Question

Could you please help me find examples of phrasal verbs used in phone calls? Thank you, Writeacher.



1) You can call me up whenever you want to.
Shall I ask him to call you back?
2) The line is engaged. Would you like to hang on/hold on?
Hang on, I'll put you through/I'm putting you through.
3) He picked up the receiver and dialled the number.
I'm sorry. I've dialled the wrong number.
4) I was speaking with Mary on the phone when the line dropped (out).
We were cut off in the middle of a phone conversation.
5) Shall I leave him a message? Shall I tell him you have phoned?
Could you tell me to call me back as you as he arrives home?
6) There were many drop-outs and I couldn't inform him about tomorrow's match.
7) I switched my mobile on, digited my husband's number but I soon discovered that I had no credit left. So I went to the nearest bancomat and transferred 50 Euros (topped my phone up with...??) on my mobile phone.
8) I need to recharge my mobile because the battery has run down.

Answer 1

1) You can call me up whenever you want to. b>Most people I know omit "up."</b>
Shall I ask him to call you back? <b>OK</b>

2) The line is busy. Would you like to hold? b>Sometimes "hang on" is used, but mostly just "hold" with no preposition/adverb.</b>
Hang on, I'll put you through/I'm putting you through. <b>OK</b>

3) He picked up the receiver and dialed the number.
I'm sorry. I've dialed the wrong number.
<b>Both are fine except for the spelling of "dialed" -- but maybe that's regional!!</b>

4) I was speaking with Mary on the phone when the <b>call was dropped</b>.

We were cut off in the middle of a phone conversation. <b>OK</b>

5) Shall I leave him a message? Shall I tell him you have phoned? <b>OK</b>

Could you tell <b>him</b> to call me back <b>when he gets</b> home?

6) There were many <b>dropped calls,</b> and I couldn't inform him about tomorrow's match.

7) I switched my mobile on, <b>called </b>my husband's number<b>,</b> but I soon discovered that I had no credit left. So I went to the nearest bancomat and <b>put</b> 50 Euros on my <b>account</b>.

8) I need to recharge my mobile because the battery has run down. <b>OK</b>