The Grab Bag of

Telephone
Activities

A Collection of Telephone-Related
Activities for the ESL Classroom
Canadian Edition

Elizabeth Ganong
Dan Ingram
The Grab Bag of Telephone Activities 2002 eslresources.com 416-466-7875
PHOTOCOPIABLE BY PURCHASER

ESL RESOURCES

Copyright Notice
Copyright 2002 Revised Edition 2004 ESL Resources All rights reserved

Important Copyright and Photocopy Permission Information

There seems to be more demand for ESL services and less money for books! Its not easy to be an ESL teacher without photocopying
books. ESL Resources recognizes this and provides ESL teachers with a relatively cheap source of legally reproducible books. For
$25 - $50 purchasing teachers get an ESL book with permission to photocopy. The cost of the book is often less than 50 cents per
reproducible page. Each book represents hundreds sometimes thousands of hours of preparation time. Teachers, how much is your
time worth? ESL Resources has the books - now keep us in business by purchasing our books.

Purchasing Teacher (One Teacher Permission)

A purchasing teacher is granted permission to photocopy this book for use by his/her students. You can be an itinerant teacher at
several sites or based at one site. Photocopies are not for resale.

Purchasing School (One School/Site Permission)

If you need photocopy permission for your entire school it can be arranged for an additional fee. Please contact me at
thane@eslresources.com for further information. Photocopies are not for resale.

FAQ
Q: Can I make a copy for a teacher so she can photocopy from the photocopy for her students?
A: Photocopying from a photocopy of this book is known as a pirate copy and is illegal. Isnt it better just to purchase the book
with permission to photocopy for less than $50?
Q: Can I borrow this book from a resource center or library then photocopy it?
A: No, that would be copyright violation. You only get a photocopy license if you purchase the book or your school has purchased a
site license.

Printed in Canada
ESL Resources
15 Ravina Crescent Toronto Ontario Canada M4J 3L9
Toll free 1-866-833-9485
fax 416-466-4383
www.eslresources.com
e-mail thane@eslresources.com
ISBN: 1-894799-08-9

The Grab Bag of Telephone Activities 2002 eslresources.com 416-466-7875

PHOTOCOPIABLE BY PURCHASER

Contents
Introduction...i

Question Match...25

For Sale...50

About The Authors...i

Number Search...26

On The Phone...51

Quick Start...1

Party Plans...27

Alexander Graham Bell...52

Discussion Start...1

Whats Your Number?...28

Telephone Prepositions...54

Answering Order...2

Yellow Pages Search...30

Please Tell...55

On The Phone...4

I Cant Come Today...31

Call Answer...58

Not Right Now...5

My Grandfather Chet...32

Question Form...60

Telephone Talk...6

Using A Pay Phone...33

Help Is On The Way...61

Wrong Numbers...7

A Call For Pizza...34

Telephone Game Board...62

Word Place...8

Call Talk...36

Game Board Template...63

Alphabetizing...9

Conversation Complete...37

A Friendly Call...64

Your Thoughts...10

Good News, Bad News...38

Telephone Answer...65

My Machine...11

You And Your Telephone...40

Youre Invited...67

Answering Machines...12

Telephone Talk...41

I Cant Make It...68

Telemarketers...14

Number Fish...42

Phone Action...69

Questioning...16

Codes...42

Zero or 0...77

Pass It Along...17

Calling For Information...43

Not At Home...79

Read It...18

More Than Numbers...44

Looking for a Place...79

Why Call Them...20

Telephone Book Find...44

Perfect Endings...80

I Would Like...22

Job Search Role Plays...46

Cant Talk Now...81

Conversation Checks...23

Complete The Call...48

Got to Go82

Telephone Invitations...24

Already or Yet?...49

Limited Time...83

The Grab Bag of Telephone Activities 2002 eslresources.com 416-466-7875

PHOTOCOPIABLE BY PURCHASER

Titles in the Grab Bag Series

The Grab Bag of Socializing (2000)
The Grab Bag of Telephone Activities (2000) (Second Revised Edition)
The Grab Bag of Canada (2001)
The Grab Bag of America (2004)
The Grab Bag of Health (2003) (Second Revised Edition)
The Grab Bag of Work (2004) (Second Revised Edition)
The Mixed Bag Volume 1 (2004)
The Mixed Bag Volume 2 (2004)

The Grab Bag of Telephone Activities 2002 eslresources.com 416-466-7875

PHOTOCOPIABLE BY PURCHASER

Introduction
Using the telephone is no doubt one of the biggest challenges that your ESL students face. While on the
phone, neither person can rely on those all important visual clues that tell you how a person is feeling or
whether or not a person is following along and so on. Additionally, ESL students have to utilize one of
their weakest skills listening. A Grab Bag of Telephone Activities will help your students gain confidence to use the telephone. They will practice answering the phone, calling for information, taking messages and leaving messages. They will also practice using the language structures they need to communicate effectively. The next time a phone rings, they may grab it!

