English on the Phone: Ask Someone to Repeat and Confirm Information

Emily is calling a community center about a Saturday photography workshop. She listens, thanks the person at the desk and then reads her notes back with confidence: “So… it starts at three-thirty.” (01:42) Paul answers with four words: “And there it is.” (01:45) The desk had said two-thirty. Emily had the topic, the day and the room right and still got “the most important number wrong.” (01:54)

This page goes with that episode and is written for A2-B1 learners. The lesson is not about understanding every word of a phone call. It is about what to do in the one second when a single detail goes missing: a time, a room, a street name. Paul and Emily practise the same small repair in five different calls, and each call adds one new piece to it. The practice section follows the video chapters, so you can pause at each scene.

Watch the episode: English on the Phone | Ask Someone to Repeat and Confirm Information (A2–B1) on YouTube

Time: about 25 minutes to listen, and 40 to 50 minutes for the practice below.

Before you listen: think of a phone call from the last week, such as a delivery, a clinic or a shop. Was there one number or name you were not sure about? What did you do: guess, say “yes”, or ask again? Keep that call in mind. Emily’s first answer in the episode is the one many learners give.

How to use this page: listen once without stopping. Then read the key idea and the tables, and use the practice section for a second pass. The full transcript is at the bottom.

What You’ll Learn

• Why guessing a time, number or name on the phone costs more than asking again
• How to ask for a repeat (Sorry, could you say that again, please?) and how to name the missing detail (Could you repeat the time?)
• How Did you say…? shows what you think you heard, and how So that’s…, right? checks the final version
• What to say when you hear a sound but cannot write it: Could you spell that, please?
• Why one clear request works better than several apologies
• What to do when the first repeat does not solve it, and why there is no one-question limit
• How to keep listening after you confirm, because the information can change
• How to say Did you say two-thirty? as one natural unit
• A 45-to-75-second call of your own, with two unclear details

Key Idea

Ask for the one detail you missed, say back what you think you heard, and close the call when you have it.

Paul puts the goal in two short sentences: “You don’t need a perfect phone call.” (01:05) “You need a way to repair the detail that matters.” (01:07) The whole episode is a set of small tools for that repair. Emily lists the core of it near the end: “Could you say that again, please?” (24:06) and “Did you say…?” (24:09) and then, once the problem is solved, “Thanks, I’ve got it.” (24:13)

Step	What you do	Language from the episode
1. Say why you are calling	Give the other person the topic	“Hi, I’m calling about the photography workshop.” (01:29)
2. Ask for the missing piece	Repeat request, as narrow as you can make it	“Could you say that again, please?” (00:14)
3. Show what you caught	Say the version you think you heard	“Did you say two-thirty?” (00:21)
4. Check the final version	Say it back after the answer	“So that’s two-thirty, right?” (02:18)
5. Close	Tell the person the problem is solved	“Thanks, I’ve got it.” (04:56)

Language from the Episode

Chunk	What it does	Example from the episode
Sorry, could you say that again, please?	Asks the other person to repeat	“Sorry, could you say that again, please?” (00:13)
Sorry, I missed the… Could you repeat…?	Names the exact missing detail	“Sorry, I missed the room number.” (04:01)
Could you repeat just the… ?	Keeps the answer short	“Could you repeat just the room number?” (04:04)
Did you say…?	Shows what you think you heard	“Did you say two-thirty?” (00:21)
So that’s…, right?	Checks the final version	“So that’s B14, right?” (04:11)
Could you spell that, please?	Asks for letters of a name or street	“Sorry, could you spell that, please?” (05:29)
Sorry, was that…?	A narrower second request	“Sorry, was that five-one-eight-seven?” (10:06)
Sorry, the line is a little unclear.	Explains the problem when the line is bad	“Sorry, the line is a little unclear.” (14:06)
Thanks, I’ve got it.	Closes the repair	“Thanks, I’ve got it.” (04:56)

Two questions, two jobs

Right after the first call, Emily notices something: “Those two questions are doing different jobs.” (02:25) Paul agrees and names them. “Could you say that again, please?” “asks the other person to repeat information.” (02:33) “Did you say two-thirty?” “shows what I think I heard.” (02:39) The second one is the efficient one: “Maybe you heard ninety percent of the message.” (02:46) “You don’t need the other person to start from the beginning.” (02:49) Both kinds of questions have a place in the same call. A full repeat is for a message that disappeared. A Did you say…? is for a message you almost have.

Phone audio takes something away

Paul explains why the phone makes this harder than a conversation across a table. “Phone audio removes some information.” (02:59) “We normally use face to face.” (03:02) “You can’t always see the person’s mouth or expression,” (03:04) “so one unfamiliar word may disappear very quickly.” (03:08) He adds a second reassurance for learners who feel embarrassed: “People ask for repetition for many ordinary reasons.” (03:22) He lists four of them: the line may be unclear, the speaker may be fast, there may be background noise, or the information itself may be unfamiliar. So the goal is not to prove anything about your English. In Paul’s words: “The goal is to get the important information right.” (03:41)

The apology that adds work

Emily admits her habit of apologizing again and again: “Sorry, sorry, sorry, my English is not good, I don’t understand, can you please…” (05:52) She trails off, and Paul’s comment is practical: “That usually adds work when the problem is actually small.” (05:59) Emily draws the conclusion: “Better to name the small problem.” (06:04) Paul gives two models, “Sorry, I missed the time.” (06:08) and “Could you repeat the room number?” (06:11) “Short, clear, useful.” (06:14)

The call that changes after you confirm

The harder call in chapter 11 has a trap that is easy to miss. Emily confirms “Friday at five-thirty”, hears Paul say “Yes”, and then Paul stops her: “Actually, let me check that.” (16:16) The deadline is four-thirty, not five-thirty. Emily had done the confirmation correctly, and the information still changed. Paul’s lesson is the clearest line in the episode about listening: “Which is why confirmation is not a magic final step.” (16:51) The skill, in his words, is “keeping the important information accurate while the conversation moves.” (17:13)

No one-question limit

When the first repeat does not solve it, Emily says what many learners feel: “I think I used to feel I had one chance to ask.” (10:11) Paul’s answer is short: “There’s no one question limit.” (10:15) The practical test he gives is “Do you have the detail you need?” (10:24) If not, “repair again.” (10:27) The second request can be narrower than the first, which makes it easier for the other person: “Sorry, was the last number seven?” (10:37)

Mistakes to Repair

Chapter 10 lets Emily make the mistakes on purpose and fix them. Each repair does the same thing: it says which detail is missing, or it checks the detail instead of guessing.

