Show Here are some common phrases and sentences you can use when speaking on the telephone. The informal phrases are mostly for family and friends. The formal phrases are for business and official calls and for calls to important people. Caller unknown means the person answering the phone doesn't know who's calling. This mostly occurs when answering a call to a landline phone without caller ID or to a mobile phone or smartphone from a number that isn't listed in the phone's contacts. Answering the phone (informal)
Answering the phone (formal)
Introducing yourself
Asking to speak with someone
Connecting someone
Making a request
Taking a message
Leaving a message
Confirming a message
Answering machine and voicemail phrases
Leaving an answering machine or voicemail message
Ending a conversation
Sometimes we have to spell something over the telephone like an address or a name. Native English speakers often use a special alphabet when they spell over the phone. For example, "The postcode is B2V 3A8. That's B for Bravo, number 2, V for Victor, number 3, A for Alpha, number 8."
Even if you have been speaking English for years, you are going to find yourself in a situation where someone uses a word or a phrase you don’t know, speaks a little too fast, or mumbles (speaks unclearly). The other person might be using slang or a technical term you’re not familiar with. Or they simply may not have expressed themselves clearly. In situations like these, you should not feel embarrassed or assume that it has to do with your language ability! That’s why we have a number of polite questions and expressions that we can use to clarify what we heard. These expressions are frequently used in professional contexts, as this is often when you need to clarify what the other person said to continue negotiations or strategic planning. You can also use these phrases in everyday circumstances. If you are having a lengthy conversation with someone, chances are you’ll need to clarify something they’ve said. Remember, sometimes people do not express their ideas clearly, or they ramble. Ask a clarifying question and confirm your understanding to bring the focus of the conversation back to the most important topics. Clarify What You Heard by Asking for RepetitionIf you feel like you missed a key word or phrase during an explanation, or you would like the other person to repeat themselves, there are a number of questions you can ask in order to clarify what you heard. Keep in mind that many of these questions use an introductory phrase like “Would you mind…?” or “Could I ask you…?” or “Could you…?” in order to make the question a little more polite. You can also start with a small apology, like “Sorry,” “Just a second,” “Sorry to interrupt.” Finally, you might want to admit that you didn’t understand by saying “I didn’t catch that,” or “I didn’t get that.” This shows that you are listening, but you want to make sure you understood all the important details. (As a bonus, asking clarifying questions helps you remember what you heard.)
Confirm Your Understanding By Repeating and Restating the Other Person’s IdeaAnother way to be sure you’ve understood what the other person is saying is to repeat what you heard using your own words. Restating the other person’s idea is a great way to show that you were listening carefully. It also helps the other person find a way to simplify or clarify what they said if you misheard or misunderstood a key point. As I mentioned earlier, sometimes the person speaking needs to rethink what they said and say it again more clearly!
As you notice in these examples, there are many introductory phrases that you can use to indicate what you heard. By emphasizing that you are repeating their ideas to check and confirm your understanding, you show them that you take accuracy seriously. They’ll understand that you want to make sure you’ve got all the information you need before moving forward. Ending with a question enables the other person to clarify any confusion and provide additional details that he feels are important. Restating ideas is an excellent way to avoid misunderstandings and also enables you to ask for clarification without having to say directly that you didn’t understand everything. Say Thank You and Show You UnderstoodAfter the person you are talking to has repeated what they said, provided additional information, or clarified your doubts, be sure to say thank you and state that you now understand the concepts better. This allows you to move on to other topics and assures the other person that you are now on the same page.
Your TurnDo you feel more comfortable clarifying what you heard, asking for repetition, and confirming your understanding after reading this post? I hope so. You can use these phrases for ask for clarification on something I’ve written above! Leave a comment below with a question you have – and start it with a phrase. Or rephrase what I said, and use a question to check for understanding. Be sure to check out this video on clarifying what you mean and explaining your thoughts. |
What do you say if you did not understand something someone has said to you in a telephone conversation?
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