Dealing with Last-Minute Cancellations
CEFR: B1
Read/Listen first
Yesterday evening, my learner cancelled our online lesson at the very last minute. He sent a short message saying that an urgent meeting had come up, and he would prefer to postpone. I had already prepared the materials and opened the virtual classroom, so I felt frustrated, and I know this has happened several times this month. Our company policy says that learners must cancel at least twenty‑four hours in advance, otherwise they have to pay a cancellation fee. I replied politely that I understood, but I also reminded him of the rule and explained why we need notice. I suggested two new time slots for next week and asked him to confirm before Friday. If he cancels again with no notice, we will have to charge the full price, although I would rather keep a good relationship and simply reschedule in time.⚡ Learning goals
- Can understand and discuss a short story about a last-minute lesson cancellation.
- Can explain company cancellation policies and consequences in simple, polite English.
- Can reschedule an appointment and negotiate solutions if someone cancels at short notice.
✨ Key language
- cancel at the last minute “He cancelled at the last minute again yesterday.”
- give someone notice “Please give us notice if you cannot attend.”
- charge a cancellation fee “We may charge a small cancellation fee.”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1️⃣ Past simple for completed actions
Rule: Use the past simple to describe finished actions at a specific time in the past.Examples: My learner cancelled our online lesson yesterday evening.; He sent a short message before the class started.; I replied politely and suggested new time slots.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners often say “He has cancelled yesterday”. Use past simple with a clear past time: “He cancelled yesterday”.
Which sentence correctly uses the past simple with a time expression?
Tip: Use past simple with clear past times like “yesterday evening”.
Fill with the best answer: Yesterday evening he ______ our online lesson at the last minute.
Tip: Use the past simple form “cancelled” for a finished action.
2️⃣ Present perfect for repeated situations
Rule: Use the present perfect to talk about experiences or situations that started in the past and are still relevant now.Examples: I know this has happened several times this month.; He has cancelled lessons more than once.; We have discussed this problem before.
Common pitfall + fix: Do not add a specific past time with the present perfect. Say “This has happened several times”, not “This has happened yesterday”.
Which sentence correctly uses the present perfect?
Tip: Use present perfect with “several times” when the exact dates are not important.
Fill with the best answer: This ______ several times this month.
Tip: Use “has happened” to show a repeated situation up to now.
3️⃣ First conditional for consequences
Rule: Use the first conditional (if + present simple, will + base verb) to talk about real future results of a possible action.Examples: If he cancels again, we will charge the full price.; If you give us notice, we will happily reschedule.; If learners cancel too often, the company will review the policy.
Common pitfall + fix: Do not use “will” in both parts. Say “If he cancels again, we will charge him”, not “If he will cancel again, we will charge him”.
Which sentence is a correct first conditional?
Tip: First conditional uses present simple after “if” and “will” in the main clause.
Fill with the best answer: If he cancels again, we ______ the full price.
Tip: Use “will” plus base verb to talk about the future result.
4️⃣ Modal verbs for obligation and politeness
Rule: Use modal verbs like must, have to, would rather and would prefer to express obligation, rules and polite preferences.Examples: Learners must cancel at least twenty-four hours in advance.; They have to pay a cancellation fee.; I would rather keep a good relationship and simply reschedule in time.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners sometimes say “must to cancel”. Use the bare infinitive: “must cancel” or “have to cancel”.
Which sentence correctly uses a modal of obligation?
Tip: After must or should, use the bare infinitive without “to”.
Fill with the best answer: I ______ keep a good relationship than argue about one fee.
Tip: Use “would rather” to express a polite preference.
✍️ Vocabulary
short notice
Meaning: very little time before something is supposed to happen.Synonyms: last minute, suddenly, unexpectedly.
Chunk/Idiom: cancel at short notice.
Example: He cancelled at short notice before the online lesson started.
Morphology: noun phrase; notice = noun.
