🔊 Audio Practice
✍️ Your Answer
MR THORNDYKE: Thorndyke’s
EDITH: Good morning. Is that Mr Thorndyke?
MR THORNDYKE: Speaking. How can I help?
EDITH: I’ve got quite a few things which need painting and fixing in the flat and I wonder whether you’d be able to do the work.
MR THORNDYKE: I’m sure I’d be able to help but let me take down a few details.
EDITH: Yes, of course.
MR THORNDYKE: Well, firstly, how did you hear about us?
EDITH: It was my friend May Hampton … you did some excellent work for her a couple of years ago. Do you remember?
MR THORNDYKE: Oh, yes, that was in West Park Flats, lovely lady.
EDITH: Yes, she is.
MR THORNDYKE: And what’s your name, please?
EDITH: It’s Edith Pargetter1.
MR THORNDYKE: Edith … can you spell your surname, please?
EDITH: It’s P-A-R-G-E-double T-E-R.
MR THORNDYKE: Double T, right. And do you live in West Park Flats as well?
EDITH: No, actually it’s East Park, Flat 42.
MR THORNDYKE: Oh, right, that’s over the road, I seem to remember – quite difficult to get to.
EDITH: Yes, it’s at the back of the library3.
MR THORNDYKE: Right, I know. And what’s your phone number?
EDITH: 875934 but I’m out a great deal in the afternoons and evenings.
MR THORNDYKE: So would the best time to ring you be in the morning4?
EDITH: Yes.
MR THORNDYKE: Fine. I’ve made a note of that. Can I just ask, I’ll be in a van and I know parking’s rather difficult round your flats. Where would you recommend?
EDITH: Well, I always tell people in larger vehicles to park by the postbox on the other side of the road from the entrance5.
MR THORNDYKE: Good, thanks.
EDITH: And will you be able to give me a full itemised quote?
MR THORNDYKE: Oh, yes, I’ll list all the jobs separately with individual prices6.
EDITH: That’d be a great help.
MR THORNDYKE: No problem.
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MR THORNDYKE: Now, what would you like me to do?
EDITH: Firstly and most urgently is in the kitchen. With all the weather damage, the glass in the door has cracked and I’d need that fixing7 …
MR THORNDYKE: I presume you mean replacing?
EDITH: Oh, yes. And as soon as possible …
MR THORNDYKE: What I’ll do is come round tomorrow morning and do that immediately.
EDITH: Thank you so much. The other things aren’t so urgent but …
MR THORNDYKE: Now, I’ll make a note of everything you want doing.
EDITH: Well, in the kitchen I’d like some painting doing.
MR THORNDYKE: All the kitchen walls?
EDITH: Just the area over the cooker. It’s very greasy8 …
MR THORNDYKE: Right … it does tend to get that way!
EDITH: Yes!
MR THORNDYKE: Well, if you want a proper job done what I’d need to do is strip the old paint and plaster it about a week before I paint it9.
EDITH: Of course. Now, May tells me you also do work in the garden.
MR THORNDYKE: That’s right.
EDITH: Well, I’d like you to replace a fence10.
MR THORNDYKE: Just one?
EDITH: Yes, at the far end.
MR THORNDYKE: Fine. Shouldn’t be a problem.
EDITH: And that’s the lot.
MR THORNDYKE: Fine. Yeah, as I say I can come round tomorrow morning to look over things with you.
EDITH: That’s great, thank you.
MR THORNDYKE: So, I’ll look forward to seeing you tomorrow at …