Using the Post Office

A. Conversation

Customer         : Please give me ten Five Rupees stamps.

Clerk               : Here they are.

Customer         : How much is that?

Clerk               : Fifty Rupees.

Customer         : I’d like to mail this Letter.

Clerk               : How do you want to send it?

Customer         : By ordinary mail.

Clerk               : That’ll be five rupees per letter.

Customer         : I want to send this letter by Registered post.

Clerk               : All right. I’ll weigh it.

Customer         : How much will it cost to go that way?

Clerk               : It’ll cost Twenty five rupees.

Customer         : What’s the fastest way to send this Letter?

Clerk               : By Speed Post, but it’ll be expensive.

Customer         : How much will it cost to send it by Speed Post?

Clerk               : Just a moment. Let me weigh it.

Customer         : Do you sell envelopes here?

Clerk               : Only envelopes with stamps printed on them.

B.

Locating a post office

• Is there a post office near here?
• Where is the (nearest) post office?
• Where is the main/central post office?
• Where’s the nearest post/mail box?

 C.

Talking about postage

• How much is it for a letter to (Japan)?
• What is the letter rate to (Europe)?
• Is there a special rate for (cards)?
• How much is this by airmail to (Canada)?
• Three to Europe, please (getting stamps).
• I’d like to send this by (parcel post)
• Could I have six stamps for (postcards)?
• When will this get to (Athens)?
• How long does it take (by airmail)?
• When should this reach (London)?

D.

Postage problems

• This arrived damaged/torn.
• I’ve been expecting a package from (Denmark).
• It was posted two weeks ago.
• Could you look into this?
• Can you find out what’s gone wrong?
• Can you check for me?

E.

Special services

• I want to send a telegram.
• What’s the fastest/safest way of sending this?
• I want to send this express to Cairo.
• I want this insured.
• I want this to go registered mail.
• I’d like proof of posting.
• I want to send it “recorded delivery”
• Can I have a customs form, please?

F.

Sending and Receiving Letters

• Are you writing a letter?
• Yes. I’m writing to my family.
• Do you write letters very often?
• Yes. I write five or six letters a week.
• No. I hate to write letters.
• Does John get many letters?
• Yes. He gets some everyday.
• Charles wrote me a long letter.
• When did he write to you?
• He sent the letter to me about a week ago.
• He hasn’t even sent me a postcard yet!
• We wrote to Mary’s sister last week.
• Has she written to you yet?
• No, she hasn't.
• She wrote to me a few days ago.
• Have you written to your brother yet?
• Yes, but I haven’t mailed the letter yet.
• Did your friend in Japan write to you?
• Yes. I got a letter from her yesterday.
• Did you write a reply to John’s letter?
• Yes. I wrote one on Tuesday.