Logistics Verbs: Deliver, Receive, Sort, Supply, Manufacture
CEFR: B1
Read/Listen first
During a logistics workshop, a facilitator asks participants to present their companies. Fatima says, “My company delivers packages across the city. We operate small trucks and provide late‑evening delivery windows.” Hugo adds, “We run a warehouse near the ring road. We receive pallets in the morning, sort orders by route, and supply stores before noon.” Another participant says, “We manufacture protective packaging for medical devices.” The facilitator asks, “What verbs describe your activity?” The group answers, “deliver, receive, sort, supply, and manufacture.” Finally, the facilitator models the question, “What does your company do?” and the answer, “Our company provides last‑mile delivery for online shops.” Everyone practices the question and gives short, concrete replies using present simple.⚡ Learning goals
- Ask and answer about a company’s activity using present simple.
- State your job, field, and employer with correct prepositions.
- Describe and compare basic operations: develop, manufacture, provide, supply, deliver.
✨ Key language
- What does your company do? “What does your company do exactly?”
- I work in … / I work for … “I work in electronics; I work for ComTel.”
- We provide / we manufacture / we develop “We provide support; we manufacture boards.”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1️⃣ Present simple for processes
Rule: Context: use this structure to describe work and company activity.Examples: Our lab develops medicine; My team manufactures boards; We provide training
Common pitfall + fix: Confusing he/she/it with plural verbs — Add -s: the company provides, the lab develops.
Choose the correct verb: Our company ___ high‑quality parts.
Tip: Third person singular takes -s.
Fill with the best answer: The lab ___ new medicines every year.
Tip: Third person singular with -s.
2️⃣ Sequencing adverbs (first/then/finally)
Rule: Context: use this structure to describe work and company activity.Examples: customer support team; production line schedule; delivery window
Common pitfall + fix: Mixing verb and noun forms — Use noun compounds for activities (e.g., delivery window)..
Choose the best collocation.
Tip: Common industry collocation.
Fill with the best answer: We planned the ___ line for tomorrow.
Tip: Use the noun production to modify line.
3️⃣ Countable/uncountable nouns
Rule: Context: use this structure to describe work and company activity.Examples: customer support team; production line schedule; delivery window
Common pitfall + fix: Mixing verb and noun forms — Use noun compounds for activities (e.g., delivery window)..
Choose the best collocation.
Tip: Common industry collocation.
Fill with the best answer: We planned the ___ line for tomorrow.
Tip: Use the noun production to modify line.
4️⃣ Question forms with what
Rule: Context: use this structure to describe work and company activity.Examples: What does your company do?; Where do you work?; Who do you work for?
Common pitfall + fix: Forgetting ‘does’ in third‑person questions — Use does + base verb: What does it do?.
Pick the correct question.
Tip: Use auxiliary does + base form.
Fill with the best answer: ___ does your company provide?
Tip: Wh‑word + does + subject + base verb.
✍️ Vocabulary
deliver
Meaning: transport something to a destination.Synonyms: transport, bring.
Chunk/Idiom: deliver on time.
Example: Couriers deliver packages at night..
Morphology: verb.
Self-practice: Say the word aloud and write one new sentence.
warehouse
Meaning: large building for storing goods.Synonyms: depot, storehouse.
Chunk/Idiom: warehouse operations.
Example: The warehouse processes pallets daily..
Morphology: noun.
Self-practice: Say the word aloud and write one new sentence.
pallet
Meaning: flat platform for moving goods.Synonyms: platform, skid.
Chunk/Idiom: stack a pallet.
Example: Each pallet carries twenty boxes..
Morphology: noun.
Self-practice: Say the word aloud and write one new sentence.
sort
Meaning: separate items into groups.Synonyms: separate, classify.
Chunk/Idiom: sort incoming orders.
Example: We sort orders by route..
Morphology: verb.
Self-practice: Say the word aloud and write one new sentence.
supply
Meaning: deliver needed goods to a client.Synonyms: deliver, furnish.
Chunk/Idiom: supply spare parts.
Example: The company supplies sensors to partners..
Morphology: verb.
Self-practice: Say the word aloud and write one new sentence.
manufacture
Meaning: produce at scale in a factory.Synonyms: produce, build.
Chunk/Idiom: manufacture at scale.
Example: They manufacture boards for cameras..
Morphology: verb.
Self-practice: Say the word aloud and write one new sentence.
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
We deliver packages after six p.m.
They receive pallets in the morning.
We sort orders by route.
We supply stores before noon.
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
Choose the best option: They ___ pallets at seven.
Tip: Present simple plural.
Pick the correct sequence phrase.
Tip: Use clear order: first… then…
Fill with the best answer:
We ___ orders by route every day.Tip: Base verb with we.
Fill with the best answer:
The truck leaves the ___ at noon.Tip: Place where goods are stored.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
Which verb means ‘take to customers’?
Tip: Deliver = transport to destination.
Which word names the storage building?
Tip: Warehouse is a storage site.
Fill with the best answer:
We ___ boxes onto each ___ before loading.Tip: Stack onto a pallet.
Fill with the best answer:
Our plant ___ protective packaging.Tip: Third person singular -s.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: What does your company do?B: We deliver packages and supply local stores.
Why this matters:
Precise verbs help partners track responsibilities and timing. They reduce delivery errors and wasted trips. Use short sentences with time markers.Verb & Adjective Pack:
schedule — schedule pickupsstack — stack pallets safely
track — track deliveries daily
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: We ___ before six p.m. every day.
Tip: Use present simple for routines.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: We delivers orders to customers.
Tip: Remove -s for we/they: We deliver.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
We sort orders by route.
Tip: Add a time marker after the verb.