Making Appointments and Solving Problems on the Phone.
American English for Life and Work in the USA. Lesson 4.
In this lesson you pick up the phone to deal with real-life tasks: booking a medical appointment, scheduling a haircut, and calling a service provider about a problem. You practice the full call from start to finish, including automated menus, spelling your name, giving dates and times in American formats, and confirming key details. You notice how receptionists and agents typically open and close calls, and which polite phrases they expect from you. We also look at how Americans describe simple problems quickly, without long background stories, and how they ask you follow-up questions. You compare the phrasing you might use in your own variety of English with natural U.S. options for making, changing, and canceling appointments. By the end, you can handle common phone calls clearly and calmly, even when the other person speaks quickly.
1. Calling a new doctor's office.
Imagine it is your first week in a U.S. city and you need a regular doctor. In the U.S., you usually call a clinic or primary care office to schedule an appointment. That first phone call can feel stressful, especially when there is an automated menu and the receptionist speaks quickly. In this block, we will focus only on the beginning of the call: how the office answers, how you introduce yourself, and how you clearly say what you want. After that, you will listen to a short example call and check that you understood the most important details.
On the phone in the U.S., receptionists often start with the name of the office, a polite greeting, and a question like, "How can I help you?" Your job is to answer that question in one or two clear sentences. For example, "Hi, my name is Ana Silva. I would like to schedule an appointment" or "I am calling about a new-patient appointment." If you are not sure the doctor is accepting new patients, you can add, "Is the doctor taking new patients?" Notice that you do not need a long story about your move or your whole health history, just a short reason for your call.
Now you will hear a complete example of a patient calling a clinic in the U.S. Listen for three things: what kind of appointment the patient asks for, the date and time the receptionist offers, and what personal information the patient gives. Then you will write your answers on the screen.
Step 1: Hear how a real U.S. clinic answers the phone.
In the audio at the top of this block, you will hear a very typical pattern for a U.S. medical office phone call.
Receptionists often sound something like this:
> Receptionist: "Thank you for calling Greenfield Family Medicine, this is Melissa. How can I help you today?"
The key parts are:
Name of the office: Greenfield Family Medicine
Friendly greeting: Thank you for calling
Name of the person: this is Melissa
Clear question: How can I help you today?
Your answer does not need to be complicated. You can follow a simple pattern:
> Caller: "Hi, my name is \_\_\_. I would like to schedule an appointment."
> Caller: "I am calling about a new-patient appointment."
> Caller: "Is the doctor taking new patients?"
You can also add a very short reason if needed:
> "I have been having some back pain."
> "It is just for a general check-up."
Notice what you do not say at the beginning. You do not need to explain your whole medical history, your insurance, or how long you have been in the U.S. That can come later, if they ask.
The model call you will hear.
In the listening activity, you will hear a short call like this:
> Receptionist: "Thank you for calling Greenfield Family Medicine, this is Melissa. How can I help you today?"
> Caller: "Hi, my name is Luis Ramirez. I just moved to the area and I would like to schedule a new-patient appointment."
> Receptionist: "Sure, we are taking new patients. Is there any doctor you prefer, or the first available?"
> Caller: "The first available is fine."
> Receptionist: "We have Tuesday, April fifteenth at three thirty p.m. Does that work for you?"
> Caller: "Yes, that works. Thank you."
> Receptionist: "Great, can I have your phone number and date of birth, please?"
The exact wording in the audio will be a little different, but the structure is the same. While you listen, focus on catching:
Type of appointment (for example, new-patient check-up, follow-up, physical).
Offered date and time in American style (month + day, and a.m. or p.m.).
Personal information the caller gives (for example, phone number, date of birth, email).
You do not need to write every word. You only need to understand and write the key information.
Practice & Feedback
Listen carefully to the phone call between the receptionist and the patient. You can replay the audio a few times if you need to. Then, answer the three questions below in complete sentences.
What kind of appointment is the caller asking for?
What date and time does the receptionist offer?
What personal information does the caller give to the office?
Write your answers in your own words. Do not try to write a full transcript. Focus on the important details: type of visit, the exact date and time in American format, and which details about the caller are shared. This will help you practice listening for key information in real U.S. phone calls.
