Phone Talk – B1 English Vocabulary

Phone Talk

In this Intermediate Vocabulary Lesson about Phones, you will learn phone types, calling actions, and common phone features. The pictures, descriptions, and examples below will help you understand and remember the terms.



1 A landline is a phone that stays in one place and is connected by a cable.

• You can call me on my landline in the evenings.

2 A mobile phone (UK) or cell phone (US) is a phone you can carry with you and use anywhere.

• I usually carry my mobile in my back pocket.

3 A smartphone is a mobile phone that can connect to the internet and run apps.

• I was able to check my emails on my smartphone.

4 Voicemail is a system that records messages when you miss a call.

• Jim didn’t answer the call, so I left a message on his voicemail.

5 Signal is the strength of the phone connection.

• You’ll get a stronger signal if you go out into the garden.

6 A ringtone is the sound your phone makes when someone calls.

• That’s my phone ringing. I recognise the ringtone.

7 A SIM card is a small card in your phone that stores your phone number and information.

• All your personal data is stored on the SIM card inside your phone.

8 A charger is a cable used to power your phone’s battery.

• I was unable to charge my phone because I had left my charger at home.

9 When a phone is busy, the person you call is already talking to someone else.

• Joe’s line is busy; I’ll try calling him later.

10 When you’re on hold, you are waiting to speak to someone who is on another call.

• When I finally got through to the bank, they put me on hold for ages.

11 When you dial a number, press numbers on a phone to make a call.

• I picked up the phone and started to dial his number.

12 To ring someone means to call them.

• I’ll ring you as soon as I get home.

13 When you ring back or call back, you return a call to someone who called you before.

• Sam called while you were out. I told him you’d ring him back this evening.

14 A missed call is a call that you did not answer.

• I saw a missed call from my friend, so I called her back.

15 When you hold the line, you wait on the phone to speak to someone after your call has been answered.

• Please hold the line while we try to connect you to one of our sales assistants.

16 When you hang up, you end a phone call.

• I said goodbye and hung up the phone.

17 When you pick up the phone, you answer a call.

• Tom’s phone was ringing, so he picked it up and said “Hello.”

18 When you hold on, you wait on a call for a short time.

• Of course, you can speak to Tony. Hold on, and I’ll go get him.

19 When someone puts you through, they connect your call to another person.

• The helpful receptionist put me through to the manager.

20 If you are cut off, your phone is disconnected in the middle of a call.

• We were unable to finish our conversation because we were cut off in the middle of our call.

After completing the exercises in this lesson on Phones, you can use the unit’s Vocabulary Flashcards to revise and help you memorize the terms.