What goes wrong	Better	Why
“What? Again.” (12:51)	“Sorry, could you say that again, please?” (13:00)	“The meaning may be understood,” (12:53) “but the phone call can sound abrupt.” (12:56)
“Can you repeat everything?” (13:21)	“Sorry, could you repeat the name, please?” (13:27)	Only the name was missing; asking for everything “creates unnecessary work.” (13:24)
Writing down 615 when 650 was said	“Did you say six-fifteen?” (13:47)	The person can correct you at once: “No, six-fifty.” (13:52)
“Again, please,” (14:34)	“Sorry, I missed the address. Could you repeat it?” (14:37)	You tell the caller “exactly where the problem is.” (14:44)
Just “Barton?” (14:48)	“Did you say Barton Street?” (14:51)	“A complete confirmation question is easier to understand.” (14:55)

One more upgrade is only for a bad line. Emily offers “Sorry, the line is a little unclear. Could you say the time again?” (14:06) Paul accepts it with a limit: “You don’t need that extra explanation every time.” (14:14) “A clean request is enough.” (14:17)

The closing principle of the chapter is Emily’s: “You don’t need every word.” (15:02) “You need the important detail.” (15:05) And Paul’s: “And if the detail changes the plan, check it.” (15:07) Notice that the 615 / 650 example is the risky one on purpose. The two numbers sound close, and the writer is the only person who can prevent a wrong plan. Emily sums up the pair: “Tiny difference in sound.” (13:55) “Big difference in the plan.” (13:57)

Practice with the Episode

Pause the video at the timestamps below. Say your answers aloud before you check them. The times follow what you hear in the video.

1. Mishearing Important Details on the Phone

Play 00:00 to 01:10.

1. What does Emily hear, and what did the speaker say?
2. What is Paul’s first piece of advice?
3. What can Emily say if she thinks she heard it but is not sure?
4. Why does Paul say a small number matters so much?
5. What is the “harder moment” Paul describes?
6. What are three ordinary costs of guessing?
7. What does Paul say you need instead of a perfect call?

Answers

1. Someone says the workshop starts at two-thirty, and Emily hears three-thirty. She asks, “What do I say?” (00:09)
2. “Don’t guess.” (00:11) Then he gives the line: “Sorry, could you say that again, please?” (00:13)
3. “Did you say two-thirty?” (00:21)
4. “Because one small number can change your whole plan.” (00:24)
5. “What if you understood almost everything, and only one little part of the call is unclear?” (00:30)
6. “You arrive an hour late.” (00:48) “You go to the wrong room.” (00:50) “You write down the wrong number.” (00:52)
7. “You need a way to repair the detail that matters.” (01:07)

2. Community Center Phone Call: 2:30 or 3:30?

Play 01:10 to 02:23.

1. Where is Emily calling, and what is the class?
2. Who does Paul play?
3. What does the person at the desk say about the time and the room?
4. What does Emily write down, and how does Paul react?
5. What did Emily hear correctly?
6. What does Paul ask her to imagine?
7. List the four lines Emily and Paul use to repair the call.

Answers

1. A community center: “I want to join a photography workshop at a community center.” (01:14) She is asking about “the Saturday class.” (01:19)
2. “I’ll be the person at the information desk.” (01:20) The center is “Westfield Community Center.” (01:26)
3. “The beginner workshop starts at two-thirty, and it’s in Room B14.” (01:34)
4. “So… it starts at three-thirty.” (01:42) Paul: “And there it is.” (01:45)
5. “I heard the topic. I heard Saturday. I heard the room.” (01:48)
6. “Let’s imagine I’m still on the phone.” (01:56) The question: “What could you say before you write down three-thirty?” (01:59)
7. “Sorry, could you say that again, please?” (02:03) Paul answers, “Of course. It starts at two-thirty.” (02:08) Emily: “Did you say two-thirty?” (02:13) and “So that’s two-thirty, right?” (02:18)

3. Asking Someone to Repeat vs. Confirming Information

Play 02:23 to 03:45.

1. What does Emily notice about the two questions?
2. What does “Could you say that again, please?” do?
3. What does “Did you say two-thirty?” show?
4. Why is the second one efficient?
5. Which kinds of information does Emily say she misses most?
6. What does phone audio take away?
7. What does Paul say about learners who think asking again means their English is bad?
8. What is the goal?

Answers

1. “Those two questions are doing different jobs.” (02:25)
2. It “asks the other person to repeat information.” (02:33)
3. It “shows what I think I heard.” (02:39)
4. “Maybe you heard ninety percent of the message.” (02:46) You do not need the other person “to start from the beginning.” (02:50)
5. “That happens to me a lot with numbers.” (02:53) And she adds: “Names too.” (02:56)
6. “Phone audio removes some information.” (02:59) It is the information “we normally use face to face.” (03:02)
7. “I wouldn’t read that much into it.” (03:20)
8. “The goal is to get the important information right.” (03:41)

4. How to Repeat Only the Missing Detail

Play 03:45 to 05:05.

1. Which room number does Emily pretend she heard?
2. What does Paul say you can do instead of asking for the whole sentence?
3. What does Emily say instead?
4. Why is this easier for the other person?
5. What is the first step of the pattern Emily lists?
6. Which line comes “if something disappears”?
7. What does “Thanks, I’ve got it” signal?

