Using Numbers, Dates and Times in Daily Situations.

Numbers, dates and times are everywhere in real life, and this lesson helps you use them with confidence. You listen to people giving phone numbers, prices, hotel room numbers and ages, and you practise saying both small and large numbers clearly. You learn the names of the days, months and seasons and talk about important dates such as your birthday or a public holiday in your country. You work with clocks and timetables to ask and tell the time, and you use common phrases like at half past three or at seven in the morning. You also see how to arrange simple appointments for lessons, meetings or social events. By the end of the lesson you can understand and give basic time, date and number information in everyday situations such as booking tickets or agreeing when to meet a friend.

1. Hearing and Saying Everyday Numbers.

In this first part of the lesson, imagine you are planning a Saturday trip to London. You go to the ticket office at your local station and suddenly you hear a lot of numbers. The ticket price, the time of the train, the platform number and maybe even a phone number. If you miss one small detail, you might miss your train. So in this block we will practise listening for everyday numbers and saying them clearly. You will see a short model conversation on the screen with ticket prices, times and a phone number. I will also give you some tips on how we usually say prices and phone numbers in British English. After that, you will hear a short announcement. Your job will be to listen carefully and write down all the numbers you hear. Do not worry if it feels fast the first time. You can listen again and focus only on the numbers. This will help you feel much more confident when you hear numbers in real life, for example in stations, shops or on the phone.

Planning a day trip: lots of numbers.

When you plan a trip, you quickly meet many different numbers: dates, prices, times, ages, room numbers and phone numbers. In our story, you are buying train tickets for a Saturday trip to London.

Here is a short model conversation at the ticket office:

> Clerk: Good morning. Where are you going?

>

> You: To London on Saturday 15 June, please.

>

> Clerk: Return or single?

>

> You: Return, please.

>

> Clerk: That is £27.50. The train leaves at nine fifteen, from platform four.

>

> You: OK, thanks. My phone number is 07983 264 551.

>

> Clerk: So that is zero seven nine eight three two six four five five one, yes?

In this dialogue, notice how we say the numbers:

• £27.50 → twenty‑seven pounds fifty
• 15 June → the fifteenth of June or fifteen June
• 9:15 → nine fifteen or a quarter past nine
• 4 → four
• 07983 264 551 → we normally say each digit: oh seven nine eight three two six four five five one

Tips for understanding numbers.

When you listen for numbers:

• Focus on the stress. Important numbers are usually a little louder.
• Listen for key words near them, for example pounds, o’clock, platform, number.
• Do not worry about all the words. Your first job is to catch the numbers.

Here are some more examples to read aloud:

• £6.20 → six pounds twenty
• £199 → one hundred and ninety‑nine pounds
• Room 308 → room three oh eight or three zero eight
• age 34 → thirty‑four

Say these numbers out loud to yourself:

• 42
• 75
• 300
• 999

Think: how would you say each one in English?

In the activity below you will hear an announcement at the station. Listen carefully and write all the numbers you hear, in order.

Practice & Feedback

You are now at the station, listening for information about your trip. You will hear a short announcement with several different numbers: times, prices, ages and a platform number. Listen once to get the general idea, then listen again and focus only on the numbers.

After listening, please type all the numbers you heard in order. Write them as digits, separated by commas. For example: 9.15, 27.50, 4. Then, choose two of those numbers and also write how we say them in words in British English. For example: 9.15 – nine fifteen.

Do not worry if you are not sure about spelling; just try your best. The important thing is that the numbers are correct and clear enough to understand.

2. Understanding and Saying the Time.

Now that you have your ticket, you need to be sure about the exact time of your train. In English, talking about the time is more than just reading numbers from a clock. We have some very common patterns like o’clock, half past, quarter past and quarter to, and we almost always use the little word "at" before a clock time. In this block, we will stay with our London trip. You will see a small timetable with a few different trains, and we will connect the written times with natural spoken phrases. I will also remind you of expressions like in the morning and in the evening, because they make your message clearer. On the screen, you will find examples such as "The train leaves at nine fifteen in the morning" and "It arrives at ten o’clock". In the task, you will read a short timetable and then write full sentences to answer simple questions. This will help you move from just recognising times to actually using them in real sentences when you speak or write to other people.

