Reporting a Broken Appliance to Landlord
A tenant discovers that their refrigerator or washing machine is not working and needs to contact their landlord to report the issue and request a repair.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
issue
A problem or concern. In this dialogue, Emily uses it to politely describe the washing machine problem, which is a common way to report issues without sounding too negative.
stopped working
Means something that was functioning is no longer operating. This is a practical phrase for describing broken appliances in everyday conversations.
plugging it in and out
Connecting and disconnecting the power cord to try fixing a device. It's a basic troubleshooting step people often try before calling for help.
power on
To turn on using electricity. Here, it means the machine won't start at all, useful for explaining electronic failures.
completely dead
Totally not working, with no signs of life like lights or sounds. This vivid expression helps emphasize the severity of a breakdown.
take a look
To examine or inspect something quickly. It's informal and commonly used when asking someone to check a problem.
flexible
Able to change plans easily. Emily uses it to show she's open to different times for the repair, which is polite in scheduling talks.
get back to you
To contact someone again later with more information. This is a standard phrase in professional or service conversations to promise a follow-up.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
I'm calling because I have an issue with the washing machine.
This is a polite way to start a call about a problem. It uses 'because' to give a reason, which is useful for reporting issues clearly. Practice this for customer service or landlord talks.
It seems to have completely stopped working.
Describes a problem tentatively with 'seems to have,' making it less direct. The present perfect 'have stopped' shows a recent change. Great for explaining breakdowns without blame.
I tried plugging it in and out, but it won't even power on.
Shows what you've already tried to fix it, using 'tried... but' for contrast. 'Won't even' adds emphasis on failure. This builds credibility when asking for help.
Is it making any noise at all, or just completely dead?
A question to gather more details, using 'or' for alternatives. 'At all' emphasizes checking for any sign. Useful for service providers diagnosing problems over the phone.
I'll need to send someone over to take a look at it.
Promises action with 'I'll need to,' which is polite and professional. 'Send someone over' means dispatching help. This is key for responding to repair requests.
Are you available sometime this week for a repair person to come by?
Asks for availability using 'sometime' for flexibility and 'come by' for a casual visit. The infinitive 'to come by' explains the purpose. Essential for scheduling appointments.
I'm pretty flexible. Any weekday afternoon works for me.
Offers options politely with 'pretty flexible' (meaning quite adaptable) and 'works for me' (suitable). This shows cooperation in planning, common in service dialogues.
Let me check with my repairman's schedule and I'll get back to you with a confirmed time later today.
Uses 'let me' for permission to act, future 'I'll get back' for follow-up, and 'with a confirmed time' for specifics. This reassures the caller and is standard in business calls.