Numbers
Telephone numbers may be spoken in the following ways:
92430 nine two four three zero
nine two four three oh
5527 five five two seven
double five two seven
Sometimes the numbers are read in groups of two or three. English speakers usually group the numbers in threes, not in twos as is common elsewhere in Europe,
e.g.
531 326 five three one, three two six
Sometimes the numbers are read individually.
If you don't know the number, you have to look it up in the telephone directory or phone book.
There are some more symbols you have to read,
e.g.
/ LT/123 you read as " LT stroke one two three"
- 12-234 you read as " one two dash two three four"
. 5.6 you read as "five point six"
X 2x2 meters you read as " two by two meters"
* you read as " star"
# you read as " hash key "
EXERCISE
Listen and write down the information you hear.
1. / .
2. x x .
3. . . .
4. !
5. .
6. , .
7. - / .
8. ?
9. # .
10. .Note: A helpline (or hotline) was originally a telephone service which offered help to those who call. Many helpline services now offer more than telephone support - offering access to information, advice or customer service via telephone, email, web or SMS.