Dennys Pardiwalla

Notice something? Well, all of these examples are professional or workplace-related--which calls for formal English language. We've talked before about how to text in English. While there are formal ways to text, that method of communication is almost always pretty casual. This makes phone calls a little different than texting.

Instead, today, I want you to think of phone calls more like a letter or an email, which will use more Business English.

See also, Kelsey's article on how to write a formal letter in English.

Quick Lesson! In English, to answer the phone, we say: to pick up the phone or to take a call

To call someone, we say: Make a phone call

But, okay, what's the big deal besides that? Well, phone calls are tough! With work calls, you not only have to be more formal, but you have to think fast. It is all listening and speaking--and when you can't see the other person on the end of the phone, you don't get the extra benefits of body language or lip reading. If you are nervous speaking in English, then phone calls can add an extra layer of difficulty.

But fear not! Today, we are going to learn some important conventions for phone calls in English. How do people pick up the phone? How do you ask for someone? What are some phrases you'll hear on the phone in English, but never in person?

Before we get into that, let's look at something vital for English phone calls: how to enhance your English listening and Speaking skills.

Now, first off, the most important thing here is confidence.

Practice your active listening. The more you listen, the more you understand, and the more you really start to feel confident in your abilities to understand English.

Speechling offers a free listening platform so you can test your listening skills. British English, American English, male or female--you can pick your preferred option, choose your topic or level, and try your ear on thousands of sentences.

Remember the way native speakers talk is very from how audio recordings from your textbook or Youtube might sound. Try to go to language exchanges or meet up with a language learning buddy! But, as we said above, phone calls, especially these days, are often what you use to contact an office or employer directly. So, this is the time to ask your language exchange partner to use Business or Formal English.

And, of course, listening's best friend is speaking. Try practicing your pronunciation with a friend or language exchange buddy. Better yet, try Speechling's service! You can record yourself speaking, and a professional native speaker will get back to you with feedback. It's low-pressure, especially if you get nervous about speaking face-to-face (totally normal!).

The bottom line with this point is not so much that you need perfect English to make a phone call. Not at all! We'll talk about this more in a bit, but it's okay to make mistakes. The important thing is that you feel more confident and assured of your English listening and speaking skills.

You don't need to be Shakespeare, you just need to be able to smile, relax, and put what you've practiced to work.

See also: Maria's article on how to master English pronunciation.

Answering a phone call differs from each country and culture. In Italian, you say "Pronto" (literally: ready); in Korean, you say 여보세요 (yeoboseyo).

In English, you say...drum roll..."Hello?"

All right a bit anticlimactic! But yes, it's quite simple.

You can also say:

"Hello, this is (your name)." This greeting is a personal introduction, used for when you're representing yourself and not a business.

This is (your name) from (your company). How can I help you? If you are working at an office, it's quite common to answer this way. It's straight, simple, and to the point.

Example: "Hello! This is Jane from Happy Plants Inc. How can I help you?"

Let's look at a more informal way to answer a phone call: "Jane speaking" (informal) This one is informal, used usually with friends or perhaps work colleagues you speak to regularly.

Now, if you are making a call, then you can say:

"Hello, this is Jane. I'm calling about..." You can then continue with whatever you need to call about--making an appointment, checking for test results, etc.

"Hello, this is Jane. May I speak with (person you want to talk to)" If you are calling a general office, and you need to speak to someone in particular, use "May I speak/can I speak with...?".

Often, with doctor's office, tax office, school or business calls, the first question they will ask is to confirm your identity. This is an important security step, and while it might seem obvious, there's an interesting way that people respond to them in English.

Example: Secretary: Hello, I'm Jane with the dentist office. Am I speaking with John? John: Hello, yes, this is he.

"This is he/she" is a common, formal answer to this question. Of course, you can also answer with:

John: Yes, I'm John. or John: Yes, that's me.

Sometimes, you can't hear the other person well or the call drops.

If your connection is bad, you can say:

If connection is restored, you can say:

If you have to end the call suddenly, you can say:

This video roleplay can help you practice some of these phrases out loud.

Phone calls, especially between family members or friends, might include some "small talk". That means, conversations about everyday topics, like the weather, how work or school is going, or your routine. It is talk about the "small" things. While many people find "small talk" boring, it is still very useful to know how to chat about little topics like these.

For example, your English friend might ask you:

And so on! Check out this video for some examples on more small talk. We won't get into "small talk" too much today. For more ideas for conversation topics, some of which are small talk and some are "bigger" talk, see our article on making conversation in English.

Now, in movies, you might see characters on screen hang up on a call without saying goodbye. Don't get confused, that is just Hollywood! In America and other English-speaking cultures, you should definitely close out a phone call with at least a "goodbye."

Here are some common ways to finish a phone call in English:

Thank you for your time, goodbye! Short and simple! This is very common if you are speaking with someone who did you a service or for a client.

Have a great day, bye! Also common as a goodbye. You can also combine it with a Goodbye.

Talk to you soon or See you soon. This one you can use with friends or with someone who you expect to interact with again very soon, such as a colleague.

It was great speaking with you, goodbye. Now, this one is more formal. It's perfect for formal or business situations, but a little odd to use with close friends.

Some more informal examples:

These examples are VERY informal and should be used with friends.

