Hi. I'm Rebecca from engVid. In this lesson,
I'll show you how to make an appointment in
English. Usually, that means setting up two
things; setting up a time to meet and a place
to meet. It also includes using the right
expressions and the right prepositions. Alright?
So, let's learn what they are and how to use them. So, here we go.
So, there are many ways in which you can set
up an appointment, and many different kinds
of appointments that you can set up. So, let's
start with a basic expression that you could
use. This is when you are suggesting a time to someone, either on the phone or usually
these days in an email. Okay? Or a message.
So, you could start by saying, "Could we meet?"
Okay? That is a semi-formal expression; it
works in formal situations, it works in informal
situations. So, it's a good expression to know.
It will work for you anywhere and everywhere.
So, "Could we meet?" But what comes after that? That's where you have a whole lot of
prepositions. So, let's see what they are. Let's talk about the prepositions of time
that you're going to need, and then the prepositions
of place. So, "Could we meet on Friday or
on June 10th?" So, we use "on" to talk about
one day or one date. Alright? If you're not
sure of these, I have another full lesson all
about the prepositions of time, like this,
okay? I'll give you a link to that. If you want
to study that a little bit more, you can go and
check that out. But here also, you will be able
to, after this lesson, make an appointment. Okay?
So, "on Friday" or "on June 30th", one day or
one date, we use the preposition "on". Then,
when we give the time, we use "at". So, "at" is
very specific. "At 3.30", "at 4 o'clock", "at
noon". Okay? Now, does it matter if we say,
"Could we meet at 3.30 on Friday?" Or if we say,
"Could we meet on Friday at 3.30?" It doesn't
really matter. I prefer this way. Why? Because
if I say, "Could we meet on Friday?", that
is already talking about the bigger picture,
the day. And maybe that person's just not working
on Friday, so then the time and all of that is
really irrelevant and it becomes secondary. So,
first start, I think, with the day and then the
time, but if you switch them around, don't worry
as long as you're using the right prepositions.
Okay? So, we would say something like, "Could
we meet on Friday at 3.30?" Or if you need to
say this plus this, the day plus the date, then
you would say it like this, "Could we meet on
Friday, June 10th at 3.30?" Okay? If you're
writing it, you would say... You would write,
"Could we meet on Friday, June 10th at noon?" Okay? Question mark. All right?
So, that's for the time. Now, what about the
place? All right. So, place, we have three
prepositions. All right? "At", "in", and "on".
"At" and "in" usually drive people a little bit
crazy-okay?-when they're learning English because
they're... They're a little bit flexible. And if
you make a mistake with that, really don't worry
about it too much. It's not the end of the world.
"At", we're talking kind of just at that location.
Okay? And "in" is a little bit, like, inside a
place. So, that's kind of where... What we mean,
but sometimes you'll hear people using them in
different ways. Okay? So, we could say, "Could
we meet at the airport?" Okay? So, we could talk
about a location. People also say things like,
"Could we meet at the conference?" Well, the
conference is actually an event, but the event
is taking place at a location. So, that's what
they mean. Okay? "Could we meet at the conference?
Could we meet at the seminar?" Okay? And things
like that. Or, "Could we meet at the concert?"
That's an event, but it's a location where that
event is taking place, and that's why it's under the category of place. All right?
So, then we come to "in". And again, "in", you're
referring a little bit more to, like, inside.
So, "Could we meet in the lobby of your hotel?"
Okay? The lobby, that open space in a hotel where
people sit and wait for other people, or maybe
have something to drink, things like that. Okay?
Or, "Could we meet in the cafeteria?" Okay? Again,
really referring more to, like, inside. Okay?
All right. Next, nowadays, people very often
don't meet in person at all. Okay? And also,
if you're speaking internationally, then you're
not going to meet in person. So, you're talking
about an online platform. Right? So, there, the
correct preposition to use is "on". "Could we
meet on Friday at 3.30 on Zoom?" Or on Teams.
