Talking to Clients: Burst Pipe Emergency – B1/B2

Vocabulary

Study these words before doing the exercises.

burst

a sudden split or break in a pipe that causes water to escape rapidly

"There has been a burst in the pipe above the kitchen ceiling."

isolate

to cut off the water supply to a specific section so work can be carried out

"You need to isolate the water supply at the stopcock immediately."

stopcock

the main valve that shuts off the water supply to the whole property

"Turn the stopcock off clockwise to stop the flow of water."

saturated

completely soaked through with water

"The ceiling is saturated. It may come down if the water is not stopped."

temporary repair

a short-term fix used to stop the immediate problem until a permanent repair is made

"I will carry out a temporary repair today to stop the leak."

reinstate

to restore something to full working order after emergency work is completed

"I will reinstate the full water supply once the permanent repair is done."

insurance

a policy that may cover the cost of damage caused by a burst pipe

"You should contact your insurance company as soon as possible."

document

to take photographs and make written records of the damage for an insurance claim

"Document all the damage with photographs before you touch anything."

contain

to prevent water from spreading further by using towels, buckets or barriers

"Try to contain the water with towels while I am on my way."

assess

to examine the damage carefully to understand its full extent

"I need to assess the full extent of the damage before I can give you a price."

trace

to follow the path of a leak back to find exactly where it started

"I will trace the leak back to its origin before I start the repair."

structural damage

harm caused to the walls, floors or ceilings of a building by water

"If the ceiling has come down, there may be structural damage."

claim

a formal request made to an insurance company for money to cover loss or damage

"Make a note of everything for your insurance claim."

emergency call-out

a visit made by a plumber urgently outside of normal working hours

"The emergency call-out rate applies outside of normal working hours."

subsequent

coming after the immediate emergency work, as a follow-up

"The subsequent repair will be carried out once the area has dried out."

Exercise 8 – Listening

Listen to the conversation, then answer the questions.

🎧 Listen to the conversation

Press Play to listen.

Client: Help! There is water pouring through my kitchen ceiling. I think a pipe has burst.

Plumber: OK, stay calm. Go to the stopcock and turn it off clockwise right now. It stops all the water.

Client: Done. But the ceiling is completely saturated and starting to bow.

Plumber: Move out of that room. The ceiling could come down. Contain the water with towels and buckets if you can.

Client: OK. Should I call my insurance company?

Plumber: Yes, as soon as possible. And document all the damage with photographs before you clean anything up.

Client: How long will the repair take?

Plumber: I will carry out a temporary repair today to make it safe. The full reinstatement will follow once everything has dried out.

Part A – Comprehension Questions

Listen and choose the correct answer.

Part B – Listen and Fill the Gap

Each sentence is from the conversation. One word is missing. Listen and type it.

Exercise	Score	Out of
1 – True / False	–	8
2 – Multiple Choice	–	8
3 – Matching	–	8
4 – Gap Fill	–	8
5 – Word Order	–	8
6 – Word Sort	–	8
7 – Conversation	–	8
8a – Listening: Comprehension	–	5
8b – Listening: Gap Fill	–	5
Total	–	66

🔧 Talking to Clients: Burst Pipe Emergency – B1/B2

Vocabulary

Exercise 1 – True or False?

Exercise 2 – Multiple Choice

Exercise 3 – Matching

Exercise 4 – Gap Fill

Exercise 5 – Word Order

Exercise 6 – Word Sort

🚨 Describing the Emergency

🛠️ Managing the Situation

Exercise 7 – Complete the Conversation

Exercise 8 – Listening

🎧 Listen to the conversation

Part A – Comprehension Questions

Part B – Listen and Fill the Gap

🏆 Your Scores