Greeting a visitor in your company
CEFR: A2
Read/Listen first
It is Monday afternoon in the lobby of Brightline Consulting. Emma, the receptionist, is waiting near the front desk when a visitor walks in. “Good afternoon. Can I help you?” she asks with a smile. “Yes, my name is Daniel Reed. I have an appointment with Ms. Lopez at four,” he replies. Emma checks the screen and says, “Great, I’ll let Ms. Lopez know you’re here. Have you been to our office before?” “No, I haven’t,” Daniel says. “The flight was long, but it was on time.” “Did you have a good flight?” Emma asks. “Yes, although there was a lot of traffic on the way from the airport,” he answers. “Would you like to take a seat while you wait? I’m going to bring you some water,” Emma says. Daniel smiles. “That would be great, thank you. The weather is warmer than I expected, so a drink would be nice.”⚡ Learning goals
- Can greet a visitor politely at the office reception.
- Can make small talk about a business trip, traffic and weather.
- Can offer a drink and invite a visitor to wait comfortably.
✨ Key language
- Can I help you? “Good afternoon. Can I help you?”
- Did you have a good flight? “Did you have a good flight from the airport?”
- Would you like to take a seat? “Would you like to take a seat while you wait?”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1 Past simple questions about travel
Rule: Use did + base verb to ask about a finished trip in the past.Examples: Did you have a good flight?; Did you arrive on time?; Did you find the office easily?
Common pitfall + fix: Learners often say “Did you had a good flight?”. Use the base form “have” after “did”.
Choose the correct past simple question.
Tip: Use “did” + base verb to ask about finished trips.
Fill with the best answer: ________ from the airport?
Tip: Start with “Did” for past questions.
2 Present perfect for experience
Rule: Use have/has + past participle to ask about life experience until now.Examples: Have you been to our office before?; Have you visited this city before?; Have you flown with this airline before?
Common pitfall + fix: Learners mix past simple and present perfect. Use present perfect when the exact time is not important.
Choose the correct present perfect question.
Tip: Use “been” after “have” when you talk about places.
Fill with the best answer: ________?
Tip: Copy the model: “Have you been to our office before?”
3 Future with going to
Rule: Use be going to + verb to talk about an intention or plan in the near future.Examples: I’m going to bring you some water.; We are going to start the meeting at four.; They are going to visit the production area.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners forget the verb “be”. Use “I am going to…”, not “I going to…”.
Choose the correct “going to” sentence.
Tip: Remember the verb “be” before “going to”.
Fill with the best answer: ________.
Tip: Use “are going to” for we/you/they.
4 Would for polite offers
Rule: Use would you like to offer drinks or help in a polite way.Examples: Would you like to take a seat?; Would you like some water?; Would you like a coffee before the meeting?
Common pitfall + fix: Learners say “Do you like” instead of “Would you like”. Use “would” for polite offers now.
Choose the best offer at reception.
Tip: “Would you like…?” is the standard question for polite offers.
Fill with the best answer: ________ while you wait?
Tip: Use “Would you like to…” plus the base verb.
✍️ Vocabulary
lobby
Meaning: The main entrance area of a company building where visitors wait.Synonyms: reception area, entrance hall
Chunk/Idiom: wait in the lobby
Example: Please wait in the lobby before the meeting starts.
Morphology: noun; singular; plural lobbies
Self-practice: Describe the lobby in your company in one sentence.
receptionist
Meaning: The person who greets visitors and answers the phone at a company.Synonyms: front-desk clerk, assistant
Chunk/Idiom: friendly receptionist
Example: The receptionist greeted the visitor with a warm smile.
Morphology: noun; countable; job title
Self-practice: Write one sentence about a helpful receptionist you know.
appointment
Meaning: A planned meeting at a specific time.Synonyms: meeting, booking
Chunk/Idiom: have an appointment
Example: I have an appointment with Ms. Lopez at four.
Morphology: noun; countable; business context
Self-practice: Write a sentence about your next appointment in English.
flight
Meaning: A trip by airplane from one place to another.Synonyms: plane trip, air journey
Chunk/Idiom: catch a flight
Example: Her flight from Sydney was long but comfortable.
Morphology: noun; countable; travel
Self-practice: Write one question about a colleague’s flight.
traffic
Meaning: Many cars or buses on the road that make travel slow.Synonyms: congestion, heavy cars
Chunk/Idiom: heavy traffic
Example: There was heavy traffic on the way from the airport.
Morphology: noun; uncountable; transport
Self-practice: Write one sentence about traffic in your city.
take a seat
Meaning: To sit down, often because someone invites you to.Synonyms: sit down, have a chair
Chunk/Idiom: please take a seat
Example: Please take a seat while you wait for the visitor.
Morphology: verb phrase; polite instruction
Self-practice: Write one polite sentence using “take a seat”.
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
Emma greeted the visitor in the lobby.
Did you have a good flight today?
Have you been to this office before?
Would you like some water while you wait?
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
Choose the correct question for a visitor.
Tip: Use “Did you have…?” for a finished trip.
Choose the correct present perfect question.
Tip: Use “have been” to talk about experience.
Fill with the best answer:
________.Tip: Use “are going to” for future plans.
Fill with the best answer:
________?Tip: “Would you like…?” is polite and friendly.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
Where does Daniel wait for the meeting?
Tip: Look at the first sentence of the story.
Who greets Daniel when he arrives?
Tip: Emma works at the front desk.
Fill with the best answer:
Daniel has an ________ with Ms. Lopez at four.Tip: It is a planned meeting at a specific time.
Fill with the best answer:
There was a lot of ________ on the way from the airport.Tip: Think about many cars and buses on the road.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: Good afternoon. Can I help you?B: Yes, I have an appointment with Ms. Lopez at four.
A: Great. Please take a seat while you wait.
B: Thank you, the lobby is very comfortable.
Why this matters:
Greeting visitors politely creates a positive first impression. It helps guests relax after a long trip. Good small talk builds trust before the meeting.Verb & Adjective Pack:
greet — Emma greets every visitor with a smile.wait — Daniel waits in the lobby before the meeting.
comfortable — The chairs in the lobby are comfortable.
polite — Her polite questions make the visitor feel welcome.
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: ________ while you wait?
Tip: Use “Would you like…” for polite offers.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: Did you had a good flight?
Tip: After “did”, use the base form of the verb.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
Have you been to our office before?
Tip: Listen for “Have you been” plus the place.