American English Language School

Does your heart speed up when the phone rings and the screen says "Unknown"? For many adult English learners in Los Angeles, phone calls are the hardest part of speaking English. Without faces, gestures, or paper to point at, every word has to come through a small speaker, and many offices answer with a fast, memorized greeting. Use a Simple Script Most everyday calls follow the same pattern. Start with a greeting, your name, and your reason for calling: "Hi, my name is Maria Lopez. I am calling to schedule an appointment." Saying your reason early lets the other person guide the call, so you do not need to understand every word. Ask Without Embarrassment Native speakers ask these questions on the phone all the time: "Sorry, could you say that again, please?" "Could you speak a little more slowly?" "Just to confirm, you said Tuesday at 3:30, right?" Repeating dates, times, and numbers back catches mistakes before they beco...