2. Giving and checking dates and times.
You just heard a receptionist offer an appointment time. For many learners, dates and times on the phone are one of the most stressful parts of a call. In American English, people usually say the month first, then the day, and they often use a twelve-hour clock with a.m. and p.m. Also, many Americans speak quickly when they say numbers, so it is easy to confuse fifteen with fifty, or three thirty with three thirteen.
In this block, we will slow everything down. You will see how Americans typically say and write dates and times for appointments, and how you can repeat them in a natural way. Two phrases from your chunk bank are very powerful here: "Could you repeat that date and time?" and "Just to confirm, that is April fifteen at three thirty, right?" These phrases protect you from mistakes. Even native speakers in the U.S. use confirm questions like this all the time.
We will look at a few examples on the screen with both British-style and American-style dates, and with different ways to say times. Then you will practice turning short notes, like "5/3, 2 pm", into complete, clear confirmation sentences. This will make it much easier to check that you understood correctly during a real phone call.
How Americans say dates on the phone.
In the U.S., people almost always say the month first, then the day:
April fifteenth (not "fifteenth of April")
June third (not "third of June")
December twenty-second
When they write dates in short form, they usually use month/day/year:
4/15/2025 = April 15, 2025
6/3/24 = June 3, 2024
If you come from a place that uses day/month/year, this can be very confusing. So on the phone, it is smart to say the month in words, not just numbers.
How Americans say times on the phone.
Most U.S. receptionists use the twelve-hour clock with a.m. and p.m.:
9:00 a.m. → "nine a.m."
2:15 p.m. → "two fifteen p.m." or "a quarter past two"
3:30 p.m. → "three thirty p.m." or "half past three"
7:45 p.m. → "seven forty-five p.m." or "a quarter to eight"
In real life, they often speak fast:
> "We have Tuesday, April fifteenth at three thirty."
> "The only thing I have today is two fifteen."
You can slow the conversation down by repeating and confirming:
"Could you repeat that date and time, please?"
"Just to confirm, that is April fifteen at three thirty p.m., right?"
"So, that is Monday, June third at nine a.m.?"
Mini-practice: from notes to full confirmation.
Imagine you are taking quick notes while you are on the phone. Your paper looks like this:
Dr. Patel – 5/3, 2 pm
Dentist – 10/12, 9:30 am
Salon – Fri 7/19, 6 pm
Now look at how you could say each one as a full confirmation sentence:
"Just to confirm, that is May third at two p.m., right?"
"So my appointment is October twelfth at nine thirty a.m., correct?"
"Let me check I got that right: Friday, July nineteenth at six p.m."
In the activity below, you will practice turning short written notes about appointments into clear, natural spoken confirmation sentences.
Practice & Feedback
Read the short appointment notes in the resource carefully. Imagine these are your handwritten notes from a fast phone call. Your job is to turn each note into one complete confirmation sentence that you could naturally say on the phone in American English.
For each line, write a full sentence that:
says the month first, then the day;
includes the time clearly, with a.m. or p.m.;
uses a confirmation phrase such as "Just to confirm" or "So, that is".
Write three separate sentences, one for each appointment. You can copy and adapt the examples from the screen, but change the dates and times to match the notes. This is writing practice, but imagine you are really speaking to a receptionist. Focus on clarity and natural American date and time style.
Here are your quick notes from three different phone calls:
Clinic – 8/2, 11:15 am
Dentist – Mon 11/18, 4:45 pm
Physical therapy – 3/7, 7:30 am
Remember: in American style, 8/2 is August 2, and 3/7 is March 7.
3. Rescheduling a medical appointment.
Real life changes. Maybe you booked a doctor’s appointment, but then your manager schedules an important meeting at the same time, or your child gets sick. In the U.S., it is completely normal to call and reschedule or even cancel an appointment, as long as you do it in advance and stay polite. In this block, we will practice how to change a medical appointment by phone.
The key skills are: clearly identifying your existing appointment, briefly explaining that you need to change it, asking for a new time, and confirming the new date and time. You do not need a long, emotional explanation. One short sentence such as, "Something came up at work" or "I have a conflict that day" is usually enough. Then you can use phrases from your chunk bank, like "Can I reschedule for another day?" or "Does anything open up after five p.m.?" to find a better time.
