1. Taking and applied writing
Make a call
Teaching tasks
Useful sentence patterns

2. Make a call
How to make a call
How to answer a call
What does a telephone message consist of

3. How to make a call
1. Hello. I’d like to speak to Dr. Heckler.
2. Hello. This is Elise Young. May I speak to Anna Setehlin?

4. How to answer a call
I’m sorry,but he’s not in at the moment.
He’ll be back in a few minutes.
Any message, Sir?/Can I take a message?/
Would you like to leave a message?
2. I’m sorry. You must have the wrong number. This isn’t Nacy./Nobody here by that name.

5. What does a telephone message consist of
1. Who called?
2. What was the message?
3. When they called?
4. (Sometimes) The person calling may leave a telephone number.

6. Teaching Tasks
1. Learn to communicate by phone
2. Learn to write a telephone message

7. Learn to communicate by phone
Follow the samples
Act out
Put in use

8. Follow the Samples
Sample One
Sample Two

9. Sample 1
Any Message, Sir?
Gao: Hello, ABC Company. May I help you? George: Hello. This is George Richter. May I speak to Mr. Zhang Li-hua? Gao: I’m sorry, but he’s not in at the moment George: When will he be expected? Gao: He’ll be back in a few minutes George: Thank you. I’ll call back.

10. Sample 1 Gao: Any message, sir?
George: Well, maybe... Would you mind telling him that his order will be ready on Thursday and asking him to call me any time before lunch. My phone number is
Gao: I’ve got it.
George: Thank you very much.
Gao: You are welcome.

11. You Must Have the Wrong Number
Sample 2
You Must Have the Wrong Number
Lady: Hello, who’s calling, please? Bill: Hi, Nancy! This is Bill. How’re you doing? Lady: I’m sorry, but I’m ... Bill: Have you finished your paper? Lady: I’m sorry. You must have the wrong number.
This isn’t Nancy. Bill: Is this ? Lady: No. It’s Bill: I’m sorry. Lady: That’s all right.

12. Act Out
Task One
Task Two
Task Three
Task Four
Task Five

13. Act Out 1 A: This is the operator. What city, please? B: New York.
A: Yes, go ahead, please.
B: Can you tell me the number of the Bank Street
Health Clinic?
A: The number is
Task: You want to know the number of the
employment office in Chicago.

14. Act Out 2 A: Hello. B: Hello. I’d like to speak to Dr. Heckler.
A: Who?
B: Dr. Werner Heckler.
A: Nobody here by that name.
B: I’m sorry. I must have dialed
the wrong number.
Task: You want to call Dr. Sun, but you dial

15. Act Out 3 A: Hello. This is Elise Young. May I speak to Anna Stehlin?
B: I’m sorry, but she’s not here right now. Can I take a message?
A: Yes. Please tell her that her mother is coming tomorrow afternoon. Ask her to call me this afternoon at
B: Ok. I’ll tell her as soon as she gets home.
A: Thanks a lot.
B: You’re welcome. Goodbye.
Task: You are calling Belinda, but she isn’t
available. You are asked to leave a message.

16. Act Out 4 A: Hello. Is this the Chemistry Department? B: Yes, it is.
A: May I please speak to Mr. Mifflin?
B: I’m sorry. He doesn’t want to be disturbed right now.
He’s doing an experiment.
A: Then may I speak to Mr. Miller?
B: I’m sorry. He is doing the experiment, too.
A: OK. I’ll call back. Thank you.
Task: You are calling Mr. Smith, but he is at a meeting.
Then you want to speak to Mrs. Brown, but she is
at the meeting, too. So you have to call back.

17. Act Out 5 A: This is the art museum. Can I help you?
B: Yes. Can you tell me ... er, what are your hours, please?
A: The museum opens at ten in the morning.
B: Opens at ten ...
A: And we close at half past four.
B: Great. Thanks a lot.
Task: You are calling the City Library to find out the work hours.

