Hi! Thanks for listening to another episode. I'm Georgiana, your English teacher, and my mission is to help you SPEAK English fluently.

Alright! Let's jump in!

Zoom has become a crucial tool for remote work and communication. But, as you may have experienced, technical problems can pop up during a Zoom call.

As an English learner, it's important to feel comfortable using the app and handling any problems that may come up.

Don't worry if you're not a tech expert. Learning the basics of Zoom will help you communicate better with your coworkers and clients. It's a good idea to practice using Zoom's simple features, like sharing your screen, using the chat, and muting your microphone. These features can make your Zoom meetings run more smoothly.

To help you tackle these issues, I've prepared an example conversation on Zoom addressing common technical problems.

Participants: John from the United States; Maria from Brazil, and Yuna from South Korea

John: Hello, everyone. Can you hear me clearly?

Maria: Yes, I can hear you, John.

Yuna: Sorry, I'm having trouble hearing you. I may have a problem with the connection.

John: No problem, Yuna. Can you check your internet connection or try refreshing your browser?

Yuna: Sorry to interrupt, but my screen is blank. Is anyone else having this issue?

Maria: No, my screen is working fine.

John: Yuna, can you try exiting and then rejoining the meeting?

Yuna: Okay, let me try that.

Maria: John, I think you're frozen. I mean, your screen is frozen. Can you hear me?

John: Oh, sorry about that, Maria. I need to figure out what's going on. Let me turn off my camera and then turn it back on.

Maria: I'm also having some issues. The image and sound are out of sync on my end.

Yuna: I agree, Maria; I noticed the same thing.

John: Hmm, that's strange. Let me check my internet connection to see if that's the issue.

Maria: You're breaking up a little bit, Yuna. Can you repeat what you just said?

Yuna: Sorry about that. I said we needed to discuss the marketing strategy for the new product launch.

Maria: There's an echo on the line. Can someone please mute themselves if they're not speaking?

John: That's a good point, Maria. I am having trouble hearing you, Yuna. I think you're on mute.

Yuna: Oh, sorry about that. Can you hear me now?

John: Yes, we can hear you now, Yuna. Let's continue with the meeting.

Before continuing, let's review the key phrases I have used in the dialogue:

#1 I'm having trouble hearing you. - This phrase indicates that you cannot hear someone clearly and need them to speak louder or adjust their microphone.

#2 I think you're on mute. - Mention this when someone is speaking, but their microphone is muted, making it impossible to hear them.

#3 I may have a problem with the connection. - When facing issues related to the internet connection, such as poor video or audio quality, use this expression.

#4 The screen is blank. - If someone is supposed to share their screen during a presentation but nothing is visible, you can say this.

#5 The screen is frozen. - This expression refers to a shared screen or video feed that stops moving or updating, usually due to a poor internet connection.

#6 You're frozen. - You can use this phrase when someone's video feed is stuck and not moving, indicating a problem with their internet connection or device.

#7 The image and sound are out of sync. - If the audio and video of a person's feed are not aligned, making it difficult to follow the conversation, you can point it out with this expression.

#8 You're breaking up a little bit. - When someone's audio or video is cutting in and out, making it hard to understand them, mention this phrase.

#9 There's an echo on the line. - This expression is helpful when there's a noticeable echo or feedback in the audio, usually caused by someone's speakers being too loud or not using headphones.

#10 I am having trouble hearing you. - We use this expression when someone's voice is not clear or loud enough to be understood.

Now, let’s practice.