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Lesson 130 of 240

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Bad signal in English

Ana calls Tasha from the Blue Line. The train is still above ground, outside Logan Square, then it goes underground.

The call breaks up. Ana's voice comes and goes, so Tasha cannot follow every word.

By the end, you'll talk about a missed call, a bad signal, and a message.

You'll ask if someone can hear you. You'll ask them to wait. You'll hear a beep on a phone message.

By the end of this lesson

Talk about missed calls, a bad signal, and phone messages.

  • Can you hear me?Is my voice clear on this call?
  • I have a bad signal.My phone connection is weak right now.
  • I missed your call.I did not answer when you phoned.
  • I got your message.I received what you left for me.
  • Please hold for a moment.Wait on the phone for a short time.
  • Please leave a message after the beep.Talk after the sound to record your words.

Scene — the train goes underground

Ana stands on the Blue Line with her phone to her ear. The train is still above ground, outside Logan Square, and it is heading toward the tunnel.

Tasha is at the bakery downtown, between cakes. Then the train goes underground, and the car gets dark.

The call starts to break. Ana looks at her screen. The bars are almost gone.

Ana stands by the train doors with her phone to her ear as the car travels above ground outside Logan Square.

Learn — missed calls and messages

Six short lines cover a weak phone, a missed call, and a phone beep.

You'll also ask someone to wait on the line.

  1. Ana glances at her phone as the call begins to break and the train reaches the tunnel entrance.

    Can you hear me?

    Is my voice clear on this call?

    When to use it: Ask this when a phone call is not clear.

    Ask this to check if the other person can hear your voice.

  2. Ana looks down at her dim phone in the darkened underground car after the call ends.

    I have a bad signal.

    My phone connection is weak right now.

    When to use it: Say this when your phone connection is weak.

    Signal here means a weak phone, not a street light.

    Say it: The stress is on the first part of signal.

  3. Tasha checks her phone between the bakery cake displays before trying to reach Ana again.

    I missed your call.

    I did not answer when you phoned.

    When to use it: Say this when you did not answer the phone.

    Missed is the past tense of miss.

    Say it: Missed ends with a t sound.

  4. Tasha holds her phone near her ear while leaving Ana a short voice message.

    I got your message.

    I received what you left for me.

    When to use it: Say this when you received a phone message.

    Got is the past tense of get here.

    Say it: The stress is on the first part of message.

  5. Tasha listens on the phone and lifts a patient wait gesture beside the cakes.

    Please hold for a moment.

    Wait on the phone for a short time.

    When to use it: Say this when you need a short wait on the phone.

    Hold here means wait, not use your hands.

  6. Ana sees the missed call and voice message on her phone later in the dark train car.

    Please leave a message after the beep.

    Talk after the sound to record your words.

    When to use it: Say this on a phone message so people know when to talk.

    You will hear this on a phone message, so learn it as one piece.

Story — the call breaks up

Watch Ana call Tasha from the Blue Line. The train will go underground, and the call will break.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. Ana is by the doors.
  2. AnaHi. Can you hear me?a friendly hello, then she checks if her voice is clear
  3. TashaYes, but the sound keeps cutting out.She can hear Ana, but the sound keeps stopping.
  4. AnaI have a bad signal.My phone connection is weak right now.
  5. TashaI'll text you. I'll call back.She will send a text and phone Ana again.
  6. The train goes underground. The call cuts out for a moment.
  7. AnaSorry, I lost you for a moment.I stopped following for a second.
  8. TashaI can't hear you.their voice is too quiet
  9. Tasha texts Ana, then calls her back. Ana's phone goes to voicemail.
  10. AnaPlease leave a message after the beep.Talk after the sound to record your words.
  11. TashaHi, Ana. It's Tasha. Call me when you can.She leaves Ana a short phone message.
  12. Ana sees Tasha's missed call and message later.
  13. AnaI missed your call.I did not answer when you phoned.
  14. TashaDid you get the message I left?She asks if Ana received her phone message.
  15. AnaI got your message.I received what you left for me.
  16. AnaPlease hold for a moment.Wait on the phone for a short time.
  17. TashaSure. Take your time.She is happy to wait.

Practice — a weak phone

Eleven quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay short, so the round moves fast.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. What does it mean?

    I have a bad signal.

  3. What do you say?

    You record the phone words that tell callers when to talk after a sound.

  4. Pick the reply

    Tasha says:

    Did you get the message I left?

    She asks if you received her phone message.

    And you reply with:

  5. Build the line

    Wait on the phone for a short time.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  6. Fill the gap

    I did not answer when you phoned.

    I ____ your call.

  7. Match the pairs

    English

    Can you hear me?Drop the Simple English here
    I have a bad signal.Drop the Simple English here
    I missed your call.Drop the Simple English here
    I got your message.Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

    Drag a Simple English line onto its English, or tap one and then the other.

  8. Swap the word

    You need the other person to wait on the phone for a short time.

    Please ____ for a moment.

  9. Put the chat in order

    1. TashaWhat comes first?
    2. Ana…
    3. Tasha…

    Tap the line that comes next, or drag it into the chat.

  10. True or false?

    This line means you do not like the person.

  11. Pick the reply

    Tasha says:

    I couldn't hear the last part you said.

    She says she did not hear the end of your words.

    And you reply with:

Say it — say it back

Now you're Ana on the Blue Line and later at home. Practice the phone call first, then record your own voicemail greeting.

Tasha is the caller for the greeting. Tap the microphone and speak when it's your turn.

  1. TashaThe sound is cutting out.The call keeps getting hard to hear.
  2. Ana (you)Ask if her voice is clear.

    Can you hear me?

    Is my voice clear on this call?

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
Can you hear me?Is my voice clear on this call?
I have a bad signal.My phone connection is weak right now.
I missed your call.I did not answer when you phoned.
I got your message.I received what you left for me.
Please hold for a moment.Wait on the phone for a short time.
Please leave a message after the beep.Talk after the sound to record your words.
Next: lesson 131Looking for an apartment

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