Touring Your Company Facilities
CEFR: A2
Read/Listen first
When Ms Carter arrives at Hutch Industries, the receptionist welcomes her in the bright lobby and gives her a visitor badge. Jack Lowell soon joins her and thanks her for coming to tour the company. He explains that the company was founded in 1978 by two brothers who started with a small workshop in the city centre. Since then, Hutch has grown into a global manufacturer with modern facilities and a busy production line. Today they are going to visit the head office, the warehouse, and the electronics lab. Jack tells her that she can ask questions at any time during the visit. Before they move on, he checks that she has comfortable shoes, because they will walk through several areas and stand for a while on the factory floor. Ms Carter has never visited an electronics factory before, so she would like to see how the components are assembled and how the quality checks are done.⚡ Learning goals
- Can follow a short company introduction and tour plan for a factory visit.
- Can understand basic information about when a company was founded and how it has grown.
- Can recognise invitations to ask questions and practical advice during a company visit.
✨ Key language
- Our company was founded in 1978. “Our company was founded in 1978 by two brothers.”
- The company has grown into a global manufacturer. “Since then, Hutch has grown into a global manufacturer.”
- We are going to visit the production line. “Today we are going to visit the head office and warehouse.”
⚙️ Rules & Grammar — 4 Structures
1️⃣ Past simple for company history
Rule: Use the past simple to give finished facts about when and how a company started.Examples: The company was founded in 1978.; They started with a small workshop.; Jack joined the company ten years ago.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners often say *the company is founded in 1978* — use *was founded* to show a finished past event.
Choose the best option: The company ______ in 1978.
Tip: Use past simple (*was founded*) for a finished action in the past.
Fill with the best answer: Our company ______ in 1978.
Tip: Think of a completed event in the company’s past.
2️⃣ Present perfect for growth and change
Rule: Use the present perfect to describe growth or change from the past up to now.Examples: Hutch has grown into a global manufacturer.; The company has added new facilities.; Our sales have increased this year.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners sometimes use past simple (*grew*) when the result is important now — use *has grown* to connect past and present.
Choose the best option: The company ______ a lot in the last ten years.
Tip: Use *has grown* with a time period that continues until now.
Fill with the best answer: She ______ an electronics factory before.
Tip: Use *has never* plus past participle for life experience.
3️⃣ Be going to for tour plans
Rule: Use *be going to* to talk about fixed plans for the visit or tour schedule.Examples: Today we are going to visit the head office.; We are going to see the production line.; They are going to finish in the warehouse.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners may only use *will* — choose *be going to* when the plan already exists.
Choose the best option: This afternoon we ______ the warehouse.
Tip: Use *are going to* for planned steps in the tour.
Fill with the best answer: After the lobby, we ______.
Tip: Think about the next step on the company tour.
4️⃣ Modal can for invitations and permission
Rule: Use *can* to invite questions and to say that something is possible during the visit.Examples: You can ask questions at any time.; Visitors can take photos in the lobby.; You can sit while we explain the safety rules.
Common pitfall + fix: Learners sometimes use *must* when they want to be polite — use *can* to sound friendly and open.
Choose the best option: During the tour you ______ at any time.
Tip: Use *can* for something that is allowed and optional.
Fill with the best answer: Visitors ______.
Tip: Imagine a friendly guide explaining what is possible.
✍️ Vocabulary
receptionist
Meaning: the person who welcomes visitors and answers calls at the front desk.Synonyms: front-desk clerk, secretary.
Chunk/Idiom: receptionist at the lobby desk.
Example: The receptionist at the lobby desk welcomes every visitor politely.
Morphology: noun; related verb: receive; related adjective: receptive.
Self-practice: Write one sentence about the receptionist in your own company.
lobby
Meaning: the open area near the entrance of a building where visitors wait.Synonyms: reception area, entrance hall.
Chunk/Idiom: waiting in the lobby.
Example: Visitors usually wait in the lobby before the tour starts.
Morphology: noun; plural: lobbies; related adjective: lobby-level.
Self-practice: Describe what visitors can see while they wait in the lobby.
visitor badge
Meaning: a small card or sticker that shows someone is an official visitor.Synonyms: guest pass, ID badge.
Chunk/Idiom: wear a visitor badge.
Example: Every guest must wear a visitor badge during the visit.
Morphology: noun phrase; head noun: badge; related verb: badge.
Self-practice: Write one sentence explaining why a visitor badge is important.
production line
Meaning: a series of machines and workers that make products step by step.Synonyms: assembly line, manufacturing line.
Chunk/Idiom: walk along the production line.
Example: On the tour we walk along the production line slowly.
Morphology: noun phrase; head noun: line; related verb: produce.
Self-practice: Write one sentence about what you can see on a production line.
warehouse
Meaning: a large building where products or materials are stored.Synonyms: storage building, depot.
Chunk/Idiom: goods stored in the warehouse.
Example: Finished products are stored in the warehouse before shipping.
Morphology: noun; plural: warehouses; related verb: store.
Self-practice: Write one sentence about what happens in your company warehouse.
factory floor
Meaning: the main working area in a factory where machines and workers operate.Synonyms: shop floor, production area.
Chunk/Idiom: walk across the factory floor.
Example: Visitors must wear safe shoes on the factory floor.
Morphology: noun phrase; head noun: floor; related adjective: factory-floor.
Self-practice: Write one sentence about safety rules on the factory floor.
☁️ Examples (+ audio)
Jack welcomes the visitor in the lobby.
Our company was founded in nineteen seventy-eight.
We are going to visit the production line.
You can ask questions at any time during the tour.
✏️ Exercises
Grammar
The company ______ in 1978 by two brothers.
Tip: Use past simple to describe when the company started.
Since then, the company ______ into a global manufacturer.
Tip: Use present perfect to connect past growth with the situation now.
Fill with the best answer:
After the lobby, we ______.Tip: Use *are going to* plus the place from the tour plan.
Fill with the best answer:
During the visit you ______.Tip: Think of the guide’s invitation in the mini text.
Vocabulary & Comprehension
Where does the visitor wait at the beginning of the tour?
Tip: Look at the first place mentioned in the mini text.
What does the receptionist give to Ms Carter?
Tip: Think about the security item mentioned in the lobby.
Fill with the best answer:
We walk slowly along the ______ to see how products are made.Tip: Choose the place where machines and workers assemble products.
Fill with the best answer:
You need comfortable shoes on the ______.Tip: Remember the place where visitors stand during the tour.
✅ Guided practice
Mini-dialogue:
A: Welcome to Hutch Industries, Ms Carter. Did you find the lobby easily?B: Yes, thank you. The receptionist was very helpful and gave me my visitor badge.
A: Great. First we are going to visit the head office, then the production line.
Why this matters:
Clear introductions and tour plans help visitors feel relaxed. They know where they will go and what they will see. This makes the visit safer and more productive for everyone.Verb & Adjective Pack:
welcome visitors — We welcome visitors at the lobby desk.be founded — Our company was founded in a small workshop.
grow quickly — The company has grown quickly in the last decade.
be comfortable — Comfortable shoes are important on the factory floor.
Try & compare:
Fill with the best answer: After the head office, we ______.
Tip: Use *are going to* plus the next place on the tour.
Self-correction: Fix the sentence: The company is founded in 1978 by two brothers.
Tip: Change the verb form to show a finished past event.
Practice aloud: Listen, repeat, then type the sentence.
You can ask questions at any time during the visit.
Tip: Listen for connected speech between *ask* and *questions*.