For more useful phrases in English, including how to take a message or put someone on hold, check out this article. We also recommend reading this guide for some tips on maintaining a professional attitude while taking phone calls.

Look, it's easy to feel overwhelmed with language learning.

Sometimes, you hit a plateau and you feel like your skills are stagnating--or worse, regressing. The truth is, language learning isn't linear. Some days, you can have smooth, easy interactions in English. The next day, you forget basic words. It's normal!

Ultimately, every person learns differently and takes more or less time. Speaking and writing are production skills, which means it takes more of your brain's effort because you must produce language. Listening and reading are passive skills, because you are intaking the language rather than producing it.

Biting into warm, freshly baked saj bread, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by its authentic and delicious taste and overlook its rich history and numerous benefits.

Wheat, an essential ingredient of saj bread, is a dominant staple grain that provides up to one third of the calories consumed in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. In Lebanon, saj is a staple part of Lebanese meals and is often eaten as part of the mezze spread. The production of saj bread is also beneficial to the livelihoods of women in rural villages since there are many agricultural cooperatives that are led by rural women who bake and sell saj bread.

Where Does Saj Bread Come From?

The term “flat” bread encompasses a multitude of bread types that differ in ingredients, preparation methods and overall taste based on the countries that they are consumed in.

Saj bread (also known as markook, khubz ruqaq, shrak, khubz rqeeq, mashrooh) is a type of unleavened flat bread that is commonly eaten in the Levant and throughout the Middle East. It is baked on a domed or convex metal griddle, known as saj. Usually sizable, the saj is approximately 60 cm. Like other flatbreads, the dough of saj bread is flattened and kept very thin prior to baking. It is usually folded and put in bags before being sold.

The history of bread is intertwined with the history of the world. Its key ingredient, wheat is known to have grown on several continents in ancient times, although it thrived in an area known as the Fertile Crescent which spans modern-day Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Egypt and Iraq together with the southeastern region of Turkey and the western fringes of Iran. One of the earliest mentions of markook bread was in the renowned tenth century Arabic cookbook “Kitab Al Tabikh” (The Book of Dishes) by Ibn Sayyar Al Warraq.

Compared to more voluminous bread loaves, flat breads in general are considered an asset to a subsistence economy, in which every resource has to be rationalized. The bread can also be used as an alternative to eating utensils to scoop up and consume food. Possibly due to their simple and convenient transportation process, in which they are stacked on top of each other, flatbreads are popular in geographic areas where nomadic life is predominant. Although flatbreads originated in rural societies, their delicious taste and many benefits make them popular across the world.

Is Saj Bread Healthy?

Flatbread is a healthier alternative to traditional raised yeast bread. It is most beneficial when made with whole grains and has little sugar and salt and no hydrogenated oils. Compared to white bread, whole grains have a larger amount of nutrients and fibers. Fibers have significant health benefits and are essential for a healthy digestive system. They can also help prevent obesity, reduce the risk of constipation, diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol. Adding seeds such as flax or chia seeds can further improve the nutritional value of the flatbread.

An essential ingredient of bread, wheat is mostly composed of carbohydrates and has a moderate amount of proteins. Carbohydrates are an essential part of our diets and provide our body with energy, almost 50 percent of daily caloric needs come from carbohydrates. Flatbread flour is fortified with vitamins like thiamin (vitamin B1), folic acid, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and minerals like iron, zinc and iodine.

Saj Bread Recipe

Ingredients:

2 large spoons of active dry yeast3 L warm water5 kg wheat flour50 g coarse or table salt

Note: If you are using coarse salt, make sure to melt it in warm water before mixing it with the other ingredients in the dough or you can add table salt to the dough after it has been formed.

Preparation:

Some photos of the saj bread preparation process:

References:

Al-Dmoor, Hanee M. “Flat Bread: Ingredients and Fortification.” ResearchGate, Mar. 2012, www.researchgate.net/publication/264357508_Flat_bread_Ingredients_and_fortification.

Website: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/264357508_Flat_bread_Ingredients_and_fortification

Pasqualone, Antonella. “Traditional Flat Breads Spread from the Fertile Crescent: Production Process and History of Baking Systems.” Journal of Ethnic Foods, Elsevier, 17 Feb. 2018, www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S235261811830009X#bib2.

Business Area, FAQ, Email , Phone Tallahassee, Florida 32399-4120 You may also call the main department phone line at 850-245-7105

Thanks to the city's geographical position in the rain shadow of two mountain ranges, it's often drier than the famed Willamette Valley Known

In Windows 10, you decide when and how to get the latest updates to keep your device running smoothly and securely. To manage your options and see available updates, select Check for Windows updates. Or select the Start button, and then go to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update .

Orem Central station is an intermodal transportation station in Orem, Utah It is served by the Utah Transit Authority's FrontRunner train, which operates

1. Tap your profile picture .
2. Tap Settings .
3. Tap Video quality preferences.
4. Select your preferred video quality for mobile networks and on Wi-Fi: Auto (recommended): Changes to give you the best experience for your conditions.

Open the Settings app from your Start menu or Start screen, select “System,” and select “Display.” Click or tap and drag the “Adjust brightness level” slider to change the brightness level. If you're using Windows 7 or 8, and don't have a Settings app, this option available in the Control Panel.