ESLPod010 - Asking Information Politely

Telephone Conversation

Good morning, Roth and Company. Good morning. I'm trying to reach Michael Dobson. I'm sorry, Mr. Dobson is not in the office. Would you know if he will be in today? I'm afraid I don't know Mr. Dobson's schedule. Oh, I see. Well... I wonder if I could leave a message for him. Sure. I can take a message. Please let him know that Susan Kale called, and would you please ask him to call me at his earliest convenience? Would you spell your last name? Sure. It's Kale. That's spelled K-A-L-E. And does Mr. Dobson have your phone number? I believe so, but let me leave it just in case. My office number is 462-555-0306. And my cell number is 462-555-6258. I'll give him the message. Is there anything else I can help you with? No, that's all. Thanks so much. No problem. Have a nice day. Thanks. You too.

Vocabulary and Expressions

In this short phone conversation, there were several expressions that we want to discuss today—some of them dealing with asking for things politely, others used when we use the telephone.

The conversation began with the receptionist answering the phone: Good morning, followed by the name of the company. Then the woman on the phone said: Good morning. I'm trying to reach Michael Dobson.

The expression I'm trying to reach is one we use especially on the telephone when we're asking if someone is there. You can also say:

• Is Michael Dobson there? But that's a little less formal. A more formal and polite way would be:
• I'm trying to reach [name].

To ask for information politely, she asked:

• Would you know if he will be in today? Would you know if, followed by a statement, is a way of asking a question politely. For example:
• Excuse me, would you know if this bus goes downtown? That's a polite way of asking a stranger or someone in a business setting.

You can also say:

• I wonder if... The expression I wonder if is used when we are asking permission of another person. In this case, we heard the woman say:
• I wonder if I could leave a message for him. You could also say:
• I wonder if I could borrow your car. I wonder if, followed by any sort of request, is a polite way to ask.

Other telephone expressions:

• To take a message means to write down information for someone who is not there.
• When leaving a message, you can say:
  • Please let him know that Susan Kale called.
  • Could you please tell him that Jeff McQuillan called?
  • Could you please let him know that I called?

Another expression used was:

• At his earliest convenience. The phrase Would you please ask him to call me at his earliest convenience means as soon as he has time, when it is convenient for him. This is a very polite way of asking someone to return a call.

We also heard:

• Would you please spell your last name? This is a polite way to ask someone to spell their name so you can write it down correctly.

Finally, the caller said:

• I believe so, but let me leave it just in case. The expression just in case means as a precaution, for extra security. For example:
• I’m not sure if I locked the door, so I’ll check again—just in case.

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