Scheduling a Business Appointment
CEFR: B1
Read/Listen first
When the sales representative calls her new client, she has already checked his weekly planner and the train schedule in detail. She visited his office last month, so she knows that afternoons are usually very busy and noisy. Today she is working from home, but she is going to travel into the city tomorrow morning for another appointment. She would like to fix a meeting before the end of the week, because they have to review the contract together and discuss a future visit to his factory. While they are checking their calendars, they compare different days and times and delete old meetings. First they suggest Tuesday at four, but he had a production meeting at that time. Then she offers Thursday at eleven, and he agrees that this time will work well if the train is not delayed today.⚡ Learning goals
- Can ask if a business contact is free on a specific day or time.
- Can negotiate alternative days and times when someone is busy.
- Can confirm a final appointment time politely on the phone.
✨ Key language
- Are you free on Thursday morning? “Are you free on Thursday morning for a short meeting?”
- How about Thursday at eleven? “How about Thursday at eleven for our appointment?”
- That time works well for me. “Yes, that time works well for me.”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1️⃣ Present perfect for preparation
Rule: Use have / has + past participle to show that preparation is finished before the main action.Examples: She has already checked the weekly planner.; They have reviewed the contract.; He has looked at the train schedule.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners often omit has or have. — Always include the auxiliary before the past participle.
Choose the correct sentence.
Tip: Look for has or have before the past participle.
Fill with the best answer: She ______ already checked the contract.
Tip: Use has for he, she, or it.
2️⃣ Past simple for past meetings
Rule: Use the past simple to talk about finished visits or meetings in the past.Examples: She visited his office last month.; They had a production meeting.; He called the client yesterday.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners sometimes mix present and past forms. — Keep all verbs in the same past time frame.
Which sentence correctly uses the past simple?
Tip: Past time expressions like last week usually take the past simple.
Fill with the best answer: She ______ the factory last month.
Tip: Use the regular past form ending in -ed.
3️⃣ Be going to for future plans
Rule: Use am / is / are going to + verb to talk about planned future actions.Examples: She is going to travel into the city tomorrow.; They are going to review the contract.; He is going to visit the factory.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners forget the verb to be. — Always include am, is or are before going to.
Choose the correct future plan.
Tip: For plans, use be going to plus the base verb.
Fill with the best answer: They are ______ the contract on Thursday.
Tip: Write the full phrase after are.
4️⃣ Time clauses with while / because / if
Rule: Use time and reason clauses with while, because, if to connect actions and explanations.Examples: While they are checking their calendars, they compare different days.; She wants an early train because afternoons are busy.; If the train is delayed, the meeting will start later.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners sometimes forget a comma when the clause comes first. — Add a comma after the first clause if it starts the sentence.
Complete the sentence correctly.
Tip: After because, keep normal subject–verb word order.
Fill with the best answer: ______ the train is delayed, the meeting will start later.
Tip: Use this word to introduce a condition.
✍️ Vocabulary
weekly planner
Meaning: a book or digital tool that shows your plans for the week.Synonyms: weekly calendar, weekly schedule, organiser
Chunk/Idiom: keep it in your planner
Example: She wrote the meeting in her weekly planner.
Morphology: noun phrase, countable noun
Self-practice: Write three things you will put in your weekly planner this week.
train schedule
Meaning: a table that shows train departure and arrival times.Synonyms: timetable, departure board, travel schedule
Chunk/Idiom: check the train schedule
Example: He checked the train schedule before choosing a departure time.
Morphology: noun phrase, compound noun
Self-practice: Say when trains leave your city using the phrase “according to the train schedule”.
appointment
Meaning: an agreed time to meet someone for a specific purpose.Synonyms: meeting, session, arrangement
Chunk/Idiom: schedule an appointment
Example: They confirmed the appointment for Thursday at eleven.
Morphology: noun, countable noun
Self-practice: Say three sentences about important appointments you have this month.
production meeting
Meaning: a meeting where a team discusses production or project progress.Synonyms: project meeting, team meeting, review meeting
Chunk/Idiom: have a production meeting
Example: The production meeting finished later than they expected.
Morphology: noun phrase, business term
Self-practice: Describe what people usually decide in a production meeting at your company.
contract
Meaning: a legal document that explains an agreement between people or companies.Synonyms: agreement, legal document, deal
Chunk/Idiom: review the contract
Example: They signed the contract after reviewing every page carefully.
Morphology: noun, countable noun
Self-practice: Say what you must check before you sign any contract.
factory
Meaning: a building where workers and machines make products.Synonyms: plant, production site, manufacturing facility
Chunk/Idiom: visit the factory
Example: The factory visit is planned for next month.
Morphology: noun, countable noun
Self-practice: Imagine a factory you know and describe what it produces.
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
Are you free on Thursday morning for a short meeting?
How about Thursday at eleven to review the contract together?
I am going to travel into the city for our appointment.
We have already checked the train schedule for the best time.
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
Which sentence correctly refuses an appointment?
Tip: Use am not free to refuse politely.
Which question suggests a new appointment time?
Tip: Look for How about plus a specific day and time.
Fill with the best answer:
Are you ______ on Thursday morning?Tip: Use this adjective to ask politely about someone’s time.
Fill with the best answer:
They have a production ______ at four.Tip: This noun often follows the word production in business English.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
Which tool helps you see all your appointments for the week?
Tip: Think about the object that shows every day of your week.
What do you check before choosing a departure time?
Tip: It often hangs above the platforms in a station.
Fill with the best answer:
They have to review the ______ together.Tip: This legal document explains the agreement between them.
Fill with the best answer:
She would like to fix a business ______ this week.Tip: It is another word for a planned meeting.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: Are you free on Thursday morning for a short meeting?B: Hmmm, I am busy then. How about Thursday at eleven?
A: That time works well for me if the train is on time.
Why this matters:
Clear appointment language helps you organise your week, avoid conflicts, and respect other people’s time.Verb & Adjective Pack:
fix a meeting — We need to fix a meeting before Friday.be available — I am available after eleven o’clock.
be delayed — The train was delayed by twenty minutes.
busy afternoon — The factory has a very busy afternoon schedule.
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: Let’s meet on ______ for our appointment.
Tip: Use the same day and time confirmed in the mini-text.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: i busy on tuesday afternoon.
Tip: Remember to add the verb to be after the subject.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
the train schedule is very busy this week.
Tip: Focus on linking the words schedule is when you speak.