18. Put in Use
Exercise 1
Exercise 2
Exercise 3

19. Put in Use 1 You: Hi, Judy. It’s Mike. May 1 __________ to Ken?
Imagine you are calling Judy. Complete the following conversation with her by filling out the blanks.
You: Hi, Judy. It’s Mike. May 1 __________ to Ken?
Judy: I’m sorry, Mike, but Ken’s not here now.
You: He isn’t? 2 _____________?
Judy: He’s at a movie.
You: A movie? Who’s he with?
Judy: Well, uh, I think he 3 _____________ Eva.
You: With Eva?!! He’s at a movie with Eva?
I speak
Where is he
might be with

20. Put in Use 1 Judy: Would you like to 4 _________________, Mike?
You: Yes, please! Tell him to 5 __________ at this evening.
Judy: Call you at 6 __________. OK.
You: Thanks a lot.
Judy: You’re 7 __________. Goodbye.
leave a message
call me
welcome

21. Put in Use 2 S=Secretary Y= You
Imagine you are a nurse of a hospital and you are calling Mr. Smith, but he is not in. His secretary is answering the phone. Fill in the blanks according to the Chinese version provided.
Put in Use 2
S=Secretary Y= You
S: Hello?
Y: ( 您好！史密斯先生在吗？)
S: I’m sorry, but he’s not in now. Would you like to leave a
message?
Y: (是的。请告诉他给医生办公室打个电话。号码是 。)
Hello. May I speak to Mr. Smith, please?
Yes, please. Tell him to call the doctor’s office. The number is

22. S: 864-3509. OK. What time he’d better call?
Put in Use 2
S: OK. What time he’d better call?
Y: 3. (最好是今天下午2点左右.)
S: I’ll tell him as soon as he’s back.
Y: 4. (多谢！)
S: You’re welcome. Goodbye.
It’d be best if he could call this afternoon,
at about 2 o’clock.
Thanks a lot.

23. Put in Use 3 You: 1（电话铃响了，您拿起电话接听。)
Imagine a woman is calling Mrs. Sato, but she’s not in. You are answering the phone. Play your role according to the clues given in the brackets.
Put in Use 3
You: 1（电话铃响了，您拿起电话接听。)
Lady: Hello. May I speak to Mrs. Sato, please ?
You: 2 (告诉对方她现在不在，并询问是否有什么事需要转 告。)
Hello?
I’m sorry, but she’s not in at the moment.
Would you like to leave a message?

24. Put in Use 3
Lady: Yes, please. Tell her to call Betsy at Betsy’s Beauty Salon. The number is
You: 3（告诉对方她一回来你就转告她。）
Lady: Thanks a lot.
You: 4（表示客气。）
I’ll tell her as soon as she’s back.
You’re welcome.

25. Learn to write a telephone message
1. Read a telephone message
2. Write a telephone message

26. Read the following two samples of telephone messages and learn to fill in the form or write your own.
Telephone Message  
Date June 3rd Time 9: A.M. (  ) P.M. ( )
From: Mr. George Wilson Tel No:  
To: Mr. David   
( ) TELEPHONED (  ) PLEASE RING  
( ) CALL TO SEE YOU ( ) WILL CALL AGAIN  
( ) WANTS TO SEE YOU ( ) URGENT  
Message: Mr. George Wilson called to say that he was back from the Singapore Trade Fair. You are expected to call him back when you are free.  
Signed: Karen

27. Sample 2
Mr. Patel,  
Mrs. Lung, Apt. 14L next door, wanted 3 cans of cola, 2 gallons of milk.  
You sent 2 cans of cola, 3 gallons of milk. She wants you to call her at when you are back.  
Naresh
2 P.M.

