Welcome! This short lesson helps you handle common phone problems and messages. Practice by listening, repeating, and speaking aloud — it's fast and useful.
Level A2: Lesson 139 focuses on everyday phone phrases you can use for short calls and voicemails. You will practice asking someone to wait, checking the connection, reporting poor sound, and saying you missed or received a message. CEFR-aligned and ready for real phone moments — no yak-yacking over bad lines!
After this lesson you'll be able to:
Use polite phone phrases for wait, connection checks, and voicemail.
Recognize and respond to messages: 'I missed your call' and 'I got your message.'
Practice saying 'I'll give ___ the message' and 'Please leave a message after the beep.'
Level A2: speak short phone exchanges clearly and confidently.
Ready? Let's go!
When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.
1. Reading + Listening Practice
Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.
Please hold for a moment.
asking the other person to wait on the phone
Meaning: Please hold for a moment. — asking the other person to wait on the phone.
When to use: Use this to politely ask someone to wait while you check something, get another person, or look for information.
Please hold for a moment — I'll transfer you.
Please hold for a moment — I'll transfer you.
Please hold for a moment while I check her schedule.
Please hold for a moment while I check her schedule.
Can you hear me?
checking if the connection is working
Meaning: Can you hear me? — checking if the connection is working.
When to use: Say this if you are not sure the other person can hear you, or their audio seems quiet or cut out.
Can you hear me? The sound is low.
Can you hear me? The sound is low.
Can you hear me now after I moved closer to the window?
Can you hear me now after I moved closer to the window?
The line is bad.
saying there is a phone connection problem
Meaning: The line is bad. — saying there is a phone connection problem.
When to use: Use this to explain poor call quality or static on the call. It helps the other person know to repeat or call back.
Tip: Beginners sometimes say only "Bad line" which can sound abrupt. Use the full phrase for clarity.
The line is bad — you're breaking up.
The line is bad — you're breaking up.
I think the line is bad; can you call me again?
I think the line is bad; can you call me again?
I missed your call.
responding after missing a phone call
Meaning: I missed your call. — responding after missing a phone call.
When to use: Say this when you are returning a call or explaining why you didn't answer earlier.
Hi—sorry, I missed your call this morning.
Hi—sorry, I missed your call this morning.
I missed your call; are you free now to talk?
I missed your call; are you free now to talk?
I got your message.
confirming receipt of a phone message
Meaning: I got your message. — confirming receipt of a phone message.
When to use: Use this to acknowledge a voicemail, text message about a call, or a passed-on message.
Thanks, I got your message about the meeting.
Thanks, I got your message about the meeting.
I got your message — I'll be there at 2pm.
I got your message — I'll be there at 2pm.
I'll give ___ the message.
Promise to pass a phone message to someone
Meaning: I'll give ___ the message. — Promise to pass a phone message to someone.
When to use: Say this to confirm you will tell another person what the caller said. Replace the blank with the person's name: "I'll give Sarah the message."
Tip: Be sure to add a name in the blank — saying only "I'll give the message" can sound incomplete.
I'll give him the message when he returns.
I'll give him the message when he returns.
I'll give your manager the message right away.
I'll give your manager the message right away.
Please leave a message after the beep.
Prompt a caller to leave a voicemail message
Meaning: Please leave a message after the beep. — prompt a caller to leave a voicemail message.
When to use: This is a standard voicemail instruction. Use it to tell callers to leave information you can return to later.
Please leave a message after the beep and I'll call back.
Please leave a message after the beep and I'll call back.
If I'm away, please leave a message after the beep.
If I'm away, please leave a message after the beep.
2. Conversational Listening Practice
Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.
Anna returns a missed call and speaks to David about a message and call quality.
Who will get the message?
Anna
I missed your call.
I missed your call.
David
Please hold for a moment.
Please hold for a moment.
Anna
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
David
The line is bad.
The line is bad.
Anna
I got your message about the meeting.
I got your message about the meeting.
David
I'll give Sarah the message.
I'll give Sarah the message.
3. Guided Practice
Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.
Which phrase politely asks the caller to wait on the line?
Which phrase would you say if the other person cannot hear you?
Which phrase tells a caller to leave a voicemail?
Which phrase would you say when you want to confirm you received a voicemail or note?
Hello? Can you hear me? It's very quiet on this side.
Hello? ___ It's very quiet on this side.
If you get my voicemail, please leave a message after the beep and tell me when you're free.
If you get my voicemail, ___ and tell me when you're free.
Sorry I couldn't pick up earlier — I missed your call. Can we talk now?
Sorry I couldn't pick up earlier — ___. Can we talk now?
Match the core phrases
Match the extra phrases
4. Speaking Practice
Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).
Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.
