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STEVE makes a date with ANNE
STEVE is nervously fiddling with the phone. He starts ringing, then puts
it down, then rings again.
At the hotel, the CLERK answers the phone.
CLERK
Medina Hotel. Marie speaking. How may I help you?
STEVE
Can I speak to Ms Anne Lee, please? I’m not sure what room she’s in.
The CLERK puts the call through.
CLERK
I’ll put you through sir.
In her room, ANNE is looking through some wine catalogues. The PHONE
rings.
ANNE
Hello?
STEVE
Hello. Anne? This is Steve Parker.
ANNE
(puzzled)
Steve Parker?
STEVE
Steve... Sarah’s brother. We met...
ANNE
(surprised, but pleased)
Oh, Steve! Hello Steve.
STEVE
Hi. What are you doing?
ANNE
Oh, working. I’m planning a trip to the wineries later in the week.
STEVE
Oh. When are you going?
ANNE
Ah,Wednesday.
STEVE
Oh, good. What are you doing tomorrow?
ANNE
Nothing. Why?
STEVE
Well I have the day off, and I was just wondering... well I was just
wondering whether you wanted to go to a wildlife park... with me. You said
you’d like to go to the zoo.
ANNE
That’s right, I did. Yes, thankyou Steve, I’d love to go.
STEVE
Alright! I’ll meet you in the foyer. Ten o’clock?
ANNE
Okay, ten. I’ll see you then.
STEVE
Great! Goodnight Anne.
ANNE
Goodnight Steve.
She hangs up, pleased.
----------------- 1. TELEPHONE REQUESTS
To be able to speak to the person we want on the phone we sometimes have to
make a request.
Can I speak to the manager please?
Could I speak to the manager please?
May I speak to the manager please?
If you want to be less formal, you can say talk to
instead of speak to
Can I talk to the manager please?
When making a request it’s best to say please.
Can I speak to the manager please?
We say can or could
before I when making requests.
Can I speak to the manager please?
Could I speak to the manger please?
May is more formal.
May I speak to the manager please?
STEVE
Can I speak to Ms Anne Lee,
please?
2. TAKING TELEPHONE CALLS
When taking phone calls for a business, it’s best to say what the name of the
business is, so the person knows if they’ve got the right number.
CLERK
Medina Hotel. Marie speaking. How
may I help you?
You then tell the person your name:
CLERK
Medina Hotel. Marie
speaking. How may I help you?
And then ask if you can help:
CLERK
Medina Hotel. Marie speaking. How may I help
you?
May is quite formal. You can also say can.
Medina hotel. Marie speaking. How can
I help you?
3. TELEPHONE NUMBERS
We can use the
words double and triple when
telling someone a phone number.
For example, this number – 8366279 – is said like this:
Eight, three, double six, two,
seven, nine.
When there are two numbers together (8366279) we say double.
In this case, double six.
When there are three numbers together we can say
triple
8377742
Eight, three, triple seven, four,
two 
4. MAKING A DATE
These are some common
things we say when making a date.
We start by asking:
What are you doing tomorrow?
STEVE
What are you doing tomorrow?
Of course, we can use any time, such as:
What are you doing on the weekend?
What are you doing tonight?
If the person you are asking isn’t doing anything at that time you
can say:
I’d like to go to a movie with you.
or
I’d like you to come to dinner.
or
I was wondering whether you wanted to go to a movie.
or
I was wondering if you’d like to come to dinner.
STEVE
Well I have the day off, and I was just wondering…
well I was just wondering whether you wanted to go to a wildlife park… with me.
5. PRESENT CONTINUOUS
The -ing form of verbs is used for
talking about things happening now and for a short time into the future.
I’m writing my assignment today.
This tense is called the present continuous
because it refers to the present as something that continues or keeps going.
He’s working hard. (he works
hard now and will for a short time in the future)
She’s driving fast. (she
drives fast now and keeps driving fast)
It’s raining outside. (rain
is falling and will keep falling for a while)
STEVE
Hi. What are you doing?
ANNE
Oh, working. I’m planning
a trip to the wineries later in the week.
All these (write, work, drive, rain) are action
verbs. They are things we do.
Only these sorts of verbs have present continuous tenses.
Some verbs, such as understand and know
are not used with the -ing form of the present
continuous.
We say
I understand you
not
I’m understanding you. X
And
I know
not
I’m knowing. X
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