在大一点的国际公司中，一般都会有总机接线生（operator¹）帮你转接各个部门的电话。因此当你听到接线生说：Would you please spell the name?时， 最好能将受话人的名字拼出来；如果名字过长，则可要求接线生在复述一遍，以免发生“搭错线”的尴尬情形。

(O=operator, C=Chinese)

O: DEF Company. May I help you?

C: Yes, please. May I talk to Mr. Brown? (Put me through to Mr. Brown.)

O: I beg your pardon?

C: Mr. Brown, please.

O: Would you spell the name, please? (May I have the spelling, please?)

C: That's B-R-O-W-N.

O: B-R-O-W-N, correct?

C: That's right.

O: You are calling Mr. Brown in the Foreign Department?

C: Yes.

O: Thank you for waiting. (I'm sorry to have kept you waiting.) He is on the line. Go ahead, please.