Thematic lesson
TRAVEL TIME & DATES
Asking and understanding schedules, days and dates while traveling
Level A2
Illustration of a travel postcard showing palm trees and a sailboat on a beach, next to a cup of coffee and a small potted succulent
Click any picture in this lesson to zoom in

By the end of this lesson, you can...

  • 1 ask about a flight's day, departure time and arrival time.
  • 2 understand airport times (boarding, gate, arrival) and airport announcements.
  • 3 ask to change a flight or train to a different day.
  • 4 check in/out of a hotel and ask about breakfast times.
  • 5 book a tour or a restaurant table for a specific day and time.
  • 6 read a bus or train timetable and answer questions about it.
  • 7 confirm plans to meet someone — day, time, and place.
← → navigate · ☰ Menu jumps to any section · tab on the right edge opens the grammar reference
Warm-up · diagnostic + practice
TELLING THE TIME
The single most useful skill in this lesson — let's make sure it's solid before we travel
A2
Illustration of a packed suitcase on a bed next to a bedside table with a lamp and an alarm clock
Click to zoom
Ask the three questions below first. Don't teach anything yet — just listen, and note what comes naturally and what doesn't. That decides how much of the rest of this page you need.
12 3 6 9
"What time is it?"
1. Point at the clock above. What time is it?
Expected: "It's a quarter to nine." or "It's eight forty-five." Either form is fine at A2.
2. What day is it today?
Any correct day name in a full sentence — "It's Monday." / "Today is Monday."
3. Can you say today's date in English?
Listen for the ordinal number — "It's August seventeenth," not the cardinal "August seventeen."

The full picture

Grammar focus — five ways to say a time
DigitalPatternSay it
3:00o'clock — exact hourthree o'clock
6:30half past the hourhalf past six
2:15quarter past the hourquarter past two
8:45quarter to the next hourquarter to nine
5:10minutes past (1–29)ten past five
9:50minutes to (31–59)ten to ten

All six also have a plain digital form that's always correct and always understood: hour + minutes, said as two numbers — "three fifteen," "nine fifty." Airports, hotels and timetables often print times this way; you can always fall back on it.

Six clocks — say the time before clicking Show
12 3 6 9
?
It's three o'clock.
12 3 6 9
?
It's half past six.
12 3 6 9
?
It's quarter past two.
12 3 6 9
?
It's ten past five.
12 3 6 9
?
It's ten to ten.
12 3 6 9
?
It's quarter to nine.
Common mistake — Portuguese speakers
Don't say It's six and a half → Say It's half past six
Don't say It's nine less a quarter → Say It's a quarter to nine
Don't say It's fourteen hours (reading 14:00 literally) → Say It's two o'clock / two p.m.
Don't say In six o'clock → Say At six o'clock

Bridge skill — timetables print 24-hour times, but nobody says them that way

These exact times come back later today, on the bus timetable and the flight itinerary. Convert each one out loud — say the natural spoken form.

1. 06:15
Quarter past six (six fifteen a.m.)
2. 09:00
Nine o'clock (nine a.m.)
3. 16:45
Quarter to five (four forty-five p.m.)
4. 19:20
Twenty past seven (seven twenty p.m.)
5. 08:15
Quarter past eight (eight fifteen a.m.)
6. 22:40
Twenty to eleven (ten forty p.m.)
1 / 6

Free practice — ask and answer, no script

  • What time do you usually wake up?
  • What time do you usually have lunch?
  • What time does the sun set where you live?
Review 1 of 4
ON or AT?
Look at these sentences — you'll hear them again later today
A2
Before the rule — notice it yourself

"The flight is on Monday, August 17th, at 9:30 a.m."

"The tour is on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m."

"Breakfast is from 7:00 to 10:30 a.m."

Look at the bold words. Which one comes before a day or date? Which one comes before a clock time? Guess out loud before showing the rule below.

