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Business English · Module 1 · Unit 2

Answering Phone Calls at Work

Pre B1 Intermediate

Learning Objectives

In this lesson, you will discuss answering phone calls at work and learn practical vocabulary for daily communication.

Situation

Alex receives an incoming phone call from an important client at the office. Knowing Mr. Miller expects clear and concise updates, Alex answers professionally to handle the inquiry and ensure smooth business communication.

Discussion

Direction: Answer these questions.
  1. How do you usually prepare before answering a professional phone call?
  2. What are some polite ways to greet a caller in your office?
  3. What is the most challenging part of speaking on the phone in English?

New Words & Expressions

Direction: Listen and repeat these words with your teacher.

  • How may I help you?

    Phrase

    /haʊ meɪ aɪ hɛlp juː/

    Meaning:A standard, polite phrase used to offer assistance when answering a phone call or greeting someone.

    Good morning, North Star Logistics. How may I help you?

    Real Life Tip:

    Commonly used in American workplaces as a direct and friendly greeting on business calls.

  • On the same page

    Idiom

    /ɒn ðə seɪm peɪdʒ/

    Meaning:To share the same understanding, agreement, or information about a situation.

    Let us review the account details to ensure we are on the same page.

    Real Life Tip:

    American professionals use this frequently to double-check details and avoid misunderstandings on calls.

  • Touch base

    Idiom / Informal Expression

    /tʌtʃ beɪs/

    Meaning:To briefly contact someone to give an update or check on progress.

    I wanted to touch base regarding your recent project request.

    Real Life Tip:

    Derived from baseball, this phrase is standard everyday conversational shorthand in corporate settings.

  • Call back

    Phrasal Verb

    /kɔːl bæk/

    Meaning:To return a telephone call to someone who previously called.

    I will ask Mr. Miller to call back as soon as he finishes his meeting.

    Real Life Tip:

    Stating a specific time frame when promising a call back helps establish clear professional expectations.

Conversation

Direction:

  • Listen carefully as your teacher reads the conversation aloud.
  • Role-play the conversation with your teacher
Alex answers an incoming phone call from a client, Marcus, to address project updates and deadline details.
  • Alex
    Good morning, Apex Solutions. Alex speaking. How may I help you?
  • Client
    Hello Alex, this is Marcus from Global Tech. I am calling about our project timeline.
  • Alex
    Hi Marcus! I am glad you called so we can touch base on that.

Q&A

Direction: Answer the questions based on the conversation.
  1. Did Alex answer the phone politely?
  2. Who called Alex?
  3. Is Mr. Miller available right now?

Mastering Client Phone Calls

Exercise

Direction: Choose the correct answer to complete each sentence, then read it aloud. Each question gives you 5 Points.

  1. Hello, thank you for calling. How may I ________ you today?

  2. I need to ________ base with the team before sending the proposal.

  3. Mr. Miller ________ currently in a conference room with a client.

  4. Alex promised that he ________ pass along the message immediately.

  5. call / will / I / you / later / back

  6. same / we / on / page / are / the

Ask Your Teacher

Direction: Ask your teacher these questions.
  1. How do you usually handle an angry client call at work?
  2. When did you last touch base with a very important client?
  3. What is your best story about answering a work phone call?

Your Time To Speak

Direction: Answer using the language you have learned in this lesson. Talk about yourself!
  1. Do you usually say "How may I help you?" on work calls?
  2. Have you ever forgotten to call back an important business client?
  3. How do you touch base with busy clients during project deadlines?
  4. Why is it important for teams to stay on the same page?
  5. What do you think makes a phone call turn out poorly?
  6. Would you agree that phone calls are best to touch base quickly?
  7. Is it true that email is better than a quick call back?
  8. Would you call back a client after normal working office hours?
  9. What if a client demands an immediate call back from management?
  10. What would you do if a caller refuses to touch base later?
  11. What do you think will happen if teams aren't on the same page?
  12. Which is better to touch base, text messaging or phone calls?
  13. What should you say when answering with "How may I help you?"
  14. What do you think causes coworkers to forget a promised call back?
  15. What happens if you touch base without having all the facts?
Client
Great. I want to make sure we are on the same page about next week's deadline.
  • Alex
    Absolutely. I have the updated schedule right here on my screen.
  • Client
    Can we confirm if Mr. Miller reviewed the budget changes yet?
  • Alex
    He is currently in a meeting, but I will ask him to call back shortly.
  • Client
    Perfect, thank you Alex. I will wait for his response.