Appropriate Phrasal Verbs in Telephone Coversation

  Phrasal verbs in English

Telephone language has a lot of phrasal verbs. Since phrasal verbs are idiomatic in nature, we need to make an effort to memorize and recall them and equate them with lexical verbs as the case may be.

Phrasal verbs are a combination of a verb and a preposition or an adverb. This combination usually gives a meaning that is different from what the two or three words combined should mean e.g.

a.    Hang up = end the call

b.    Hang on= wait

c.    Hold on=wait

Common telephone phrasal verbs

Guess meaning of the following phrasal verbs and then check their meanings below.

   1.    Get through to_____________

   2.    Hang on__________________

   3.    Get off (the phone) _________

   4.    Hold on__________________

   5.    Speak up_________________

   6.    Cut off___________________

   7.    Call up___________________

   8.    Call back_________________

   9.    Pick up__________________

10.    Put (a call) through_________

11.    Switch/Turn off____________

12.    Hang up

1.      I.  To succeed to talk on phone with someone
2.     II.  Wait
3.   III.  Put the receiver down
4.  IV.  Wait
5.    V.  Talk louder
6.  VI.  To be disconnected abruptly during a telephone conversation
7. VII.  Make a telephone call
8. VIII.  Return somebody’s call
9.  IX.  Lift the receiver to take a call
10.    X.  To connect one caller to another
11.  XI.  Deactivate (a cell phone)
12. XII.  Stop talking on the phone

NB: It takes time to master telephone conversation but you feel happy when you must have mastered the expressions are using them rightly.