Self-practice: Write two sentences about cancelling meetings at short notice.
reschedule
Meaning: to arrange a new time for something that was planned before.Synonyms: move, rearrange, postpone.
Chunk/Idiom: reschedule the lesson for next week.
Example: I suggested we reschedule the lesson for next week.
Morphology: verb; regular; reschedule, rescheduled, rescheduling.
Self-practice: Write three sentences where you reschedule different appointments.
cancellation fee
Meaning: money you must pay if you cancel too late.Synonyms: penalty charge, late fee, extra payment.
Chunk/Idiom: pay a cancellation fee for late changes.
Example: Our company may charge a small cancellation fee for late changes.
Morphology: noun phrase; fee = countable noun.
Self-practice: Explain when you think a cancellation fee is fair.
company policy
Meaning: official rules of a company about what people can or must do.Synonyms: rules, guidelines, regulations.
Chunk/Idiom: follow the company policy on cancellations.
Example: Our company policy says learners must cancel twenty-four hours in advance.
Morphology: noun phrase; policy = singular noun.
Self-practice: Describe one company policy you agree with and one you dislike.
urgent
Meaning: very important and needing quick action now.Synonyms: critical, pressing, immediate.
Chunk/Idiom: an urgent meeting has come up.
Example: He cancelled because an urgent meeting had suddenly come up.
Morphology: adjective; adverb form: urgently.
Self-practice: Write two sentences about urgent situations at work.
time slot
Meaning: a specific, fixed period of time in a schedule.Synonyms: slot, window, appointment time.
Chunk/Idiom: choose a new time slot for the lesson.
Example: I offered two new time slots for next week’s lesson.
Morphology: noun phrase; slot = countable noun.
Self-practice: Write three sentences using different time slots in your week.
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
He cancelled the lesson at the last minute without giving any notice.
This has happened several times, so we have to apply the cancellation fee.
If you cancel again tomorrow, we will charge you for the full session.
I would rather reschedule in advance than lose the time and preparation.
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
Which sentence correctly uses the present perfect about repeated cancellations?
Tip: Present perfect describes experiences up to now without a specific finished time.
Choose the correct first conditional sentence about future consequences.
Tip: First conditional uses “if” + present simple and “will” for the result.
Fill with the best answer:
This ______ more than once this month.Tip: Use present perfect to show a repeated situation up to now.
Fill with the best answer:
Learners ______ at least twenty-four hours in advance.Tip: Use a modal of obligation to talk about rules.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
Which sentence best shows a cancellation at short notice?
Tip: Short notice means there is very little time before something happens.
What is one consequence of cancelling too late in the mini text?
Tip: Look for the part that mentions paying money after a late cancellation.
Fill with the best answer:
Our company ______ explains the rules for cancellations.Tip: Use the noun that means official company rules.
Fill with the best answer:
I asked him to ______ the new time slot before Friday.Tip: Use the verb that means “say officially that something is correct”.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: Hi, I saw your message about cancelling today’s lesson at the last minute.B: Yes, I am really sorry. An urgent meeting has come up and I cannot join.
A: I understand, but please give me more notice next time so we can reschedule calmly.
Why this matters:
Last-minute cancellations waste preparation time and reserved time slots. Clear rules help protect both the learner’s budget and the teacher’s work. Being polite but firm keeps a good relationship and still respects the company policy.Verb & Adjective Pack:
reschedule — We reschedule the lesson when an urgent meeting comes up.charge — They may charge a cancellation fee if you cancel too late.
apologetic — He sounded very apologetic when he cancelled at the last minute.
reliable — Learners who give notice are seen as more reliable partners.
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: Learners must ______ at least twenty-four hours in advance.
Tip: Use the base verb after “must”.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: He has cancelled the lesson yesterday at the last minute.
Tip: Do not use present perfect with a finished past time like “yesterday”.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
If you cancel again with no notice, we will charge the full price.
Tip: Listen for the conditional structure “If you cancel…, we will…”.