SPEAK FIRST · A1 · 50 min

The Phone Call

The contract is signed. Now: an invitation, a date, a hotel, and a promise. "See you in March."

Speak First · Lesson 14 of 15. ← Lesson 13: Flying Home · Lesson 15: The Visit →

Today: make plans on the phone: invite someone, agree a date, and say what you will do. Grammar: I'll…, Will you…?, dates and months.
Warm up — five words to remember. They come from Lessons 11, 12 and 13. Do you know it? Say what it means and use it in a sentence. Is it new? Good — learn it now. Click Reveal to check, and follow the link to read the lesson.
a trip — from Flying Home
What does it mean? Where was your last trip?
a trip — a journey to a place and back.
to land — from Flying Home
What does it mean? Say the opposite.
to land — the plane comes down to the ground. The opposite is to take off.
a passenger — from Flying Home
What does it mean? Are you a good passenger?
a passenger — a person who travels in a plane, bus or train.
a discount — from A Present for Carla
What does it mean? Ask for one.
a discount — a lower price: you pay less. "Is there a discount?"
to agree — from The Meeting
What does it mean? Say: Let's…
to agree — to say yes together. "Let's start in January."

Now — the words for today's conversation

These are the new words for The Phone Call. Match each word (1–8) to its meaning (A–H). Say your answers out loud — "I think 1 is D" — then check.

Words

  1. to sign
  2. to send
  3. a date
  4. next week
  5. to invite
  6. to book
  7. a calendar
  8. to visit

Meanings

  • A. to write your name on a contract
  • B. the week after this week
  • C. to ask a person to come
  • D. to reserve a hotel, a table or a flight
  • E. to go and see a person or a place
  • F. the page or the app with the days and months
  • G. a day: the twelfth of March
  • H. to post or email a thing to a person

1 = A (to sign) · 2 = H (to send) · 3 = G (a date) · 4 = B (next week)

5 = C (to invite) · 6 = D (to book) · 7 = F (a calendar) · 8 = E (to visit)

Now talk — out loud

Before we read:
  • Which words are things you do with paper? Which words are about time?
  • Leo calls London. Why? Guess two reasons.

The conversation, in three parts

Leo at his desk on the phone, smiling; a wall calendar shows MARCH with the 12th circled; the port through the window.
Look at the picture. Say:
  • Where is Leo?
  • What is on the wall?
  • What date can you see?

A week later, Monday morning. Read each part. Then try the questions from memory, and answer the last one about you.

Part 1 — I have the contract

A week later. Monday morning. The contract is on Leo's desk. He signs it. Then he calls London.

Mr Hill: Leo! Good to hear you.

Leo: Good morning, Mr Hill. I have the contract. I'll sign it today and send it this afternoon.

Mr Hill: Excellent.

Leo: And… I'd like to invite you to my city. In March?

Mr Hill: March! Yes. I'd love to.

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. What does Leo do with the contract?

2. What does he invite Mr Hill to?

1. He signs it today and sends it this afternoon.

2. To his city, in March.

Talk about it:
  • And you? Do you invite customers to your city? What do you show them?

Part 2 — The twelfth

Leo: When is good for you?

Mr Hill: Let me look at my calendar. The first week of March is busy… What about the twelfth?

Leo: The twelfth of March. One moment. Yes, the twelfth is fine.

Mr Hill: Tuesday the twelfth. I'll fly in the morning.

Leo: I'll meet you at the airport.

Mr Hill: You don't have to.

Leo: I know. But I will.

He writes it in his calendar: 12 March — Mr Hill — airport, 10:30.

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. What date do they choose?

2. Where will Leo meet him?

1. Tuesday the twelfth of March.

2. At the airport, at half past ten.

Talk about it:
  • And you? What is a busy month for you? What is a quiet month?

Part 3 — Carla will cook

Mr Hill: Where will I stay?

Leo: I'll book a hotel near the port. Small, quiet, good breakfast.

Mr Hill: Like the Park Hotel?

Leo: Better than the Park Hotel. And on Tuesday evening, dinner. Carla will cook.

Mr Hill: Carla will cook?

Leo: Fish. It's delicious.

Mr Hill: Then I'll bring the wine.

Leo: Deal. See you in March.

Mr Hill: See you in March, Leo.

He puts the phone down. Carla is in the doorway. "I will cook?" "You will cook." "Then you will do the plates." "Deal."

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. Where will Mr Hill stay?

2. What will Carla cook, and what will Mr Hill bring?

1. In a small, quiet hotel near the port. Leo will book it.

2. Fish. Mr Hill will bring the wine.

Talk about it:
  • And you? What do you cook for guests? Who does the plates?