Grammar focus
WordUsed beforeExample
ona day / a dateon Monday · on August 17th
ata clock timeat 9:30 a.m. · at noon
from ... toa time rangefrom 7:00 to 10:30 a.m.

Quick practice — say it with on or at

1. The concert isSaturday.
The concert is on Saturday.
2. The train leaves6 o'clock.
The train leaves at 6 o'clock.
3. Her flight arrivesJuly 3rd.
Her flight arrives on July 3rd.
4. The shop closes9 p.m.
The shop closes at 9 p.m.
Review 2 of 4
SAY IT RIGHT
Pronunciation — the bridge before the role-plays
A2
Stress on the time expression

In "half past" and "quarter to", both content words are stressed — the quantity word (half/quarter) and the hour number — while the preposition (past/to) stays weak and quick.

HALF past TWO
QUARTER to NINE

"at" is usually said weak and fast — /ət/, almost swallowed — except when correcting someone ("No, AT six, not at seven!").

at 6 o'clock → /ət ˈsɪks/

Ordinal dates — say the number as an ordinal, not a cardinal:

the 15th → "the fifTEENTH"
the 20th → "the twenTIETH"
Common mistake
Don't say the fifteen of August → Say the fifteenth of August / August the fifteenth
Say it — practice

Say each one aloud with the correct stress first. Click Show to hear the model and check.

1. half past four
HALF past FOUR
2. quarter to seven
QUARTER to SEVEN
3. the date: the 12th
"the twelfth"
4. the date: the 23rd
"the twenty-third"
Review 3 of 4
WATCH OUT
The prepositions learners mix up most
A2
Common mistake
Don't say The flight is in 8 o'clock → Say The flight is at 8 o'clock
Don't say I arrive in Monday → Say I arrive on Monday
Don't say The tour is in the 20 → Say The tour is on the 20th
Listening trap — a.m./p.m. and days

"6 p.m." and "6 a.m." sound almost the same in fast speech — and so do "Tuesday" and "Thursday". That's a real travel trap (missing a flight over a mixed-up a.m./p.m.). Situation 10, later today, trains exactly this.

Review 4 of 4
ON, AT, OR FROM...TO?
Say the sentence out loud with the right word
A2

Say the full sentence out loud. Click Show to confirm.

1. The train leavesTuesday.
The train leaves on Tuesday.
2. Check-in is3 p.m.
Check-in is at 3 p.m.
3. We arriveAugust 21st.
We arrive on August 21st.
4. Breakfast starts7 o'clock.
Breakfast starts at 7 o'clock.
5. The tour isFriday.
The tour is on Friday.
6. Our table is booked7:30 p.m.
Our table is booked at 7:30 p.m.
7. The bus leavesSunday morning.
The bus leaves on Sunday morning.
8. My flight isMay 2nd,6:15 a.m.
My flight is on May 2nd, at 6:15 a.m.
1 / 8
Situation 1 of 10 · Build it, then role-play
BOOKING A FLIGHT
Drag the words into order to build each question — then call the airline
A2
Illustration of a passport and a boarding pass with a QR code, on a wooden table next to a cup of coffee and a pen
Click to zoom
You want to fly to London. Build the four questions below, then call the airline (or go to a travel agency) and find out the flight details.
Question 1
What day is the flight?
Question 2
What time does it leave?
Question 3
What time does it arrive?
Question 4
What is the date?

Now role-play it

YOU (Passenger)

Ask the four questions you just built, in order — then confirm the whole flight back in one sentence.

  1. What day is the flight?
  2. What time does it leave?
  3. What time does it arrive?
  4. What is the date?
✈ Departures — Gate Information
DAYWEDNESDAY
DEPARTS11:15 A.M.
ARRIVES1:40 P.M.
DATESEPTEMBER 9TH
Situation 2 of 10 · Build it, then role-play
AT THE AIRPORT
Drag the words into order to build each question — then ask the employee
A2
Your flight is at 8:45 a.m. on Tuesday, September 15th. Build the three questions below, then ask an airport employee.
Question 1
What time does boarding start?
Question 2
What time does the gate close?
Question 3
What time should I arrive?

