Say the digits separately after the point.

TELEPHONING 1

GETTING THROUGH

FOCUS 1. Read and discuss the lead-in and speech patterns

The following text is from a telephone directory. Read and label the drawing below.

Before you start

Be sure of the number you wish to call; check it in your personal list of numbers or in the directory.

For calls where you need to dial a code before the number you want, check the code in your dialling instructions. It helps to write down the complete code and number before you start to dial.

To dial a call

Lift the handset and listen for the dial tone before you make a call. When you dial, using either a dial or a press-button telephone, don’t pause too long between digits. When using a dial make sure that you rotate it firmly round to the stop and let it return by itself. When pressing buttons make sure that each button is depressed in turn to its full extent and be careful to press only one button at a time. Press the buttons at a steady rate.

Answering calls

Answer your telephone promptly, giving your name, the name of your firm or your number. Keep a message pad handy.

When you finish

Replace the handset promptly and firmly on its rest. This stops the charging if you made the call, and if you fail to do this you line may be temporarily disconnected.

SAYING NUMBERS

OH, ZERO, LOVE, NOUGHT, NIL.

The above are all ways of saying 0 in English.

We say oh	· after a decimal point · in telephone numbers · in bus numbers · in hotel room numbers · in years
We say nought	· before the decimal point
We say zero	· for the number · for temperature
We say nil	· in football scores
We say love	· in tennis

DECIMAL POINT

In English, we use a point (.) and not a comma (,) for decimals. We use commas in figures only when writing thousands.

10,001 is ten thousand and one.

10.001 is ten point oh oh one.

In English all the numbers after a decimal point are read separately:

10.66

ten point six six

NOT ten point sixty six

You will also hear people say:

0.05

zero point oh five

OR oh point oh five

But if the number after the decimal point is a unit of money, it is read like a normal number:

$14.60 fourteen dollars sixty

If you do business over the phone, say nought point five three seven (0.537) and NOT nought point five hundred thirty seven. If the listener missed the word point, you might lose a lot of money.

Say the digits separately after the point.

PER CENT

The stress is on the cent of per cent five percent

Date: 2015-12-24; view: 822

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