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Moving abroad: the English you need for the doctor, the bank and your landlord
Nobody tells you that the hardest English after moving is not the exam. It is calling the landlord about the heating.
These conversations feel stressful because something important depends on them. But they follow the same pattern every time: say who you are, say the problem, ask what happens next.
At the doctor’s
- I’d like to make an appointment, please.
- I’ve had a pain in my back for about a week.
- It gets worse when I...
- Could you write that down for me, please?
At the bank
- I’d like to open an account.
- What documents do I need to bring?
- How long does it take for the card to arrive?
With your landlord
Look at this
Your heating stopped working yesterday.
Hello. Heating is not working. Please fix.Clear, but it can sound rude, and it does not ask when.
Hi, it’s Ada from flat 3. The heating hasn’t worked since yesterday. When could someone come and take a look?Who you are, the problem, what happens next. Polite and firm.
At your child’s school
- How is she getting on?
- Is there anything we can do at home to help?
- Could we arrange a time to talk?
Your first-week list
- Write who you need to talk to this week.
- For each one: who you are, the problem, what happens next.
- Practise once out loud before the call.
- Ask them to write down anything important.
Want to practise this with a real person? My Conversational English lessons are relaxed, private and on Microsoft Teams. You talk for most of the lesson, and I show you a natural way to say what you mean.
Want help with this?
Book a class and we work on it together, build your free roadmap to see where you stand, or ask us a question first.