Now role-play it

YOU (Passenger)

You just arrived. Ask the employee the three questions you just built, in order.

  1. What time does boarding start?
  2. What time does the gate close?
  3. What time should I arrive?
✈ Gate 14 — Now Boarding
BOARDING STARTS8:00 A.M.
GATE CLOSES8:25 A.M.
ARRIVE BY6:45 A.M.
Arrive 2 hours early.
Situation 3 of 10 · Build it, then role-play
CHANGING A FLIGHT
Drag the words into order to build each question — then call the airline
A2
Your flight is on Friday, but you want to travel on Saturday instead. Build the three questions below, then call the airline.
Question 1
What flights are available on Saturday?
Question 2
What time do they leave?
Question 3
What time do they arrive?

Now role-play it

YOU (Passenger)

Explain you want to change your flight to Saturday, then ask the questions you just built.

  1. What flights are available on Saturday?
  2. What time do they leave?
  3. What time do they arrive?
✈ Saturday — Available Flights
FLIGHT 1 · DEPARTS9:00 A.M.
FLIGHT 1 · ARRIVES11:20 A.M.
FLIGHT 2 · DEPARTS3:30 P.M.
FLIGHT 2 · ARRIVES5:50 P.M.
Situation 4 of 10 · Build it, then role-play
HOTEL CHECK-IN
Drag the words into order to build each question — then ask at the front desk
A2
You have a reservation for Monday, October 5th. Build the three questions below, then use them at the hotel front desk.
Question 1
What time is check-in?
Question 2
What time is check-out?
Question 3
What time is breakfast?

Now role-play it

YOU (Guest)

Give your name and reservation date, then ask the questions you just built.

  1. What time is check-in?
  2. What time is check-out?
  3. What time is breakfast?
🏨 Front Desk — Guest Information
CHECK-IN3:00 P.M.
CHECK-OUT11:00 A.M.
BREAKFAST7:00–10:00 A.M.
Situation 5 of 10 · Build it, then role-play
HOTEL BREAKFAST
Drag the words into order to build each question — then ask at the front desk
A2
Breakfast is available from 7:00 to 10:30 a.m. Build the three questions below to confirm the details.
Question 1
What time does breakfast start?
Question 2
What time does it finish?
Question 3
Is breakfast available on Sunday?

Now role-play it

YOU (Guest)

Ask the questions you just built — start, finish, then Sunday.

  1. What time does breakfast start?
  2. What time does it finish?
  3. Is breakfast available on Sunday?
Breakfast Service
MON–SAT · START7:00 A.M.
MON–SAT · FINISH10:30 A.M.
SUNDAYBRUNCH ONLY
No regular breakfast on Sundays — brunch runs 9:00 to 12:00.
Situation 6 of 10 · Build it, then role-play
BOOKING A TOUR
Drag the words into order to build each sentence — then book a tour
A2
Illustration of a folded city map with a red pin marking a location, next to a cup of coffee and a pencil
Click to zoom
You want to visit a museum. Build the two sentences below, then use them to ask about tours and book one.
DayTime
Tuesday10:00 a.m.
Wednesday2:00 p.m.
Friday11:30 a.m.
Sentence 1 — ask about tours
What tours do you have available?
Sentence 2 — book the Wednesday tour
I'd like to book the tour on Wednesday at 2:00 p.m.

Now role-play it — book any tour from the table

Extra: polite requests

  • Could I book the Wednesday tour, please?
  • Will there be a discount for two people?
  • I'll have the 2:00 p.m. tour, please.
Situation 7 of 10 · Build it, then role-play
TRAIN STATION
Drag the words into order to build each question — then ask the agent
A2
You need to find a train to another city. Build the four questions, then use them to ask the ticket agent below.
Question 1
What time is the next train?
Question 2
What day is the next train?
Question 3
How long does it take?
Question 4
What time does it arrive?

