How to speak English on the phone properly

If you work with others, education and rigor are important qualities.

In this article, you will find some tips on how to properly speak with others on the phone in English.

You'll also learn some new phrasal verbs that will help you sound more natural while talking to people.

Remember the manners

It is very important to be polite and kind when talking on the phone. Try to convey a positive attitude, because daily life is already responsible for causing stress and negativity to people. Make use of phrases like “could you” and “would you like to” as well as “please” when asking questions.

Don't forget to always end the conversation with "thank you" and "goodbye".

Write some basic English sentences

If you're not comfortable talking on the phone in English, it's worth writing a short script about answering questions or talking on different types of calls. You can also jot down some basic expressions that you use often but forget to say in the stress of the moment.

If you're talking to a stranger on the phone, relying on these handy phrases can help calm your nervousness.

When you have a short script or notes on what to talk about, you can organize your ideas in advance.

Use your script as an example of how to talk and what to say if you get confused.

Use phrasal verbs

Another way to improve your communication is to learn some commonly used phrasal verbs when speaking on the phone in English.

Listed below are some of the most common phrasal verbs that can help you get more confident during your calls.

        Hold on

It means "wait, but stay in line."

'Could you hold on a moment, please?'

        Put (a call) through

It means "connecting someone with the person they called."

"I'm just going to put you through right now."

        Call back

This is a very common phrase that means “call someone who called you earlier”. Perhaps you were not available to talk or needed to discuss it further at a later time.

“I'll ask her to call you back when she gets home.”

        Pick up

This phrasal verb simply means "answer the phone to talk to the caller".

“No one is picking up. Maybe they're not home. ”

        Speak up

This phrasal verb means "speak louder".

“I'm afraid I can't hear you very well. Could you speak up a little please? ”

        Cut off

This phrasal verb indicates that a telephone conversation was suddenly interrupted due to technical problems.

“I can't hear her anymore. I think we got cut off. ”

        Switch off / turn off

It means “turning off,” for example, a cell phone.

“My phone was switched off because the battery had died.”

Be careful not to confuse hang on with hang up. "Hang up" means "end the conversation by hanging up the call".

Another phrasal verb meaning "to end the conversation" is "ring off", but it is rarely used. The phrasal verbs given above are much more common.

The opposite of "hang up" and "ring off" is "ring up", which means "call someone".

And the term "pick up the phone" (or "pick up the phone up") means "answer the phone when it rings."

That is all for today.

You are now ready to make and receive calls in English.

Good luck!

Barker, A. (2019). Improve Your Communication Skills: How to Build Trust, Be Heard and Communicate with Confidence. 
How to Speak Professionally on the Phone. (2018, November 12). Retrieved from https://talkroute.com/how-to-speak-professionally-on-the-phone/.