Train times for your trip.

You have bought your ticket, but you still want to check the times. Look at this simple timetable.

We can say these times in natural English:

• 09:15 → nine fifteen or a quarter past nine
• 10:05 → ten oh five or five past ten
• 10:30 → half past ten
• 18:45 → a quarter to seven or six forty‑five

Using "at" and time of day.

In English we almost always use at before a specific clock time:

• The train leaves at nine fifteen.
• We arrive at ten oh five.

We can also add a time of day:

• The train leaves at nine fifteen in the morning.
• We come back at a quarter to seven in the evening.

Some other useful patterns for schedules are:

• I work from nine to five.
• The shop opens at eight o’clock.
• The lesson starts at half past three.

Saying the time clearly.

When you speak, choose one clear way to say the time and say it with confidence. Both six forty‑five and a quarter to seven are correct. In busy real life situations, many people prefer the digital style, for example six forty‑five.

Read these and say them out loud:

• 7:00 → seven o’clock
• 7:30 → half past seven
• 7:45 → a quarter to eight or seven forty‑five
• 3:15 → three fifteen or a quarter past three

In the activity below, use this kind of language to answer questions about the timetable.

Practice & Feedback

Look again at the timetable in the screen content. Imagine you are explaining the travel plan for your London trip to a friend who cannot see the timetable. Read the timetable carefully and then answer the questions below in full sentences.

Write your answers using at with the time, and, if you like, add in the morning or in the evening. Try to use natural time phrases such as half past ten or a quarter to seven at least once.

Please answer these three questions:

1. What time does Train A leave Brighton, and what time does it arrive in London?
2. What time does Train B arrive in London?
3. What time does Train C leave London to go back to Brighton?

Write three clear sentences, one for each question. Do not just write the numbers; use full words and good punctuation.

3. Talking About Days, Dates and Months.

You know the train time, but you also need the correct day and date. Is your trip this Saturday or next Saturday? Are you free on the fifteenth of June or the twenty‑second? In English we use special words for dates, called ordinal numbers, like first, second, third and fifteenth. We also use different prepositions with time: we say on a day or date, in a month or year, and at for clock times. In this block we will connect your London plan with other important dates in your life, such as your birthday or a public holiday in your country. On the screen you will see a simple calendar for June and some model sentences, for example "My birthday is on 3 May" and "The course starts in September". We will also look at the difference between writing and saying dates, and at typical British order, where we usually put the day before the month. In the activity, you will read a short reminder about these rules and then write a few personalised sentences about your own important dates, using on, in and at correctly.

Days, dates and your calendar.

For your London trip, the clerk asked: "To London on Saturday 15 June, please." Here we have a day and a date.

Look at this mini calendar for June:

If your trip is on Saturday 15 June, you can say:

• I am going to London on Saturday the fifteenth of June.
• Our trip is on 15 June.

Ordinal numbers for dates.

For dates we often use ordinal numbers:

• 1 → the first
• 2 → the second
• 3 → the third
• 4 → the fourth
• 5 → the fifth
• 21 → the twenty‑first
• 31 → the thirty‑first

In writing, we can show this as: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 21st and so on:

• Today is the 1st of April.
• My appointment is on 3rd May.

Using "in", "on" and "at" with time.

We use different prepositions with different time expressions:

• in + months / years / seasons
• in June, in 2024, in summer
• on + days / dates
• on Monday, on 15 June, on the first of May
• at + clock times
• at seven o’clock, at half past three

Here are some model sentences:

• My birthday is on 3 May.
• I usually go on holiday in August.
• The meeting is on Friday at ten o’clock.
• New Year’s Day is on 1 January.

Remember that in British English we normally write the day before the month:

• 15/06/2024 → 15 June 2024

In the next activity, you will write about your important days and dates using these patterns.

Practice & Feedback

Now it is your turn to use days, dates, months and times from your own life. Read the rules in the screen content again, especially the part about using in, on and at.