Now role-play it

YOU (Passenger)

Ask the four questions you just built, in order.

  1. What time is the next train?
  2. What day is the next train?
  3. How long does it take?
  4. What time does it arrive?
🚆 Departures — Platform Information
NEXT TRAIN3:15 P.M. TODAY
IF FULL, NEXT DAYTHURSDAY
DURATION2H 20MIN
ARRIVES5:35 P.M.
Situation 8 of 10 · Reading a timetable
BUS SCHEDULE
A2
This is the timetable for the bus from your hotel to the city center. Read it and answer the questions.
Departure (hotel)Arrival (city center)Days
06:1506:40Mon–Fri
09:0009:25Mon–Fri
12:3012:55Mon–Fri
16:4517:10Mon–Fri
19:2019:45Mon–Fri (last bus)
10:0010:25Sunday only
15:0015:25Sunday only
What time is the bus on Monday morning if you want to arrive before 9:30?
The 09:00 bus — arrives 09:25.
Is there a bus on Sunday?
Yes — but only two buses: 10:00 and 15:00.
What time does the last bus leave (weekdays)?
19:20.
Which bus arrives at 6:40?
The 06:15 bus.
Situation 9 of 10 · Build it, then role-play
RESTAURANT RESERVATION
Drag the words into order to build each sentence — then make the call
A2
You're traveling and want dinner. You need to book a table for two people, on Thursday, August 20th, at 7:30 p.m. Build the sentences below.
Sentence 1
I'd like to book a table, please.
Sentence 2 — the details
For two people, on Thursday, August 20th, at 7:30 p.m.
Sentence 3 — if it's fully booked
Do you have anything else available?

Extra: polite requests

  • Could I have a table for two, please?
  • I'll have the 7:00 p.m. table, please.

Now role-play it

YOU (Customer)

Call the restaurant and make the reservation using the sentences you just built. Be ready — 7:30 is fully booked, so you'll need to choose an alternative and confirm it in a full sentence.

☎ Reservation Line — Availability
REQUESTED · 7:30 P.M.FULLY BOOKED
ALTERNATIVE 17:00 P.M.
ALTERNATIVE 28:15 P.M.
"I'm sorry, 7:30 is fully booked. We have a table at 7:00 p.m. or 8:15 p.m. — which one works for you?"
Situation 10 of 10 · Listening trap
MEETING A FRIEND WHILE TRAVELING
A2
Illustration of two friends laughing at an outdoor cafe table, one pointing at a phone with a travel itinerary, a suitcase on the ground beside them
Click to zoom
You've just landed in New York. You texted a few friends: "Hello! I've just arrived in NY. Let's arrange to meet?" They're replying with voice messages — four friends, four voices, real people don't all sound the same.
🎧 Voice messages — listen, transcribe, then reply correctly
For each message: play it, type exactly what you hear, check it — then pick the reply that correctly answers what they actually said.
Speed:
■ correct■ missing■ extra

Didn't catch it? Real repair phrases — not just "what?"

You missed the whole thing
  • Sorry, could you say that again?
  • Pardon?
  • Sorry, I didn't catch that.
They're talking too fast
  • Could you speak more slowly, please?
  • Sorry, could you say that a bit slower?
You heard something — just confirm it
  • So that's Thursday at 6:30, right?
  • Sorry, did you say Thursday or Tuesday?
  • Just to confirm — the coffee shop on Main Street?
  • Sorry, 6 p.m. or 6 a.m.?
Real-world listening · Airport call
THE DELAYED CONNECTION
A2
🔎 Before you listen — look at the picture below and describe it out loud. Where are they? What do you think is happening? Then play the audio and check your guess: a full, real conversation with the gate agent — two consistent voices, just like a real call. Work through the questions below before reading the transcript.
🎨 illustration placeholder Illustration of an airport gate counter, a worried traveler with a suitcase talking to a uniformed gate agent, a departures board glowing in the background
Nano Banana prompt — pre-listening image Loose ink-and-watercolor travel-journal illustration of an airport gate counter: a worried traveler with a rolling suitcase leaning on the desk, a uniformed gate agent behind it typing at a screen, a departures board glowing softly in the background with a blurred red "DELAYED" mark, warm indoor terminal light, muted khaki and rust palette, visible paper texture, hand-drawn linework, no readable text or letters in the image, wide 16:9 framing.
Full call — Agent & Emma

