Unit 6. Session 2. Voice mail messages.

Caso práctico

ING06_Voice_mail.jpg

The girls are at home and they are talking about their busy day at the office, and about the new task that they have done: leaving voice messages on the telephone.

Eva: I don't know what to do. Do you think Mr. Johnson was really pleased with me? Today I was a little

upset because he gave me a lot of things to do. I was going to talk to him at the end but he was so busy that I couldn’t tell him that everything had been done. I want to make sure that he knows how hard I’ve worked all day. Would it be a good idea to leave him a phone message?

Monica: Hmm, perhaps. Or you might phone him and just tell him.

Eva: Phone him? The thing is that he does not pick up the phone in the afternoons and he may be busy. and It seems wrong to bother him outside office hours, doesn’t it?

Monica: Yes, that’s true, and he will be out of the office for the rest of the day, you should send him a message or perhaps a voice mail message.

Eva: Right, I think that's a good idea, but I’m not sure about the appropriate structures for leaving a message

Monica: I'm not sure about the right expressions either, but don’t worry. We'll figure it out.

Think about it

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1.- What to say. Remember it.

Remember the useful phrases to ask to speak to someone:

Asking to speak to someone.
Asking to speak to someone Spanish
We say... Nosotros decimos...
Can you put me through to extension XXX, please? ¿Me puede pasar con la extensión XXX?
Can I have extension XXX, please? ¿Me puede pasar con la extensión XXX?
Extension XXX, please. Extensión XXX, por favor.
Can/ Could I speak to Jane Kelly in the design department, please? ¿Puedo/ podría hablar con Jane Kelly del departamento de diseño?
I phoned a moment ago, but I was cut off. Llamé hace un momento, pero se cortó.
I'll hold. Esperaré.
I'll call back later. Llamaré más tarde.
The operator says... El operador dice...
I'm putting you through. Le paso.
Sorry to keep you waiting. Perdone por hacerle esperar.
Do you want to hold or would you prefer to call back later? ¿Prefiere esperar o llamar más tarde?
I'm afraid the line's busy / engaged. Lo siento, pero la línea está ocupada.
I'm sorry but there's no reply. Lo siento, pero no hay respuesta.
call someone up / Hey, call me up if you want to get together. Llamar a alguien. / Oye, llámame si quieres que nos veamos.
call on someone / I'll call on you tomorrow around noon. Llamar a alguien. / Te llamaré mañana alrededor del mediodía

Quotation

“The telephone is the most important single technological resource of later life..”

Alex Comfort

2.- Words you need: Voicemail. Leaving a voice message on the telephone.

Sometimes, the person we want to speak to is not available and we might want to leave a message. Below there is a list of useful expressions you can use in case you need to leave a message.

ING06_Voice.jpg

Leaving a voice message on the telephone.
Leaving a message Spanish
We say... Nosotros decimos...
This is / It's Katie here. Soy Katie.
I'm calling about the meeting tomorrow. El motivo de mi llamada es la reunión de mañana.
I'm calling to confirm that the meeting will start at 11 am. Llamo para confirmar que la reunión comenzará a las 11 de la mañana.
Is this a good time to call? ¿Es un buen momento para hablar?
Could I leave a message? ¿Podría dejar un mensaje?
Could you tell Mr. Johnes that...? ¿Podría decirle a Mr. Johnes que...?
Could you ask Robert to call me back? ¿Podría pedirle a Robert que me llame?
The operator says... El operador dice...
Can I ask who's calling? ¿Quién llama, por favor? ?¿De parte de quién?
Which company are you calling from? ¿De qué empresa está llamando?
May I ask what it's about? ¿Me permite preguntarle cuál es el motivo de su llamada?
Can I take a message? ¿Quiere que anote algún mensaje?
Would you like to leave a message? ¿Quiere dejar un mensaje?
I wonder if you could call back later. ¿Podría volver a llamar después?
When leaving a voice mail message... Cuando dejamos un mensaje en el buzón de voz ...
Hello, this is Robert Smith. Hola, soy Robert Smith.
It's Tuesday, 15 May. It's 12 am. Es martes, 15 de mayo, son las 12 de la mañana.
I urgently need to talk to you about our project. Necesito hablar con usted urgentemente acerca de nuestro proyecto.
Please call me back on 0877 421 500. Por favor, llámeme a este número: 0877 421 500.
I will be in the office until 11 am. Estaré en la oficina hasta las 11 de la mañana.

2.1.- Now put it into practice.

Now let's test what we have learned. It should be easy to do the following exercises.

Think About It

Think about the different ways in which the Internet and technology help us stay in contact with each other. Particularly, by using mobile phones or instant messaging apps. When you have to leave a message for somebody, what do you do? Do you leave a voice message on Whatsapp or do you call that person and leave your message in their voicemail? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each option?

3. Grammar: Prepositions.

Prepositions are short words (on, in, to) that usually stand in front of nouns (sometimes also in front of gerund verbs).

