Intermediate· B1–B2Daily life8 min

Making an appointment by phone

Call a hair salon, find a time that works, and confirm the details clearly.

The scene

You call a local hair salon to book a haircut. The time you want is already taken, so you need to find another option and confirm the booking.

Speaker A
Receptionist
Speaker B
You (caller)

Your goals

  • Open a phone call clearly and say why you are calling
  • Suggest and accept alternative times
  • Spell your name and confirm the details

Key vocabulary

Press the speaker to hear each word or phrase.

  • to book

    to arrange a time for a service in advance

    I'd like to book a haircut.

  • available

    free; not already taken

    Is anyone available on Friday?

  • fully booked

    having no free times left

    Sorry, we're fully booked on Saturday.

  • slot

    a short period of time kept for one appointment

    We have a slot at 4:30.

  • to confirm

    to say that something is definitely true or arranged

    Can I confirm your phone number?

  • to reschedule

    to change an appointment to a new time

    Can I reschedule if I'm running late?

  • to spell

    to say the letters of a word one by one

    Could you spell your last name?

Useful phrases

  • Hi, I'm calling to book …

    Saying why you are calling right away

  • Do you have anything on …?

    Asking about availability on a day

  • Does … work for you?

    Suggesting or checking a time

  • That works for me.

    Accepting a suggested time

  • Just to confirm, that's …

    Repeating the details to avoid mistakes

  • What's your cancellation policy?

    Asking what happens if you need to cancel

Practice studio: speak the dialogue

Pick your role and press Start. Your partner's lines are read aloud; then say your line into the microphone (or type it) and see which words you got right.

Your role

  1. Receptionist

    Good afternoon, Studio Nine Hair. How can I help you?

  2. You (caller)

    Hi, I'm calling to book a haircut. Do you have anything on Saturday morning?

  3. Receptionist

    Let me check. I'm sorry, Saturday morning is fully booked. Would Friday afternoon work?

  4. You (caller)

    Friday could work. What times do you have available?

  5. Receptionist

    We have a slot at three fifteen or one at five o'clock.

  6. You (caller)

    Five o'clock is better for me, because I finish work at four thirty.

  7. Receptionist

    Great. Can I have your name and a phone number, please?

  8. You (caller)

    Sure, it's Daniel Okafor. That's O-K-A-F-O-R. My number is 555 0148.

  9. Receptionist

    Thank you, Daniel. So that's a haircut on Friday at five.

  10. You (caller)

    Perfect. Just to confirm, how long will the appointment take?

You speak 5 lines as You (caller); Receptionist is read aloud for you.

Speech recognition is done by your browser (in Chrome and Edge this uses the browser maker's online service). Nothing is stored by AltFTool.

Your turn: speak freely

Answer out loud in your own words. There is no score here: aim for full sentences and fewer filler words.

  1. 1. Call to book a service you use, such as a haircut or a car repair, and ask for a time.

  2. 2. The time you want is not available. Suggest two other times.

  3. 3. Spell your full name and say your phone number slowly and clearly.

Quick quiz

Choose an answer to see if you are right and why.

  1. 1. The receptionist says, 'We're fully booked.' What does that mean?
  2. 2. Which is a good way to start the call?
  3. 3. How do you accept a suggested time?
  4. 4. Why do people repeat the details at the end of a call?

0 of 4 answered

Common mistakes

  • Avoid: I want to make a reservation for cut my hair.

    Say: I'd like to book a haircut.

    Use 'book' with services like haircuts; 'reservation' is mostly for restaurants and hotels.

  • Avoid: Is possible on Friday?

    Say: Is Friday possible?

    English sentences need a subject, so add 'it' or put the day first.

  • Avoid: I am agree with five o'clock.

    Say: Five o'clock works for me.

    'Agree' is a verb, so you do not use 'am' before it, and for times 'works for me' is more natural.

Tips

  • Have your calendar open before you call, so you can answer quickly.
  • Spell names letter by letter and say numbers in small groups.
  • Always repeat the day and time at the end of the call to confirm.

Questions about this lesson

How do you book an appointment in English on the phone?

Start with 'Hi, I'm calling to book…' then ask 'Do you have anything on [day]?' Finish by confirming: 'So that's Friday at five, right?'

What is the difference between 'book' and 'reserve'?

Both mean arrange in advance. People usually 'book' an appointment or a haircut and 'reserve' or 'book' a table or a hotel room.

Finish the lesson

Finish the practice studio and the quiz and this lesson is marked complete for you.

Next lesson: Asking your landlord for a repair

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