Interpretation — answer from memory first

1. Why does Emma think she has missed her flight?
Her flight from Chicago landed late, so she may have missed her connecting flight to Denver.
2. What is Emma's booking reference?
K7P9R2.
3. Why can't Emma take the 6:15 flight?
Because it's fully booked — no seats left.
4. What time does her new flight leave, and how does she feel about it?
It leaves at 9:40 p.m. She thinks it's a long wait, but accepts it anyway.
5. How long is the layover on her new flight?
About fifty minutes.
6. Why does the agent mention the self-service kiosk?
As a faster alternative to a printed boarding pass — so Emma can skip the line if she prefers.
7. What time must Emma be at gate C14, and why is it earlier than boarding?
By 8:50 p.m. — boarding starts at 9:10, so 8:50 leaves a safety buffer to get through the gate before it closes.

Vocabulary inference — guess from context, then check

Don't look these up. Use the sentence around each word to guess the meaning first — that's exactly what you do when you listen in real life.
connecting flight — "…supposed to catch a connecting flight to Denver."
A second flight that continues your trip after the first one lands — you change planes to reach your final destination.
booking reference — "Can I have your booking reference, please?"
A short code (letters and numbers) that identifies your reservation, so staff can find your ticket instantly.
missed that connection — "…unfortunately you have missed that connection."
Arrived too late to catch the next flight — it already departed without you.
rebook — "I'll rebook you onto that flight now."
To officially move a passenger's ticket onto a different, later flight.
layover — "It'll have a short layover, about fifty minutes."
A wait between two flights at the same airport, before boarding the connecting one.
boarding pass — "Will I need a new boarding pass?"
The document (paper or digital) that lets you go through the gate and onto the plane.
self-service kiosk — "…get one from the self-service kiosk over there."
A machine at the airport where you can print your own boarding pass or check in without a staff member.
Real-world listening · Real video, real accents
BOOKING A FLIGHT — WATCH & RECORD
A2
Diana Fontana calls Swift Travel to book a flight to Paris. This time, you're not the passenger — you're Sherry, the travel agent. Watch the clip and fill in the booking form below with the information Diana gives you, exactly like a real agent would while on the call.
🎧 Watch as many times as you need — the clip loops back to the start automatically.

✈ Swift Travel — Booking Form

Fill in every field with what Diana tells Sherry. Formats like "7:45 p.m." or "7:45pm" are both fine.

Integrated practice
TRIP TO NEW YORK
Everything from today, all together — on/at, days and dates
A2
Sofia is going on a work trip to New York. Here's her full itinerary — use it to answer the questions below.
Illustration of a rainy New York City skyline seen through a window, with a person holding a red umbrella on the street below
Click to zoom
DayDateActivityTime
MondayAugust 17thFlight9:30 a.m.
TuesdayAugust 18thMuseum2:00 p.m.
WednesdayAugust 19thFree day—
ThursdayAugust 20thCity tour10:00 a.m.
FridayAugust 21stFlight home7:45 p.m.