Write three or four sentences about important dates for you. Try to include:

• your birthday;
• a public holiday in your country;
• an appointment, lesson or regular activity you have.

Use on with days and dates, in with months or years, and at with clock times. For example, you might write something like: "My birthday is on 3 May" or "I have English class on Tuesday at six o’clock".

Do not worry if you do not remember exact years; focus on clear days, dates and times. Aim for 40–60 words in total.

4. Arranging a Meeting by Chat.

Your ticket is ready, your date is clear, and now you want to meet your friend Marco in London. These days, many people arrange plans by chat message, for example on WhatsApp or Telegram. In a chat, your language is usually short and friendly, but it still needs to be clear: the other person must know exactly **which day**, **what time** and **where** you want to meet. In this block, we will stay with your London trip and watch a simple chat between you and Marco. You will notice helpful chunks like "Are you free on Saturday?", "Can we meet at eleven?" and "See you at eleven in front of the station". On the screen, I will highlight these patterns so you can copy them. Then, in the activity, you will imagine that Marco has just written to you. You will write a short chat-style reply to propose a time and place, check that the date is correct and confirm the final plan. This is a chance to practise natural, friendly English with days, dates and times, just like in a real message on your phone.

Making a plan with a friend.

Here is a simple WhatsApp‑style chat about your London trip.

> Marco: Hi! Are you free on Saturday 15 June?

>

> You: Yes, I am. My train arrives at ten oh five.

>

> Marco: Great. Can we meet at eleven near the station?

>

> You: Sure. Let’s meet at eleven o’clock in front of the main exit.

>

> Marco: Perfect. Then we can go to the museum. The exhibition starts at half past twelve.

>

> You: Nice. See you at eleven on Saturday.

Useful chunks for arranging a meeting.

Notice these very common phrases:

• Are you free on Saturday / on Friday evening?
• Can we meet at eleven / at six thirty?
• What time does it start?
• Let’s meet in front of the station.
• See you at seven / on Saturday.

You can mix them to make your own messages. For example:

• Are you free on Sunday morning? Can we meet at ten?
• Let’s meet in the café at half past three.
• See you at six o’clock in front of the cinema.

Sounding natural in chat.

In real chat messages, people often write shorter sentences, but the important information is still there:

• Day / date: on Saturday, on 15 June
• Time: at eleven, at half past six
• Place: in front of the station, at the café, near the museum

We often leave the subject I at the beginning: instead of I will meet you at six, many people write simply See you at six. Emojis are also common, but in this lesson we will focus on clear words.

In the activity, you will write a short chat reply to Marco, using these chunks to make a clear plan.

Practice & Feedback

Imagine Marco has just sent you this message:

> Marco: Hi! I want to see you in London. When is your trip? Can we meet? Where and what time is good for you?

Reply to Marco in a chat style, as if you are writing on WhatsApp. Write 4–6 short messages. You can put them on separate lines, for example:

> You: My trip is on ...

>

> You: My train arrives at ...

Use some of the chunks from the examples above:

• Are you free on ... ?
• Can we meet at ... ?
• Let’s meet in front of ...
• See you at ... on ...

Include at least one day or date, two times and a meeting place. Keep the tone friendly and natural, as you would with a real friend.

5. Checking and Confirming Appointments.

When you organise plans, it is very easy to confuse times and dates. A good habit is to write a short confirmation message. This could be an email, a text or just a note in a booking system. In this block, we will look at how to turn simple notes like "Fri 10:00, dentist" into clear sentences such as "Your dentist appointment is on Friday at ten o’clock". This is useful not only for your London trip, but also for everyday life: lessons, meetings, doctor visits, haircuts and so on. On the screen you will see three examples of confirmation messages that use days, dates, months and clock times. Notice how each message includes all the key information and uses small but important words like on, in and at. In the activity, you will read some short notes and then write full confirmation sentences. This will give you good practice turning basic schedule information into clear English that other people can easily understand.

From quick notes to clear messages.

Often we write very short notes about our plans:

• Fri 10:00 – dentist
• Mon 3 June 18:30 – English class
• Sat 15 June 11:00 – meet Marco, station

These notes are fine for you, but other people may need more detail. A short confirmation message in clear English is much more helpful.

