Read & Listen: Emails & Telephone Messages
OVERVIEW
On this page, you will read about email and telephone messages.
- First, read the text.
- Then, listen to audio of the text.
READ & LISTEN
Image by salimfadhley, CC BY SA 2.0
Read:
There are different ways to communicate at work. Most of the time, people talk to each other. Talking in person is a good idea because you can ask questions. You can ask people to clarify their meaning. When you have more information, you can understand better.
It is also common to send emails. Emails are fast. You can send them anytime.
People use the telephone, too. The telephone is also fast, but sometimes the other person does not answer the phone. In this case, you should leave a voicemail.
When you communicate at work, it is important to be professional. You need to use more formal language when you speak and when you write. When you talk to people or talk on the telephone, you use their title, Mr. or Mrs. or Dr. and last name. For example: "Good afternoon Dr. Jones." Most Americans will say that you can use their first name.
When you leave a telephone or voicemail message, you need to speak slowly and clearly. If you leave a message, you need to leave your name and telephone number and say why you are calling. It is good to repeat your telephone number two times.
When you write an email, you should use a professional email address. You should also check your spelling and grammar.