About the Authors

Dan Ingram and Elizabeth Ganong met teaching Adult ESL at the Canadian Cooperative for
Language and Cultural Studies in Toronto in 1992. It was within this Language Instruction for
New Comers and teacher-training environment that the idea for sharing teaching materials
formed. In 1995, they started The Grab Bag, a newsletter of ESL teaching ideas. Over the past
few years, they have facilitated workshops at numerous conferences, including TESL Toronto,
TESL Durham, TESL Niagara, TESL Ontario, and TESL Canada.
Dan had his BRE and M.Miss when he was introduced to ESL in Ecuador. When he returned from
this overseas experience, he got his TESL Certificate from CCLCS and started teaching in the
LINC program at CCLCS. Dan is currently teaching at CCLCS.
Elizabeth had her B.A. when she started working at Humber College in 1985. It was there that
she was introduced to ESL. After receiving her TESL Certificate from Humber, she taught ESL as
a part-time and sessional instructor. She also has experience working with Humbers Summer
Language Program and extensive experience with LINC at CCLCS. Elizabeth currently teaches
with the Peel District School Board. In addition, Elizabeth has her B.Ed, M.Ed, and ESL Part 1.

The Grab Bag of Telephone Activities 2002 eslresources.com 416-466-7875

PHOTOCOPIABLE BY PURCHASER

The Grab Bag of Telephone Activities 2002 eslresources.com 416-466-7875

PHOTOCOPIABLE BY PURCHASER

Quick Start
Put the following on the board: __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __

Divide the class up into small groups. Dont give the students any hints about the subject. The first
group guesses a letter. If the letter is correct, give the group the opportunity to guess the two
words. If the letter isnt correct, the next team guesses a letter. Continue until the puzzle is solved.
(The answer is wrong number.)
This is a fast and fun lead-in to the topic of wrong numbers.
You could also use this same idea to introduce answering machines, telephone book or some
other topic.

Discussion Start
Put the list below on the board. In small groups, your students will discuss which is the most annoying and why.

no answer when you call someone and no answering machine

an answering machine that doesnt always work
a busy signal
voice mail
call display
call waiting
someones cell phone ringing in a movie theatre
someone talking on a cell phone and driving erratically

As an extension, the students could write about their ideas for the
best ways of keeping in touch.

The Grab Bag of Telephone Activities 2002 eslresources.com 416-466-7875

PHOTOCOPIABLE BY PURCHASER

Answering Order
Introduction
Ahead of time, think of some telephone numbers in your area. You could use the number for your
school, the number for emergency services, the number for the police (non-emergency), the
number for popular fast food delivery services, and so on. You need one number for each pair. Give
each student part of a number and have the pairs get together. To make this process easier, you
can divide the numbers as follows:

82

8-2222

967-1

91

111

When they pair up, they will discuss what the numbers are for. Talk about whether or not you
need to include the area code in order to make a local call in your town or city. Practice the
pronunciation of telephone numbers. Focus on stress and pausing.
Next, have the pairs ask and answer the questions below.
1) Is it easy to talk on the phone? Why or why not?
2) Do you answer the phone at home? Why or why not?
3) What do you do if you dont understand someone on the phone?
Then, they will share one or two ideas from their discussion with the whole group.

Main Activity
Give each pair a copy of the dialogues on the next page. (Prior to class, you should copy a page
for each pair and cut the dialogues into strips.) Tell them there are three conversations. Ask each
pair to put the three conversations in order. After they have completed the ordering activity,
spend some time on comprehension and usage. Ask them who is calling (and how they know its
a friend). Also, discuss the use of This is John or It is John instead of I am John. In pairs,
have them practice the conversations. After they have practiced the conversations a couple of
times, encourage them to try the conversations without looking at the examples.

Extensions
The students will create conversations for someone who is not at home.
In addition, have them do the On The Phone puzzle on page four.
Ask the students over the next little while to share their experiences on the telephone.

