Placeholder Image

Subtitles section Play video

  • Hello.

  • Welcome to today's program.

  • We're going to look at how to make dates and arrangements on the phone.

  • We'll also have a close look at how we talk about things we're in the middle of doing.

  • But first let's continue a drama 'Sisters and Brothers'.

  • Remember Sarah's brother Steve?

  • It is seemed that he quite liked Anne.

  • Now he's going to make a phone call.

  • Medina Hotel. Marie speaking. How may I help you?

  • Could I speak to Ms Anne Lee, please?

  • I'm not sure [...].

  • I'll put you through sir.

  • Hello?

  • Hello. Anne?

  • This is Steve Parker.

  • Steve Parker?

  • Steve.

  • The Sarah's brother. We met [...].

  • Oh, Steve! Hello Steve.

  • Hi. What are you doing?

  • Oh, working.

  • I'm planning a trip to the wineries later in the week.

  • Ah, when're you going?

  • On Wednesday.

  • Oh, good.

  • What are you doing tomorrow?

  • Er...

  • Nothing.

  • Why?

  • [...] winery.

  • I still wonder whether you want to go to our [...] park?

  • With me.

  • If you did like to go Ms Lee.

  • That's what I did.

  • Yes, I can say I'd love to go.

  • Alright!

  • I'll meet you in the foyer.

  • Ten o'clock?

  • Okay, ten.

  • [...].

  • Great!

  • [...].

  • [...] Steve.

  • Let's have another look at how Steve made that date with Anne.

  • First he has to ring the hotel.

  • Medina Hotel. Marie speaking. How may I help you?

  • Could I speak to Ms Anne Lee, please?

  • Steve says...

  • ... 'Could I speak to Ms Anne Lee, please?'

  • He's been polite.

  • We use the word 'could' like this when we ask someone to do something for us.

  • It's a question.

  • So he says 'could' before 'I' - 'could I ...?'

  • Try saying 'could I' with the clip.

  • Could I speak to Ms Anne Lee, please?

  • He says 'please'.

  • Asking someone to do something is a type of question called a request.

  • We use 'please' to make a request polite.

  • Steve's request works and the receptionist puts him through to Anne.

  • Hello?

  • Hello. Anne?

  • This is Steve Parker.

  • Steve Parker?

  • Sometimes just the way we say name though single words make questions.

  • When Steve says 'Anne?' he means 'Are you Anne?'

  • Listen first and then say with Steve.

  • Hello?

  • Hello. Anne?

  • This is Steve Parker.

  • Hello?

  • Now listen to the way that Anne says Steve's name.

  • Hello?

  • Hello. Anne?

  • This is Steve Parker.

  • Steve Parker?

  • She means 'Who is Steve Parker?'

  • Listen once more and then say it with her.

  • Hello. Anne?

  • This is Steve Parker.

  • Steve Parker?

  • Hello. Anne?

  • This is Steve Parker.

  • Of course Anne realises who Steve is and then starts to talk.

  • Hi. What are you doing?

  • Oh, working.

  • I'm planning a trip to the wineries later in the week.

  • We've looked at the words called verbs before.

  • And how we change the way we say them to show when something is happening.

  • We call these changes tenses.

  • Today we're going to look at how to talk about actions that are happening now...

  • ... and for a short time into the future.

  • In our next clip listen to the way Steve and Anne say the verbs 'do', 'work', and 'plan'.

  • Hi. What are you doing?

  • Oh, working.

  • I'm planning a trip to the wineries later in the week.

  • Doing.

  • Working.

  • And planning.

  • Notice that when a word ends with a single vowel next to a single consonant...

  • ... the consonant is written again or doubled when we add 'ing'.

  • The 'ing' form of verbs is used for talking about things happening now...

  • ... and for a short time into the future.

  • This tense is called the present continuous.

  • Because it refers to the present and something that continues or keeps going.

  • Let's look at 'doing' first.

  • Hi. What are you doing?

  • Steve is asking about what Anne is doing at that moment...

  • ... and for a short time into the future.

  • So what's Anne doing?

  • Say it with her.

  • Oh, working.

  • I'm planning a trip to the wineries later in the week.

  • Work and plan are verbs of action.

  • They are things we do.

  • Only these sorts of verbs has continuous tenses.

  • Some verbs such as understand and know...

  • ... are not used with the 'ing' form of the present continuous.

  • You can say 'I'm working'.

  • This means that you're working now and for a short time into the future.

  • But you can't say 'I'm knowing'.

  • Instead you say 'I know'.

  • Let's see what Michelle's doing.

  • I'll ring her up.

  • Hello. Michelle Crowden speaking.

  • Hello Michelle. This is Brenton.

  • Hello.