Answers

1. “Suppose I heard B40.” (03:51) The real room is B14.
2. “You can identify the missing part.” (03:57)
3. “Sorry, I missed the room number. Could you repeat just the room number?” (04:01)
4. “They know exactly what you need.” (04:25)
5. “First, tell the person why you’re calling.” (04:31) For example, “Hi, I’m calling about the photography workshop.” (04:35)
6. “Could you say that again, please?” (04:42)
7. “It signals that the information problem is solved.” (05:02)

5. Asking Someone to Spell Names and Addresses

Play 05:05 to 06:16.

1. What problem does Emily describe with street names?
2. Which line does Paul give for it?
3. What is the street in his example, and how is it spelled?
4. What does Emily say after the spelling?
5. What habit does Paul notice she did not have in this example?
6. What does Emily sometimes want to say?
7. What does she conclude?
8. Which two short requests does Paul offer as models?

Answers

1. “Someone says a street name, and I hear a sound, but I have no idea how to write it.” (05:10)
2. “Could you spell that, please?” (05:17)
3. “The office is on Barton Street.” (05:25) The spelling is “B-A-R-T-O-N.” (05:32)
4. “So that’s Barton Street, right?” (05:39) Then: “Thanks, I’ve got it.” (05:43)
5. “Notice that you didn’t apologize five times.” (05:45)
6. “Sorry, sorry, sorry, my English is not good, I don’t understand, can you please…” (05:52)
7. “Better to name the small problem.” (06:04)
8. “Sorry, I missed the time.” (06:08) and “Could you repeat the room number?” (06:11)

6. Choosing a Clearer and More Polite Repeat Request

Play 06:16 to 07:16.

1. What does the caller say in the example?
2. What did you miss?
3. What are the two options?
4. Which one is stronger?
5. Why is “What?” not wrong in every situation?
6. Why is the complete request better on a service call?
7. What is the third situation, and what question helps?
8. What easy answers can the speaker give?

Answers

1. “The appointment is Thursday at four-fifteen.” (06:21)
2. “You only missed the time.” (06:25)
3. Option one: “What?” (06:31) Option two: “Sorry, could you repeat the time, please?” (06:33)
4. “The stronger choice is option two.” (06:38)
5. “In some relationships, it can be normal.” (06:48)
6. “The complete request is clearer and easier for the other person to act on.” (06:52)
7. You think the caller said four-fifteen but you are not sure. “Did you say four-fifteen?” (07:05)
8. “Yes, that’s right,” (07:12) or “No, four-fifty.” (07:15)

7. Natural Phone Conversation Practice

Play 07:16 to 09:34.

1. How does the Westfield call go now? List Emily’s two repair requests.
2. What does Emily say when Paul asks if there is anything else?
3. What does Paul say Emily did not do?
4. What does “Time first, room second” mean?
5. How can the listener join the second practice, and where is the call going?
6. What is the opening line he suggests for the cooking class?
7. What does the staff member say about the time and the room?
8. What does Emily say the practice sounds like?

Answers

1. “Sorry, could you say the time again, please?” (07:47) and later “And sorry, I missed the room number. Could you repeat that?” (07:59)
2. “No, that’s all. Thank you.” (08:12)
3. “Emily didn’t ask me to restart.” (08:22) “She located the missing detail.” (08:24)
4. “Time first, room second.” (08:27) She repaired one detail, then the next, and checked each: “And after each uncertain detail, you checked the final version.” (08:30)
5. “You can answer aloud if you want.” (08:41) Or “just listen to Paul’s model.” (08:44) Emily plays the staff member at “Lakeside Center.” (08:47)
6. “Hi, I’m calling about the Saturday cooking class.” (08:52)
7. “Great, it starts at quarter past ten in Room C6.” (08:56)
8. “That sounds like a real phone call, not a language test.” (09:28)

8. What to Do When You Need to Ask Twice

Play 09:34 to 10:56.

1. What worry does Emily raise?
2. What reference number does Paul give?
3. What does Emily still hear after the first repeat?
4. What does Paul say to do?
5. What second request does Emily try?
6. What did Emily used to feel?
7. What is the practical question Paul gives?
8. How does the second request get easier?

Answers

1. “Can we talk about the awkward feeling of asking twice?” (09:34) Her reason: “Because sometimes the first repeat doesn’t solve the problem.” (09:39)
2. “The reference number is 5187.” (09:45) He repeats it as “Five-one-eight-seven.” (09:47)
3. “And I still hear five-one-eight… something.” (09:55)
4. “Then ask again.” (10:00) “The information is still unclear.” (10:02)
5. “Sorry, was that five-one-eight-seven?” (10:06)
6. “I think I used to feel I had one chance to ask.” (10:11)
7. “Do you have the detail you need?” (10:24) “If no, repair again.” (10:26)
8. First, “Could you say that again, please?” (10:34) Second, “Sorry, was the last number seven?” (10:37) Now the other person “only has to give you one piece.” (10:45)

9. Full Practice: Calling About a Workshop

Play 10:56 to 12:45.

1. Which center does Paul answer as?
2. What is the workshop, and what are the two details?
3. Which repair does Emily use for the time?
4. Which repair does she use for the studio?
5. What does Emily say about the way this call went?
6. What are the four moves she names?
7. How can the call change if you make it yourself?
8. What opening line does Emily give for the listener who answers aloud?

Answers

1. “River Street Community Center. Paul speaking.” (11:14)
2. A painting workshop on Sunday: “The morning workshop begins at eleven-forty, and it’s in Studio D12.” (11:22)
3. “Sorry, could you say the time again, please?” (11:28) Then “Did you say eleven-forty?” (11:33)
4. “And could you repeat the studio number?” (11:38) Then “So that’s D12, right?” (11:43)
5. “Nothing unexpected happened.” (11:55)
6. “I knew why I was calling.” (12:00) She “isolated the unclear time,” (12:02) “confirmed it,” (12:04) and then “checked the second detail.” (12:06)
7. “You don’t need my exact words.” (12:12) The setting can be “a class, appointment, event, or reservation.” (12:15)
8. “Hi, I’m calling about…” (12:24)

10. Fixing Common Phone English Mistakes

Play 12:45 to 15:11.

