Samuel approves leases for a real estate company. Elaine, a previous tenant who needs new office space, approaches Samuel. While Samuel would like to rent to Elaine due to her excellent credit history and references, rental rates have increased and Elaine wants a lower rent. Samuel must decide whether to give Elaine a discount on the new lease.

1. INTRODUCTION TO
BUSINESS ENGLISH
Day 4

2. First….
Homework REVIEW

3.  Samuel approves leases for Bayside Properties, a real estate
company. One day, Elaine, a real estate appraiser,
approaches Samuel to inquire about leasing office space in
one of the company’s buildings. Elaine has previously rented
space in a Bayside building, but that building has been sold;
Elaine needs to find new space at the end of her lease.
 Samuel would like to rent to Elaine—she is not only an ideal
tenant with an excellent credit record with the company, but
Samuel knows that Elaine is in the position to speak favorably
to others about the company’s good service and careful
maintenance of their buildings. In addition, Elaine is a close
family friend.
 Samuel has the perfect space for Elaine coming available just
when she needs it. The problem is, rental rates have
increased quite a bit since Elaine signed her last lease with
Bayside, and it is more than she wants to pay. Elaine asks
Samuel for a break on the rent. What should he do?

4. Describe this picture

5. Why should we prepare before
calling someone?
 Time zone difference
 May not know the question to ask
 Can get the answer from someone else
 They may be busy
 They may be on vacation
 They have left work
 Out of the office

6. Preparing for a call
 Listen to this audio. Tell me what you would
do to prepare for making a call.
 Try to guess what the person might say
 Getting together information you may need
 Recent correspondence (knowing what we talked
about in the past)
 What you want from the call, need to say, and
what to find out.

7. What would you need for…
 IT Technician about
your computer
dying.
 A retail store
purchaser about
buying your items.

8. Receiving Calls
What are you expected to take when you listen
to a call?
 Person’s name
 Company
 Title
 Phone number
 Time of the call
 Any extra information needed

9. Listening…
 Listen to the two examples of phone calls.
Please write their:
 Names (from and to)
 Phone number
 Company
 Time of call
 Message

10. Asking for someone on the
phone
 Introduction
 Good morning (afternoon, evening)
 My name is XXXXX from XXXXXX (company)
 My name is XXXXX calling from XXXXX (company)
 Asking for someone
 I’d like to speak to XXXX please.
 Is XXXXXX available/there?
 Can I have the XXXXXX department please?
 Asking for availability
 When do you expect them to be back?
 Can I call them later in the day?
 Leaving a message
 Could I leave a message for them?
 Could you give them a message for me?

11. Leaving a message (Secretary)
 Name
 Company
 Contact information
 Email
 Fax
 Phone
 Why you called
 When you expect to get a reply.

12. Leaving a message (answering machine)
 Name
 Company
 Title (optional)
 Contact information
 Message
 When you are available.

13. Phone numbers
 Calling someone internationally
 The number 0 can be used as either said as
“zero” or “ought” or “oh”
 There are 4 parts of a number
 Exit number (to exit the country. Dial 00)
 Country code (USA is 1, UK is 44, AU is 61)
 Area code (Area of the country. USA is 3, UK is 4, AU
is 2)
 Local number (America is 7 numbers, UK is 7, AU is
8)

14. Repetition
 Sometimes English speakers will say word too fast or
with a heavy accent
 I’m gonna go to da mall.
 Gonna = going to, da = the
 Do you wanna go to eat? Canna get you somethin?
 Wanna = want to, Canna = can I, somethin = something
 There might be a problem hearing the caller.
 Ways to ask for repetition:
 Sorry, I didn’t catch your XXXXXX
 Could you repeat that?
 I’m sorry, I couldn’t understand you. Could you say that to
me again (slowly).
 Could you spell that for me?

15. Why couldn’t the person
understand?

16. Spelling a name or company
 “-” is a hyphen
 “_” is an underscore,
 “~” is a tilde.

17. Getting past the Secretary

18. Listen…
 Listen to this conversation from Mr. Walter
Barry to TCG in France.
 What is he trying to do?
 What did he do wrong?
 What should he have done?
 Why did she act this way towards him?
 Did she do a good job?

19. Homework
 Exercise 1: Please place the sentences in the
correct order.
 Exercise 2: You were overhearing your
colleague talking to someone on the phone.
Please fill in what you assume was being said
to them.