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Episode FIFTEEN:
Speaking English on the Phone – Part 1
Talking on the telephone with someone can be challenging! Have you ever had to make a phone call, and you weren’t able to understand what the person was saying? All English learners have difficulties understanding people on the telephone.
Let me tell you a story about when I lived in the country of Panama.
I lived in a neighborhood with a couple friends, and there was an amazing pizza place around the corner. My favorite food is pizza, so I would order pizza from this restaurant once a week. The only thing was that they didn’t have online ordering. That meant I had to call them to order the pizza. My second language is Spanish, and I’m just intermediate level. So needless to say, every time I called the restaurant, I would get nervous! I would feel so afraid that I would say something stupid or waste their time. But I loved pizza! So, I had to call if I wanted pizza.
For a few weeks, I got the courage to call, and ordered as clearly as I could. Finally, in the 4th week, I called the pizza place, still really nervous. I said (in Spanish) “Hello?” and the owner answered “Hello, Andrea!” She knew it was me after one word! That made me feel amazing that this restaurant owner knew me well enough to know my name. She wanted to get to know me because I was her faithful customer, and because she wanted me to keep calling. She wasn’t mad at me for speaking slowly. She was just happy I was calling to order more of her pizza.
Why do I share this story? Well, it’s to show you that I know how hard talking on the phone can be. It can make you really nervous, because it’s harder to talk on the phone than talk to someone in real life.
Why is it harder to talk on the phone vs. in person?
1) You can’t see the person you’re speaking with, so you can’t “read” their facial expressions. When we’re face-to-face with someone, it’s easier to understand what they’re saying because so much of communication is non-verbal, or said with the body. When you’re talking on the telephone, you can’t see the person, so you have to only get meaning from the words and the tone of the speaker.
2) The person you’re speaking with can’t see you, so they can’t see if you look confused.
3) Telephones aren’t always clear. Cell signal can be poor, making it harder for you to understand someone. Even if cell signal is strong, it’s not as clear as if you were in the same room as the person.
Second language learners need help when speaking on the phone. It’s much more difficult than speaking to someone over video chat or in-person.
Here are some great tips to make sure you can have successful phone conversations.
1) Immediately ask the person to speak slowly. This might feel strange happening in the beginning, but it’s much better to ask for help in the beginning. People want to help you, and they want to have a clear conversation with you. Asking for them to talk slowly will help a lot. You can even introduce yourself, and say, “I’m Andrea, and I’m learning English. Can you please help me by speaking slowly?” They will be happy that you were honest in the beginning.
2) When someone says a name, number, or other important information, repeat it. Say it back to them slowly and clearly, so that they can correct you if you’re wrong.
3) Do not say you have understood if you have not. Ask the person to repeat until you have understood. If you ask a person to explain more than twice, he will usually slow down.
This should work! Don’t just pass the phone to a cousin or friend who speaks better English than you. Give yourself the opportunity to challenge yourself and develop your communication skills.
Subscribe to the podcast so you can hear Part 2 of this lesson. Next week, we will talk about specific phrases in English you can use on the phone.
Happy learning!
P.S. If you want to dramatically improve your pronunciation skills, take my latest course Clear English Pronunciation. People are changing their lives by taking this course! The results have been dramatic. Simply visit StudyWithAndrea.com/speak to learn more.
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The following is a TOEFL Reading practice test to help you prepare for the Reading section of the TOEFL test.
Instructions: Read the sample passage below and then answer the questions that follow.
TOEFL Reading Practice Passage
Gorillas are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forest of central Sub-Saharan Africa. The genus Gorilla is divided into two species: the eastern gorillas and the western gorillas (both critically endangered), and either four or five subspecies. They are the largest living primates. The DNA of gorillas is highly similar to that of humans, from 95 to 99% depending on what is included, and they are the next closest living relatives to humans after the chimpanzees and bonobos.
