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Listening: routines, times and arrangements
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Catch the times
- In spoken English, times carry the plan. Listen for them first.
- Listen twice. When does he leave home?
- Transcript: I usually get up at seven. I have breakfast at half past seven, and I leave home at eight fifteen.
Listen to clip 1. When does he leave home?
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He says “I leave home at eight fifteen”.
half past, quarter past, quarter to
- half past seven = 7:30 · a quarter past nine = 9:15 · a quarter to nine = 8:45.
- to means before the next hour — a trap for many learners.
- Transcript: The train leaves at a quarter to nine. The next one is at half past nine. The last one tonight is at twenty to twelve.
Sort the clock times
half past = :30; a quarter past = :15; a quarter to = :45 of the same hour's name.
Listen to clip 2. When does the first train leave?
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“A quarter to nine” is 8:45 — “to” means before nine.
Making arrangements
- In a dialogue, catch three things: the day, the time, the place.
- Transcript: — Are you free on Saturday afternoon? — Sorry, I'm playing football with my cousins. How about Sunday morning? — Sunday morning is fine. Let's meet at ten at the cafe next to the library. — Great, see you then.
True or false? They will meet on Saturday afternoon.
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He is busy on Saturday. They meet on Sunday morning at ten.
Translate into English: 我们周日上午十点见。
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Let's meet + at + time + day.
Messages: listen for the change
- Phone messages often correct something: a new time, a new place.
- Transcript: Hi Sam, this is Maria. The English class tomorrow starts at six thirty, not seven. Don't be late. See you there.
- The important word is not: six thirty, not seven.
Complete the message: “The class starts at ___ thirty, not seven.”
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The new time is six thirty, not seven.
Talking about yesterday
- Past tense markers: worked, cooked, watched, went.
- Transcript: Yesterday I was really busy. I worked until six, then I cooked dinner for my family. After dinner, I watched a film and went to bed at eleven.
Match the past-tense verbs from clip 4 to their base forms.
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worked and watched add -ed; go → went is irregular.
Listen to clip 4. What did he do after work?
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“Then I cooked dinner” comes before the film and bed.
Common traps
- ❌ a quarter to nine = 9:15 → ✓ it is 8:45 — to points before the hour.
- ❌ six thirty heard as seven → ✓ the message said six thirty, not seven.
- ❌ I go to bed at eleven yesterday. → ✓ I went to bed — past time needs past tense.
Your turn
- Say your morning routine aloud with three times: I get up at … / I have breakfast at … / I leave home at …
- Invite a friend in English: Are you free on …? How about …?
- Listen to clip 4 again and catch the four verbs: worked, cooked, watched, went.
Write two sentences about your yesterday in the past tense (for example: what you did after dinner).
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Example: “I worked until six. Then I watched a film.”
Keep the ear working
- Tomorrow, before you reopen this page: say today's plan with two times, and yesterday's evening with two past-tense verbs.
- Save useful words from Daily English and review them later.
- Next in this course: present perfect. New here? The A1 unit names, numbers and introductions starts one level down.