Daily Routine — Unit 5, Beginner English
Morning to night — daily activities, frequency words, and time expressions.
Reading: A Busy Day
My name is Mark. I am a teacher. I wake up at 6.30 every morning. I never stay in bed late. I always get up immediately. I have a quick shower and I get dressed. I eat breakfast at 7.00. I always have coffee and toast. I never have a big breakfast.
I leave home at 7.30. I commute to work by train. The train is always busy. It takes 45 minutes. I arrive at work at 8.15. My school is in the city centre.
I finish work at 4.30. After work, I sometimes go to the gym. I exercise for one hour. I always feel great after exercise. I go home at 6.00. I have dinner with my family. I watch TV and I go to bed at 11.00. I never go to bed late because I need to wake up early.
My daily routine is always the same. I like my routine. It is very simple.
My weekend is not the same. On Saturday I have a lie-in. I wake up at 9.00 and I stay in bed until 10.00. I hardly ever set an alarm. I have a big breakfast with my wife and my two children. Then we go shopping together in the morning.
On Saturday afternoon I often go for a walk in the park with my son. He is seven and he likes the ducks. In the evening we cook dinner together. My wife cooks and I wash the plates. We rarely go out on Saturday night, because we are tired.
On Sunday I work from home for two hours. I prepare my lessons for Monday. After that, I have a break and I meet friends for coffee. I occasionally take the bus to the city centre, but I usually walk.
Sunday evening is my favourite time of the week. I have a bath, I read a book, and I go to bed early.
Vocabulary from this unit
| Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| wake up | stop sleeping (alarm or naturally) | I wake up at 6:30 every day. |
| get up | get out of bed | I wake up at 6 but don't get up until 6:30. |
| have a shower | wash standing under water | She has a shower before bed. |
| have a bath | wash lying in water | He prefers a bath at the weekend. |
| get dressed | put all your clothes on | I get dressed in about 5 minutes. |
| have breakfast | eat/drink in the morning | I never skip breakfast. |
| brush your teeth | clean teeth with a toothbrush | Brush your teeth twice a day. |
| leave home | go out of the house | I leave home at 7:40 every morning. |
| get to work | arrive at your place of work | He gets to work by 8:30. |
| Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| start work / school | begin the working/school day | I start work at 9 o'clock. |
| have a break | stop working for a short time | We have a 15-minute break at 11. |
| have lunch | eat the midday meal | I usually have lunch at my desk. |
| finish work | stop work at the end of the day | She finishes work at 6pm. |
| work from home | do your job at home | I work from home on Fridays. |
| commute | travel regularly to work or school | He commutes 2 hours to the office. |
| take the bus/metro | use public transport to travel | I take the metro to work. |
| go to meetings | attend business or school meetings | She goes to three meetings a day. |
| do homework | study/work set at school | He does homework every evening. |
| Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| cook dinner | prepare and cook the evening meal | He cooks dinner every Sunday. |
| watch TV | watch television | We watch TV after dinner. |
| go to the gym | exercise at a sports centre | She goes to the gym three times a week. |
| go for a walk | walk for pleasure or health | We go for a walk after dinner. |
| go out | leave home for social activities | Do you want to go out tonight? |
| stay in | stay at home (not go out) | I'm tired — I'll stay in tonight. |
| go shopping | visit shops to buy things | She goes shopping every Saturday. |
| meet friends | spend time with friends | I usually meet friends on Fridays. |
| go to bed | go to sleep for the night | I go to bed at about 11pm. |
| have a lie-in | stay in bed later than usual | I love having a lie-in on Sundays. |
2 more vocabulary sections in the full unit.
This is the free sample from this unit. The full unit adds 1 more reading passage, comprehension questions with an answer key, the listening exercises, flashcards for the vocabulary above, and a speaking task — with your progress tracked so the next unit unlocks when you are ready for it.
Common questions
What level is this unit?
Beginner — roughly CEFR A0–A1. If you are not sure of your level, the course places you with a short diagnostic before you start rather than making you guess.
Do I need to pay to use this?
The reading passage and vocabulary on this page are free to read. The rest of the unit — the remaining passages, the exercises, the listening, the answer key and the progress tracking — is part of the paid General English course.
Is this British or American English?
British English spelling and vocabulary, which is what most learners in Azerbaijan are taught and what IELTS expects, though both are accepted in the exam.