On the screen, you will see a model mini-dialogue of a rescheduling call with a clinic. Pay attention to the structure: greeting, old appointment details, request to reschedule, negotiation of a new time, and final confirmation. After that, you will write your own short script for calling the same clinic to reschedule, using information about your imaginary appointment.
Structure of a rescheduling call.
Here is a simple, natural structure for changing a medical appointment in American English:
Greeting and identification
Old appointment details (date, time, doctor)
Reason and request to reschedule
Negotiating a new time
Confirming the new date and time
Polite closing
Model mini-dialogue.
> Receptionist: "Thank you for calling Greenfield Family Medicine, this is Melissa. How can I help you today?"
> You: "Hi, this is Luis Ramirez. I have an appointment next Tuesday with Dr. Lee at three thirty, and I need to reschedule."
> Receptionist: "No problem. Let me pull up your appointment. One moment, please."
> Receptionist: "Okay, I see it. What days or times work better for you?"
> You: "I have a conflict that afternoon. Do you have anything later in the week, maybe after five p.m.?"
> Receptionist: "We have Thursday at five fifteen or Friday at four. Which do you prefer?"
> You: "Thursday at five fifteen works for me."
> Receptionist: "Great, I will move your appointment to Thursday, April eighteenth at five fifteen p.m."
> You: "Just to confirm, that is Thursday, April eighteenth at five fifteen p.m., right?"
> Receptionist: "Yes, that is correct."
> You: "Perfect, thank you so much."
> Receptionist: "You are welcome. Have a good day."
Useful chunks for rescheduling.
Notice the short, effective phrases:
"I need to reschedule."
"I have a conflict that afternoon."
"Do you have anything later in the week?"
"Does anything open up after five p.m.?"
"Thursday at five fifteen works for me."
"Just to confirm, that is April eighteenth at five fifteen, right?"
These phrases are polite but not too formal. They sound like everyday American English.
In the activity, you will imagine you already booked an appointment, but now you must change it. You will write your side of the phone call as a short script, using this structure and these chunks.
Practice & Feedback
Imagine you already have this appointment: Tuesday, May 14 at 3:30 p.m. with Dr. Lee at Greenfield Family Medicine. Now you realize you cannot make it because of work. You want something Thursday or Friday after 5 p.m.
Write your side of a short phone call to the clinic to reschedule. Do not write the receptionist’s lines, only what you would say.
Include at least 5–7 sentences that cover:
your greeting and name;
the original appointment details;
a brief reason and the request to reschedule;
what times work better for you;
a final confirmation of the new date and time;
a polite closing.
Use some of the useful phrases from the examples on the screen, such as "I need to reschedule" or "Just to confirm...". Try to sound calm, clear, and polite, like in a real call.
Your current appointment details:
Clinic: Greenfield Family Medicine
Doctor: Dr. Lee
Date: Tuesday, May 14
Time: 3:30 p.m.
Your new preference:
Day: Thursday or Friday
Time: after 5:00 p.m.
Reason: you have an important work conflict that afternoon.
4. Explaining a problem to customer service.
Phone calls are not only for appointments. Very often in the U.S. you call a company because something is not working: your internet keeps dropping, your car is making a strange noise, or a bill looks wrong. In these situations, American customer-service agents usually want a **short, clear description** of the problem, not a long story.
In this block, we will practice how to explain a simple technical or service problem, using the example of home internet that keeps disconnecting. From your chunk bank, you already have two excellent sentences: "I am calling because my internet keeps dropping" and "I have been hearing a noise in the car." Both follow the same pattern: "I am calling because" plus a short description.
On the screen you will see a short model conversation with an internet company. Notice how the customer gives a quick summary first, then answers a few simple questions: when the problem started, how often it happens, and what they have already tried. After that, you will listen to an agent asking you some questions, and you will write a few sentences as if you are the customer, answering clearly and calmly.
Describe the problem first, details second.
With U.S. customer service, it helps to start with one clear sentence that names the problem. For example:
"I am calling because my internet keeps dropping."
"I am calling because I am seeing an error message on the screen."
"I am calling because my bill is higher than usual this month."
Then the agent will ask follow-up questions to get more detail. You do not need to tell the whole story from the beginning. Let them guide you.
Model conversation: home internet issue.
> Agent: "Thanks for calling NorthStar Internet Support, this is Jason. How can I help you today?"
