Lesson 33--Useful Telephone Vocabulary

Below are a list of telephone words.  They have been grouped in four categories: answering, talking , finishing, and some phrasal verbs.  In each category the phrases have almost identical meanings.  If you regularly use one of these phrases, try a different one next time.

Answering the phone 

"Could you answer the phone?"

picking up the phone

"Pick up the phone please."

getting the phone     

"Get the phone!"

Talk on the phone      

"I am talking on the phone.  Ask me later."

Be on the phone         

"I am on the phone.  Stop bothering me."

Have a phone conversation

"I am having a phone conversation."

Be in the middle of a call     

"Don't make so much noise when I am in the middle of a call."

Hang up the phone

"Hang up the phone and come to dinner."

Put the phone down

"Put the phone down and call her back later."

Get cut off

"I got cut off when I drove through a tunnel."