Telephoning- Determiners and Prepositions Pairwork

Telephoning determiners and prepositions pairwork guessing game

Student A

Choose one of the sections below and read out example phrases without the word in bold until your partner guesses what word is missing. Your partner can only guess once per hint. If they guess wrongly, give them another example. If you run out of examples in that section before they guess correctly, make up more hints yourself or give other clues. You can come back and use the same section again later if you have some examples left.

Useful phrases for the person reading the example “… beep/ blank/ la la la…” “No, that doesn’t fit. Here’s another example,…”/ “I’m afraid not. Another one is…” “Yes, that’s right. Would you like to hear the other examples again?” Useful phrases for the person guessing “I think it’s…”/ “I guess the missing word is…” “Can you say that again more slowly?” “I’m not sure. Can you give me another hint?”

 

A

• Did you have a good weekend?
• Anyway, have you got a minute to talk?
• So, is this a good time?
• I got a message that I should call you.
• I only have a minute but I thought you should know…
• Just a quick call to say…
• Can I leave a message?
• Would you like to leave a message?
• Just a mo’. I’m looking for the file.
• Just a moment while I get a pen and some paper. Okay, go ahead, please.
• Could you say that again a little more slowly?
• Can you call again a little later?
• Have a good evening.

 

About

• Are you the right person to speak to about the delivery of…?
• That seems to have about covered it, thanks.
• What about you?
• How about you?
• I’m phoning about the meeting next week.
• About the email which you sent yesterday,…

 

Any

• Please call again if you have any other problems/ questions.
• Do I need any punctuation (in that email address)?
• I won’t keep you any longer.
• Is there anyone else I can speak to about this?

 

At

• Anyway, have I phoned at a bad time?
• I’m looking at your new catalogue and…
• Alex Case (all one word) at yahoo dot co dot jp.
• Sorry for phoning at
• If you look at the second paragraph on the third page,…

 

Back

• I’ll get back to you by Friday.
• I’ll check and call you right back.
• Could you possibly find out and call me back?
• Can I read that back?
• Do you want to check that back?
• I’m sure that you need to get back to work, so…
• Thanks for getting back to me so quickly.
• Sorry it took me so long to get back to you.
• Can you ask him to call me back?
• Shall I ask her to call you back?
• If I can take your name and number, I’ll ask him to call you back.
• Do you know when she will be back?

 

Down

• You might want to write this down.
• Let me write that down.
• Just a minute. I’m writing it down.

 

For

• Could you spell your family name for me, please?
• No, that’s all for now, thanks.
• Thanks for calling me back.
• Apologies for phoning so late in the evening.
• Anyway, what can I do for you today?
• Shall I spell that for you?
• That’s almost right, but with V, not B. That’s V for
• Just a second while I find the information for
• Bye for
• Thanks for

 

From

• I hope to hear from you soon.
• I look forward to hearing from
• This is Francis Cripps (again), calling from JUPG PLC.
• It’s Francis Cripps (here) from
• It’s great to hear from
• Someone phoned me from this number.

 

Her

• I’m sorry but she is away from her
• I’m afraid she’s not answering her
• I’m afraid she’s on her way to New York.
• Could you give me her mobile number so I can phone her while she’s here?
• I’ll stick a Post-it on her monitor, so I’m sure she’ll see it when she gets back.

 

Student B

Choose one of the sections below and read out example phrases without the word in bold until your partner guesses what word is missing. Your partner can only guess once per hint. If they guess wrongly, give them another example. If you run out of examples in that section before they guess correctly, make up more hints yourself or give other clues. You can come back and use the same section again later if you have some examples left.

Useful phrases for the person reading the example “… beep/ blank/ la la la…” “No, that doesn’t fit. Here’s another example,…”/ “I’m afraid not. Another one is…” “Yes, that’s right. Would you like to hear the other examples again?” Useful phrases for the person guessing “I think it’s…”/ “I guess the missing word is…” “Can you say that again more slowly?” “I’m not sure. Can you give me another hint?”

 

In

• I have a meeting in a few minutes, so…
• Someone has just come in, so…
• Can I call you back in a minute?
• I’m calling in order to check whether…
• I’m afraid she’s in a meeting.
• Sorry, she’s not in
• Can I speak to Kim Smith in the Sales Department, please?

 

My

• I’m sorry. My next client has just arrived. Can I call you again later?
• I’m not going into the office today, so it’s best to send an SMS to my cell phone.
• My name is Francis Cripps. I work for JUPG PLC.