Answer the questions — the table stays on screen

1. When is the flight to New York?
It's on Monday, August 17th, at 9:30 a.m.
2. What day is the museum visit?
Tuesday.
3. What time does the city tour start?
10:00 a.m.
4. What day is August 19th?
Wednesday.
5. What does she do on Thursday?
The city tour.
6. Is the flight to New York in the morning or evening? And the flight home?
The flight to New York is in the morning (9:30 a.m.). The flight home is in the evening (7:45 p.m.).
7. What time is the flight home?
7:45 p.m.
8. What does she do on Wednesday?
Nothing planned — it's a free day.
1 / 8
Integrated practice · reading a real itinerary
READ THE ITINERARY
Airlines print schedules exactly like this — airport codes, flight numbers, local times
A2
Sofia is on a business trip. This is the itinerary her airline emailed her.
DayDateFlightFromDepartToArrive
MondaySept 14thBA205London LHR08:15New York JFK11:05
WednesdaySept 16thby trainNew York09:00Boston13:00
FridaySept 18thAA1123Boston BOS15:30Chicago ORD17:10
MondaySept 21stUA842Chicago ORD10:00London LHR22:40 +1 day

LHR London Heathrow  ·  JFK New York JFK  ·  BOS Boston Logan  ·  ORD Chicago O'Hare

Answer the questions — the itinerary stays on screen

1. Where is Sofia going to be on Wednesday 16th?
Traveling by train from New York to Boston.
2. When does she leave London?
On Monday, September 14th, at 08:15.
3. What time does she arrive in New York?
At 11:05.
4. Which flight does she take from Boston to Chicago?
Flight AA1123, departing 15:30 on Friday.
5. When does she return to London?
On Monday, September 21st, arriving 22:40 (the next day, local time).
6. Is any part of the trip by train or only by plane?
The New York–Boston leg is by train; the rest are flights.
1 / 6

Now ask a partner (or the teacher) about your own trip

  • What time do you usually leave home?
  • What time do you arrive at work or school?
  • Are you going to travel soon? When?
Free production
SAY IT IN ENGLISH
Use the cues to build a full sentence with on / at
A2
1. Cue: flight · Monday, August 17th · 9:30 a.m.
"The flight is on Monday, August 17th, at 9:30 a.m."
2. Cue: museum visit · Tuesday · 2:00 p.m.
"The museum visit is on Tuesday at 2:00 p.m."
3. Cue: Wednesday · free day
"Wednesday is a free day."
4. Cue: city tour · Thursday · 10:00 a.m.
"The city tour starts at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday."
5. Cue: flight home · Friday, August 21st · 7:45 p.m.
"The flight home is on Friday, August 21st, at 7:45 p.m."
1 / 5
Wrap-up
HOW DID IT GO?
Same objectives from the start of class — be honest
A2
Illustration of an open journal and pen beside a window looking out over a colorful old-town skyline
Click to zoom

Self-assessment

Go through this together, out loud — it shows what to recycle next time.

1. I can ask about a flight's day, time and date.
2. I can understand airport times (boarding, gate, arrival).
3. I can ask to change a flight or train to a different day.
4. I can check in/out and ask about breakfast times.
5. I can book a tour or restaurant table for a day and time.
6. I can read a timetable and answer questions about it.
7. I can confirm plans to meet someone — day, time, place.
QUICK REFERENCE
Telling the time / on / at / from...to — consult any time
Telling the time
DigitalSay it
3:00three o'clock
6:30half past six
2:15quarter past two
8:45quarter to nine
5:10ten past five
9:50ten to ten

Always safe: hour + minutes as two numbers — "nine fifty," "three fifteen."

Don't say six and a half → half past six
Don't say nine less a quarter → quarter to nine
Don't say fourteen hours → two o'clock / two p.m.
On / at / from...to
WordBeforeExample
onday / dateon Monday · on Aug 17th
atclock timeat 9:30 a.m.
from...totime rangefrom 7 to 10:30
Pronunciation

HALF past TWO

QUARTER to NINE

"at" → weak, fast: /ət/

15th → "the fifTEENTH"   20th → "the twenTIETH"

Common mistakes
Don't say in 8 o'clock → at 8 o'clock
Don't say in Monday → on Monday
Don't say in the 20 → on the 20th
Polite requests