A A A A PRACTICAL ENGLISH

Troubleshooting
Lesson code: VJD9-44M8-GJQ3 INTERMEDIATE+
British English

1 Technical vocabulary
Match the words to the pictures.

a battery a cable a fan a keyboard

a motherboard a router a screen the mains

3.
1. 2. 4.

5. 6. 7. 8.

2 Problems and solutions

Now match the problems to the possible solutions on the right.

1. There's a virus a. Reboot your computer.

2. The internet is down.
3. The computer has crashed.
4. The screen is broken.
5. The tablet is `bleeping'.
b. Recharge the battery or connect to the mains.
c. Reinstall your operating system.
d. Reset your router.
e. Take it to a repair shop.
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 Troubleshooting
A A A A PRACTICAL ENGLISH

Listen to the dialogues and tick the words and phrases from this page that you hear. To play the dia-
logue go to http://www.linguahouse.com/ca6314fe-e1a8-d424-cdd5-0d8b2dd13da4/Troubleshooting-
Ex2/audioPlayer.html or scan the code on the right.

3 Checking understanding
Choose the correct answer for each question. Listen again to check your answers.

Dialogue 1

1. What is Kate's problem?

a. She can't restart her computer.
b. Her computer has a virus.
c. Her internet is down.

2. What does the technical support person want to know?

a. if she has tried resetting her router
b. if her computer is turned off
c. if she is making a coffee

3. What does he think is the problem?

a. her connection or router
b. her computer
c. her knowledge

4. What does he offer to do?

a. fix the problem himself b. send somebody to fix it

Dialogue 2

1. What is Kate's problem?

a. Her laptop won't start.
b. Her router doesn't work.
c. Her screen is broken.

2. What does Mark want to know?

a. if she has a spare battery
b. if she is at home
c. if she is connected to the mains

3. What does Kate want to know?

a. if her computer has a virus
b. if she should reinstall her operating system
c. if she should connect her laptop to the mains
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 Troubleshooting
A A A A PRACTICAL ENGLISH

4. What does Mark ask her to do?

a. open the computer
b. take it to a computer repair shop
c. throw away her router

4 Complete the dialogues

Now complete the dialogues and listen again to check your answers.

Do you think it could be ... Have you tried ...-ing

I have a problem with ... it might be ...
Maybe ... has stopped working something's wrong with ...
The best thing to do is ... there must be something wrong with ...

Support: DC Internet Provider. How can I help you?

1
Kate: Hello, my internet.
Support: What's wrong with it?
Kate: For some reason, it's just not connecting. It's been down all day.
Support: Are you connected via cable or Wifi?
Kate: Wifi
Support: Does the Wifi icon on your computer show that you are connected?
Kate: Yes, it does. But I can't open any webpages.
2
Support: reset your router?
Kate: Yes, I have. It hasn't helped.
3
Support: Well, there aren't any problems on our side, so your
connection or router.
Kate: Well,could you send someone to fix it today?
Support: Yes, I can do that.
Kate: When will they be here?
Support: They should be there this afternoon.

4
Kate: Hi Mark, my laptop.
Mark: What's the problem?
Kate: Well, it just won't turn on.
Mark: Are you connected to the mains?
Kate: Yes, I am. Obviously it's not the battery.
5
Mark: Well, the connection between the battery and the
motherboard. But if you are plugged in, it should be working.
6
Kate: a virus?
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 Troubleshooting
A A A A PRACTICAL ENGLISH

Mark: I don't think so. You just reinstalled your operating system. Mmmm...how old is your laptop?
Kate: Let me think. About 8 years.
7
Mark: your fan . It happened to me once.
Kate: What can I do?
8
Mark: take your laptop to a computer repair shop. They'll take a
look at it for you. Sorry I can't be of any more help.
5 Useful expressions
Put the expressions into the correct categories below.

Saying that there's a

problem:

Checking what somebody

has done to try to fix it:

Asking for someone's

opinion:

Giving a possible reason for

the problem:

Making a suggestion:

Now look at the situation and complete the dialogue below with suitable expressions from above:

Student A Student B
You have a problem with your smartphone. You Check if Student A has restarted the phone. You
can't make calls. You want to know if it's a virus. think the cause is the network provider. You sug-
gest taking the phone back to shop.

1
A: my new smartphone.
B: What's wrong with it?
A: For some reason, I can't make any calls.
2
B: restarting it?
3
A: Yes. a virus?
4
B: I don't know. your network provider.
A: What can I do?
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 Troubleshooting
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5
B: take it back to the shop where you bought it.