1. What does Emily say when she gets nervous?
2. Why can that be a problem?
3. What does she say instead?
4. What happens in the long-message example?
5. What is the better request?
6. Which number does the table booking show, and what does Emily write?
7. What should she ask?
8. When does Paul say the softer line-quality upgrade is useful?
9. What is the principle Emily draws at the end?

Answers

1. “What? Again.” (12:51)
2. “The meaning may be understood, but the phone call can sound abrupt.” (12:53)
3. “Sorry, could you say that again, please?” (13:00) Or, if you know the missing piece, “Sorry, could you repeat the time?” (13:06)
4. A long message: “The class starts at nine, please use the side entrance, and ask for Maria at reception.” (13:12) Emily only missed the name but asks, “Can you repeat everything?” (13:21)
5. “Sorry, could you repeat the name, please?” (13:27)
6. “Your table is booked for six-fifty.” (13:35) Emily thinks she heard six-fifteen “and I just write six-fifteen.” (13:40)
7. “Did you say six-fifteen?” (13:47) The person can correct you: “No, six-fifty.” (13:52)
8. “I also like a softer upgrade when the line itself is bad.” (14:01) But Paul adds: “A clean request is enough.” (14:17)
9. “You don’t need every word. You need the important detail.” (15:02)

11. Harder Phone Call: Store Pickup Information

Play 15:11 to 17:34.

1. How is this call different from the earlier ones?
2. Who is calling, and what is the order?
3. Which detail is unclear first, and what does Emily say?
4. How does she handle the street name?
5. What collection deadline does Paul add?
6. What does Emily ask to confirm?
7. How does Paul change the information?
8. What does Emily say after the correction?
9. What does Emily say she nearly missed?

Answers

1. “You’re not calling anyone.” (15:17) “Your phone rings when you’re doing something else.” (15:19)
2. “Hi, this is Paul from Northside Home Store.” (15:37) The order: “I’m calling about your lamp order.” (15:40)
3. The street name: “Sorry, the street name wasn’t clear. Could you say that again, please?” (15:46)
4. “Could you spell that, please?” (15:53) Paul spells “B-A-R-T-O-N.” (15:56) Then she checks it: “So that’s Barton Street, right?” (16:01)
5. “And you can collect the order until Friday at five-thirty.” (16:06)
6. She checks the time she just heard: “Did you say Friday at five-thirty?” (16:10)
7. “Actually, let me check that.” (16:16) “The deadline is four-thirty, not five-thirty.” (16:25)
8. “Oh, I get it. So Friday at four-thirty, right?” (16:29)
9. “If I had thought, “I already confirmed the time, so I’m done,” I could have missed the correction.” (17:00)

12. Pronunciation Practice: “Did You Say 2:30?”

Play 17:34 to 18:46.

1. Which sentence do they practise?
2. What does the question feel like?
3. What does Paul not want you to do?
4. What does Emily say that sounds like?
5. What is not the goal?
6. What is the goal?
7. Which mini-dialogue closes the chapter?

Answers

1. Emily introduces it as “how one confirmation question sounds.” (17:37) The sentence is “Did you say two-thirty?” (17:42)
2. “The question feels like one conversational unit.” (17:48)
3. “Don’t separate every word.” (17:53)
4. “That sounds like five tiny boxes.” (18:00)
5. “The goal isn’t a dramatic musical rise.” (18:22)
6. “It’s a clear confirmation question, where the listener can easily hear which detail you are checking.” (18:26)
7. “The appointment is at two-thirty.” (18:35) “Did you say two-thirty?” (18:38) “Yes, that’s right.” (18:41)

13. Quick Phone English Quiz

Play 18:46 to 19:58.

1. In quiz item 1, what is missing, and which request is better?
2. What does the better request do?
3. In item 2, what do you think someone said?
4. What could you ask?
5. In item 3, what is the problem, and what do you say?
6. In item 4, what changes?
7. What is a useful response?
8. Why is the last item important?

Answers

1. “You understood everything except the apartment number.” (18:59) Better: “Sorry, could you repeat the apartment number?” (19:07)
2. “It identifies the missing detail.” (19:15)
3. “You think someone said Tuesday at nine, but you are not certain.” (19:20)
4. “Did you say Tuesday at nine?” (19:26)
5. “You hear a street name, but you don’t know how to write it.” (19:31) Say, “Could you spell that, please?” (19:35)
6. “The caller first says five-thirty, then corrects it to four-thirty.” (19:39)
7. “So that’s four-thirty, right?” (19:48)
8. “Because the second piece of information replaces the first.” (19:53)

14. Main Speaking Challenge

Play 19:58 to 21:37.

1. What is the main speaking challenge?
2. What is your job?
3. How long should you speak?
4. What is the situation?
5. Which opening line does Paul suggest?
6. When can you use “Could you spell that, please?”
7. How does Emily say to close?
8. What does the short model include?
9. What does Emily say about the full version of your call?

Answers

1. “Imagine you’re calling an activity center.” (20:07) “You want information about a Saturday event.” (20:10)
2. “Your job is not to produce a perfect telephone script.” (20:18) “Your job is to repair those two details.” (20:22)
3. “Give yourself around forty-five to seventy-five seconds.” (20:25)
4. “You call about a Saturday language-exchange event.” (20:30) “You hear the start time unclearly.” (20:37) “Then the room name is unfamiliar.” (20:40)
5. “Hi, I’m calling about the Saturday language-exchange event.” (20:44)
6. “If it is a name or place, you can use, “Could you spell that, please?”” (20:57)
7. “And close with, “Thanks, I’ve got it.”” (21:03)
8. A repair for the time (“Did you say two-fifteen?”) (21:17) and a repair for the room name (“So that’s Mason Room, right?”). (21:23)
9. “Your full version can be a little longer than that.” (21:27) “Maybe the staff member corrects your first guess.” (21:31) “Maybe you need to ask for the second detail twice.” (21:34)

15. Full Independent Phone Conversation

Play 21:37 to 22:34.

