BE Unit 8

MANAGING A PHONE CALL

Unit 8

START

Warm-up

How often do you receive telephone calls at work? Are the subjects of the calls always relevant?

Vocabulary

Read the following telephone conversation and use the adjectives below to describe the speakers.

rude blunt chatty direct tactless abrupt friendlynosy cold unprofessional straight unfriendly bored

A: Hello John, how are things with you? Did you have a nice holiday with the family?B: Yes, we went to Tunisia again. Look, tell me what you want. I’m very busy.A: I just needed your cash flow forecast for next month.B: OK, I’ll email it to you after lunch.A: How was the weather in Tunisia?B: It was wonderful. I must go.A: OK. Could you tell me how your new office is?B: I have no time to talk to you. Can you get off the phone?A: OK, bye.

How could you improve the underlined expressions in the dialogue?

Listening

Listen to the beginning and end of another telephone conversation and say are they T (True) or F (False): 1. Carl would rather talk about business than make small talk.2. Alison wants to end the conversation quickly.

Useful Expressions

Listen again and complete the expressions below:

Put the above expressions into the following categories: a. Moving the conversation to the main subject of the call: b. Bringing the conversation back to the main subject of the call: c. Changing the topic: d. Bringing the conversation to an end:

Role play

Role play the following short phone calls with your partner, using expressions from this lesson.

Student A: Student B has an important name and address that you need. You are very busy and don’thave much time for small talk. Call him/her.Student B: You receive a phone call from Student A. You are bored and want to chat.

Student A: Call Student B to discuss a work project. You aren’t busy and you want to chat for a while.Student B: You receive a phone call from Student A. You have an important meeting to attend in 5minutes and so you don’t have much time to chat.

THANK YOU!

@eduproberegova