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Joy English · Level C1 · Shoppingjoy-english.com

A delayed parcel

Name:Date:

Follow a customer service call with passive forms and reported problems.

Listen to each sentence and write what you hear.

Audio and answer checking: https://joy-english.com/listening-lessons/a-delayed-parcel

Words to know

parcel
A package sent by post.
depot
A building where goods are stored before delivery.
dispatched
Sent off to a destination.
replacement
A new thing that takes the place of a lost one.

Answer key

  1. I ordered this parcel almost a fortnight ago, and the tracking page has not changed since last Tuesday.'Fortnight' means two weeks. 'Ordered this' links as 'ordered-this'.
  2. I can see that it reached our sorting depot, but it appears to have been sent to the wrong region.'Depot' has a silent t: DEP-oh in British English, DEE-poh in American English. 'Appears to have been' is reduced: 'appears-ta-v-been'.
  3. That would explain the silence, although I am surprised nobody noticed the mistake sooner.'Would explain' links as 'wood-explain'. 'Noticed the' joins the t and th: 'noticed-the'.
  4. I will arrange for a replacement to be dispatched today, and you will not be charged for it.'Arrange for ... to be dispatched' uses a passive infinitive. 'Charged' is said with a j sound: CHARJD.
  5. Thank you; if the original turns up as well, I will happily send it back at no cost.'Turns up' means arrives unexpectedly. 'Send it back' links as 'sen-di-back'.

Joy English · free English practice · https://joy-english.com/listening-lessons/a-delayed-parcel