1. How does Paul introduce this chapter?
2. Who plays which role?
3. What does the staff member say about the start time and the room?
4. What is Emily’s first guess?
5. How does the staff member answer?
6. What does Emily ask for about the room name?
7. How is “Mercer” spelled?
8. How does the call end?

Answers

1. “Let’s model a fuller independent exchange.” (21:38)
2. “I’ll be the caller.” (21:41) Paul answers, “And I’ll be the event center staff member.” (21:43)
3. “Of course, it begins at four-forty, and the group meets in the Mercer Room.” (21:51)
4. “Did you say four-fourteen?” (22:01)
5. “No, four-forty.” (22:04)
6. “And sorry, I missed the room name. Could you say that again?” (22:11) Then “Could you spell Mercer, please?” (22:17)
7. “M-E-R-C-E-R.” (22:20)
8. “Thanks, I’ve got it.” (22:31) The staff member says, “Very clear.” (22:33)

16. Personalize the Call and Try Again

Play 22:34 to 23:40.

1. What does Paul ask you to do with the setting?
2. Which places does Emily list?
3. What stays the same?
4. What is the retry challenge?
5. Which change does Paul suggest?
6. What does Paul say about a possible answer you caught?

Answers

1. “Now, personalize it.” (22:34) “Instead of an event center, imagine somewhere you might really call.” (22:36)
2. “A class, clinic reception, repair service, hotel, restaurant, office, shop, or community group.” (22:41)
3. “Keep the language task the same, even if the setting changes.” (22:51)
4. “If your first call used, “Could you say that again?” for every problem, make your second version more specific.” (23:06)
5. “Sorry, could you repeat the time?” (23:16) Or “Could you spell the street name?” (23:19)
6. “And if you caught a possible answer, use it.” (23:28) For example, “Did you say six-fifty?” (23:32)

17. Key Phrases, Recap and Final Practice

Play 23:40 to 24:50.

1. How does Emily describe the phone problem now?
2. What was her old goal, and what is the new one?
3. Which phrases does Emily list to keep?
4. What is the first line of the list?
5. Which phrase comes when the problem is solved?
6. What small action does Paul give?
7. Which example does Emily offer?
8. What formula does Paul use?
9. What does Emily say about next time?
10. How does the episode end?

Answers

1. “I feel like the phone problem is smaller now.” (23:40)
2. “I must understand the whole call the first time.” (23:48) Now: “When one important detail is unclear, I know how to fix it.” (23:54)
3. “So the core language to keep is simple.” (24:02)
4. “Could you say that again, please?” (24:06) Then Paul: “Did you say…?” (24:09)
5. “Thanks, I’ve got it.” (24:13)
6. “Choose a real time, phone number, room number, or street name, and say one repetition request plus one confirmation question aloud.” (24:18)
7. “Sorry, could you repeat the time, please? Did you say two-thirty?” (24:30)
8. “Ask again, then confirm.” (24:35)
9. “And next time a phone detail disappears, you don’t need to guess.” (24:38) “You have a repair.” (24:43)
10. “Thanks for practicing with us.” (24:44) “See you next time.” (24:47)

Your small action

Take one real number or name from the last day, such as a phone number, a time on a ticket or the street of a friend, and say two lines aloud. The first line asks for a repeat that names the detail: Sorry, could you repeat the time, please? The second shows what you heard: Did you say two-thirty? Then add the closing line, Thanks, I’ve got it. Next time a detail on a real call is unclear, you will already have said the words once. If the information could still change, keep listening after you confirm it.

Keep Practicing

Want a guide that does not need the episode? Try Phone English: What to Say When You Miss a Time, Number or Name. It sorts the missing detail into types (time, number, name, whole message) and gives one question for each, with short exercises and answers.

Chapters

• 00:00 Mishearing Important Details on the Phone
• 01:10 Community Center Phone Call: 2:30 or 3:30?
• 02:23 Asking Someone to Repeat vs. Confirming Information
• 03:45 How to Repeat Only the Missing Detail
• 05:05 Asking Someone to Spell Names and Addresses
• 06:16 Choosing a Clearer and More Polite Repeat Request
• 07:16 Natural Phone Conversation Practice
• 09:34 What to Do When You Need to Ask Twice
• 10:56 Full Practice: Calling About a Workshop
• 12:45 Fixing Common Phone English Mistakes
• 15:11 Harder Phone Call: Store Pickup Information
• 17:34 Pronunciation Practice: “Did You Say 2:30?”
• 18:46 Quick Phone English Quiz
• 19:58 Main Speaking Challenge
• 21:37 Full Independent Phone Conversation
• 22:34 Personalize the Call and Try Again
• 23:40 Key Phrases, Recap and Final Practice

Full Transcript

The transcript follows the final script.
Emily: Paul, quick phone problem. Someone says, “The workshop starts at two-thirty,” and I hear… “three-thirty.” What do I say?

Paul: Don’t guess. Say, “Sorry, could you say that again, please?”

Emily: Okay. And if I think I heard it, but I’m not sure? “Did you say two-thirty?”

Paul: Right. Because one small number can change your whole plan. But there’s a harder moment too. What if you understood almost everything, and only one little part of the call is unclear?

Emily: That’s the moment when I start thinking, “Should I ask again? Maybe I should just guess.”

Paul: And on the phone, guessing can be expensive in a very ordinary way. You arrive an hour late. You go to the wrong room. You write down the wrong number.

Emily: So today we’re practicing something very practical: asking for one part again and checking that you finally heard it correctly.