Here are three good examples:

1. Your dentist appointment is on Friday at ten o’clock.
2. Our English class is on Monday 3 June at half past six in the evening.
3. We will meet on Saturday 15 June at eleven o’clock in front of the station.

What information do you need?.

A clear confirmation normally answers three questions:

1. When? – day, date and time
2. What? – the type of appointment or event
3. Where? – the place, if it is important

We also use helpful chunks like:

• The appointment is on ... at ...
• Your lesson is on ... at ...
• We will meet on ... at ... in ...

Mini checklist.

When you write your own confirmation messages, check:

• Did I use on with the day or date?
• Did I use at with the clock time?
• Is it clear what the appointment is?
• Is the place included, if necessary?

In the activity below, you will transform simple notes into full sentences using this pattern.

Practice & Feedback

Look at these three sets of notes for different appointments. They are similar to what you might write in your calendar:

1. Fri 10:00 – dentist
2. Mon 3 June 18:30 – English class, online
3. Sat 15 June 11:00 – meet Marco, in front of station

Your task is to write three clear confirmation sentences, one for each note. Imagine you are sending the information to another person, so they must understand the day, date, time and what the event is. If the place is given, include it too.

Use patterns from the examples above, such as:

• The appointment is on ... at ...
• Our class is on ... at ...
• We will meet on ... at ... in front of ...

Aim for 10–20 words per sentence. Focus on correct prepositions and a clear order: day/date, time, then place.

6. Writing Your Final Trip Plan Message.

You have practised listening to numbers, talking about clock times, using days, dates and months, arranging a meeting by chat and writing short confirmation sentences. Now it is time to put everything together in one final message. Imagine that your London trip with Marco is now fully organised. You know the travel date, the departure time of your train, the time you will meet Marco, the time of your activity in London and roughly what time you will come home. In this block, your task is to write one clear message that explains the whole plan to Marco. This is similar to what people do all the time in real life when they send a summary of arrangements. On the screen you will see a simple list of notes about the trip, just like a small planner. Your job is to transform those notes into a short, friendly message in natural English. Try to use the useful chunks from the lesson: on for days and dates, in for months, at for times and phrases like "See you at..." or "The train leaves at...". This final task is your mini performance for the lesson, showing that you can control numbers, dates and times in a realistic situation.

All your London trip information in one place.

Here are your final notes for the day trip:

• Date: Saturday 15 June
• From: Brighton
• To: London
• Outgoing train: leaves Brighton at 09:15, arrives London at 10:05, price £27.50 return
• Meeting with Marco: 11:00 in front of the main exit of the station
• Activity: museum exhibition starts at 12:30
• Return train: leaves London at 20:45, arrives Brighton at 21:35

Example of a clear plan.

Here is an example of the style and structure you could use. This is only a model; your own message can be a little different:

> *Hi Marco,

>

> Our trip is on Saturday 15 June. My train from Brighton leaves at nine fifteen and arrives in London at ten oh five. Let’s meet in front of the main exit at eleven o’clock. The museum exhibition starts at half past twelve, so we have some time for coffee. My return train is at twenty to nine in the evening. The return ticket is twenty‑seven pounds fifty.

>

> See you then!*

Notice how the message:

• includes the day and date of the trip;
• gives clear times with at;
• explains where to meet;
• mentions the price of the ticket;
• has a friendly opening and closing.

Use this as inspiration, but feel free to change details or add a sentence about how you feel about the trip.

Practice & Feedback

Now write your own final message to Marco about the London trip, using the notes in the screen content.

Your message should:

• say when the trip is (day and date);
• give the outgoing train time and arrival time in London;
• say where and what time you will meet Marco;
• mention the museum time;
• say what time you go back home;
• include the ticket price.

Write it as one friendly message, like an email or long chat, of about 70–100 words. Use natural chunks from this lesson, such as on Saturday 15 June, at nine fifteen, the train leaves at..., see you at....

Try to use correct prepositions (on, in, at) and good punctuation. Imagine Marco does not have the notes, so he needs all the important information from your message.