Telephoning Roleplays- Future Tenses

Talking about the future during phone calls roleplays and tense review

Choose a phrase below. Describe a situation in which you could say that thing to your partner on the phone, then roleplay the whole call (from start to end), making sure you use the phrase exactly as it is. The person who chose the phrase is who has to use it.

“The weather forecast said that there will be a typhoon and so I’m going to leave the office early. Can I phone you back tomorrow?”

“Do you think the economy will improve?”

“Okay. I’ll pass that message onto him.”

“He’s having lunch at the moment but he will probably be back soon.”

“That’s okay, thanks. I’ll just call again later.”

“There’s no need to take a message thanks. I’m going to come in after this meeting anyway.”

“I’m in a meeting at the moment, but I’ll phone you back at 2pm.”

“I’ll check and phone you back as soon as I can.”

“I’m flying to New York tomorrow and I’d like to see you while I’m there.”

“I’m meeting John at 4 o’clock. Can you join us?”

“I’m visiting a colleague of yours at 3 p.m. and would like to see you just before or after that.”

“It’s a bit tricky to explain on the phone. I’ll email you a link to a map.”

“Just a moment, I’ll just get a pen.”

“Please hold the line. I’ll just check if he’s available.”

“I’m really sorry but I’m meeting my boss at that time too.”

“I need to check with my colleague but it will probably be okay.”

Ask about language above you couldn’t understand, etc, working together to think of suitable calls each time.   

Compare the situations you thought of with those on below, share one similarity with the class, then ask about situations you don’t understand, think could have different language, etc.

Find one example of each of these things and underline the related future verb forms:

• an arrangement
• a plan
• a spontaneous decision that you made while you are speaking
• a prediction (= your imagination of the future)

Suggested situations

• A forecast of extreme weather means that you need to go home early and reschedule a meeting. – “The weather forecast said that there will be a typhoon and so I’m going to leave the office early. Can I phone you back tomorrow?”
• Ask for someone’s advice on whether you should invest in a country or not. – “Do you think the economy will improve?”
• The person who the caller wants to speak to isn’t there, so take a message. – “Okay. I’ll pass that message onto him.”
• The person who the caller wants to speak to is at lunch, but they only usually have a short lunch. – “He’s having lunch at the moment but he will probably be back soon.”
• The person who you want to speak to isn’t there, but you don’t need to leave a message. – “That’s okay, thanks. I’ll just call again later.”
• The person you want to speak to isn’t there, but you don’t need to leave a message because you have already decided to come to the office in an hour anyway. – “There’s no need to take a message thanks. I’m going to come in after this meeting anyway.”
• You are too busy to talk. – “I’m in a meeting at the moment, but I’ll phone you back at 2pm.”
• You aren’t sure when you can meet, so confirm later. – “I’ll check and phone you back as soon as I can.”
• You have a ticket to fly to New York tomorrow for one week and want to meet the other person while you are there. – “I’m flying to New York tomorrow and I’d like to see you while I’m there.”
• You have already arranged to meet someone and you want your partner to come too. – “I’m meeting John at 4 o’clock. Can you join us?”
• You have an appointment to see someone in the other person’s office and want to see them just before or after that meeting. – “I’m visiting a colleague of yours at 3 p.m. and would like to see you just before or after that.”
• The caller phones to get directions to the venue of the meeting, but it’s too difficult for you to explain on the phone. – “It’s a bit tricky to explain on the phone. I’ll email you a link to a map.”
• The other person wants you to send them something by post (= snail mail), so they need to dictate their postal address to you. – “Just a moment, I’ll just get a pen.”
• The caller wants to be put through to someone else. You need to check if they are there and free before connecting their call. – “Please hold the line. I’ll just check if he’s available.”
• The other person wants to meet you. The first and second times they suggest aren’t possible because of meetings that you have already arranged with your boss. – “I’m really sorry but I’m meeting my boss at that time too.”
• You want to meet with the person you are phoning and one other person. You haven’t checked times with that other person, but they are usually available at that time. – “I need to check with my colleague but it will probably be okay.”

 

Future forms gapfill

Without looking above, fill the gaps below with the right future forms, thinking about if each is an arrangement with someone, your plan, a spontaneous made while speaking, or your forecast of the future.

