Work schedules: talking about your daily routine

A1
90 min
Free
1

Think about these questions before reading. Share your ideas with a partner.

  1. What time do you start your day?
  2. What do you do in the morning?
  3. What is your favorite day of the week? Why?
2

Talking About Work Schedules

Listen to the dialogue. Notice how the vocabulary and grammar from the lesson are used.

3

Answer the questions about the dialogue.

01What time does Marco work?
Sample answerHe works from nine to five.
02When does Emma take her lunch break?
Sample answerShe takes her lunch break at 1 p.m.
03Does Emma work overtime?
Sample answerNo, she doesn't. She usually clocks out at 5 p.m.
04What is Marco's day off?
Sample answerHis day off is Saturday.
4

Key vocabulary

Vocabulary
Here are some useful phrases to talk about work schedules.
Examples
Work from nine to five — to work the usual hours for an office job, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This is a very common phrase. You can change the hours, for example: 'I work from eight to four.'
Take a break — to stop working for a short time to rest.
We often say 'take a lunch break' or 'take a coffee break'. For example: 'I take a break at 11 a.m.'
Day off — a day when you do not go to work.
For example: 'My day off is Friday.' or 'I have two days off every week.'
Work overtime — to work more hours than your normal work time.
You can say, 'I have to work overtime this week because we are very busy.'
Clock in / clock out — to record the time you start work (clock in) and the time you finish work (clock out).
Many jobs use a special card or computer to do this. For example: 'I clock in at 9 a.m. every day.'
5

Vocabulary for work schedules

Learn these words about work.

Match each item on the left with the correct item on the right.

Drag or click to match
Definitions
6

Grammar: Simple present and prepositions of time

Grammar
We use the simple present to talk about routines and schedules. To say when things happen, we use prepositions of time like 'at' for times, 'on' for days, and 'from...to' for a period.
Examples
I start work at 9 AM.
Use 'at' for specific times on the clock.
He works on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Use 'on' for specific days of the week. Remember to add '-s' for he/she/it.
My shift is from 6 PM to 11 PM.
Use 'from...to' to show the start and end of a time period.
Key points
  • Use the simple present for regular actions and routines.
  • Add '-s' to the verb for he, she, and it (he starts, she finishes).
  • Use 'at' for times (at 5 o'clock), and 'on' for days (on Monday).
7

Complete the sentences with words from the box. One word is extra.

Word bank
01I don't work on Saturday. It's my .
02I work for four hours, then I for lunch.
03The office is very busy. I need to tonight.
04I always at 9 a.m. when I arrive at the office.
05She has a normal office job. She works .
8

Choose the best answer about the dialogue.

01What time does Marco clock in?
02How long is Emma's break?
03Who has a day off on Saturday?
04What does Emma usually do at 5 p.m.?
9

Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.

  1. What is a normal work schedule in your country? Do people usually 'work from nine to five'?
  2. Is it good to 'work overtime'? Why or why not?
  3. What is your perfect 'day off'? What do you do on that day?