The Grab Bag of Telephone Activities 2002 eslresources.com 416-466-7875

2

PHOTOCOPIABLE BY PURCHASER

A: Hello.
B: Hello. This is John. Is George around?
A: Yes, he is. Just a minute and Ill get him.
B: Okay. Thanks.
A: Hello.
B: Hello. Could I please speak to George?
A: Speaking.
B: Oh, hi George. Its John.
A: Hello.
B: Hello. Its John calling. Is George home?
A: Yes, he is, but hes taking a shower. Can he call you back?
B: Sure, but Im going out in an hour.

The Grab Bag of Telephone Activities 2002 eslresources.com 416-466-7875

PHOTOCOPIABLE BY PURCHASER

On the Phone
1

3
4

5
6

10
11

12

Across

Down

1. Just a ______ and Ill get her.

1.Shes not here. Can I take a ______?

5. Many people in offices have voice _____, so

you can leave a message.

2. To tell someone who you are, you say,

_______ is Bob on the phone.

6. Now, most people have _______ tone phones

rather than rotary phones.

3. Many places have _____ messages. You dont

talk to a person to get information.

7. Many people have ______ machines. You can

leave a message on them.

4. When someone asks for you and you

answer the phone, you can say, _________.

9. In Winnipeg, the area ________ is 204.

8. Sorry, you have the ______ number.

11. You _____ a number when you want to

make a call.

10. A: Sorry, hes not in.

B: Could I possibly _______ a message?

12. Please leave a message after the ________.

12. Can I call you ______ in an hour?

The Grab Bag of Telephone Activities 2002 eslresources.com 416-466-7875

4

PHOTOCOPIABLE BY PURCHASER

Not Right Now

Jose:

Hello, may I speak to Sulli?

Susanna:

Im sorry. She cant come to the phone right

now. Shes playing soccer.

Jose:

Oh! This is Jose. Would you tell her I called?

Susanna:

Sure. Do you want her to call you back?

Jose:

No thats okay. Ill try again later.

Susanna:

Ill tell her you called. Bye.

Jose:

Thanks. Good-bye.

Instructions
Look at these pictures and decide why these people cant come to the phone right now. Using the
reasons, practice the dialogue.

The Grab Bag of Telephone Activities 2002 eslresources.com 416-466-7875

PHOTOCOPIABLE BY PURCHASER

Telephone Talk
The students will develop three simple telephone conversations. The scenarios are
as follows:
a) the person being called is at home
b) the person being called is not at home
c) it is a wrong number
Provide opportunities to practice after each conversation is created. Then, use the activity below
as additional practice using the three types of conversations. For each pair, one student gets the
card which lists who to call, and the other student gets the card with the response information.

Call:
1) Suada

At home:
Fa Jin and Suri

Call:
1) Rada

At home:
Delia

2) Fa Jin

Not at home:
Suada

2) Peter

Not at home:
Ali and Rada

3) Isaac
4) Maria

Wrong number:
Isaac and Maria

5) Suri

3) Delia
4) Ali

Wrong number:
Peter and Raj

5) Raj

Call:
1) Ali

At home:
Suada

Call:
1) Maria

At home:
Raj and Isaac

2) Delia

Not at home:
Fa Jin and Delia

2) Isaac

Not at home:
Peter and Maria

3) Suri
4) Fa Jin
5) Suada

Wrong number:
Suri and Ali

3) Raj
4) Rada

Wrong number:
Rada

5) Peter
The Grab Bag of Telephone Activities 2002 eslresources.com 416-466-7875

PHOTOCOPIABLE BY PURCHASER

Wrong Numbers
Instructions
Practice these dialogues with a partner.

Dialogue #1
A:

Hello.

B:

Hello. Could I speak to Bob?

A:

No, Im sorry. You must have the wrong number.

B:

Is this 763-5142?

A:

Yes, it is, but theres no Bob at this number.

B:

Oh, Im very sorry.

A:

No problem. Good-bye.

B:

Bye.

Dialogue #2
A:

Hello.

B:

Hello. Is Bob there please?

A:

No, theres no Bob here. You must have the wrong number.

B:

Is this 533-8900?

A:

No, it isnt.

B:

Oh, Im sorry.

A:

Good-bye.

B:

Bye.

The Grab Bag of Telephone Activities 2002 eslresources.com 416-466-7875

PHOTOCOPIABLE BY PURCHASER