited to her birthday party at 6.00 pm on Saturday.

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