Page 604 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

8 asking people to wait
Just a moment. Hold the line, please. Hold on a moment, please. Hang on. (informal)
9 things a switchboard operator may say
One moment, please. (The number's) ringing for you.
(I'm) trying to connect you. (I'm) putting you through now.
I'm afraid the numberlline is engaged (BrE) / busy (AmE). Will you hold? I'm afraid there's no reply from this number / from her extension.
10 wrong number
I think you've got the wrong number. I'm sorry. I've got the wrong number.
11 problems
Could you speak louder? It's a bad line (BrE) I bad connection. You're breaking up.
I'll call again. I was/got cut off.
I rang/called you earlier but I couldn't get through.
579 telling the time
1 saying what time it is
There are two common ways of saying what time it is.
8.05 eight (oh) five OR five past eight
8.10 eight ten OR ten past eight
8.15 eight fifteen OR a quarter past eight
8.25 eight twenty-five OR twenty-five past eight 8.30 eight thirtyoR halfpast eight
8.35 eight thirty-five 0 R twenty-five to nine 8.45 eight forty-five OR a quarter to nine 8.50 eight fifty 0 R ten to nine
9.00 nine o'clock
Americans prefer to write a colon between the hours and the minutes: 8:50. People generally prefer to say minutes past/to for times between the five- minute divisions.
seven minutes past eight (More natural than seven past eight)
three minutes to nine (More natural than three to nine) The expression o'clock is only used at the hour. Compare:
Wake me at seven (o'clock).
Wake me at ten past seven. (NOT ••• tell f'tt3t selfen 6'e/tU:k.) Past is often dropped from half past in informal speech.
OK, see you at halftwo. (= ..• half past two.)
In American English after is often used instead of past (e.g. ten a.fU!r six); but Americans do not say halfafter. And in American English of, before and till are possible instead of to (e.g. twenty-five ofthree).
telling the time 579
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