–May I please speak to Rachel? –This is she—or is it her? I am sure that all of us have received a phone call like this at some point in our lives, but what exactly is the correct way to answer the question? It can be quite tricky, especially since so many people today do not answer it correctly. Before I tell you the correct way to answer this question, I want to walk through the reasons why the answer is what it is. But, brace yourself because it gets a little technical. For starters, let’s break down the sentence “This is she/her.” “This” is clearly our subject. That is not too hard to identify. So, we’ve analyzed the subject and verb. This is the moment of truth: do we pick “she” or “her?” Now, to answer this, we need to look at the function that the word in this place will serve. “She” is a nominative pronoun, in other words a subject, and “her” is an objective pronoun, i.e., an object. So, what should come after the linking verb “is”? A subject or an object? Well, remember, “linking verbs” connect EQUAL grammatical units, so if “this” is a subject, we will need another subject to follow our linking verb. Our sentence will appear “subject-linking verb-subject.” Therefore, we must pick “she.” You can also figure out which of these two words to pick by remembering that linking verbs do not take objects, so it cannot be “her.” And another way to think about it is that you could accomplish the same thing by saying, “I am Rachel.” Instead, you are substituting “I” for “this” and “Rachel” for the nominative pronoun “she.” TricksThe easiest way to remember which one to choose is to just remember,
This goes for other variations of the question too, –May I speak to Mike? –This is he. –Oh, so you are the one who keeps calling? –That is I.
Here are some common phrases and sentences you can use when speaking on the telephone. The informal phrases are mostly for family and friends. The formal phrases are for business and official calls and for calls to important people. Caller unknown means the person answering the phone doesn't know who's calling. This mostly occurs when answering a call to a landline phone without caller ID or to a mobile phone or smartphone from a number that isn't listed in the phone's contacts. Answering the phone (informal)
Answering the phone (formal)
Introducing yourself
Asking to speak with someone
Connecting someone
Making a request
Taking a message
Leaving a message
Confirming a message
Answering machine and voicemail phrases
Leaving an answering machine or voicemail message
Ending a conversation
Sometimes we have to spell something over the telephone like an address or a name. Native English speakers often use a special alphabet when they spell over the phone. For example, "The postcode is B2V 3A8. That's B for Bravo, number 2, V for Victor, number 3, A for Alpha, number 8." Telephone Vocabulary QuizThis quiz tests your understanding of words listed on the Telephone Vocabulary page. 1. If someone leaves you a message on voicemail, you have to _______ it. a) read b) listen to c) text2. I'm sorry, but I really have to take this a) ring b) tone c) call3. We don't speak on the phone much because _______ each other is cheaper. a) calling b) texting c) dialling4. I was fined for using my _______ while I was driving. a) landline phone b) mobile phone c) pay phone5. If I really like a song, I make it my phone's a) ringtone b) dial tone c) pick-up tone6. I'm busy right now. Can you _______ later? a) hang up b) call back c) call through7. To use the phone in your hotel room, you have to _______ "0" for the operator first. 8. Maria's not here just now. Would you like her to _______ your call? a) return b) answer c) take9. You'll need coins or a phone card if you want to use a a) cell phone b) pay phone c) smartphone10. A telephone call in which three or more people can hear and speak with one another is a a) conference call b) robocall c) busy signalYour score is: Correct answers: FREE Podcasts 🔈 Many of these listening exercises have transcripts, vocabulary notes and comprehension questions. Telephone Phrases
|
Consider the blank in which you answer or speak on the telephone
zusammenhängende Posts
Urheberrechte © © 2024 frojeostern Inc.