Paul: Exactly. You don’t need a perfect phone call. You need a way to repair the detail that matters.

Emily: All right. Let me give you a real little situation. I want to join a photography workshop at a community center. I call to ask about the Saturday class.

Paul: I’ll be the person at the information desk.

Emily: Ring, ring.

Paul: Good afternoon, Westfield Community Center. How can I help you?

Emily: Hi, I’m calling about the photography workshop on Saturday.

Paul: Sure. The beginner workshop starts at two-thirty, and it’s in Room B14.

Emily: Great, thank you. So… it starts at three-thirty.

Paul: And there it is.

Emily: Hmm. I heard the topic. I heard Saturday. I heard the room. But I got the most important number wrong.

Paul: Let’s imagine I’m still on the phone. What could you say before you write down three-thirty?

Emily: “Sorry, could you say that again, please?”

Paul: Good. I might answer, “Of course. It starts at two-thirty.”

Emily: Then I can say, “Did you say two-thirty?”

Paul: Yes, that’s right.

Emily: “So that’s two-thirty, right?”

Paul: Right.

Emily: I notice something. Those two questions are doing different jobs.

Paul: They are. “Could you say that again, please?” asks the other person to repeat information.

Emily: And “Did you say two-thirty?” shows what I think I heard.

Paul: Exactly. That second one can be very efficient. Maybe you heard ninety percent of the message. You don’t need the other person to start from the beginning.

Emily: That happens to me a lot with numbers. Names too.

Paul: Same here. Phone audio removes some information we normally use face to face. You can’t always see the person’s mouth or expression, so one unfamiliar word may disappear very quickly.

Emily: And I think learners sometimes feel that asking again means, “My English is bad.”

Paul: I wouldn’t read that much into it. People ask for repetition for many ordinary reasons. The line may be unclear. The speaker may be fast. There may be background noise. Or the information itself may be unfamiliar.

Emily: Right. The goal isn’t to prove that you heard everything the first time.

Paul: The goal is to get the important information right.

Emily: Let’s keep that phone call going. You said, “Room B14.” Suppose I heard “B40.”

Paul: Then instead of asking me to repeat the whole sentence, you can identify the missing part.

Emily: Maybe, “Sorry, I missed the room number. Could you repeat just the room number?”

Paul: Perfectly useful. I’d say, “B14.”

Emily: “So that’s B14, right?”

Paul: Yes, that’s right.

Emily: That feels much easier than saying, “Please repeat everything.”

Paul: And easier for the other person too. They know exactly what you need.

Emily: So we already have a useful pattern. First, tell the person why you’re calling: “Hi, I’m calling about the photography workshop.”

Paul: Then if something disappears, “Could you say that again, please?”

Emily: If you caught part of it, “Did you say two-thirty?”

Paul: And after the answer, “So that’s two-thirty, right?”

Emily: Then when I’m finished, “Thanks, I’ve got it.”

Paul: That final line matters more than it looks. It signals that the information problem is solved.

Emily: There’s another phone problem I have with names. Someone says a street name, and I hear a sound but I have no idea how to write it.

Paul: That’s when “Could you spell that, please?” becomes useful.

Emily: Simple.

Paul: Very simple. Let’s try it. “The office is on Barton Street.”

Emily: “Sorry, could you spell that, please?”

Paul: “B-A-R-T-O-N.”

Emily: “So that’s Barton Street, right?”

Paul: Yes.

Emily: “Thanks, I’ve got it.”

Paul: Notice that you didn’t apologize five times.

Emily: Oh, good point. I sometimes want to say, “Sorry, sorry, sorry, my English is not good, I don’t understand, can you please…”

Paul: That usually adds work when the problem is actually small.

Emily: Better to name the small problem.

Paul: Yes. “Sorry, I missed the time.” Or “Could you repeat the room number?” Short, clear, useful.

Emily: Let’s give the listener a tiny choice. Imagine the caller says, “The appointment is Thursday at four-fifteen,” and you only missed the time. Which response is more useful?

Paul: Option one: “What?”

Emily: Option two: “Sorry, could you repeat the time, please?”

Paul: Give yourself a second.

Emily: The stronger choice is option two: “Sorry, could you repeat the time, please?”

Paul: Right. Not because “What?” is impossible English. In some relationships it can be normal. But during a service call, the complete request is clearer and easier for the other person to act on.

Emily: And now another one. You think the caller said four-fifteen, but you’re not sure.

Paul: You could ask, “Did you say four-fifteen?”

Emily: Good. That gives the speaker a very easy answer: “Yes, that’s right,” or “No, four-fifty.”

Paul: Let’s go back to our community-center call and make it a little more natural.

Emily: I’m ready.

Paul: Good afternoon, Westfield Community Center. How can I help you?

Emily: Hi, I’m calling about the photography workshop on Saturday.

Paul: Sure. The beginner workshop starts at two-thirty. You’ll need to go to Room B14 on the second floor.

Emily: Sorry, could you say the time again, please?

Paul: Two-thirty.

Emily: Did you say two-thirty?

Paul: Yes, that’s right.

Emily: Great. And sorry, I missed the room number. Could you repeat that?

Paul: B14.

Emily: So that’s B14, right?

Paul: Correct.

Emily: Thanks, I’ve got it.

Paul: Anything else I can help you with?

Emily: No, that’s all. Thank you.

Paul: Nice. And even if a listener doesn’t pause and practice, there’s an important structure inside that conversation. Emily didn’t ask me to restart. She located the missing detail.

Emily: Time first, room second.

Paul: And after each uncertain detail, you checked the final version.

Emily: Let’s make the listener part of it now, but keep it easy. I’ll be the staff member. You can answer aloud if you want, or just listen to Paul’s model.

Emily: Good morning, Lakeside Center. How can I help?

Paul: A useful opening would be, “Hi, I’m calling about the Saturday cooking class.”

Emily: Great. It starts at quarter past ten in Room C6.