The following table contains rules for some of the most frequently used prepositions in English:

PREPOSITIONS - TIME
Usage Example

on
  • days of the week
  • on Monday

in
  • months / seasons
  • time of day
  • year
  • after a certain period of time (when?)
  • in August / in winter
  • in the morning
  • in 2006
  • in an hour

at
  • for night
  • for weekend
  • a certain point of time (when?)
  • at night
  • at the weekend
  • at half past nine

since
  • from a certain point of time (past till now)
  • since 1980

for
  • over a certain period of time (past till now)
  • for 2 years

ago
  • a certain time in the past
  • 2 years ago

before
  • earlier than a certain point of time
  • before 2004

to
  • telling the time
  • ten to six (5:50)

past
  • telling the time
  • ten past six (6:10)

to / till / until
  • marking the beginning and end of a period of time
  • from Monday to/till Friday

till / until
  • in the sense of how long something is going to last
  • He is on holiday until Friday.

by
  • in the sense of at the latest
  • up to a certain time
  • I will be back by 6 o’clock.
  • By 11 o'clock, I had read five pages.

PREPOSITION - PLACE
Usage Example

in
  • room, building, street, town, country
  • book, paper etc.
  • car, taxi
  • picture, world
  • in the kitchen, in London
  • in the book
  • in the car, in a taxi
  • in the picture, in the world

at
  • meaning next to, by an object
  • for table
  • for events
  • place where you are to do something typical (watch a film, study, work)
  • at the door, at the station
  • at the table
  • at a concert, at the party
  • at the cinema, at school, at work

on
  • attached
  • for a place with a river
  • being on a surface
  • for a certain side (left, right)
  • for a floor in a house
  • for public transport
  • for television, radio
  • the picture on the wall
  • London lies on the Thames.
  • on the table
  • on the left
  • on the first floor
  • on the bus, on a plane
  • on TV, on the radio

by, next to, beside
  • left or right of somebody or something
  • Jane is standing by / next to / beside the car.

under
  • on the ground, lower than (or covered by) something else
  • the bag is under the table

below
  • lower than something else but above ground
  • the fish are below the surface

over
  • covered by something else
  • meaning more than
  • getting to the other side (also across)
  • overcoming an obstacle
  • put a jacket over your shirt
  • over 16 years of age
  • walk over the bridge
  • climb over the wall

above
  • higher than something else, but not directly over it
  • a path above the lake

across
  • getting to the other side (also over)
  • getting to the other side
  • walk across the bridge
  • swim across the lake

through
  • something with limits on top, bottom and the sides
  • drive through the tunnel

to
  • movement to person or building
  • movement to a place or country
  • for bed
  • go to the cinema
  • go to London / Ireland
  • go to bed

into
  • enter a room / a building
  • go into the kitchen / the house

towards
  • movement in the direction of something (but not directly to it)
  • go 5 steps towards the house

onto
  • movement to the top of something
  • jump onto the table

from
  • in the sense of where from
  • a flower from the garden

OTHER IMPORTANT PREPOSITIONS.
Usage Example

from
  • who gave it
  • a present from Jane

of
  • who/what does it belong to
  • what does it show
  • a page of the book
  • the picture of a palace

by
  • who made it
  • a book by Mark Twain

on
  • walking or riding on horseback
  • entering a public transport vehicle
  • on foot, on horseback
  • get on the bus

in
  • entering a car  / Taxi
  • get in the car

off
  • leaving a public transport vehicle
  • get off the train

out of
  • leaving a car  / Taxi
  • get out of the taxi

by
  • rise or fall of something
  • travelling (other than walking or horse-riding)
  • prices have risen by 10 percent
  • by car, by bus

at
  • for age
  • she learned Russian at 45

about
  • for topics, meaning what about
  • we were talking about you

3.1. Now It´s your turn!

Now it's your turn

Question

Choose the best preposition in each sentence.

___ the picture, I can see a woman. 

Answers

In

On

At

Feedback


Question

The woman is sitting ___ a table.

Answers

at

in front of

on

Feedback


Question

Mary is sitting ___ chair.

Answers

on

at

in

Feedback


Question

The woman is holding a cup ___ her hands.

Answers

in

into

at

Feedback


Question

The woman is looking ___ her laptop. 

Answers

on

in

for

Feedback


Question

___ the table there are a laptop, a paper, a calculator, an appointment calendar, two pens and a muffin.

Answers

On

At

In

Feedback


Question

The woman's bag is ___ the table.

Answers

under

behind

between

Feedback

Now it's your turn

Complete the sentences with the correct preposition in any case.

  • The meeting is 3:30.
  • Your appointment is the 11th of May.
  • The conference is May.
  • Every year I go home Christmas.
  • We are getting married the spring.
  • There are many tourists New York.
  • I met him the South of Spain.
  • I'm going Mexico City.
  • We often go the beach the summer.
  • My apartment is the first floor.

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Appendix.- Licences of resources.

Licences of resources.
Resource (1) Resource information (1) Resource (2) Resource information (2)
Voice

By: Kaz Andrew.

License: CC by-sa.

From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kazandrew2/212340189/

 Libro antiguo.

By: Elliott Brown.

License: CC by.

From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ell-r-brown/4394112101/in/photostream/
Una chica habla en una cabina.

By: Jason Kristofer.

License: CC by-nc-sa.

From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jkristofer/258734737/

 Una mujer anota un mensaje.

By: Michael Pujals.

License: CC by-nc-sa.

From: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pepemichelle/3644403715/