Gorillas' natural habitats cover tropical or subtropical forest in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although their range covers a small percentage of Sub-Saharan Africa, gorillas cover a wide range of elevations. The mountain gorilla inhabits the Albertine Rift montane cloud forests of the Virunga Volcanoes, ranging in altitude from 2,200 to 4,300 metres (7,200 to 14,100 ft). Lowland gorillas live in dense forests and lowland swamps and marshes as low as sea level, with western lowland gorillas living in Central West African countries and eastern lowland gorillas living in the Democratic Republic of the Congo near its border with Rwanda.
(#1) Gorillas move around by knuckle-walking, although they sometimes walk upright for short distances, typically while carrying food or in defensive situations. (#2) A 2018 study investigating the hand posture of 77 mountain gorillas at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (8% of the population) found that knuckle walking was done only 60% of the time, and they also supported their weight on their fists, the backs of their hands/feet, and on their palms/soles (with the digits flexed). (#3) Studies of gorilla handedness have yielded varying results, with some arguing for no preference for either hand, and others right-hand dominance for the general population. (#4)
The eastern gorilla is more darkly colored than the western gorilla, with the mountain gorilla being the darkest of all. The mountain gorilla also has the thickest hair. The western lowland gorilla can be brown or grayish with a reddish forehead. In addition, gorillas that live in lowland forest are more slender and agile than the more bulky mountain gorillas. The eastern gorilla also has a longer face and broader chest than the western gorilla. Like humans, gorillas have individual fingerprints. Their eye color is dark brown, framed by a black ring around the iris. Gorilla facial structure is described as mandibular prognathism, that is, the mandible protrudes farther out than the maxilla. Adult males also have a prominent sagittal crest.
A gorilla's lifespan is normally between 35 and 40 years, although zoo gorillas may live for 50 years or more. Colo, a female western gorilla at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, was the oldest known gorilla at 60 years of age when she died on 17 January 2017.
Questions
1. According to the passage, gorillas can live in
a. a variety of altitudes.
b. several different countries in Africa.
c. thick forests.
d. lowland forests only.
2. All of the following is true about gorillas EXCEPT
a. they primarily eat smaller animals.
b. they live in a forest habitat.
c. their genetics are similar to humans.
d. their diet consists of vegetation.
3. Look at the word predominantly in paragraph 1. The word predominantly in this passage refers to
a. impulsively
b. unfortunately
c. mainly
d. lastly
4. Look at the word inhabits in paragraph 2. The word inhabits in this passage refers to
a. lives in
b. protects
c. goes
d. works
5. The author implies that
a. most gorillas prefer using their left hand over their right.
b. gorillas rarely walk on their knuckles.
c. gorillas regularly walk upright for long distances.
d. studies haven't solidly proven which hand gorillas prefer using.
6. Why does the writer mention that the eastern gorilla also has a longer face and broader chest than the western gorilla?
a. To validate the importance a broad chest in western gorillas
b. To define the meaning of "broad"
c. To highlight a physical difference between types of gorillas
d. To demonstrate that most gorillas are identical in physical build
7. Which of the following statements is true for BOTH eastern and western gorillas.
a. Both eastern and western gorrilas are brown with red foreheads.
b. Both eastern and western gorrilas have unique fingerprints.
c. Both eastern and western gorrilas have thin hair.
d. Both eastern and western gorrilas have light brown eyes.
8. In Paragraph 3, look at the four numbers (#1, #2, #3, #4) that indicate where the following sentence would be added to the passage.
Such a range of hand postures was previously thought to have been used by only orangutans.
Where would the sentence best fit?
(View all the correct answers below.)
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Answers: 1. d 2. a 3. c 4. a 5. d 6. c 7. b 8. #3
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About Andrea
Andrea Giordano is the founder of StudyWithAndrea.com and has taught more than 1,000,000 students from 180 countries. Andrea holds a Master of Education (TESOL) from Shenandoah University, and is the former Executive Director of TESOL and ESL programs at Campbellsville University. Andrea is a proven leader in online English teaching and is driven by her passion to help you speak English clearly.
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“Thanks so much for the blog post.Really looking forward to read more. Keep writing.”
Thanks so much! I’m putting out a new podcast episode every Thursday. Did you get to listen to part 2 yet?