Phoning a company is hard in any second language. There's an automated menu, hold music, and then a real person who speaks quickly and very politely. Learners often translate directly and say "I call for my bill" or "Wait, I search my number". In this episode: • How to use this lab • The call • Check the details • Decode the politeness • Shadowing • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key phrases from this episode: the automated menu (AW-tuh-may-tid) — the recorded voice that gives choices press one for... — push the number one on your phone hold music — music you hear while you wait on hold — waiting on the phone line an adviser (ud-VY-zuh) — the person who helps you get through — finally speak to a real person put you through — connect you to another person or team Can I take your postcode, please? — please tell me your postcode (polite) Could you spell that for me? — please spell it (polite) Bear with me — please wait (polite) I'll put you through — I'll connect you Sorry, could you repeat that? — I didn't catch it (polite) Sorry, I didn't quite catch that — I didn't hear (polite) Could you say that a bit more slowly? — please slow down (polite) It looks a bit high — it's too high (soft) Real British English: the complete spoken course for learners worldwide — modern British accent, everyday grammar, phrasal verbs, idioms, slang, he/she/it for things, and real conversations at home. Listen, repeat out loud, then take the 52-question quiz. Audio voiced with AI from an original script by Dr. Rashmi R Nair.