• A forecast of extreme weather means that you need to go home early and reschedule a meeting. – “The weather forecast said that _______________________ (there be) a typhoon and so I’m going to leave the office early. Can I phone you back tomorrow?”
• Ask for someone’s advice on whether you should invest in a country or not. – “Do you think ___________________________________________ (the economy improve)?”
• The person who the caller wants to speak to isn’t there, so take a message. – “Okay. __________________________________________ (I pass) that message onto him.”
• The person who the caller wants to speak to is at lunch, but they only usually have a short lunch. – “He is having lunch at the moment but ________________________ (he probably be back) soon.”
• The person you want to speak to isn’t there, but you don’t need to leave a message. – “That’s okay, thanks. ______________________ (I just call) again later.”
• The person you want to speak to isn’t there, but you don’t need to leave a message because you have already decided to come to the office in an hour anyway. – “There’s no need to take a message thanks. _______________________________ (I come in) after this meeting anyway.”
• You are too busy to talk. – “I’m in a meeting at the moment, but _____________________________________________ (I phone) you back at 2pm.”
• You aren’t sure when you can meet, so confirm later. – “_____________________________ (I check) and phone you back as soon as I can.”
• You have a ticket to fly to New York tomorrow for one week and want to meet the other person while you are there. – “____________________________________________ (I fly) to New York tomorrow and I’d like to see you while I’m there.”
• You have already arranged to meet someone and you want your partner to come too. – “_______________________________ (I meet) John at 4 o’clock. Can you join us?”
• You have an appointment to see someone in the other person’s office and want to see them just before or after that meeting. – “__________________________________ (I visit) a colleague of yours at 3 p.m. and would like to see you just before or after that.”
• The caller phones to get directions to the venue of the meeting, but it’s too difficult for you to explain on the phone. – “It’s a bit tricky to explain on the phone. ____________________________________________ (I email) you a link to a map.”
• The other person wants you to send them something by post (= snail mail), so they need to dictate their postal address to you. – “Just a moment, ___________________ (I just get) a pen.”
• The caller wants to be put through to someone else. You need to check if they are there and free before connecting their call. – “Please hold the line. ___________________________________________ (I just check) if he’s available.”
• The other person wants to meet you. The first and second times they suggest aren’t possible because of meetings that you have already arranged with your boss. – “I’m really sorry but _____________________________ (I meet) my boss at that time too.”
• You want to meet with the person you are phoning and one other person. You haven’t checked times with that other person, but they are usually available at that time. – “I need to check with my colleague but ____________________ (it probably be) okay.”

 

Check above.

Future tenses in telephone calls roleplays

Choose situations from below and roleplay the whole telephone conversation from beginning to end, including small talk if you are phoning someone who you already know. There is no need to transfer calls if it doesn’t mention that below – you can usually just speak directly to the person who you are phoning.

• A forecast of extreme weather means that you need to go home early and reschedule a meeting.
• Ask for someone’s advice on whether you should invest in a country or not.
• The person who the caller wants to speak to isn’t there, so take a message.
• The person who the caller wants to speak to is at lunch, but they only usually have a short lunch.
• The person you want to speak to isn’t there, but you don’t need to leave a message.
• The person you want to speak to isn’t there, but you don’t need to leave a message because you have already decided to come to the office in an hour anyway.
• You are too busy to talk.
• You aren’t sure when you can meet, so confirm later.
• You have a ticket to fly to New York tomorrow for one week and want to meet the other person while you are there.
• You have already arranged to meet someone and you want your partner to come too.
• You have an appointment to see someone in the other person’s office and want to see them just before or after that meeting.
• The caller phones to get directions to the venue of the meeting, but it’s too difficult for you to explain on the phone.
• The other person wants you to send them something by post (= snail mail), so they need to dictate their postal address to you.
• The caller wants to be put through to someone else. You need to check if they are there and free before connecting their call.
• The other person wants to meet you. The first and second times they suggest aren’t possible because of meetings that you have already arranged with your boss.
• You want to meet with the person you are phoning and one other person. You haven’t checked times with that other person, but they are usually available at that time.

 

Roleplay similar situations including these functions:

• taking messages for other people
• making arrangements/ changing arrangements
• giving reasons why someone isn’t available
• giving reasons for not being able to talk (more)
• giving reasons for ending phone calls
• asking someone to wait (before you put them through, while you search, etc)
• offering to help in other ways (sending emails, etc)