Scheduled Power Outage Notification
A utility company representative is calling residents or businesses in an affected area to inform them about a planned power outage for maintenance or upgrades.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
outage
A period when electricity or another service is not available. In this dialogue, it refers to a power outage, which is common in utility discussions.
scheduled
Planned or arranged in advance for a specific time. Use this when talking about events set for a particular date, like a meeting or maintenance.
maintenance
Work done to keep equipment or systems in good condition. It's often used in services like electricity or cars to explain repairs.
infrastructure
The basic systems and structures needed for a society to function, like roads, power lines, and water systems. Here, it means power grid upgrades.
affected
Impacted or influenced by something, usually negatively. In this context, it describes areas hit by the power outage.
unplug
To disconnect an electrical device from the power source by removing the plug. It's a safety tip during outages to protect appliances.
appliances
Household machines or devices like refrigerators or washing machines that use electricity. Commonly used in home and utility conversations.
inconvenience
Something that causes trouble or difficulty. Companies often apologize for it, like in service disruptions, to show politeness.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
I'm calling to inform you about a planned power outage in your area.
This is a polite way to start a phone call with important news. Use it in professional situations to announce updates. The structure uses 'I'm calling to' for purpose, which is common in business English.
Thanks for the heads-up.
An informal expression meaning 'thank you for the warning in advance.' It's useful for casual responses to notifications. 'Heads-up' is a slang idiom for advance notice, great for everyday conversations.
The outage is scheduled for next Tuesday, June 25th, from 9:00 AM to approximately 3:00 PM.
This sentence gives specific details about timing. It's practical for scheduling talks. Note the use of prepositions like 'from...to' for time ranges and 'approximately' to indicate it's not exact.
Will our street be specifically affected, or is it a larger area?
A clarifying question to get more details. Use this when you need scope information. It uses 'or' for alternatives and 'specifically' to emphasize precision, helpful in inquiries.
We've sent out a detailed notice by mail, which should reach you in the next day or two.
This explains follow-up actions. Useful for customer service to reassure. The relative clause 'which should...' adds explanation; practice this for describing processes.
It's always a good idea to unplug sensitive electronics and appliances before the scheduled time.
Gives advice politely with 'it's a good idea to.' Ideal for safety tips. 'Sensitive' means easily damaged; use in instructions to prevent issues.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
A standard polite apology in service contexts. Use it to express regret professionally. 'Any' softens the statement, and 'may cause' shows possibility.
No problem at all. Thanks for the call and the detailed information.
A friendly way to end a conversation positively. 'No problem at all' means it's not an issue. Great for polite closings in phone calls.