Grammar: I'll… / Will you…? / dates and months

Plans and promises use will. Then you need a date to put them on.

I'll = I will. A plan or a promise, now: "I'll sign it today." "I'll book a hotel." "I'll meet you at the airport." "Carla will cook."
Questions and no: "Where will I stay?" "Will you come in March?" — "Yes, I will. / No, I won't." (won't = will not)
Dates: "the twelfth of March" (12 March) · "on Tuesday" · "on the twelfth" · "in March" · "at 10:30" · first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh, twelfth, twentieth, thirtieth.
Months: January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December. "What about the fifth of May?" "When is good for you?"

1. Which word?

Complete each sentence with will, Will, on or in.

1. I send the contract today.

2. you come in March?

3. See you the twelfth.

4. See you March.

1. will (I'll)

2. Will

3. on

4. in

2. Make the sentence

Put the words in order. Then say the sentence out loud.

1. book / I'll / a hotel

2. is / When / good / for you?

3. at / I'll / you / the airport / meet

4. the twelfth / What about / of March?

1. I'll book a hotel.

2. When is good for you?

3. I'll meet you at the airport.

4. What about the twelfth of March?

3. Complete the conversation

Fill each gap with one word. Read the conversation out loud when you finish.

"I'd like to you to our office." — "Thank you! When?" — "What the fifth of May?" — "The fifth is fine. I'll in the morning." — "Great. I'll a hotel for you, and I'll you at the station."

invite · about · fly · book · meet

I'll + verb = my plan. What about the…? = a date.

Role Play

A phone call. You invite a customer to visit your city.

Round 1 — you are yourself. Read your partner's line, then say your own line from the cue in italics. Use your real answers. Then click to compare with a model.

Customer: Hello?
You: say who you are · why you call

Customer: I'd love to come. When?
You: a month · a date

Customer: The tenth is fine. Where will I stay?
You: I'll book…

Customer: And how do I get from the airport?
You: I'll meet you…

Customer: And in the evening?
You: dinner plan · who cooks

Customer: Perfect. See you then.
You: see you on the… / in…

Customer: Hello?
You: Hello, it's Adam Kowalski. I have the contract. And I'd like to invite you to our city.

Customer: I'd love to come. When?
You: In April? What about the tenth?

Customer: The tenth is fine. Where will I stay?
You: I'll book a hotel in the centre. Small and quiet.

Customer: And how do I get from the airport?
You: I'll meet you at the airport. Ten o'clock.

Customer: And in the evening?
You: Dinner at my home. My wife will cook.

Customer: Perfect. See you then.
You: See you on the tenth of April.

Round 2 — change roles. Now you are Customer. Ask the questions, and listen to the answers. Then say one thing you remember.

Quick-fire questions

Answer fast, in full sentences. No time to think. Then check a model answer for the ones that were hard.

1. When is good for you?

2. Where will I stay?

3. Will you meet me at the airport?

4. What will Carla cook?

5. What will Mr Hill bring?

6. When will you send the contract?

7. What date is it today?

8. What month is your birthday?

9. Will you come to London again?

10. Who will do the plates?

1. What about the twelfth of March?

2. I'll book a hotel near the port.

3. Yes, I will.

4. Fish.

5. The wine.

6. This afternoon.

7. The ninth of September.

8. In May.

9. Yes, I will. Next year.

10. Leo will.

Speak

Do all three tasks out loud. Use the timer to keep talking.

Useful language: "I have the contract. I'll sign it today." · "I'd like to invite you to…" · "When is good for you?" · "What about the twelfth?" · "I'll book… / I'll meet you…" · "See you in March."
Time remaining: 1:00
Task A · Tell the call

Tell the phone call in your own words. Steps: Monday, the contract, he signs it → the call: I'll send it this afternoon → the invitation, March → the calendar: the twelfth → I'll meet you at the airport → a hotel near the port → Carla will cook, fish → I'll bring the wine → deal → "You will do the plates."

Task B · Next month (2 minutes)

Tell me your plans for next month with I'll and real dates: work, family, one trip, one dinner. Start the timer and keep talking.

Task C · Call me

Phone me. I am your customer. Say why you call, invite me to your city, agree a date, say where I will stay and how I get there, and plan the evening. Then we change: I call you.

To finish

  1. What is a good month to visit your city? Why?
  2. Leo says "I'll meet you at the airport" — "You don't have to." — "I know. But I will." Is this good business? Why?
  3. From memory: say three plans with I'll, each with a date.