Practise the conversation with your partner.

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 Troubleshooting
A A A A PRACTICAL ENGLISH

6 Role play
Work in pairs. Write a conversation like in Exercise 4 for the situations below and practise reading
each conversation with your partner.

Student A Student B
You have a problem with your car. You can't start Check if Student A has checked the battery. You
it. You want to know if it's a problem with your think the cause is the car's electronic system. You
battery. suggest calling an authorised mechanic.

Student A Student B
You have a problem with your digital camera. The Check if Student A has set the flash settings to
flash has stopped working. You want to know if `auto'. You think the cause is the camera settings.
it's a problem with the flash bulb. You suggest reading the documentation.

Student A Student B
You have a problem with Skype. The application Check if Student A has restarted his/her com-
won't start. You want to know if it's a virus. puter. You think the cause is bug. You suggest
reinstalling Skype.

Student A Student B
You have a problem with your shower. It's very Check if Student A has removed the shower head.
weak. You want to know if you have a blocked You think the cause is the water pressure. You
pipe. suggest calling a plumber.

7 Talking point
Discuss any of the following questions:

1. What are the good and bad sides of new technology?

2. Do you have a smartphone? What do you use it for?
3. Do you think people will have more technical problems in the future?
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 Troubleshooting - Transcripts
A A A A PRACTICAL ENGLISH

2- Problems and solutions

Dialogue 1
Support: DC Internet Provider. How can I help you?
Kate: Hello, I have a problem with my internet.
Support: What's wrong with it?
Kate: For some reason, it's just not connecting. It's been down all day.
Support: Are you connected via cable or Wifi?
Kate: Wifi
Support: Does the the Wifi icon on your computer show that you are connected?
Kate: Yes, it does. But I can't open any webpages.
Support: Have you tried resetting your router?
Kate: Yes, I have. It hasn't helped.
Support: Well, there aren't any problems on our side, so there must be something wrong with your
connection or router.
Kate: Well, could you send someone to fix it today?
Support: Yes, I can do that.
Kate: When will they be here?
Support: They should be there this afternoon.

Dialogue 2
Kate: Hi Mark, something's wrong with my laptop.
Mark: What's the problem?
Kate: Well, it just won't turn on.
Mark: Are you connected to the mains?
Kate: Yes, I am. Obviously it's not the battery.
Mark: Well, it might be the connection between the battery and the motherboard. But if you are
plugged in, it should be working.
Kate: Do you think it could be a virus?
Mark: I don't think so. You just reinstalled your operating system. Mmmm...how old is your laptop?
Kate: Let me think. About 8 years.
Mark: Maybe your fan has stopped working. It happened to me once.
Kate: What can I do?
Mark: The best thing to do is take your laptop to a computer repair shop. They'll take a look at it for
you. Sorry I can't be of any more help.
Kate: Well, thanks anyway.
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 Troubleshooting - Key
A A A A PRACTICAL ENGLISH

1-Technical vocabulary

1. a cable 2. a fan 3. a keyboard

4. the mains 5. a motherboard 6. a screen
7. a router 8. a battery

2-Problems and solutions

1. c 2. d 3. a 4. e 5. b

Play the audio file or use your mobile device to scan the QR code (make sure you have installed a QR code reader
app and can access the internet on your device). Words/phrases mentioned in the dialogues: battery, cable, fan,
motherboard, router, the mains, a virus, internet is down, connect to the mains, reinstall an operating system,
reset a router, take to a repair shop.

3-Checking understanding

Go through the questions. After students have completed the exercise individually and checked in pairs, play the
dialogues again.
Dialogue 1:
1. c 2. a 3. a 4. b

Dialogue 2:
1. a 2. c 3. a 4. b

4-Complete the dialogues

1. I have a problem with ...

2. Have you tried ...-ing
3. there must be something wrong with ...
4. something's wrong with ...
5. it might be ...
6. Do you think it could be ...
7. Maybe ... has stopped working
8. The best thing to do is ...

5-Useful expressions

Saying that there's a problem: I have a problem with ... (1); Something's wrong with ... (4)
Checking what somebody has done: Have you tried...-ing ? (2)
Asking for someone's opinion: Do you think it could be ... (6)
Giving a possible reason for the problem: It might be ... (5); There must something wrong with ...
(3); Maybe ... has stopped working. (7)
Making a suggestion: The best thing to do is ...(8)

1. I have a problem with 2. Have you tried 3. Do you think it could be

4. It might be 5. The best thing to do is
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