By, On or Over the Phone?

If you're just talking to  someone, then you're on the phone.

Shh. I'm on the phone.

When the focus is on communicating something,  you can say that you're doing it over the phone.

Can you imagine! He didn't have the  courage to break up with her face to  

face. He did it over the phone.  That's almost as bad as texting.

If you want to talk about the phone as a method  or a tool, you can say over the phone or by phone.

Some people don't want to give credit  card information over the phone.

If I can't pay online, then I'd  rather pay by phone than mail a check.

Quiz time. Choose the right  preposition. If someone is  

on the phone, don't interrupt them. It's  not polite to eat when you're on the phone.

If you don't get a reply to your  message, you can contact him by phone.

My older brother helped me revise  my cover letter over the phone.