The English phrases you'll use most on a phone call

Almost everyone finds phone calls harder than talking in person, and there is a reason. On a call you lose facial expression, gestures and lip movement — three of the things your brain quietly uses to fill gaps. You are left with sound alone, often bad sound.

So phone English is a skill of its own. Here are the lines that do most of the work.

Starting the call

Hello, am I speaking to Mr Sharma?

Hello, this is Sunita calling from Skill Ninja.

Is this a good time to talk?

That last one is worth using. It sounds professional and it buys you a moment to settle.

When you cannot hear

Sorry, the line is not clear. Could you say that again?

I can't hear you properly. Can I call you back?

Could you speak a little slower, please?

Say these without apologising twice. One "sorry" is polite. Three sounds unsure.

When you need a moment

Just a moment, please.

Let me check that and get back to you.

Can I put you on hold for a minute?

Silence on a phone call feels much longer than it is. These fill it while you think.

Taking down information

Could you spell that for me?

Let me repeat it back — that's 98765 43210, correct?

Can you send me that on WhatsApp as well?

Repeating information back is the single most useful phone habit. It catches errors and it makes you sound careful.

Ending the call

Thank you for your time.

I'll get back to you by tomorrow evening.

Have a good day.

The two rules

Slow down. Bad line quality punishes fast speech more than anything else. What sounds too slow to you sounds normal to the person listening.

Prepare the first sentence only. Write down your opening line before you dial. Once the first sentence is out, the rest usually follows — it is the beginning where people freeze.

Practising without the fear

Call a customer care number and ask a simple question in English. You will never speak to that person again, the stakes are zero, and they are paid to be patient with you. It is the best free speaking practice available in India.