Scheduling an appointment this week
Read/Listen first
Today a sales representative is in her office in Paris. She needs to visit an important client this week, but her schedule is almost full. She opens her weekly planner and checks each day carefully. On Monday afternoon she has a long production meeting. On Tuesday morning she is on a train to another city for a presentation. On Wednesday she is free after three o’clock, but the client is travelling. On Thursday she has a video conference at eleven in the morning. On Friday she is travelling again in the evening. She calls the client and asks, “Are you free this week for an appointment?” They compare their schedules and discuss different options. First they try Wednesday at four pm, but it is impossible. Then they think about Friday morning, but she is not available. Finally they agree to meet on Thursday at eleven am, just before her conference, because that is the only time when they are both available.⚡ Learning goals
- Can ask if a business contact is free this week or on a specific day.
- Can negotiate different days and times politely when the first option is impossible.
- Can confirm a final appointment clearly using day, time and simple reasons.
✨ Key language
- Are you free this week? “Are you free this week for an appointment?”
- How about Thursday at 11 am? “How about Thursday at eleven in the morning?”
- It is impossible, I am busy. “It is impossible, I am busy that morning.”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1️⃣ Present simple for fixed schedules
Rule: Use the present simple to describe fixed meetings, trips and conferences in a timetable.
Examples: She has a production meeting on Monday afternoon.; She is on a train on Tuesday morning.; She has a video conference on Thursday at eleven.
Common pitfall + fix: Students sometimes use present continuous for fixed schedules. — Use present simple with clear time expressions like on Monday, on Thursday at eleven.
Choose the correct sentence for a fixed schedule.
Tip: For timetables, use the present simple, not will or continuous.
Fill with the best answer: _________
She __________ a meeting on Monday afternoon.
Tip: Use have or has in the present simple with a clear time expression.
2️⃣ Questions with “Are you free…?”
Rule: Use “Are you free” or “Are you available” plus a time expression to ask about availability.
Examples: Are you free this week for an appointment?; Are you free on Wednesday at four pm?; Are you available tomorrow morning?
Common pitfall + fix: Learners sometimes say “You are free?” — Start with Are and keep the time expression at the end.
Choose the best question to ask about tomorrow afternoon.
Tip: Start the question with Are and put the time expression at the end.
Fill with the best answer: _________
_________ for an appointment this week?
Tip: Use are you free or are you available plus the time period.
3️⃣ Saying you are busy or free
Rule: Use I am free or I am busy to accept or refuse an appointment politely.
Examples: I am not free on Tuesday morning.; I am busy on Friday.; I am free after three o’clock on Wednesday.
Common pitfall + fix: Some learners forget to use am. — Always add am after I when you use free or busy.
Choose the correct way to refuse Tuesday.
Tip: After I, use am plus the adjective busy or free.
Fill with the best answer: _________
_________ on Wednesday after three.
Tip: To accept, use I am free plus the day and time.
4️⃣ Offering alternative days and times
Rule: Use How about or What about plus a day and time to suggest another appointment.
Examples: How about Thursday at eleven am?; What about Friday morning?; How about Wednesday at four pm?
Common pitfall + fix: Learners sometimes omit about. — Keep the full phrase how about or what about before the time.
Choose the best alternative suggestion.
Tip: Use how about or what about plus the new day or time.
Fill with the best answer: _________
_________ Thursday at eleven am?
Tip: Suggest an alternative using how about or what about.
✍️ Vocabulary
appointment
Meaning: a planned meeting at a specific day and time.
Synonyms: meeting, session, visit.
Chunk/Idiom: make an appointment with a client.
Example: We made an appointment for Thursday at eleven am.
Morphology: noun; countable noun.
Self-practice: Write two appointments in your real weekly planner.
schedule
Meaning: a plan that shows when meetings or trips will happen.
Synonyms: timetable, agenda, calendar.
Chunk/Idiom: have a very full schedule this week.
Example: Her schedule is almost full from Monday to Friday.
Morphology: noun; also verb in some contexts.
Self-practice: Describe your schedule for tomorrow in three sentences.
planner
Meaning: a book or digital tool used to organise days and weeks.
Synonyms: organiser, diary, calendar book.
Chunk/Idiom: check your weekly planner carefully.
Example: She opens her weekly planner and checks each day carefully.
Morphology: noun; countable noun.
Self-practice: Draw a simple weekly planner and fill it with three tasks.
available
Meaning: free to do something at a certain time.
Synonyms: free, not busy, open.
Chunk/Idiom: be available on Thursday morning.
Example: She is available on Thursday at eleven in the morning.
Morphology: adjective; negative form unavailable.
Self-practice: Say three times when you are available this week.
busy
Meaning: having many things to do and no free time.
Synonyms: occupied, not free, overloaded.
Chunk/Idiom: be busy all day on Friday.
Example: The client is busy on Wednesday and cannot meet.
Morphology: adjective; comparative busier, superlative busiest.
Self-practice: Write one sentence about a busy day in your week.
meeting
Meaning: an event where people come together to talk about work or plans.
Synonyms: session, discussion, conference.
Chunk/Idiom: have a long production meeting on Monday afternoon.
Example: She has a long production meeting on Monday afternoon.
Morphology: noun; countable noun; verb form meet.
Self-practice: Note one important meeting you had last week.
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
She has a production meeting on Monday afternoon.
Are you free this week for an appointment?
How about Thursday at eleven in the morning?
I am busy on Tuesday but free on Wednesday after three.
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
Choose the correct sentence about Tuesday.
Tip: Use has for she plus a noun like train or meeting.
Choose the best question for Wednesday after three.
Tip: Remember the word order Are you free plus the time.
Fill with the best answer:
_________ on Friday evening.
Tip: Use I am busy plus the day or time to refuse.
Fill with the best answer:
_________ Friday morning?
Tip: Suggest another time with how about or what about.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
Choose the correct sentence about her week.
Tip: Look at how many meetings and trips she has in the mini text.
When do they finally meet?
Tip: Read the end of the mini text to find the final time.
Fill with the best answer:
She opens her _________ and checks each day carefully.
Tip: Use the noun that describes a book with days of the week.
Fill with the best answer:
On Tuesday morning _________.
Tip: Look at the second part of the mini text for Tuesday morning.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: Are you free this week for an appointment?
B: Let me check my weekly planner. Monday and Tuesday are impossible.
A: How about Thursday at eleven in the morning?
B: That is fine. I am available then.
Why this matters:
Being able to schedule appointments clearly helps you work efficiently with clients. It reduces confusion and saves time when your schedule is very full. It also shows that you respect the other person’s time and plan meetings professionally.
Verb & Adjective Pack:
be available — I am available on Thursday at eleven.
be busy — She is busy on Tuesday morning.
check a planner — He checks his planner before he answers.
schedule a meeting — They schedule a meeting for next week.
be free — I am free after three o’clock.
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: _________
_________ Wednesday at four pm?
Tip: Use how about or what about plus the day and time.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: I not free on Tuesday morning
Tip: Remember to use am after I when you speak about being free or busy.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
Are you free this week for an appointment?
Tip: Focus on the rhythm of are you free this week for an appointment.