Phone Rings in a Waiting Room
While waiting in a doctor's office or clinic, your phone rings before you can mute it. You offer a quick apology to the other patients.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
sorry
An expression used to apologize for something you did wrong or to express regret. It's very common in casual English, like saying 'I'm sorry' or just 'sorry'.
silent
Meaning no sound is made. For phones, 'on silent' means the ringer is turned off so it doesn't make noise in quiet places like a doctor's office.
apologies
The plural form of 'apology', used to say sorry in a polite way. It's more formal than 'sorry' and often used when you want to show respect, like 'My apologies'.
muted
Similar to silent, it means the sound has been turned off or lowered. For phones, 'muted' means no ringtone or notifications will play.
worries
Plural of 'worry', meaning concerns or things that make you anxious. In phrases like 'no worries', it means no problem or don't be concerned.
sweat
In the idiom 'don't sweat it', it means don't worry or stress about something small. It's informal and used to reassure someone.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Oh! So sorry about that!
This is a quick, casual apology for a sudden mistake, like a phone ringing. 'So sorry' adds emphasis to show genuine regret, and 'about that' refers to the specific incident. Useful in everyday situations to politely say sorry without over-explaining.
I thought I had it on silent. My apologies.
Here, the speaker explains the mistake briefly before apologizing. 'I thought I had it on silent' uses past tense to describe an assumption, and 'my apologies' is a polite phrase. This pattern is great for apologizing while giving a simple reason, common in professional or quiet settings.
No worries, it happens!
A reassuring response to an apology, meaning 'don't worry about it'. 'No worries' is informal slang for 'it's okay', and 'it happens' acknowledges that such mistakes are normal. Use this to comfort someone who apologizes for something minor.
Don't sweat it. We all forget sometimes.
This dismisses the apology casually. 'Don't sweat it' is an idiom meaning 'don't worry', and 'we all forget sometimes' uses 'we all' for inclusivity to make the person feel better. It's useful in friendly conversations to show understanding and empathy.
Thanks. Just got it muted.
A short way to thank someone for understanding and update on fixing the issue. 'Just got it muted' uses present perfect 'got it muted' to mean recently silenced the phone. This sentence helps end the interaction politely and shows quick action.