English for Work

Calls & Video Conferences

Handle phone calls and video meetings confidently.

Answering calls, taking messages, scheduling, fixing audio problems, and participating in virtual meetings.

Why this matters This module covers answering, transferring, and taking messages on calls; scheduling appointments; and troubleshooting audio and participating in video meetings.

01

What will you be able to do?

The goals of this lesson.

02

Before you start

You can already write great emails. Now let's move to real-time communication: phone calls and video conferences.

03

Answering and transferring calls

Phrases for handling incoming calls professionally.

Examples

Good morning, thank you for calling. How can I help you?
Answering
Can I take a message?
Messages
I'll transfer you to the sales department.
Transferring
Could you hold for a moment, please?
Answering
She's not available right now. Can I have her call you back?
Messages
Let me put you through to the right person.
Transferring
Thank you for calling, have a great day.
Answering
Could you spell your name for me, please?
Messages

04

Scheduling and audio problems

Setting appointments and solving common technical issues.

Examples

Are you available Tuesday at ten?
Scheduling
Let's schedule a call for next week.
Scheduling
Sorry, I can't hear you. Can you hear me?
Audio problems
You're breaking up a little.
Audio problems
Can we reschedule for Thursday instead?
Scheduling
Let me check my calendar and get back to you.
Scheduling
I think you're on mute.
Audio problems

05

Participating in video meetings

Joining, contributing, and summarizing virtual meetings.

Examples

Can everyone see my screen?
Video meetings
Let's go around and introduce ourselves.
Video meetings
I'll share my screen now.
Video meetings
To summarize, we agreed on three action items.
Summarizing
Sorry, go ahead, I didn't mean to interrupt.
Video meetings
Let's wrap up with a quick recap.
Summarizing
Does anyone have any questions before we finish?
Video meetings

06

Reading

Read the text and answer the questions. You can try as many times as you want.

"Good morning, thank you for calling. How can I help you?" Elena answered. The caller asked for Mr. Reyes, but he wasn't available. "Can I take a message?" Elena asked, and wrote down the caller's name and number.

Later, another call came in for the sales department. "I'll transfer you to the sales department," Elena said, and put the caller through to the right person.

1. What did Elena say first?

2. Who did the caller ask for?

3. Was Mr. Reyes available?

4. What did Elena offer to do?

5. What did Elena do for the second call?

💪 You're ready for real phone and video conversations! Review this lesson, or continue to the next module.

07

Reading: A Video Meeting with Audio Problems

A second reading, a bit longer. Read it and answer the questions below.

"Can everyone see my screen?" Marco asked at the start of the video meeting. "Sorry, I can't hear you. Can you hear me?" replied one of the participants. "You're breaking up a little," someone else added.

After fixing the connection, Marco continued the presentation. At the end, he said, "To summarize, we agreed on three action items. Does anyone have any questions before we finish?"

1. What did Marco ask first?

2. What problem did a participant have?

3. What did someone say about the connection?

4. What did Marco do after fixing the connection?

5. How did Marco end the meeting?

08

Match the Terms

Tap a term on the left, then tap its matching definition on the right. Ungraded — repeat as many times as you like.

Term

Definition

09

Fill in the Blanks

Usa las pistas para completar cada palabra en inglés. Sin calificar — repite las veces que quieras.

10

Key Points

The essentials of this lesson, summarized.

11

Vocabulary in This Lesson

Key terms to remember.

transfer
/trænsˈfɜːr/

to connect a call to another person

Traduccióntransferir (una llamada)
"I'll transfer you to the sales department."
hold
/hoʊld/

to wait on the phone

Traducciónesperar (en línea)
"Could you hold for a moment, please?"
message
/ˈmes.ɪdʒ/

information left for someone who isn't available

Traducciónmensaje
"Can I take a message?"
schedule
/ˈskedʒ.uːl/

to arrange a time for something

Traducciónprogramar, agendar
"Let's schedule a call for next week."
to reschedule
/riːˈskedʒ.uːl/

to change the time of something already planned

Traducciónreprogramar
"Can we reschedule for Thursday instead?"
to mute
/mjuːt/

to turn off your microphone

Traducciónsilenciar
"I think you're on mute."
connection
/kəˈnek.ʃən/

the link that allows a call or video to work

Traducciónconexión
"You're breaking up a little — bad connection."
screen
/skriːn/

the display of a computer or phone

Traducciónpantalla
"Can everyone see my screen?"
to summarize
/ˈsʌm.ər.aɪz/

to give a short overview of something

Traducciónresumir
"To summarize, we agreed on three action items."
to interrupt
/ˌɪn.təˈrʌpt/

to speak while someone else is talking

Traduccióninterrumpir
"Sorry, go ahead, I didn't mean to interrupt."
available
/əˈveɪ.lə.bəl/

free to talk or meet

Traduccióndisponible
"Are you available Tuesday at ten?"
recap
/ˈriː.kæp/

a brief summary at the end

Traducciónresumen breve
"Let's wrap up with a quick recap."

12

Common Phrases & Expressions

The everyday expressions used specifically on calls and in video meetings.

Can I take a message?
"He's not available. Can I take a message?"
Traducción¿puedo tomar un mensaje?
I'll transfer you to
"I'll transfer you to the sales department."
Traducciónte voy a transferir a
Can you hear me?
"Sorry, I can't hear you. Can you hear me?"
Traducción¿puedes oírme?
You're breaking up
"You're breaking up a little."
Traducciónse está cortando (la llamada)
I think you're on mute
"I think you're on mute."
Traduccióncreo que estás en silencio (mute)
Can everyone see my screen?
"Can everyone see my screen?"
Traducción¿todos pueden ver mi pantalla?
To summarize
"To summarize, we agreed on three action items."
Traducciónpara resumir
Let's reschedule
"Let's reschedule for Thursday instead."
Traducciónvamos a reprogramar

13

Build the Sentence

Tap the words in the correct order to form the sentence. Ungraded — repeat as many times as you like.

14

Choose the Correct Verb

Tap the correct verb form to complete each sentence. The other options are conjugations from other tenses — on purpose, so you learn to tell them apart.

I'll you to the sales department

Let's a call for next week

Let's before we finish

Could you for a moment?

Sorry, I didn't mean to

16

Assessment

You need at least 80% to unlock the next lesson. You can retake it as many times as you want — your best score is saved.

1. What does this mean: "Can I take a message?"?

2. Choose the equivalent of: "I'll transfer you to the sales department."

3. What does this mean: "You're breaking up a little."?

4. What does this mean: "Can everyone see my screen?"?

5. Which option matches: "Let's reschedule for Thursday instead."?

6. "I think you're on mute." — which one is correct?

7. Choose the equivalent of: "To summarize, we agreed on three action items."

8. Select the correct match for: "Are you available Tuesday at ten?"

9. "Sorry, go ahead, I didn't mean to interrupt." — which one is correct?

10. Which option matches: "Could you hold for a moment, please?"?

17

Summary and next step

You can now handle calls and video meetings confidently. Next module: participating in and leading work meetings.

🗣️ Practice out loud

Use the conversational tutor to practice this topic.

Open the tutor

18

Games

Practice this lesson's vocabulary with a word search and flashcards. Ungraded — play as many times as you like.

Word Search

Tap the first and last letter of a hidden word to find it. Los términos de varias palabras van sin espacios en el tablero (ej. "give up" aparece como GIVEUP).

Flashcards

Elige la respuesta correcta. Si aciertas, la tarjeta queda lista por hoy; si fallas, vuelve a aparecer pronto para reforzarla. Tu progreso se guarda en este dispositivo.

Term