Talking on the phone in English is a necessary but sometimes daunting task! Although phone calls can seem scary, they have many predictable phrases and patterns that you can study to improve your confidence and skill.
Calling someone on the phone
Start with a greeting word, such as hi, hello, hey, good morning, or good evening. You can say the name of the person you are talking to if you’re calling them directly.
Next, identify yourself. Use a phrase such as This is [name] or It’s [name].
If you’re calling a phone number where you don’t know who is answering, say who you want to speak to. Use a phrase such as I’m calling to talk to [name], May I speak to [name], or Is [name] there?
- Hi, this is Eddy! Can I talk to Oscar, please?
- Good afternoon, Mr. Smith. This is Bea.
- Good morning, Junior. It’s Vikram. Is your dad there?
- Hey, Lily! This is Zari.
Answering the phone when someone calls you
Respond with a greeting. If you aren’t sure which greeting to use, you can just repeat the same one the caller used! You can also say the caller’s name if you want.
If the caller requested to speak with you—for example, if they asked Can I talk to Bea, please?—identify yourself with a phrase like This is [name] or Yes, this is [name].
Continue the conversation by asking a simple question such as How are you?, What’s up?, or How can I help you?
- Oh, hi Eddy. This is Oscar. What’s up?
- Hello, Bea! How can I help you?
- Good morning, this is Junior’s dad. How are you?
- Hey, Zari! How’s it going?
Initiating the end of a phone call
After you finish your phone conversation, you need to signal to the other person that you want to end the call. This is commonly done by saying a pause word and then giving an excuse—for example, Well, I should probably get going or Well, I don’t want to take up too much of your time. You could also mention that you enjoyed the call.
This part of a phone call often uses hedging expressions to soften the end of the call. For example, instead of saying I will go now (which sounds very strong and direct in English!), people often say I should probably go now (which is more indirect and feels politer in English).
- Well, that’s pretty much all from me.
- Well, I have a lot to get done today, so I should let you go.
- Ah, it’s been great to talk but I should probably get going.
- I’ve loved chatting with you, but I don’t want to take up too much of your time!
Saying goodbye when the other person wants to end the call
When you recognize that the other person wants to end the conversation, you have two general options.
Option 1: Wait, not yet!
If you have another important thought you want to say, now is your last chance to bring it up! Acknowledge that the conversation will end soon and then quickly summarize your thoughts (or ask if they have time to stay on the phone).
- I’ll let you go in just a second, but really quick while I have you, what time should we meet for dinner tonight?
- I know you need to go, but do you have five more minutes for a quick question?
- I need to go, too. Can we plan another time to talk? I have a couple more questions for you. Or I can stay on now if you’d prefer!
- Oh, one last thing really fast! I won’t keep you long. What color do we need to wear to the party?
Option 2: Ending the call
If you don’t have anything else to say, you can respond with a phrase that expresses gratitude for the call like It’s been so nice to chat! or It was great to catch up with you. After that, you can officially end the call with a goodbye phrase like Okay, I’ll talk to you later or Have a great day. Often the other person will say a very short goodbye (See you, Bye, etc.) and then you can both hang up the phone.
- Thank you so much for the call, it’s been great. I’ll see you in a few days.
- It was so nice to chat! I’ll talk to you later. Bye for now!
- Thanks for the call. Have a great day!
- Good luck with the rest of your day! Thank you again for calling. Bye.
What to say if you didn’t understand something
It’s very common to not understand something the other person says on a phone call. It happens to everyone, from a brand-new beginner to the most advanced speaker, so it’s helpful to know a few phrases to ask the person to repeat themselves. If you feel nervous about asking for this, you can use a common reason like My phone cut out or The connection isn’t great here.
- Could you say that last part again, please?
- Sorry, can you repeat that? The sound cut out.
- What was that name again?
- Could you slow down please? I’m in a loud area, and it’s hard to hear.
Tips for making phone calls in English
- Speak slower. On the phone, talk slower than you would in a face-to-face conversation. Remember that the person listening can’t see your facial expressions or gestures, so you want your voice to be extra clear! Slowing down is one of the easiest ways to make your speech clear.
- Use more pauses. Make sure to pause longer before and after key information. This helps draw attention to important points and also gives the other person a chance to ask questions after if they didn’t understand.
- Repeat yourself if necessary. Don’t be scared to repeat things more than once, especially if it’s really important information. You can’t see the person’s face, so you don’t know if they are fully paying attention or if they seem confused.
- Make your intonation very clear. Practice making your questions sound different from your statements. Also, when you’re about to finish speaking and it’ll be the other person’s turn to reply, lower your voice a bit to use "falling" intonation. It signals that you are done with your thought.
- Practice, practice, practice!
Calling all English learners!
With a bit of practice, you will master the art of the phone call 📞
