English for Work

Workplace Routines & Environment

Describe your daily routine and workplace.

The language you need to explain your schedule, your workplace, and how you follow instructions and rules.

Why this matters This module covers daily activities and schedules; the office, equipment, and instructions; and workplace rules and procedures. Mastering this content lets you explain a normal working day clearly, in any job.

01

What will you be able to do?

The goals of this lesson.

02

Before you start

In the last module you introduced yourself. Now let's talk about your typical day: your schedule, your workplace, and the rules you follow.

03

Daily activities and schedules

Explaining what you do every day at work, and when.

Examples

I start work at eight every morning.
Schedules
I usually take a lunch break at noon.
Schedules
My shift ends at five o'clock.
Schedules
I work Monday through Friday.
Schedules
I check my email first thing in the morning.
Daily activities
We have a short break at ten.
Schedules
I finish my tasks before I leave.
Daily activities
I clock in and out every day.
Attendance

04

Facilities, equipment, and instructions

Talking about the office, the tools you use, and following instructions.

Examples

The printer is next to the copier.
Equipment
Please use this form to request supplies.
Instructions
Our office is on the third floor.
Facilities
Follow these steps to reset your password.
Instructions
The meeting room is available after lunch.
Facilities
Please turn off your computer at the end of the day.
Instructions
We use this software to track our hours.
Equipment

05

Workplace rules and procedures

Common phrases for policies, permissions, and attendance.

Examples

You need permission to work from home.
Rules
Please arrive on time for your shift.
Attendance
Employees must wear an ID badge at all times.
Rules
You can request time off through the app.
Procedures
We follow strict safety procedures here.
Procedures
Please sign in at the front desk.
Procedures
Absences must be reported before nine a.m.
Attendance

06

Reading

Read the text and answer the questions. You can try as many times as you want.

Miguel starts work at eight every morning. First, he checks his email and plans his tasks for the day. He works in an open office with his team, and the printer and supplies are just down the hall.

At noon, Miguel takes a lunch break with his colleagues. In the afternoon, he attends a short meeting and finishes his tasks before five o'clock, when his shift ends. He always clocks out before leaving the building.

1. What time does Miguel start work?

2. What does he do first?

3. Where does he work?

4. When does Miguel take a break?

5. What does he do before leaving?

💪 You're learning to describe a real working day! Review this lesson, or continue to the next module.

07

Reading: A New Office Policy

A second reading, a bit longer. Read it and answer the questions below.

This month, the company introduced a new policy: employees must sign in at the front desk every morning. "It helps us know who's in the building in case of an emergency," the office manager explained.

Employees also need permission to work from home more than one day a week. Maria, from accounting, asked her manager for permission to work from home on Fridays. "Just fill out the form and I'll approve it," he said.

1. What new policy did the company introduce?

2. Why does the office manager want this?

3. What does an employee need to work from home more than once a week?

4. Who asked to work from home on Fridays?

5. What did the manager ask Maria to do?

08

Match the Terms

Tap a term on the left, then tap its matching definition on the right. Ungraded — repeat as many times as you like.

Term

Definition

09

Fill in the Blanks

Usa las pistas para completar cada palabra en inglés. Sin calificar — repite las veces que quieras.

10

Key Points

The essentials of this lesson, summarized.

11

Vocabulary in This Lesson

Key terms to remember.

schedule
/ˈskedʒ.uːl/
Traducciónhorario
"I work Monday through Friday."
shift
/ʃɪft/
Traducciónturno
"My shift ends at five o'clock."
break
/breɪk/
Traduccióndescanso
"We have a short break at ten."
supplies
/səˈplaɪz/
Traduccióninsumos, suministros
"Please use this form to request supplies."
instructions
/ɪnˈstrʌk.ʃənz/
Traduccióninstrucciones
"Follow these steps to reset your password."
permission
/pərˈmɪʃ.ən/
Traducciónpermiso
"You need permission to work from home."
attendance
/əˈten.dəns/
Traducciónasistencia
"Absences must be reported before nine a.m."
badge
/bædʒ/
Traduccióngafete, credencial
"Employees must wear an ID badge at all times."
policy
/ˈpɒl.ə.si/
Traducciónpolítica (de la empresa)
"We follow strict safety procedures here."
clock in / clock out
/klɒk ɪn/
Traducciónmarcar entrada/salida
"I clock in and out every day."
facilities
/fəˈsɪl.ə.tiz/
Traduccióninstalaciones
"Our office is on the third floor."
task
/tæsk/
Traduccióntarea
"I finish my tasks before I leave."

12

Common Phrases & Expressions

These are the everyday expressions people use to talk about their workday and the rules they follow.

start work at
"I start work at eight every morning."
Traducciónempezar a trabajar a las
take a break
"I usually take a lunch break at noon."
Traduccióntomar un descanso
clock in / clock out
"I clock in and out every day."
Traducciónmarcar entrada/salida
request time off
"You can request time off through the app."
Traducciónsolicitar tiempo libre
follow the rules
"We follow strict safety procedures here."
Traducciónseguir las reglas
sign in
"Please sign in at the front desk."
Traducciónregistrarse (firmar entrada)
ask for permission
"You need permission to work from home."
Traducciónpedir permiso
on time
"Please arrive on time for your shift."
Traduccióna tiempo, puntual

13

Build the Sentence

Tap the words in the correct order to form the sentence. Ungraded — repeat as many times as you like.

14

Choose the Correct Verb

Tap the correct verb form to complete each sentence. The other options are conjugations from other tenses — on purpose, so you learn to tell them apart.

I work at eight every morning

I my email first thing in the morning

We strict safety procedures here

Please in at the front desk

You permission to work from home

16

Assessment

You need at least 80% to unlock the next lesson. You can retake it as many times as you want — your best score is saved.

1. What does this mean: "I start work at eight every morning."?

2. Choose the equivalent of: "I clock in and out every day."

3. What does this mean: "Please use this form to request supplies."?

4. What does this mean: "Our office is on the third floor."?

5. Which option matches: "You need permission to work from home."?

6. "Employees must wear an ID badge at all times." — which one is correct?

7. Choose the equivalent of: "We have a short break at ten."

8. Select the correct match for: "Please sign in at the front desk."

9. "Absences must be reported before nine a.m." — which one is correct?

10. Which option matches: "We use this software to track our hours."?

17

Summary and next step

You can now describe your daily routine and workplace. Next module: everyday workplace communication and small talk.

🗣️ Practice out loud

Use the conversational tutor to practice this topic.

Open the tutor

18

Games

Practice this lesson's vocabulary with a word search and flashcards. Ungraded — play as many times as you like.

Word Search

Tap the first and last letter of a hidden word to find it. Los términos de varias palabras van sin espacios en el tablero (ej. "give up" aparece como GIVEUP).

Flashcards

Elige la respuesta correcta. Si aciertas, la tarjeta queda lista por hoy; si fallas, vuelve a aparecer pronto para reforzarla. Tu progreso se guarda en este dispositivo.

Term