  • What are you ringing me for?

  • I just want to know what are you doing tomorrow.

  • I'm doing some shopping.

  • Why?

  • I'm having a barbeque with a few friends and I'd like you to come.

  • [...] very nice to ask me but yes, I'll come.

  • What's the address?

  • 23 [...] street.

  • What time shall I come?

  • About one o'clock?

  • Alright. I'll see you then.

  • I'll ring if I'm going to be late.

  • What's your phone number?

  • Eight, three.

  • Double six.

  • Two, seven, nine.

  • Okay. See you later.

  • Now...

  • How did Brenton say this number?

  • He said 'Eight, three, double six, two, seven, nine'.

  • When we have two of the same letters on numbers together like these two sixes...

  • ... we describe them as double six.

  • Remember the word 'planning'...

  • ... does has the double n.

  • Now try to say this phone number.

  • We would tell someone that this number is eight, two, double seven, double one, double two.

  • I [...] phone Brenton.

  • Eight, three, double six, two, seven, nine.

  • Medina Hotel. Marie speaking. How may I help you?

  • Oh, sorry.

  • I've dialed wrong number. Sorry.

  • The clerk says the place where she works...

  • ... the Medina Hotel...

  • ... and then 'Marie speaking'.

  • When taking phone call for a business it's best to say what the name of the business is...

  • ... so the person knows if they've got the right number.

  • 'Speaking' is another example of the present continuous.

  • Marie spoke and [...] speaking into the future.

  • And we should hear her again.

  • I'll use the redial back.

  • Medina Hotel. Marie speaking. How may I help you?

  • How may I help you?

  • This is a form of way of asking 'How can I help you?'

  • It's a high class hotel.

  • Remember that we say 'can' or 'may' before 'I' in questions.

  • Now I should ring Brenton.

  • Tell me the number while I dial so I don't get wrong again.

  • Eight, three, double six, two, seven, nine.

  • Thanks.

  • Hello.

  • Hello. Brenton?

  • Oh, hello Michelle.

  • Brenton, about the barbeque.

  • Yes.

  • Can I be with friend?

  • Of course you can Michelle.

  • I've got to ask earlier...

  • ... could you bring a bottle of wine?

  • Yes, I could do that.

  • And could you show our viewers the part of the story where Steve arranges when to meet Anne?

  • Yes, I'll do that.

  • See you later.

  • See you.

  • Here it is.

  • I'll meet you in the foyer.

  • Ten o'clock?

  • Okay, ten.

  • Steve used the way he said 'ten o'clock' to make it a question.

  • It's quicker to say that 'Is ten o'clock a good time?'

  • Listen once more and then say 'Ten o'clock?' with Steve.

  • I'll meet you in the foyer.

  • Ten o'clock?

  • Okay, ten.

  • I'll meet you in the foyer.

  • Okay, ten.

  • And now here is Michelle in person.

  • Hello Michelle.

  • Hello Brenton.

  • Let's go over what we've learned today.

  • We learned some things about making phone calls.

  • We learned that you can ask a question by the way you speak a word.

  • Really?

  • Yes, really.

  • And we've found out one of the uses for the 'ing' form of verbs - the present continuous.

  • And about phone numbers.

  • And how to ask some very common questions.

  • Let's review them.

  • Say them after us.

  • Could I speak to Ms Anne Lee, please?

  • What are you doing?

  • What's the address?

  • What time shall I come?

  • What's your phone number?

  • In our next episode we're going to look...

  • ... at so many common words that are said together so often...

  • ... today become one word.

  • Until next time see you later.

  • Now it's time to show you today's episode of our drama again.

  • Goodbye.

  • Medina Hotel. Marie speaking. How may I help you?

  • Could I speak to Ms Anne Lee, please?

  • I'm not sure [...].

  • I'll put you through sir.

  • Hello?

  • Hello. Anne?

  • This is Steve Parker.

  • Steve Parker?

  • Steve.

  • The Sarah's brother. We met [...].

  • Oh, Steve! Hello Steve.

  • Hi. What are you doing?

  • Oh, working.

  • I'm planning a trip to the wineries later in the week.

  • Ah, when're you going?

  • On Wednesday.

  • Oh, good.

  • What are you doing tomorrow?

  • Nothing.

  • Why?

  • [...] winery.

  • I still wonder whether you want to go to our [...] park... with me?

  • If you did like to go Ms Lee.

  • That's what I did.

  • Yes, I can say I'd love to go.

  • Alright!

  • I'll meet you in the foyer.

  • Ten o'clock?

  • Okay, ten.

  • [...].

  • Great!

  • [...].

  • [...].

Hello.

Subtitles and vocabulary

Click the word to look it up Click the word to find further inforamtion about it