> You: "Hi, I am calling because my internet keeps dropping."
> Agent: "I am sorry to hear that. When did the problem start?"
> You: "It started about a week ago."
> Agent: "How often does it happen?"
> You: "A few times every hour, especially in the evening."
> Agent: "Have you tried restarting your modem or router?"
> You: "Yes, I have turned it off and on several times, but it did not help."
Notice how each answer is short but specific. There is no long story about working from home, your deadline, or your feelings. That information might be important to you, but the agent mainly needs technical facts.
Useful patterns.
You can reuse these patterns with many problems:
"It started [time period] ago."
> "It started about two days ago."
"It happens [frequency], especially [when]."
> "It happens a few times every hour, especially in the afternoon."
"I have already tried [action], but [result]."
> "I have already tried restarting the modem, but it did not fix the problem."
In the activity below, you will hear an agent ask you some of these questions. Your task is to write what you would say as the customer, answering each question in one or two clear sentences.
Practice & Feedback
Listen to the short audio of a customer-service agent talking to you about your home internet. Imagine you are on this call right now. The agent will ask you several questions: when the problem started, how often it happens, and what you have already tried.
After listening, write 3–5 sentences as if you are the customer. Answer the agent’s questions clearly and briefly. Use patterns from the screen, such as:
"It started about ... ago."
"It happens ... times ..."
"I have already tried ..., but ..."
You do not need to copy the model exactly. Use your own details, but keep your answers short, specific, and polite. This is great writing practice for the kind of clear explanations that agents expect in real American calls.
5. Booking a haircut around your schedule.
Not every phone call is serious. Sometimes you are just trying to take care of everyday life: a haircut, a manicure, a massage. These calls are usually shorter than medical calls, but the language is very similar. You still need to say what you want, ask about available times, and choose a slot that works with your schedule.
In this block, we will move from clinics to a hair salon. Imagine you have a busy week at work, but you really need a haircut before the weekend. You want something after work, maybe around six p.m., and you are flexible about the exact day. You will see a model dialogue and some useful phrases for asking about the earliest available time, and for asking if anything is open after five p.m.
Then you will write a short script for your own call to a salon. This is a chance to connect all the skills from earlier blocks: a clear opening, asking for the right service, negotiating dates and times in American format, confirming the final appointment, and closing the call politely.
From doctor to salon: same structure, lighter tone.
A salon call is friendlier and less formal, but the structure is almost the same as a medical call:
Greeting and name of the business
Your greeting and name
What you want to book
Questions about available dates and times
Choosing a time that fits your schedule
Confirming the appointment
Polite closing
Model dialogue: booking a haircut.
> Salon: "Thank you for calling Sunset Salon, this is Brianna. How can I help you?"
> You: "Hi, my name is Alex. I would like to schedule a haircut."
> Salon: "Sure. Are you looking for a specific stylist, or anyone who is available?"
> You: "Anyone is fine."
> Salon: "Okay, what days and times work best for you?"
> You: "I work until five, so I am looking for something after six p.m., maybe Thursday or Friday."
> Salon: "Let me see. We have Thursday at six fifteen or Friday at seven. Which do you prefer?"
> You: "Thursday at six fifteen works for me."
> Salon: "Great, I have you down for a haircut on Thursday, July eleventh at six fifteen p.m. Can I get a phone number for your appointment reminder?"
> You: "Sure, it is 617-555-2310."
> Salon: "Perfect. You are all set, Alex."
> You: "Thank you so much. Have a good one."
Useful chunks for personal appointments.
Here are some flexible phrases you can reuse in many calls:
"I would like to schedule an appointment."
"What is your earliest available time?"
"Does anything open up after five p.m.?"
"I am looking for something after six if possible."
"Thursday at six fifteen works for me."
"Could you repeat that date and time, please?"
These phrases sound friendly and normal in U.S. English. Notice that the tone is relaxed: "Have a good one" is a very common informal goodbye.
In the activity, you will plan and write your own call to a salon, using your real or imagined schedule.
Practice & Feedback
Imagine it is Wednesday, and you want a haircut before Saturday. You work until 5:30 p.m. each weekday. You decide to call a local salon, "Downtown Styles", and ask for an evening appointment.