28. Use the information below to fill out the “WHILE YOU WERE
OUT” form.
Ben is an assistant at Sam’s Auto Repair. A customer, Mary Adams, called Sam at 3:15, but Sam wasn’t in. Then Mary asked Ben to tell Sam that she could get her car at 4 P.M., but she asked Sam to call her back and tell her the repair cost. Her number is

29. To _________  
WHILE YOU WERE OUT  
Date __________ Hour __________   
From _______________  
Of ________________________  
Phone _____________________  
Area Code Phone Number   
( ) Telephoned ( ) Returned Call  
( ) Call Back ( ) Will Call Again  
( ) Important ( ) Urgent  
Message
Signed __________

30. Write a telephone message according to the information below.
You are working at an office of a school. It is 11 a.m. A call comes in for Kathy. She is teaching a class. It is Mrs. Ross who wants to sign up for summer classes. She wants Kathy to call her before 3 p. m. today at

31. The Useful Sentence Patterns
1. Person calling
2. Person called

32. 1. Person calling 打电话 Can you put me through to 23-5531? 请给我接23-5531。
请给我接 。  
Could I have extension 443?
请给我接433分机。  
Could you tell me the number of the English Department?
请问英语系的电话号码。  
Hello, this is Jack Simpson.
喂，我是杰克·辛普森。  
Good morning / afternoon. Jack Simpson speaking.
早晨/下午好。我是杰克·辛普森。

33. Person calling
Can / May I speak to Jack Simpson, please?
请问杰克·辛普森在吗？  
Let me talk to Jack Simpson.
我请杰克·辛普森听电话。  
I would like to talk to Jack Simpson.
我想找杰克·辛普森听电话。  
I’d like to speak to Jack Simpson if I may.
如果可能的话，我想同杰克·辛普森讲话。  

34. Person calling
When is he expected to be back?
他预计什么时候回来？  
What time could I reach her?
我什么时候能和她联系上？  
Can I contact him this evening?
今天晚上我能和他联系吗？  
What if I call tomorrow around nine?
明天九点钟我打电话怎么样？  

35. Person calling
Could you ask her to call me back?
请她给我回电话好吗？  
Please have him return my call.
请叫他给我回电话。  
Please tell him to phone , Jack Simpson.
请告诉他打 找杰克·辛普森。  
Would you tell her I called?
请告诉她我给她打过电话。  

36. Person calling
I must have dialed the wrong number.
我一定是拨错电话号码了。  
Sorry, I must have got the wrong area code.
对不起，我一定是拨错地区号码了。  
Sorry to have troubled you.
对不起，打扰你了。  

37. 2. Person called 接电话  
A moment, please. I’ll connect you.
请稍等，我给你接通。  
Just a minute. I’ll get the number for you.
等一下， 我给你接通这个电话。  
One moment. I’ll switch you over.
等一下，我给你转过去。  
The line is busy.
电话占线。  

38. Person called
Hello, this is Jack Simpson here. Who’s speaking?
喂，我是杰克·辛普森。你是哪位？  
May I ask who is speaking? 请问你是谁？  
May I have your name? 请问你贵姓？  
I’m afraid he isn’t in at the moment.
对不起，他现在不在。  
He’s on another phone. 他在和别人打电话。  
Hold the line, I’ll see if he’s in.
别挂电话，我看一下他在不在。  

39. Person called
Sorry, he is at a meeting now.
对不起，他正在开会。  
You can call again one hour later.
请你一小时以后再来电话。  
In half an hour, I guess. 我猜想半个小时以后可以。  
Sorry, he won’t be here this evening.
对不起，今晚他不会在这里。  
Sorry, he’s not available till tomorrow afternoon.
对不起，他明天下午才回来。  

40. Person called
Could I take a message for you?
你要留个口信吗？  
Do you want to leave a message?
你想留个口信吗？  
Is there any message I can give him?
有什么话我可以转告他吗？  
Do you want to leave word for him to call you?
你想留话叫他打电话给你吗？  

41. Person called
I’m sorry, it’s a wrong number.
对不起，你拨错号码了。  
No, this isn’t the number you want.
这不是你要的电话号码。  
Sorry, the number’s changed.
对不起，电话号码已经改了。  
I’d like service for my new apartment.
我需要给我的新公寓装电话。