# Phone and Telephone

## Verb + phone

* answer the phone
* use the phone
* pick up / put down the phone
* get off the phone
* come to the phone
* charge your mobile phone
* the phone rings

## Phone + noun

* a phone box
* a phone call
* your phone number
* your phone bill
* the telephone directory

## Common expressions

* be **on** the phone
* put the phone down on (him)
* the use of mobile phones
* do something **by** phone
* speak to her on the phone
* **leave the phone off the hook**
* your mobile phone

## Exercise

### Verb + phone

1. I was just going to sleep when the phone ***rang***.
2. I've *rung* at least four times in the last hour. Nobody is ***answering*** the phone.
3. Do you mind if I ***use*** your phone to make a quick call?
4. I forgot to ***charge*** my mobile phone last night, so that's why you couldn't reach me.
5. When I saw the smoke, I picked ***up*** the phone and dialed 999.
6. I wish Shaw would get ***off*** the phone. He's been ***on*** it for hours!
7. *It's a very bad line*. Put the phone ***down*** and l'll call you straight back.
8. I'm sorry he's too busy to come ***to*** the phone. Shall I get him to call you back later!

### Phone + noun

1. I'm sorry I don't have his phone ***number*** or his address.
2. I'm sorry I wasn't able to return your phone ***call*** earlier. I've been away from the office for a few days.
3. We tried looking up his number in the telephone ***directory*** but it wasn't in the book.
4. We ran up a huge phone ***bill*** while we were away on holiday. I had no idea that international calls were that expensive!
5. I think that phone ***boxes*** will soon be a thing of the past, now that nearly everybody has ***mobile*** phone.

### Common expressions

1. Who was that on the phone just now? - c
2. Harry's number is still *engaged*. Maybe he's left the phone off the hook. - d
3. The use of mobile phones is not permitted inside the aircraft. - e
4. *The line's gone dead*. He's just put the phone down on me! - a
5. You can *place* your *order* by phone or e-mail. - b

## Notes

1. Note the expression:

   *I read the exam results out to him **over the phone**.*
2. Note the vocabulary we use specifically for mobile phones:
   1. *My new mobile phone has 50 ringtones.*
   2. *I mostly use my mobile for texting.*
   3. *Is your mobile pay-as-you-go?*
   4. *My mobile needs re-charging.*


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