• Getting a taxi
•  confirming it’s your taxi
• destination
• modifying the journey
• payment
• tests
• roleplay

Getting a taxi

verbs : call, book, hop, pick up, drop off,  hail, flag down, take

nouns : cab, taxi, uber, minicab, black taxi, meter (the machine that calculates cost), landline, postcode

adjectives: outside

adverbs: nearly

I’ll call a taxi

I’ll book an Uber

Have you got the X app ?

When you see a parked taxi

Hello are you available?

At the hotel

Could you book a taxi for me please?

Outside the hotel 

Could you hail / get / stop a taxi for me please?

On the phone:

Hello I’d like to book a taxi to ….

Sorry there’s a wait of 2 hours

There’s none available now

What’s your address?  What’s your location? Where are you?

They ask: Telephone number?

You reply: This one, can you see it?

They may ask: I need a landline, not mobile

How much would that be?

How much would that cost?

About…. £55

Can you pick me up at 7pm?

How long is the wait?

We have 7 people, do you have a people carrier (big taxi-van)?  Or do we need 2 taxis?

It’s on its way! It’s coming now!

Waiting for the Taxi

The taxi is nearly here

The taxi is outside, let’s go!

Did somebody call (for) a cab?

Checking the taxi

If you booked the taxi, do not give your name.  For security, the taxi must confirm your name. 

Hello, are you the taxi / Uber?

The driver will say:

(Are you) (name) ?

or

I’m picking up (name).

You reply:

Yes, that’s me.

Alright, hop in / get in

Destination

a car pulls up

Need a ride?

in front of a taxi rank

Please join the end of the line

After hailing a taxi

Hello, I’d like to go to …

Could you take us to

Driver may ask

Where are you/ we headed (to)?

What’s your destination?

Where are you/we going?

67 St Paul’s road, please

UK : What’s the postcode?

WC1 5RN

US : What’s the zip code?

541 365

Others: What’s the area code?

Problems

It’s too far, I need to clock off soon (I will finish my shift)

It’s too close, you should walk or ask another taxi

Your friend looks drunk, is he going to be sick?  I’m not taking him/her.

 

In the taxi

Do not say

Could you please shut the **** up?

Just ******* drive, will you?

To avoid conversation

Sorry I don’t speak English well

Could you speak slower please

I’m sorry I have a headache/ I’m tired, could we listen to the radio?

Could we turn down/up the radio please?

Sorry I can’t/ don’t want to talk, but I’ll give you a good rating

About the drive

Could you slow down please

I’m in a hurry, could you go faster please?

Could I open the window please

Do you mind if I smoke?

Could you stop by the side please, I need to throw up (vomit)!

You ask:

(Could you tell me), how much longer till we get there?

They reply:

• Just a little longer
• Another, (I would) say…. 15 minutes

 

Modifying the journey

Excuse me, can you

• turn around please
• take a right here
• take the next left

I’m running late, could we take the quickest way / route please?

Could we go past Big Ben on the way?

I need to pick up a friend

I need to stop at this shop, could you wait for me please

Ok, but the meter is running

Arriving

Hello / Sorry / Excuse me,

can you

drop us off 

Do you mind dropping us off

Can you let me off

• here
• at the end of the street
• over there
• at the bus stop
• at the X shop
• on the other side of this road
• just past the …

This will be fine, thanks

Just here will be fine thanks

Driver will say

I’ll drop you off here

There’s nowhere to stop / it’s difficult to park there so I’ll drop you here ok?

 

Payment

I don’t accept cards

Ok, could you stop me off at a cash machine please? / Could you take me to a cash point please?

Do you need a receipt?

Ok that is/will be $14.54 please

Here you are / thank you

Do you have anything smaller?

Keep the change

Here’s a tip

Test

1. Where are you ____ ? (Destination?)
2. How much would that _____?
3. I can wait for you but the ______ is running
4. Could we go _____ Buckingham Palace on the way?
5. Do you _____ dropping us off here?
6. It’s difficult to stop down the road so I’ll ______  you here, ok?
7. Thank you for the payment.  Do you need a _____?
8. Thank you for the ride, driver, it was very pleasant.  Here’s a _____ (bonus money)
9. Have you ever played Sega’s _____ Taxi?
10. Can you please just _____ the _____ up? (Be quiet)

 

Answers

1. headed / going
2. cost / be
3. meter/time
4. past / by
5. mind
6. drop
7. receipt
8. tip
9. Crazy
10. shut / ****

Test for registered users

Roleplay

a. Taxi!

Taxi pulls up

b. Greeting, ask for destination

a. Greeting, give destination

b. Agree, tell customer to get into the taxi

a. Explain you have a friend in the cafe with a suitcase, just behind you

b. Explain you will stop down the road because this is a bus lane, and the cost will start from now

a. Agree.  Ask for approximate cost.

b. Respond

a. Agree, explain you will return

person A goes to Cafe, collects their friend and goes to Taxi

a. Ask to open the back of taxi to put the suitcase

b. Ask customer to wait, and help them with suitcase

a. Give thanks

b. Respond

Get in the taxi

Drive in the taxi for a while

b. Ask why there is a suitcase.

a. Explain there is a dead body inside, then say it was a joke

b. Say nothing

a. Explain reason for suitcase

b. Say nothing

a. Ask for time left to arrive

b. Respond

The taxi arrives

a. Ask for cost

b. Respond

a. Complain this is much higher than the original estimate

b. Explain there was traffic

a. Curse the traffic, present your card

b. Explain you don’t accept this type of card

a. Complain and explain there is no tip, give large bank notes

b. Ask for smaller size.

a. Explain you don’t have any

b. Say that you don’t have change

a. Tell taxi to keep the remaining money.  Complain.

b. Give thanks

a. Say goodbye