 

Of

• Good morning. ABC Ltd. Hardware Division. Al Kay speaking. How may I be of assistance?
• I’ll just make a note of
• Sorry but he’s out of the office.

 

On

• I have a call on another line, so…
• Are you on the internet now?
• I’ll let you get on then.
• I’m afraid she’s on another line.
• Actually, he’s on a business trip.
• It says on your website that…
• I have someone on another line, so…

 

The

• Can you repeat the first part?
• How’s the weather there now?
• I need to speak to someone in the shipping department.
• I’m afraid I couldn’t catch the last word.
• I’m not sure if I’ve got the right number, but…
• Is that the HR department?
• Is this the right number for the Customer Service Department?
• Please hold the
• Thanks for the
• The reason why I’m phoning is…
• Unfortunately, he’s out of the

 

To

• Anyway, I’d love to chat more, but…
• Can you put me through to Kim Smith, please?
• Can you text me when you get to the entrance?
• Do you have access to the internet?
• I can send you a link to that information online, if that’s okay.
• I think that’s all that I needed to ask, thanks.
• I’ll pass your message onto
• I’m sure you need to get back to work, so…
• If you turn to page four,…
• It was great speaking to
• Okay then, is there anything else that we need to discuss?
• So, do you have time to talk?
• Sorry I didn’t have more time to speak earlier.
• Sorry to phone again so soon.
• Sorry, who am I speaking to, please?
• Speak to you then.

 

Up

• It’s a terrible line. Shall we hang up and try again?
• Just a sec. I’ll get your account up on my screen.
• I understood up to the bit where you said…

 

With

• Is that spelt with a C or a K?
• I’m calling in connection with your ad in yesterday’s newspaper.
• So, is there anything else that I can help you with today?

 

Your

• How do you spell your surname?
• How’s your week going?
• I just got your
• I look forward to your
• I was given your number by my boss. He asked me to phone you about…
• I’ll make sure he gets your message as soon as I can.
• I’m returning your
• Sorry, I didn’t catch your
• Thanks for all your
• Thanks for your

 

Switch worksheets and do the same, but making sure you choose the most difficult examples first this time (because your partner has already seen that worksheet).

Ask about any phrases which you don’t understand, any phrases which think could have other words in place of the word in bold (which is sometimes possible), any key words in bold which you don’t understand the use of, etc.

 

Prepositions and determiners grammar presentation

Without looking above for now, try to think of prepositions or determiners which match the definitions given. Some prepositions or determiners go in more than one place below.

 

Determiners

One (of many) = “________________________________________________ thing”

The listen knows which one you are talking about = “______________________ thing”

There is only one (in the world etc) = “__________________________________ thing”

Free choice of thing = “________________________________thing at all (is okay)”

 

Prepositions

The opposite of “ago” = “____________________________________” + time from now

“_________________________________________________________” + the topic

“__________________________________________________” + the purpose/ reason

“________________________________________________________” + a point in time

“______________________________________________________” + a point in space

“__________________________________________________” = the opposite of “to”

More or less/ Approximately/ Around = “______________________________________”

Return/ In the opposite direction = “_______________________________________”

 

Look at the previous worksheets to help finish and check the definitions of determiners and prepositions task above.

Check your answers below.

 

Suggested answers

 

Determiners

One (of many) = “__________________a/an___________________________ thing”

The listen knows which one you are talking about = “____________the_______ thing”

There is only one (in the world etc) = “__________________the____________ thing”

Free choice of thing = “________________any ________________thing at all (is okay)”

 

Prepositions

The opposite of “ago” = “______________in_____________________” + time from now

“__________________________about____________________________” + the topic

“__________________________for_____________________” + the purpose/ reason

“__________________________at___________________________” + a point in time

“__________________________at________________________” + a point in space

“__________________________from_____________________” = the opposite of “to”

More or less/ Approximately/ Around = “______________about____________________”

Return/ In the opposite direction = “_________________back___________________”

 

Brainstorming stage

Without looking at the previous worksheets for now, try to think of at least one useful telephoning phrase for each of the prepositions and determiners below. Many phrases not above are also possible. 

a

 

about

 

any

 

at

 

back

 

down

 

for

 

from

 

her/ his

 

in

 

my

 

of

 

on

 

the

 

to

 

up

 

with

 

your

 

Look at the grammar presentation to help. Then compare your phrases with those on the first worksheets. Many more answers are possible, so please check if you wrote something different. 

Tick off the words above on an uncompleted worksheet as you roleplay phone calls. The person with the most ticks when the teacher stops the game wins.