Answerphone messages lesson plan and worksheets

Telephoning- Leaving messages on answer machines
(Adapted from International Express Intermediate New Edition)

Tapescript 5.3 1st listening

Listen and say what each kind of answerphone message each recorded message comes from. How are they different from each other?

Tapescript 5.4 1st listening

Match the messages people have left to the original different kinds of recorded message

Tapescript 5.3 2nd listening
Add one word to each gap
Listen again and check

1. Hi, you’ve ___________ Rosa and Colin. We’re not here right now to ______ your call, but if you’d like to _____________ a message we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
2. This is Executive Travel Services. _______ office is closed ______ the moment. Our office _______ are nine o’clock to six o’clock Monday to Friday, and nine o’clock to one o’clock on Saturday. Thank you for __________
3. Hello, I’m sorry I ______ take your call at the moment. Please leave your name, ______, and a message, and I’ll ______ back to you as soon as possible. Please _____ after the tone. Thank you for calling.
4. The person you called is not ___________. Please leave a message after the tone. You can re-record your message by _____________ 1 at any time.
5. Thank you for calling Compu-Help. All our operators are _________ right now. If you want you can ________, or if you prefer you can leave your name, number and a short description of the problem you are experiencing and an operator will phone you back in the _________ 30 minutes. Thank you.
Tapescript 5.4 2nd listening

Add one word to each gap
Listen again and check

1. This is a ________ for Maria Ferrando……..

Thanks ___________.

2. Hello, this is Rosa Lanson _____ 020 84 double 8 3497. ………

3………Call me when you get a ___________. Bye.

4. ……________ to you soon. Bye.

Speaking practice 1

Practice similar pairs of recorded message and answerphone messages in pairs.

Speaking practice 2

With the tape recorders or digital voice recorders your teacher gives you, record your personal or company answerphone recorded message. Then go to another group’s tape recorder, listen to their recorded message and leave them a message trying to make a future arrangement. Then go back to listen to your messages, leave a reply to that message etc, until you have successfully arranged something.

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Teachers’ notes-

If you don’t have the tape available you can read from the answer key. For Tapescript 5.4  you can just use the short extracts here or expand them as you wish.
Answer key

1. Hi, you’ve reached Rosa and Colin. We’re not here right now to take your call, but if you’d like to leave a message we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
2. This is Executive Travel Services. The office is closed at the moment. Our office hours are nine o’clock to six o’clock Monday to Friday, and nine o’clock to one o’clock on Saturday. Thank you for calling
3. Hello, I’m sorry I can’t take your call at the moment. Please leave your name, number, and a message, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible. Please speak after the tone. Thank you for calling.
4. The person you called is not available. Please leave a message after the tone. You can re-record your message by pressing 1 at any time.
5. Thank you for calling Compu-Help. All our operators are busy right now. If you want you can hold, or if you prefer you can leave your name, number and a short description of the problem you are experiencing and an operator will phone you back in the next 30 minutes. Thank you.

1. This is a message for Maria Ferrando.

Thanks again.

2. Hello, this is Rosa Lanson on 020 84 double 8 3497.

3. Call me when you get a chance. Bye.

4. Speak to you soon. Bye.