Telephone politeness competition game

Take turns making one of the phrases below more and more polite. If there are two
similar phrases next to each other, choose one. You can add or change words as
much as you like, but the meaning must remain the same. Whenever the phrases
stop becoming more polite, the most polite wins and you can move onto another.

– Alex Case.
– Sales.
– I need to speak to Jamie Gallagher./ Put me through to Jamie Gallagher.
– He’s not here./ He’s out.
– He’s on holiday.
– Hold./ Don’t hang up.
– Hold on./ Wait./ Give us a sec.
– This is going to have to be quick, but…
– Okay to talk?
– You cut me off.
– What’s it about?/ Why do you want to speak to him?
– What’s your name?/ Who are you?
– You’ve got the wrong person./ You need to speak to…, not me.
– Wrong number.
– Have you got a message for him?/ Wanna leave a message?
– Give me your name and number and I’ll get him to phone back.
– Please take a message.
– Please tell him to call me back.
– That’s no good, I need to speak to him in person.
– Please give me his mobile number.
– I want to complain about the product that you sent./ The product that you sent me
doesn’t work.
– About the email you just sent me,…
– You’ve read my email, right?/ I hope you’ve already read my email.
– Please speak more slowly.
– Please spell that.
– Say again/ What?
– I can’t hear you/ Speak up
– I can’t understand you.
– That’s wrong. It’s org, not com.
– You mean…, right?
– Got it?
– One word or two?
– I’m busy. I’ll call you back.
– I’ll check.
– Phone me back asap.
– Please send me that in writing by Friday.
– You’ll never understand this over the phone.
– Anything else?/ Is that it?

Go through the whole list above and make all of them at least acceptably polite,
without looking below and then using the words below to help you.
Words that you could add above

actually concerning
afraid help
ask if
bit just
can little
chance might
seem moment
shall thanks
soon unfortunately
would

Use each of the phrases above in at least one of the phrases on the first page. You
may need to add, replace or completely rewrite the sentences.
Compare your answers with the answer key.
What are the general rules for avoiding rudeness and making sentences more
polite?

Classify these as formal or formal, then find examples above or in the answer key to
check your answers:

– Phrasal verbs and other idioms

– Abbreviations
– Past tenses with present meanings
– Longer sentences
– Longer words
– Negative words
– Vague excuses

Play the same game as on the first page, but this time just trying to make what you
say longer and longer.
Do the same with other situations and phrases.
What other polite phrases can you use in telephoning?
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Telephone politeness competition game

Suggested answers (with the suggested words above in bold)

Alex Case. – Alex Case speaking. How can I help you?/ Alex Case speaking. How
may I help you?/ Alex Case speaking. How can I be of assistance?

Sales. – Sales department. Alex speaking. How can I help you?

I need to speak to Jamie Gallagher./ Put me through to Jamie Gallagher. –Could you
put me through to Jamie Gallagher?/ Is Jamie Gallagher there?

He’s not here./ He’s out. – I’m afraid he’s not at his desk at
the moment. Would you like me to take a message?

He’s on holiday. – He’s out of the country./ He isn’t in the office today./ He’s on
annual leave.

Hold./ Don’t hang up. – Please hold (the line) while I…/ Could you hold (the line)?
Hold on./ Wait./ Give us a sec. – Just a moment while…

This is going to have to be quick, but… – Just a quick call to say…

Okay to talk? – Is this a bad time?/ Do you have time to talk?

You cut me off. – We seem to have been cut off.

What’s it about?/ Why do you want to speak to him? – Can I ask what it
is concerning, please?

What’s your name?/ Who are you? – Can I ask your name?/ Who shall I say is
calling?/ Can I just check your name?

You’ve got the wrong person./ You need to speak to…, not me. – You might be better
off speaking to…/ That is usually dealt with by…/ I’m afraid you’ve been put through
to the wrong person.

Wrong number. – You seem to have dialled a wrong number.

Have you got a message for him?/ Wanna leave a message? – Would you like to
leave a message?/ Can I take a message?

Give me your name and number and I’ll get him to phone back. – If I can take your
name and number, I’ll ask him to call you back.

Please take a message. – Can I leave a message?/ Could you take a message?
Please tell him to call me back. – Could you ask him to call me back?

That’s no good, I need to speak to him in person. – Actually, I really need to speak to
him in person.
Please give me his mobile number. – Is there any chance you could give me his
mobile number?

I want to complain about the product that you sent./ The product that you sent me
doesn’t work. – Unfortunately, there seems to be a problem with the product that
you sent me.

About the email you just sent me,… – Thanks for emailing earlier. I wanted to speak
to you about…

You’ve read my email, right?/ I hope you’ve already read my email. –Did you receive
my email?/ Have you had a chance to read my email?

Please speak more slowly. – Could you speak a little more slowly,
please?/ Could you speak a bit more slowly, please?

Please spell that. – How do you spell that?/ Could you spell that for me?
Say again/ What? – Pardon?/ Sorry, I didn’t catch…

I can’t hear you/ Speak up – (There’s a lot of noise here). Could you speak
a little more loudly?

I can’t understand you. – I’m afraid I’m not following you.

That’s wrong. It’s org, not com. – Actually, it’s org, not com.

You mean…, right? – Can I just double check? Do you mean… or…?

Got it? – Are you following me?/ Shall I repeat that?

One word or two? – Is that one word or two?

I’m busy. I’ll call you back. – I’m a bit tied up at the moment. Can I call you back?/
I’m rather busy right now. Would it be okay for me to call you back?

I’ll check. – I’ll check and get back to you as soon as I can.

Phone me back asap. – Could you get back to me as soon as you can?

Please send me that in writing by Friday. – Could you confirm that in writing by the
end of the week?

You’ll never understand this over the phone. – I’m not sure that I can explain this
over the phone./ It might be better for me to email it to you./ It might be better for
us to talk about it face to face.

Anything else?/ Is that it? – Can I help you with anything else today?/ Was there
anything else?