Video Streaming Subscriptions

Rahul signs up for a streaming service, manages his subscriptions, and figures out how to cancel one he no longer uses.

Meanings in Rahul, Customer support

Key words and phrases

streaming servicean online platform for watching shows and moviesHe subscribed to a popular streaming service.

subscription planthe specific package of features you pay forShe chose the basic subscription plan.

free triala limited period to use a service before payingHe signed up for the free trial before deciding to subscribe.

auto-renewala subscription that renews automatically unless cancelledHe forgot about the auto-renewal and got charged again.

monthly feethe amount paid every month for a serviceThe monthly fee increased this year.

annual plana subscription paid once a year, usually cheaperShe switched to the annual plan to save money.

ad-supporteda plan that shows advertisements to keep the price lowerHe picked the ad-supported plan since it was cheaper.

ad-freea plan without any advertisementsShe prefers the ad-free experience.

download for offlinesaving content to watch without an internet connectionHe downloaded a few episodes for offline viewing on his flight.

multiple screensthe ability to watch on more than one device at a timeTheir plan allows multiple screens at once.

shared accountan account used by more than one personThey have a shared account with his brother's family.

watchlista saved list of shows or movies to watch laterShe added the new series to her watchlist.

binge-watchto watch many episodes of a show in one sittingThey binge-watched the whole season over the weekend.

bufferingwhen a video pauses to load due to a slow connectionThe show kept buffering because of a weak signal.

subtitletext displayed on screen showing the spoken dialogueHe turned on subtitles to follow the show better.

original contentshows or movies made exclusively by that platformThis platform is known for its original content.

cancel subscriptionto stop paying for and using a serviceHe decided to cancel his subscription after the trial ended.

renewal datethe date a subscription will next charge or renewShe checked her renewal date before the next payment.

payment methodthe card or account used to pay for a subscriptionHe updated his payment method after his old card expired.

content librarythe full collection of shows and movies available on a platformTheir content library keeps growing every month.

Useful sentences

Ask Which streaming service do you use the most?
Answer I mostly use the one with the biggest content library.
Ask Did you know about the free trial before signing up?
Answer Yes, I used the free trial for a week before subscribing.
Ask Why was I charged again this month?
Answer It's probably the auto-renewal — did you forget to cancel?
Ask Is your plan ad-supported or ad-free?
Answer I switched to ad-free — the ads were getting annoying.
Ask Can I download episodes to watch offline?
Answer Yes, just tap the download for offline option.
Ask How many screens does this plan support?
Answer This plan allows multiple screens, so we can all watch separately.
Ask Should we binge-watch the new series this weekend?
Answer Yes, I've already added it to my watchlist.
Ask Why does the video keep buffering?
Answer It might be your internet connection — try lowering the video quality.
Ask How do I cancel my subscription?
Answer You can cancel it from your account settings anytime.
Ask When is my next renewal date?
Answer It's on the fifteenth of this month.

Dialogue

RahulHi, I'd like to cancel my subscription — I haven't used it in months.

Customer supportI'm sorry to hear that. May I ask why you'd like to cancel?

RahulI signed up for the free trial and forgot to cancel before the auto-renewal.

Customer supportI understand. I can help you cancel it right away.

RahulThank you. Also, will I be charged again before the renewal date?

Customer supportNo, since you're cancelling today, you won't be charged again.

RahulGreat. Can you also update my payment method while I'm here?

Customer supportOf course, I'll walk you through updating your payment method.

RahulThanks for your help — I really appreciate it.

Customer supportYou're welcome. Feel free to come back anytime you'd like to resubscribe.

Common mistakes

Saying "I want cancel my subscription" instead of "I want to cancel my subscription."
Saying "it is auto renew" instead of "it has auto-renewal" or "it renews automatically."
Saying "I am watching download" instead of "I downloaded it for offline viewing."
Saying "put subtitle" instead of "turn on subtitles."
Saying "video is buffer" instead of "the video is buffering."
Saying "add in my watchlist" instead of "add it to my watchlist."

Quick quiz

1. What is a "free trial"?

2. What does "auto-renewal" mean?

3. Complete: "She added the new series to her ___."

4. What does "buffering" mean?

5. What is "original content"?

6. Complete: "He decided to ___ after the trial ended."

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