Paul: Imagine you missed the time. You could say, “Sorry, could you say the time again, please?”

Emily: Quarter past ten.

Paul: Now confirm it: “Did you say quarter past ten?”

Emily: Yes, that’s right.

Paul: Then you hear C6 but you’re not certain. “So that’s Room C6, right?”

Emily: Exactly.

Paul: And when you’re finished: “Thanks, I’ve got it.”

Emily: That sounds like a real phone call, not a language test.

Paul: That’s what we want.

Emily: Can we talk about the awkward feeling of asking twice? Because sometimes the first repeat doesn’t solve the problem.

Paul: Definitely. Let’s say I tell you, “The reference number is 5187.”

Emily: “Sorry, could you say that again, please?”

Paul: “Five-one-eight-seven.”

Emily: And I still hear five-one-eight… something.

Paul: Then ask again. The information is still unclear.

Emily: Maybe, “Sorry, was that five-one-eight-seven?”

Paul: Exactly.

Emily: I think I used to feel I had one chance to ask.

Paul: There’s no one-question limit.

Emily: Good. That would be a strange phone rule.

Paul: The practical question is: Do you have the detail you need? If no, repair again.

Emily: And I can make the second request narrower.

Paul: Yes. First: “Could you say that again, please?” Second: “Sorry, was the last number seven?”

Emily: Ah, that’s even easier.

Paul: Because now the other person only has to give you one piece.

Emily: So the communication gets more specific as I learn more.

Paul: Exactly. That’s a useful way to think about phone repair.

Emily: Let’s try our first full practice situation. You’re calling a community center because you want to attend a weekend painting workshop. I’ll play the learner first so everyone can hear the model.

Paul: And I’ll be the staff member.

Emily: Okay.

Paul: River Street Community Center. Paul speaking.

Emily: Hi, I’m calling about the painting workshop this Sunday.

Paul: Certainly. The morning workshop begins at eleven-forty, and it’s in Studio D12.

Emily: Sorry, could you say the time again, please?

Paul: Eleven-forty.

Emily: Did you say eleven-forty?

Paul: Yes.

Emily: Great. And could you repeat the studio number?

Paul: D12.

Emily: So that’s D12, right?

Paul: That’s right.

Emily: Thanks, I’ve got it.

Paul: You’re welcome. We’ll see you Sunday.

Emily: That was supported. Nothing unexpected happened. The useful part is the sequence: I knew why I was calling, isolated the unclear time, confirmed it, then checked the second detail.

Paul: Now imagine doing the same call yourself. You don’t need my exact words. Your workshop can be a class, appointment, event, or reservation.

Emily: If you want to answer aloud, start with, “Hi, I’m calling about…”

Paul: And if you’re listening passively, here’s another complete version: “Hi, I’m calling about the Sunday class. Sorry, could you repeat the start time, please? Did you say eleven-forty? Great. So that’s Studio D12, right? Thanks, I’ve got it.”

Emily: There’s something I want to repair now. Suppose I get nervous and say, “What? Again.”

Paul: The meaning may be understood, but the phone call can sound abrupt.

Emily: Better: “Sorry, could you say that again, please?”

Paul: Yes. Or if you know the missing piece, “Sorry, could you repeat the time?”

Emily: Second problem. I hear a long message: “The class starts at nine, please use the side entrance, and ask for Maria at reception.” I only missed the name, but I say, “Can you repeat everything?”

Paul: That creates unnecessary work.

Emily: Better: “Sorry, could you repeat the name, please?”

Paul: Exactly.

Emily: Third one. Someone says, “Your table is booked for six-fifty.” I think I heard six-fifteen, and I just write six-fifteen.

Paul: That’s the risky one.

Emily: Better: “Did you say six-fifteen?”

Paul: And the person can correct you immediately: “No, six-fifty.”

Emily: Tiny difference in sound. Big difference in the plan.

Paul: Right.

Emily: I also like a softer upgrade when the line itself is bad: “Sorry, the line is a little unclear. Could you say the time again?”

Paul: Useful, but remember: you don’t need that extra explanation every time. A clean request is enough.

Emily: That fits your style. Fewer speeches, more useful information.

Paul: On a phone call, especially, yes.

Emily: Let me test another upgrade. Instead of saying, “Again, please,” I can say, “Sorry, I missed the address. Could you repeat it?”

Paul: Better because you tell the caller exactly where the problem is.

Emily: And instead of just “Barton?” I could say, “Did you say Barton Street?”

Paul: Right. A complete confirmation question is easier to understand.

Emily: I think there’s a nice principle here. You don’t need every word. You need the important detail.

Paul: And if the detail changes the plan, check it.

Emily: All right. We need a harder call now.

Paul: Definitely. And this one starts differently. You’re not calling anyone. Your phone rings when you’re doing something else.

Emily: Oh, that already feels harder.

Paul: You answer, and I’m calling from a home-goods store about an order you need to collect.

Emily: Okay. Let’s do it naturally.

Paul: Hello, may I speak to Emily?

Emily: Speaking.

Paul: Hi, this is Paul from Northside Home Store. I’m calling about your lamp order. It’s ready for collection at our Barton Street pickup point.

Emily: Sorry, the street name wasn’t clear. Could you say that again, please?

Paul: Barton Street.

Emily: Could you spell that, please?

Paul: Sure. B-A-R-T-O-N.

Emily: So that’s Barton Street, right?

Paul: Yes, that’s right. And you can collect the order until Friday at five-thirty.

Emily: Did you say Friday at five-thirty?

Paul: Yes. One moment… Actually, let me check that. Sorry, I need to correct something.

Emily: Okay.

Paul: The pickup desk closes early on Friday this week. The deadline is four-thirty, not five-thirty.

Emily: Oh, I get it. So Friday at four-thirty, right?

Paul: Yes. Four-thirty.

Emily: Great. Thanks, I’ve got it.

Paul: You’re welcome.

