In this lesson you will ...

Describe problems with calls and

suggest solutions
Vocabulary & Expressions Grammar Item

loud(ly) to cut off Separable vs. inseparable phrasal verbs.

connection to call off For example: Can you turn your mic up?
disconnected to come up (= happen Only four people turned up for our
unexpectedly) webinar.
to get cut off
to die (referring to phone) to turn up (for)
mic (= microphone) to freeze
to turn up (the volume) frozen (screen)
to turn down (= decrease) to restart
to mute distorted (voice)
static to bark
echo to go outside
to break up (referring to to hang (something) up
voice) (extension activity)
garbled to take (something) off
(extension activity)

English 6 Complete ©Berlitz Languages, Inc. Slide 1 of 10

Warm-up Describe problems with calls and suggest solutions

– And after that we’ll be … Mom? Are you still there? Hmm

… It looks like we’ve been cut off. I guess I’ll have to call
her back … Hi, Mom! It’s me, again. 
– Hi, Kay! What happened? 
–  I was just talking, and I suddenly realized we’d been
disconnected. So, anyway, what were we talking about?
– You were saying something about a trip you were
planning.
– Oh, right. So, as I said, first we’re going to go to …

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Vocabulary & Expressions Describe problems with calls and suggest solutions

Our connection’s not great

1. I’m afraid I can’t hear you.  a. Can you turn up your mic?
2. I’m hearing everything twice.  b. Can you repeat what you just said? 
3. This connection is really bad.  c. There’s an echo on the line. 
4. Your last sentence was a bit garbled.    d. Let me hang up and call you back. 
5. You’re breaking up.   e. There’s a lot of static on the line. 

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Grammar Describe problems with calls and suggest solutions

Did I cut you off?

Can you turn up your microphone? I forgot to turn on the camera.

Can you turn your microphone up? I forgot to turn the camera on.
Can you turn it up? I forgot to turn it on.
   
I cut my friend off. Kay called her mother back.
I cut him off. She called her back. 

They called off the conference? Why did they call it off?

Try turning down the volume. If you turn it down, maybe the static won’t be so bad.
Chen didn’t turn off his radio during our call. He should have turned it off. 
I didn’t hang up on you!

We were cut off. We were disconnected. 

Only three people turned up for our call. Only three people attended the call.
A problem came up, so we ended the call early. There was an unexpected problem.  

–  I’ve tried to call Tom, but he didn’t pick up. – Why did you hang up on me?
– Hold on. I’ll ping him. He might see that. – I’m sorry, I didn’t. My phone died!

– That call was short. Did something come up?

– No, Yuri said the line was breaking up. He’ll
call back in a sec.

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Performance Describe problems with calls and suggest solutions

Can you hold on a sec? I’ve got a problem

1. Several people are talking outside your room rather loudly.
2. The last sentence you heard was completely garbled.
3. You’ve just lost your internet connection (but you rejoin the
call a few seconds later).
4. Someone’s mic is turned up too high. His / her voice is
distorted.
5. An airplane is flying overhead. Stop speaking and wait for it
to pass.
6. You’re at home during the call and your dog is barking loudly. It wants to go outside.
7. There’s something wrong with your connection. Everything the other people say is breaking up.
8. Your screen has frozen! Restart your laptop and rejoin the call.

You will be taking part in a group call in a few minutes. You will talk about what you've been
doing or working on during the past two weeks. Before the call, make a list of the things you
would like to mention.

 
Your call is about to begin. Join the call.

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 Describe problems with calls and suggest solutions

Word Power

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 Describe problems with calls and suggest solutions

Phrasal verbs with both separable and inseparable forms

As you may have noticed, some phrasal verbs have both a separable and an
inseparable form. The separable form can stay together or be split when used with an
object that is a noun or noun phrase. However, they must be split when using an
object pronoun. For example, to put out:

(noun)  Ben puts garbage out twice a week.

OR:   Ben puts out garbage twice a week.
(noun phrase)  Ben puts his parent’s garbage out every week.
OR:   Ben puts out his parent’s garbage every week.
(object pronoun)  – How often does Ben put garbage out?
   – He puts it out twice a week. (Not: He puts out it …)

1.  We’ve been trying to call Julia, but she’s not  . (picking up / picking it up)

2. Your clothes are everywhere! Why don’t you  ! (pick up them / pick them up)

3. I’m sorry I  earlier. (hung up on you / hung you up on) 

4. Give me your jacket. I’ll  the closet. (hang up in it / hang it up in)

5. Our flight is leaving soon. We in 20 minutes. (take off / take it off)

6. Can you help me? My ring is stuck. I can’t  . (take off it / take it off)

English 6 Complete ©Berlitz Languages, Inc. Slide 7 of 10

Online Practice – Credits Describe problems with calls and suggest solutions

  ONLINE PRACTICE 

Unit Photo Credits (listed from beginning-to-end, left-to-right English 6 Complete

within this unit): iStockphoto, iStockphoto ©2020 Berlitz Languages, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Images Describe problems with calls and suggest solutions

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Images Describe problems with calls and suggest solutions

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