Block 3 of 4
Phone & Video Calls
Handle professional calls with confidence — from opening and taking messages to managing problems and closing calls effectively.
INPUTPhone & call vocabulary — click to reveal
12 essential telephone terms
Click each card to reveal the definition and a real example. Pay attention to fixed collocations — in telephone English, many phrases are completely fixed.
Fill in the blanks — telephone conversation extract
Context: A sales executive is calling a client to reschedule a meeting. Complete the conversation extract using the correct vocabulary.
Click a word from the bank, then click the blank where you want to place it.
put you through
hold the line
leave a message
get back to you
speaking
bad line
A: Good morning, could I speak to Mr Davies please?
B: — how can I help you?
B: — how can I help you?
A: I’m afraid there’s a — could you speak up a little?
A: Could you while I check his availability?
A: I’ll to his assistant right away.
A: He’s not available right now — would you like to ?
A: I’ll ask him to as soon as he’s free.
GRAMMARReported speech & telephone conditionals
Grammar focus — Reported speech + polite conditionals
Tense shift: «I haven’t received it» → He said he hadn’t received it.Modal shift: «I will call back» → She said she would call back.
Polite conditional: If you could hold for a moment, I’ll look into that for you.
Multiple choice — reported speech in context
Select the most correct and natural option for each telephone situation.
Error correction — find the 6 mistakes in this call transcript
Context: The following is a phone call transcript written by a B1 learner. It contains 6 language errors — reported speech, modal verbs and register problems. Click any word or phrase you think is wrong.
Click the word or phrase you think is wrong. When you have found all 6, click «Check errors».
Errors found: 0 / 6
Gap fill — choosing the right modal in telephone English
Context: All options below are grammatically possible. Select the one that best fits the professional telephone context.
Select the most appropriate modal for each gap.
LISTENINGA professional telephone call
Context: You will hear a telephone call between Marcus Webb, a client, and Claire Holloway, a customer service manager at a software company. Listen carefully — you only hear audio, as in a real call situation. Then answer the comprehension questions.
Press Play to listen. Adjust speed if needed. The transcript is available after your first listen. Answer all 4 questions, then click Check.
Client Support Call — Software Issue
Ready to play
Comprehension questions
FUNCTIONSMatch the phrase to its function
Context: All of these phrases are from professional telephone calls. Match each phrase with what it is doing in the conversation.
Click a phrase on the left, then click its matching function on the right. Complete all 7 pairs.
Build the correct response — telephone situations
Context: In each telephone situation below, choose the most professional and appropriate response. You are the customer service representative.
Click the best response for each situation. You get immediate feedback.
PHRASAL VERBS10 essential telephone phrasal verbs
Reference list — study before practising
These 10 phrasal verbs appear constantly in professional phone calls. Study each one before attempting the exercises.
Exercise 1 — Choose the correct phrasal verb
Select the correct phrasal verb for each telephone context.
Exercise 2 — Fill in the blank (type your answer)
Context: Complete these extracts from professional phone calls. Type the correct phrasal verb in the correct form.
Type the missing phrasal verb. Pay attention to separable verbs.
Exercise 3 — Rewrite using a phrasal verb
Context: Rewrite each sentence using the target phrasal verb shown.
Type your rewritten sentence. The target phrasal verb is given as a hint.
PRODUCTIONInteractive call simulation
Context: You receive a call from an important client, Richard Tanner from Apex Solutions, who has a problem with an invoice. Navigate the call professionally by choosing the best response at each turn.
Read each message from the caller. Choose the most professional response. Your score depends on the quality of your choices.
RT
Richard Tanner
Apex Solutions Ltd.
● Connected
00:00
Your response
PHRASAL VERBS IN USESubstitute the underlined phrases
Reference list — 10 telephone phrasal verbs
Study these phrasal verbs before doing the exercise. Each one replaces an underlined phrase in the call transcript below.
Substitute the underlined phrase with the correct phrasal verb
Context: A telephone call written with formal, indirect language. Ten phrases are underlined. Replace each one with the correct phrasal verb from the reference list above.
Click an underlined phrase to select it (turns gold). Then click the correct phrasal verb button. Wrong answer? It turns red and resets automatically.
REGISTERProfessional call vs casual conversation
Context: You work in customer relations and need to handle calls professionally. Some expressions below are appropriate for a professional business call. Others are too casual or inappropriate. Sort them correctly.
Click an expression to select it, then click the correct zone to place it.
Professional phone call
Too casual / inappropriate