Emily: That was interesting. I had confirmed five-thirty correctly.

Paul: You had.

Emily: But then the information itself changed.

Paul: Which is why confirmation is not a magic final step. You stay connected to what the caller says.

Emily: If I had thought, “I already confirmed the time, so I’m done,” I could have missed the correction.

Paul: Exactly. The skill is not repeating sentences mechanically. It’s keeping the important information accurate while the conversation moves.

Emily: And RP2 felt different from the workshop call. Incoming call, surprise, street spelling, deadline, then a correction.

Paul: More freedom, more pressure, and new information.

Emily: Let’s work for a moment on how one confirmation question sounds. Our sentence is, “Did you say two-thirty?”

Paul: Listen first: “Did you say two-thirty?”

Emily: The question feels like one conversational unit.

Paul: Yes. Don’t separate every word: “Did. You. Say. Two. Thirty.”

Emily: That sounds like five tiny boxes.

Paul: Try the sentence naturally: “Did you say two-thirty?”

Emily: “Did you say two-thirty?”

Paul: Again, with the important detail clear: “Did you say two-thirty?”

Emily: “Did you say two-thirty?”

Paul: Good. The goal isn’t a dramatic musical rise. It’s a clear confirmation question where the listener can easily hear which detail you are checking.

Emily: Let’s put it in a mini-dialogue.

Paul: “The appointment is at two-thirty.”

Emily: “Did you say two-thirty?”

Paul: “Yes, that’s right.”

Emily: Nice. Short and useful.

Paul: Now a quick phone quiz. Four situations. You can answer first, and we’ll give you the model immediately.

Emily: Number one. The caller gives you a long message. You understood everything except the apartment number. Which is better: “Repeat everything, please,” or “Sorry, could you repeat the apartment number?”

Paul: Better: “Sorry, could you repeat the apartment number?” It identifies the missing detail.

Emily: Number two. You think someone said Tuesday at nine, but you are not certain. What could you ask?

Paul: “Did you say Tuesday at nine?”

Emily: Number three. You hear a street name but you don’t know how to write it.

Paul: “Could you spell that, please?”

Emily: Number four. The caller first says five-thirty, then corrects it to four-thirty. What is a useful response?

Paul: “So that’s four-thirty, right?”

Emily: That last one is important because the second piece of information replaces the first.

Paul: Exactly.

Emily: Now for the main speaking challenge. This is the longest practice today because you’re going to put the whole communication skill together.

Paul: Imagine you’re calling an activity center. You want information about a Saturday event. You understand the general message, but two details are unclear.

Emily: Your job is not to produce a perfect telephone script. Your job is to repair those two details.

Paul: Give yourself around forty-five to seventy-five seconds.

Emily: Here’s the situation. You call about a Saturday language-exchange event. The person tells you the start time and the room. You hear the start time unclearly. Then the room name is unfamiliar.

Paul: Start naturally with, “Hi, I’m calling about the Saturday language-exchange event.”

Emily: Then ask for the unclear time again.

Paul: Confirm what you heard with “Did you say…?”

Emily: Ask for the second detail again. If it is a name or place, you can use “Could you spell that, please?”

Emily: And close with “Thanks, I’ve got it.”

Emily: And if you’re listening without stopping, here’s a shorter model first.

Paul: “Hi, I’m calling about the Saturday event. Sorry, could you say the start time again, please? Did you say two-fifteen? Great. Could you spell the room name, please? So that’s Mason Room, right? Thanks, I’ve got it.”

Emily: Your full version can be a little longer than that. Maybe the staff member corrects your first guess. Maybe you need to ask for the second detail twice.

Paul: Let’s model a fuller independent exchange.

Emily: I’ll be the caller.

Paul: And I’ll be the event-center staff member.

Emily: Hi, I’m calling about the language-exchange event this Saturday.

Paul: Of course. It begins at four-forty, and the group meets in the Mercer Room.

Emily: Sorry, could you say the start time again, please?

Paul: Four-forty.

Emily: Did you say four-fourteen?

Paul: No, four-forty.

Emily: Oh, okay. So that’s four-forty, right?

Paul: Correct.

Emily: And sorry, I missed the room name. Could you say that again?

Paul: Mercer Room.

Emily: Could you spell Mercer, please?

Paul: M-E-R-C-E-R.

Emily: Great. So that’s the Mercer Room.

Paul: That’s right.

Emily: Thanks, I’ve got it.

Paul: Very clear.

Emily: Now personalize it. Instead of an event center, imagine somewhere you might really call: a class, clinic reception, repair service, hotel, restaurant, office, shop, or community group.

Paul: Keep the language task the same even if the setting changes. One unclear detail. Ask again. Check it. A second detail. Check it. Then close.

Emily: And here’s the retry challenge. If your first call used “Could you say that again?” for every problem, make your second version more specific.

Paul: For example, change one request to, “Sorry, could you repeat the time?” or “Could you spell the street name?”

Emily: That makes the repair shorter and easier for the other person.

Paul: And if you caught a possible answer, use it. “Did you say six-fifty?”

Emily: Instead of pretending you heard nothing.

Paul: Exactly.

Emily: I feel like the phone problem is smaller now.

Paul: What changed?

Emily: Before, I thought the goal was, “I must understand the whole call the first time.”

Paul: And now?

Emily: Now the goal is, “When one important detail is unclear, I know how to fix it.”

Paul: That’s much more practical.

Emily: So the core language to keep is simple: “Could you say that again, please?”

Paul: “Did you say…?”

Emily: And when the problem is solved: “Thanks, I’ve got it.”

Paul: One small action for today: choose a real time, phone number, room number, or street name and say one repetition request plus one confirmation question aloud.

Emily: For example, “Sorry, could you repeat the time, please? Did you say two-thirty?”

Paul: Ask again, then confirm.

Emily: And next time a phone detail disappears, you don’t need to guess. You have a repair.

Paul: Thanks for practicing with us.

Emily: See you next time.