You don't have to feel nervous before and when telephoning. All you need are these 'control' phrases. They'll help with checking information, summarising, asking for repetition or spelling, and asking the other person to slow done or speak louder. mybusinessenglish.com

1. Telephoning:
Keeping Control
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2. Oh, no!
I don’t
understand?

4. Control
Phrases

5. Asking for Repetition1
•I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.
These are the best general ‘all-round’
control phrases.

6. Asking for Repetition1
•I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.
•Sorry? These are the best general ‘all-round’
control phrases.

7. Asking for Repetition1
•I’m sorry, I didn’t catch that.
•Sorry?
•Pardon.
These are the best general ‘all-round’
control phrases.

8. Asking for Repetition 2
• Could you say that again, please?
‘that’ = the information that was just said

9. Asking for Repetition 2
• Could you say that again, please?
• Could you repeat that, please?
‘that’ = the information that was just said

10. Asking for Repetition 2
• Could you say that again, please?
• Could you repeat that, please?
• Could you say X (e.g. your name) again, please?‘that’
‘that’ = the information that was just said
Here you say exactly what information you want to hear again.

11. Asking for Repetition 2
• Could you say that again, please?
• Could you repeat that, please?
• Could you say X (e.g. your name) again, please?‘that’
• Could you repeat X (e.g. your name), please?
‘that’ = the information that was just said
Here you say exactly what information you want to hear again.

12. Louder & Slower
• Could you speak up, please?

13. Louder & Slower
• Could you speak up, please?
• Could you speak a little louder, please?

14. Louder & Slower
• Could you speak up, please?
• Could you speak a little louder, please?
• Could you speak a little slower, please?

15. Louder & Slower
• Could you speak up, please?
• Could you speak a little louder, please?
• Could you speak a little slower, please?
• Could you speak a little more slowly, please?

16. Giving Reasons
➡It’s a bit noisy here.
Sometimes we add a reason to our control
phrase.This may make it more polite.
Could you speak up, please?

17. Giving Reasons
➡It’s a bit noisy here.
➡It’s a bad line.
Sometimes we add a reason to our control
phrase.This may make it more polite.
Could you speak up, please?

18. Giving Reasons
➡It’s a bit noisy here.
➡It’s a bad line.
➡You’re breaking up.
Sometimes we add a reason to our control
phrase.This may make it more polite.
Could you speak up, please?

19. Giving Reasons
➡It’s a bit noisy here.
➡It’s a bad line.
➡You’re breaking up.
➡You’re dropping in and out.
Sometimes we add a reason to our control
phrase.This may make it more polite.
Could you speak up, please?

20. Checking Information
•Could I read that back to you?

21. Checking Information
•Could I read that back to you?
•Could you read that back to
me, please?
Warning! This is less common and may seem a
little rude. Use it only if it is really important that the
other person records the information correctly.

22. Spelling
•Could you spell X (e.g. your last name),
please?

23. Spelling
•Could you spell X (e.g. your last name),
please?
•Could you spell that (for me), please?

24. Spelling
•Could you spell X (e.g. your last name),
please?
•Could you spell that (for me), please?
•Was that S for Sierra or F for Foxtrot?
•(It was) F for Foxtrot.

25. Checking Numbers
Was that 0441 5631?

26. Checking Numbers
•Yes, that’s right.
or
•No, it’s 5613.
Was that 0441 5631?

27. Summarising Information
•So...
•So the meeting is on on Friday at
10 am, (is that right?)
So... + summarise or repeat

28. Summarising Information
•So...
•So the meeting is on on Friday at
10 am, (is that right?)
•So, I’ll + V.... and you’ll + V...
•So, you’re going to + V (organise
the meeting).
summarising action - what
people have promised to do

29. Review
RecommendedVideos
A for Alpha:Using the International Spelling Code
Telephoning - Starting the Call

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