Write a short script of your side of the phone call. Do not write the salon's lines, only what you say.
Include at least 8–10 lines, each as a separate sentence, covering:
your greeting and name;
what kind of appointment you want;
questions about their earliest available time;
your constraint that you finish work at 5:30 p.m.;
choosing a specific date and time that works for you;
repeating or confirming the final date and time;
a friendly closing.
Try to reuse useful chunks like "What is your earliest available time?" and "Does anything open up after five thirty p.m.?". Write as if you are really speaking on the phone in U.S. English.
Your situation:
Today is Wednesday.
You want a haircut before Saturday night.
You work Monday–Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
The salon is called Downtown Styles.
You are flexible about the exact stylist.
You prefer a time after 6:00 p.m. on any weekday, or anytime on Saturday morning.
6. Full practice call with repair strategies.
You have now practiced many pieces of American-style phone calls: starting calls, asking for an appointment, giving and confirming dates and times, rescheduling, and explaining a simple problem. In this final block, you will put everything together in a more complete, realistic interaction.
One more important skill for real calls is using **repair strategies** when you miss something. Even native speakers often cannot hear clearly on the phone. The line cuts out, the other person speaks quickly, or there is background noise. In those moments, it is completely normal to say things like, "Could you repeat that, please?", "Could you spell that?", or "Could you say that a bit more slowly?" Using these phrases does not make you look weak; it makes you look careful and professional.
On the screen, you will see a checklist for a successful call and a small bank of repair phrases. Then you will choose one scenario and write a short, chat-style conversation with a receptionist or agent. You will write both sides of the conversation, but focus especially on how **you** speak: clear reason for calling, good use of dates and times, and at least one repair phrase. This is a small capstone for the lesson, and a good model you can adapt for real life.
Your mini checklist for U.S. phone calls.
When you prepare for a real call in the U.S., you can use this simple checklist:
Opening
Say hello and your name.
Mention why you are calling in one clear sentence.
Details
For appointments: say what kind of appointment you want and possible days/times.
For problems: give a short description and answer basic questions.
Dates and times
Use month + day and a twelve-hour clock.
Repeat and confirm the final date and time.
Repair strategies
Ask people to repeat, slow down, or spell important information.
Closing
Check if they need anything else from you.
Say thank you and a short goodbye.
Useful repair phrases.
Here are some friendly, natural ways to repair communication on the phone:
"Could you repeat that date and time, please?"
"Sorry, I did not catch that. Could you say it a bit more slowly?"
"Could you spell that name for me, please?"
"Just to confirm, that is April fifteenth at three thirty, right?"
"Let me make sure I understood correctly..."
You can use these with doctors' offices, salons, internet providers, and many other services.
Your final integrated task.
Now you will choose one of these situations:
Call a doctor's office to schedule a new-patient appointment.
Call a clinic to reschedule an existing appointment to a different day and time.
Call your internet provider because your connection keeps dropping.
You will write a chat-style conversation as if you are messaging with a receptionist or agent. You will write both sides: the receptionist/agent and you. This will help you plan what you want to say and how the other person might respond.
In the activity, follow this pattern:
> Receptionist: ...
> You: ...
> Receptionist: ...
> You: ...
Include at least 6–10 turns in total, and use at least one repair phrase from the list above.
Practice & Feedback
Choose one of the three situations from the screen: new doctor appointment, rescheduling a clinic visit, or calling about an internet problem.
Write a chat-style conversation between you and the receptionist or agent. You should:
Write both sides of the conversation;
Use the labels "Receptionist:" and "You:" at the beginning of each line;
Include at least 6–10 lines in total;
Show a clear opening, some questions and answers, and a polite closing;
Use at least one repair phrase, such as "Could you repeat that, please?" or "Just to confirm...";
Use natural American-style dates and times if you talk about appointments.
Focus on making your lines clear, polite, and natural. Imagine you will use this as a script or mental model for a real call in the U.S.
Situations to choose from:
New doctor appointment
You just moved and want to become a new patient.
You are free most afternoons after 3:00 p.m.
Rescheduling a clinic visit
You already have an appointment next Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.
You need to move it to Thursday or Friday afternoon.
Internet keeps dropping
Your home internet has been disconnecting for the last few days.
You work from home and need a stable connection.
Pick the one that feels most useful for your real life.
