Phrases on the telephone C Key
17 Mr Derbyshire, it’s Erica. Could I ……………….have a quick word, or are you too busy?
18 I’m sorry to ………………. interrupt you while you’re in a meeting, but ….
Did you spell interrupt with two rrs?
19 …… we’ve had a company on the ‘phone …………………… making enquiries about our youth training schemes.
We’ve had a company on the ‘phone = a company has rung / telephoned ….
making enquiries about = asking about
Did you recognise the word ‘scheme‘ and spell it correctly?
20 There seems to have been some …………………………. mix-up about someone getting back to them.
a mix-up – informal – a misunderstanding, or some confusion
to get back to someone = to contact someone again – eg by returning a (‘phone) call, writing a letter or email, or by calling in person etc
21 Yes, I did, I explained that you were away, but …………………… this is at least the third time they’ve rung .…..
22 It’s a Mr Flynn, ……………………….. from Youth First in Somerset.
Sometimes, when we have not heard of a person and the person is out of earshot (= cannot be heard by us) we say to others ‘It’s a …’ eg " It’s a Mrs Brown on the ‘phone…." This indicates that this is an initial contact and that we do not know the person. It could sound rather rude to use this structure within earshot of the customer (if he / she could hear you), so be careful. "It’s Mr Flynn" would be correct, too, but if we said ""It’s Mr Flynn or Mrs Brown on the ‘phone …." it would indicate that the person has already made contact or is known.
Somerset is a county in the south of England – if you wrote Summerset the pronunciation is exactly that.
23 I tried to pass him on to her, …………………….. but I couldn’t get through – there was no reply on her extension.
Pass someone on to someone or somewhere – transfer someone to another person or place
24 I’ll give you their ‘phone number – it’s 7463982, and the code is 0220. His extension number is 305, but he says you could try 610 if you …………………….. don’t get through.
25 Yes, he sounded ………………….. pretty fed up. I’ll let you go – thanks for taking the call.
fed up adjective [after verb] INFORMAL – bored, annoyed or disappointed, especially by something that you have experienced for too long:
eg She’s feeling fed up with her boss.
I get fed up with all the evening work I have to do.
"I’ll let you go.." is a phrase which indicates that you might be detaining someone who is busy or whom you have interrupted. Consequently you might hear a person say, "No, it’s fine, I’m not busy….’.