Using English at Work：38 Scheduling a Meeting(3)（在线收听）

"To play phone tag" means that two people are exchanging voicemail messages but aren't able to actually speak to each other.

For example, I start by calling you, but you don't answer your phone so I leave you a message - a voicemail message.

Then, when you get the message, you call me, but I don't answer the phone, so you leave me a message.

If we are both busy people - I'm not, but you probably are - we might continue to do this for a long time, and this is what we call "playing phone tag."

"Tag" (tag) is a game that children play, when one person is touched by another person and they become what we call "it."

You say, "You're it!" and then that child has to run and touch someone else, and that person becomes "it," and you don't want to be "it."

I don't know why we say "it," but that's the word we use.

Getting back to our story.

Fortunately, I don't have to play phone tag with the vendor for very long.

At 4 p.m. she calls me again, and because this time I'm at my desk, or in my office, we can talk at last, or finally.

Andrea, who works for the vendor, asks me if it is possible for us to meet early in the week next week.

The phrase "early in the week" usually means Monday or Tuesday - maybe Wednesday.

The phrase "late in the week" usually 32 means Thursday or Friday.

The "middle of the week" or "mid-week" usually means Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.

So, someone may call you and say, "Let's meet late next week," they mean Thursday or Friday. Or, "Let's meet next week in the middle of the week," Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Before responding to her question, I check my calendar.

A "calendar" is a schedule of the days and months of the year.

It's also a person's personal schedule or list of when you are available to meet with someone and when you are busy - when you have other things going on or happening.

I check my calendar to see whether I am available to meet early in the week next week and I tell Andrea that I'm tied up Monday and Tuesday.