Phrasal Verbs

Useful Expressions

Confusing Words

Canada/Festivals

Articles

Links

Online Resources

About Me

• Answering the Phone At Home

• Hello?

• Hello, Sato residence.

• Hello, Ken Sato speaking.

• Ken Sato.

• Yeah!  (informal)

• Answering the Phone in the Office

• Sato Corporation.  May I help you?

• Ken Sato speaking.  May I help you?

• Personnel Department.  How may I help you?

• Asking a Caller Who He/She Wants to Talk to

• Who do you want to talk to?

• Who would you like to talk to?

• Who do you wish to speak to?

• Asking a Caller to identify Him/Herself

• May I ask who's calling, please?

• Who shall I say is calling?

• Who's calling, please?

• Who's calling?  (informal)

• Who is it?  (informal)

• Putting a Caller on Hold

• Hold the line, please.

• Just a moment, please.

• Just a second, please.

• Please hold on.

• Please hold on a second.

• Please hang on a second.

• Hold on.  (informal)

• Hold on a sec.  (informal)  (sec = short for second)

• Hang on a sec.  (informal)

Examples:

Dialog 1:  (Jan is calling her friend, Joe) 

• Joe:  Hello? 

• Jan:  Hello, is Joe there?

• Joe:  Speaking.  Who's it?

• Jan:  Joe, this is Jan.

• Joe:  Oh, hi, Jan.  How are you?

Dialog 2:  (Jan is calling her friend, Joe.  Joe's wife answers the phone) 

• Wife:  Brown residence.

• Jan:   Hello, may I speak with Joe, please?

• Wife: May I ask who's calling?

• Jan:  It's Jan Kato calling.

• Wife: Hold on a second.

Dialog 3:  (Jan is calling her client at his office) 

• Receptionist:  IMB Corporation.  May I help you?

• Jan:   Hello, may I speak with Mr. Tim Horton please?

• Receptionist:  May I ask who's calling, please?

• Jan:  Jan Kato, from Global Inc.

• Receptionist:  Just a moment, please.

Exercise - Click on the link below:

• Mixed-up Sentences

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