Understanding a High Bill
A customer calls the utility company because their latest bill is significantly higher than usual and they want to understand why.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
utility bill
A bill for services like electricity, water, or gas from a public company. Use this when talking about payments for home services.
account number
A unique number given to your customer account for identifying your records. Provide it when calling companies for help.
unusually high
Something higher than normal or expected. Use this to describe unexpected increases, like in prices or usage.
breakdown
A detailed list showing parts of a total, like bill items. Ask for a breakdown to understand costs better.
stumped
Confused and unable to understand or solve something. Use it when you're puzzled by a situation.
consumption
The amount of something used, like electricity. Common in bills to show how much energy you used.
appliances
Household machines like refrigerators or washers that use electricity. Mention them when discussing energy use.
heatwave
A period of very hot weather. Use this to explain reasons for higher cooling costs in summer.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
How may I help you today?
A polite way for service reps to offer help. It's formal and open-ended, useful for starting customer service calls. Grammar: 'May' makes it polite and indirect.
I'm calling about my latest utility bill. It seems unusually high, and I'm trying to understand why.
States the purpose of the call and the problem clearly. Useful for complaining or inquiring politely. It uses 'seem' for uncertainty and 'trying to' for ongoing effort.
Can you please provide your account number or the service address?
Requests specific information needed to help. 'Please' adds politeness; 'or' gives options. Use this in service roles to gather details efficiently.
Would you like me to go over the breakdown with you?
Offers to explain details step by step. 'Would you like' is polite for suggestions. Useful for confirming if the customer wants more info.
I haven't changed any of my habits, so I'm a bit stumped as to why it's so much higher.
Explains no personal changes and expresses confusion. 'So' connects ideas; 'as to' introduces reasons. Good for describing unexpected issues.
Did you have any new appliances running or perhaps an extended period of air conditioning use?
Asks about possible causes with examples. 'Or perhaps' suggests alternatives softly. Use in troubleshooting to identify problems.
Ah, that makes sense. Thank you for clarifying that.
Shows understanding and gratitude. 'Ah' expresses realization; 'makes sense' means logical. Useful to acknowledge explanations positively.
Is there anything else I can assist you with today?
Checks for more needs before ending. Polite closing question in service. 'Assist with' is formal for helping.