English for Students

English : Excuse Me

Can I say Excuse me to mean Please wait, When I get a telephone call and the person wants to speak to my mother or father?

There are several expressions that one could use when asking the person at the other end of the telephone to wait.

Some of them are:

• Please hold on

• Could you please hold on?

• Hold on, please

• Hang on a minute

• Just a minute

• He/she will be with you in a minute.

You do not say, Excuse me to the caller.

You could however use the expression with the person being called - in this case, your father or mother. You could say Excuse me, father. There's a call for you. You are using the expression excuse me to draw the attention of your parent.




COURTESY : The Hindu (The National News-Paper) - India