Rescheduling or Canceling Appointment
The patient needs to contact the clinic to either reschedule their health checkup appointment due to unforeseen circumstances or cancel it entirely.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
reschedule
To change the time or date of a planned event, like an appointment, to a new one. Use this when you need to move something to another time.
appointment
A fixed time to meet someone, such as a doctor or for a service. It's common in medical or professional contexts.
confirm
To check or make sure something is correct, like details of a plan. Staff often ask customers to confirm information.
unexpected
Something that happens suddenly and was not planned. Use it to explain surprises, like a sudden trip.
available
Free or open for use at a certain time. In scheduling, it means slots that are not yet booked.
preparations
Things you do to get ready for an event, like a medical test. It helps ensure everything goes smoothly.
fasting
Not eating or drinking for a period, often before medical tests. It's a specific preparation for health checkups.
prior to
Before something happens. It's a formal way to say 'before' and is useful in instructions or schedules.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Hello, I'd like to reschedule my health checkup appointment. My name is Sarah Miller.
This is a polite way to start a call for changing an appointment. 'I'd like to' is a soft request form, useful for customer service situations. Use it when booking or changing plans.
Certainly, Ms. Miller. Could you please confirm the original date and time of your appointment?
A helpful response from service staff. 'Certainly' means 'of course,' and 'Could you please' is polite for requests. This pattern is common in professional interactions to verify details.
Yes, it was scheduled for next Tuesday, October 24th, at 9:00 AM.
This confirms details clearly. Use dates and times like this in English: day, month, date, time. It's practical for appointments to avoid confusion.
I have an unexpected work trip that came up. I'm afraid I won't be able to make it.
'Came up' means suddenly happened, and 'I'm afraid' politely expresses regret. This sentence explains a reason for change, useful when apologizing for conflicts.
I understand. Let me see what's available. How about the following week, perhaps on Thursday, November 2nd, at 10:30 AM?
Shows empathy with 'I understand,' then offers options. 'How about' suggests ideas politely. Use this in service roles to propose alternatives.
That sounds perfect, thank you! Will I need to remember any specific preparations, like fasting?
Agrees positively with 'That sounds perfect' and asks about preparations. 'Like' introduces examples. This is useful for confirming details after agreeing.
Yes, please continue to fast for 8-12 hours prior to your new appointment.
Gives clear instructions. 'Prior to' means before, and the range '8-12 hours' specifies time. Use this structure for medical advice or preparations.
No, that's all. Thank you so much for your help, John!
Ends the conversation politely. 'That's all' means no more questions. Expressing thanks like this is essential for courteous closings in English calls.