Remote Work Best Practices
CEFR: B1
Read/Listen first
Since the pandemic, I have worked from home most days of the week. At first it was exciting, but last year our team moved fully online and things became harder. Some colleagues kept their cameras off and answered messages late, so meetings were slow and confusing, especially because our team works across different time zones. To improve this, we agreed we would start each video call on time with microphones muted and cameras on. Now everyone shares their screen when needed and we use headsets to reduce noise. We have also created quiet focus time in the afternoon, when nobody is allowed to book a video call. This has helped us a lot, because people can finish tasks before the deadline. Next month we are going to test a “no‑meeting Friday” so that we can plan projects, review what went well, and discuss new best practices for remote work.⚡ Learning goals
- Understand a short text about common remote work routines and challenges.
- Recognise useful expressions for giving advice about online meetings and focus time.
- Talk about past changes and future plans in a remote team.
✨ Key language
- work from home most days “I work from home most days of the week.”
- start each video call on time “We start each video call on time with cameras on.”
- quiet focus time in the afternoon “We created quiet focus time in the afternoon.”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1️⃣ Present perfect for remote work experience
Rule: Use have/has + past participle to talk about experiences and changes that started in the past and are still true now.Examples: I have worked from home most days of the week.; We have also created quiet focus time.; This has helped us a lot.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners often use past simple instead of present perfect for ongoing situations — Use present perfect when the time period continues now (for example, since the pandemic).
Choose the best option: Since the pandemic, I ___ from home most days.
Tip: Use present perfect when the action started in the past and is still true now.
Fill with the best answer: I ___ from home for three years.
Tip: Remember to use have/has + past participle with time expressions like “for” and “since”.
2️⃣ Past simple for completed changes
Rule: Use the past simple to describe completed actions or changes at a specific time in the past.Examples: Last year our team moved fully online.; Some colleagues kept their cameras off.; They answered messages late.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners sometimes mix past simple and present perfect in the same sentence — Keep past simple for finished times like last year or yesterday.
Choose the best option: Last year our team ___ fully online.
Tip: With finished time expressions like “last year”, use the past simple form.
Fill with the best answer: Some colleagues ___ messages late.
Tip: Use the regular past simple form with -ed for many verbs.
3️⃣ Would for future in the past (agreements)
Rule: Use would + base verb to describe decisions or promises made in the past about future routines.Examples: We agreed we would start each video call on time.; We agreed we would mute our microphones.; They decided they would share their screens more often.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners sometimes use will instead of would after a past verb like “agreed” — After a past reporting verb, follow it with would to show future in the past.
Choose the best option: We agreed we ___ each video call on time.
Tip: After a past reporting verb like “agreed”, use “would” to show a future routine.
Fill with the best answer: They agreed they ___ their screens more often.
Tip: Use would + verb to report future plans decided in the past.
4️⃣ Be going to for future remote work plans
Rule: Use am/is/are going to + verb for plans and arrangements you have already decided.Examples: We are going to test a no‑meeting Friday.; Next month we are going to review what went well.; The team is going to share new best practices.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners sometimes mix will and going to — Use going to when the plan is already decided or scheduled.
Choose the best option: Next month we ___ a “no‑meeting Friday”.
Tip: Use “going to” when the decision is already made and you talk about the plan.
Fill with the best answer: The team ___ new best practices next month.
Tip: Remember the full form am/is/are going to + base verb.
✍️ Vocabulary
remote work
Meaning: working from home or another place instead of at the main office.Synonyms: telecommuting, working from home, virtual work.
Chunk/Idiom: remote work policy.
Example: Our company has a flexible remote work policy for most teams.
Morphology: phrase; adj. + noun.
Self-practice: Describe your ideal remote work day using this phrase.
video call
Meaning: an online call where people can see and hear each other on screen.Synonyms: video meeting, online call, virtual meeting.
Chunk/Idiom: start a video call on time.
Example: We start every video call on time with our cameras on.
Morphology: phrase; noun + noun.
Self-practice: Write one rule for your team about good video call behaviour.
time zones
Meaning: different areas of the world with different official times.Synonyms: time differences, global time, regional time.
Chunk/Idiom: work across different time zones.
Example: Our remote team works across different time zones every day.
Morphology: noun phrase; plural noun.
Self-practice: Explain one challenge of working across several time zones.
focus time
Meaning: a quiet period reserved for deep work without meetings or messages.Synonyms: deep work time, quiet hours, concentration time.
Chunk/Idiom: protect your afternoon focus time.
Example: We protect our afternoon focus time to finish important tasks.
Morphology: phrase; noun + noun.
Self-practice: Decide when your focus time should be and write one rule for it.
deadline
Meaning: the final time or date when something must be finished.Synonyms: due date, final date, cut-off time.
Chunk/Idiom: finish tasks before the deadline.
Example: Focus time helps us finish our work before the deadline.
Morphology: noun; countable noun.
Self-practice: Write three sentences about deadlines in your current job.
headset
Meaning: headphones with a microphone used for calls or meetings.Synonyms: headphones, earphones with mic, audio headset.
Chunk/Idiom: use a good headset for calls.
Example: I use a good headset so my colleagues can hear me clearly.
Morphology: noun; singular countable noun.
Self-practice: Describe the headset you use or the one you would like to buy.
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
We have worked from home since our company changed the policy.
Last year our team moved fully online and meetings became slower.
You should use a good headset so everyone can hear you clearly.
Next month we are going to test a no-meeting Friday.
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
Since the pandemic, I ___ from home most days of the week.
Tip: Use present perfect for actions that started in the past and continue now.
Next month we ___ a “no‑meeting Friday”.
Tip: Use “going to” for plans that are already decided.
Fill with the best answer:
Last year our team ___ fully online.Tip: Use the past simple form for finished actions in the past.
Fill with the best answer:
We agreed we ___ each video call on time.Tip: After past verbs like “agreed”, use “would” for future in the past.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
Why did the team create afternoon focus time?
Tip: Look for the reason in the mini text: focus time helps with deadlines.
Which is a good best practice during a video call?
Tip: Think about what really improves sound quality and attention in online meetings.
Fill with the best answer:
Focus time means a quiet period when you ___ without interruptions.Tip: Use a simple verb that describes what you do during focus time.
Fill with the best answer:
Remote workers in different time ___ need clear schedules.Tip: Think of the second word in the phrase “time zones”.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: Our meetings were really slow when people answered messages late.B: Yes, but since we created afternoon focus time, I have finished my tasks before the deadline.
A: Next month we are going to test a no-meeting Friday. How do you feel about that?
B: I think it will help us plan projects better and share new best practices.
Why this matters:
Good remote work habits make online collaboration faster and less stressful. Clear rules about video calls, focus time, and deadlines help everyone stay aligned. When a team follows shared best practices, people can trust each other and deliver better results.Verb & Adjective Pack:
coordinate across time zones — We coordinate across time zones so nobody has to work at night.protect your focus time — I protect my focus time by turning off chat notifications.
stay responsive — Our manager asks us to stay responsive during core hours.
reduce background noise — Using a headset helps reduce background noise in video calls.
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: During focus time, I usually ___ my most important tasks first.
Tip: Use a verb that matches the idea of meeting a deadline.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: We created a quiet time where nobody can to book meetings.
Tip: Remove extra words and use “when” for times and “can + verb” for ability.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
Next month we are going to test a no-meeting Friday for our remote team.
Tip: Pay attention to the rhythm of “are going to test” and “no-meeting Friday”.