English speaking lesson · Services & Admin
Customer service call
Your latest bill looks higher than usual, and you're calling customer service about it. You practise it as a real conversation, at whichever of the four levels fits you — the room and the steps stay the same, only the words get harder.
A call about your bill · you talk to the customer service agent
Free plan: 10 messages a day. No card needed.
What you have to do
Explain the problem, give your account details, point to the charge, and get it resolved. You finish the lesson by getting there in conversation — not by answering questions about it. Nothing is corrected while you talk; the corrections are collected and handed to you at the end.
How it opens
Hello, thanks for holding — how can I help you today?
Spoken aloud by the tutor playing the customer service agent.
The 5 steps that finish it
A step clears when you say the thing that clears it. The steps are identical at all four levels — only the example line fades, and at Natural there is none at all.
- 01
Say why you're calling
Say why you're calling.
“Hello! My bill is too high — I think it's wrong.”
- 02
Give your account details
Give your account number or name.
“My account number is 4821.”
- 03
Point to the charge
Say which charge looks wrong.
“There's an extra charge on it.”
- 04
Check the details
Check the details are right.
“Yes, that's right.”
- 05
Get it resolved
Say how you'd like it resolved, and finish politely.
“Can I get my money back? Thanks for fixing it!”
The words, at all four levels
The same room and the same steps, four vocabularies. These are the words the lesson listens for and scores you on — with what each one means and how it sounds when you are talking to the customer service agent.
Starter
A1 – A2Simple, everyday words with a full hint on every step.
- bill
- the paper showing what you owe
- “My bill is too high.”
- high
- more than expected
- “My bill is too high.”
- wrong
- not correct
- “I think it's wrong.”
- account
- your record with a company
- “Here's my account number.”
- number
- a set of digits
- “My account number is 4821.”
- extra
- an added amount
- “There's an extra charge.”
- charge
- an amount added to your bill
- “There's an extra charge.”
- right
- correct
- “Yes, that's right.”
- money
- cash or funds
- “Can I get my money back?”
- thanks
- a short way to say thank you
- “Thanks for fixing it.”
Conversational
A2 – B1Common words at a natural pace, with hints to lean on.
- statement
- a record of account activity
- “My statement looks wrong.”
- unexpected
- not what you were expecting
- “There's an unexpected charge.”
- query
- a question about something
- “I'd like to query a charge.”
- reference
- a code identifying your account
- “Here's my reference number.”
- billed
- charged for something
- “I've been billed twice.”
- twice
- two times
- “I've been billed twice.”
- refund
- money paid back to you
- “Could I get a refund?”
- correct
- right, with no mistakes
- “Yes, that's correct.”
- credited
- added back to your account
- “Could it be credited instead?”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for something
- “I appreciate you sorting it.”
Confident
B1 – B2Richer, more specific words, with only light hints.
- discrepancy
- a difference that shouldn't be there
- “There's a discrepancy on my bill.”
- itemised
- listed out item by item
- “Could I get an itemised bill?”
- duplicate
- an exact repeat of something
- “It looks like a duplicate charge.”
- erroneous
- incorrect, made in error
- “The charge appears erroneous.”
- adjustment
- a correction made to an account
- “Could you make an adjustment?”
- escalate
- to raise an issue to someone more senior
- “Should I escalate this?”
- resolved
- sorted out and settled
- “When will it be resolved?”
- confirm
- to say something is definitely settled
- “Could you confirm in writing?”
- sorted
- arranged and settled
- “That's sorted, thanks.”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for
- “I'd appreciate that.”
Natural
B2 – C1Advanced, idiomatic words — no hints at all.
- sting
- an unpleasant unexpected cost (informal)
- “It's a bit of a sting.”
- rogue
- unexpected and out of place
- “There's a rogue charge here.”
- runaround
- being passed about without help (informal)
- “I'd rather avoid the runaround.”
- chase
- to follow up on something (informal)
- “I've had to chase this twice.”
- goodwill
- kindness beyond what's required
- “Perhaps as a goodwill gesture?”
- hassle
- annoying trouble or difficulty
- “It's been a fair hassle.”
- ping
- to send quickly (informal)
- “Could you ping me confirmation?”
- obliged
- grateful for a favour
- “Much obliged, thank you.”
- sorted
- dealt with and settled
- “Great, that's sorted.”
- cheers
- informal thanks
- “Cheers, appreciated.”
More Services & Admin lessons
- Opening a bank account
- Courier claim
- Making an insurance claim
- Registering at the town hall
- Renewing your ID
- At the tax office
- Visa appointment