Okay? Whichever platform you're going to...
You're planning to use or you're suggesting.
So, that's when it's online. And if somebody is
actually coming... Going to meet you somewhere,
you could say, "Could we meet on the third floor
of my building?" Okay? So, if you're talking
about a particular floor, then we say "on" also.
You got all that? Okay. I know it's not... It's
a little bit confusing, but you can get it. Okay?
Just do one at a time. Some of my clients even
put up a little card, or a little notice, or a
little drawing on their bulletin board, or next to
their... Keep it next to their phone, or next to
their computer, so when they're typing or when
they're speaking, they just look quickly. "Oh, okay,
add on. All right, I got that." Okay? So, do that as
long as you need it, but very soon you will get it.
Okay? Now, let's practice a little bit. So, let's
suppose this is the information that you want to
communicate. So, the information you have is "Monday, April 10, 2 o'clock, lobby".
So, give me the full question. What would it be? "Could we meet
on Monday, April 10th?" Okay? Because we have
Monday and April 10th, we don't have to say
"on Monday" and "on April 10th". If you just said
"Monday", then you say "on Monday". If you just
said "April 10th", then we'd say "Could we meet on
April 10th?" But if you say both, then you don't
need to say the "on" twice. So, "Could we meet
on Monday, April 10th"-look here-"at 2 o'clock
in the lobby of the hotel?" Okay? Good. You've
got it. A lot of these little prepositions,
right? Just in this one question, but that's fine. You're mastering it.
Next, "this day". First of all, before I tell
you, say the name of this day. Okay? Because so
many people make a mistake when they pronounce this
particular day. So, you should say "Wednesday".
I know there's a "d" there, and it sounds like it's really long,
but it's "Wens-day". Say it after me. "Wens-day".
Okay? Don't say "wed". It's "Wens-day". Two syllables.
Okay? So, "Could we meet on Wednesday at 4 o'clock on Skype?" Okay? All right. So,
based on this, let's do a little bit more practice
to see that you can master it, and you will.
Now, let's look at some other ways in which
we can ask the questions in order to make an
appointment. Okay? So, we've already looked at
"Could we meet", and as I mentioned, you can use
that in any situation. It's fine. It's kind
of semi-formal. Okay? A little bit more formal
is this one. "Would you be available?" Okay?
A little bit more formal. You can definitely
use it in those kind of formal business contexts.
"Would you be available on Monday, June 5th at 3
o'clock?" You still have to use those prepositions.
Okay? But this is how you would begin. Okay? So,
these are three options here. This one, "Are you
free?" This is the most-what?-informal. Right?
So, "Are you free on Monday at 3?" Okay? "Are
you free on Tuesday, April 25th at 5 o'clock?"
You might still give all that information, but just the way that you ask the question
indicates the formality of it. Okay? So, as I
said, this is semi-formal, this is the most-formal,
and this is probably the most-informal. Okay?
And there are many variations on this. You can...
Instead of saying, "Are you free?" you could
say, "Are you available on..." and so on. So,
you will find variations, but you don't need to
learn too many different ways to say something,
especially when you're learning a new language.
It's more important to learn a few good ways
than learning too many ways. All right? Next, let's look at these three.
Now, here, this is when you were making the
suggestions about the time you were suggesting,
you were initiating that conversation. But here is a more general way that you start,
and then you could say, "When could we meet?"
And the other person will answer. Okay? The other
person will make the suggestion. "Well, we could
meet on..." or "Well, could you meet on this time
at this time on this date?" and so on. So, this
is... These are the questions where you're asking
just the general question first. "When could
we meet?" or "When would you be available?"
A little more formal, again. And the last one, most informal, "When are you free?"
And the person would say, "Well, I'm free on Friday at 3 o'clock." Okay? Or, again,
learn one of them. If you're... If you're a
beginner or if you get confused, just learn one.
"Could we meet?", "When could we meet?"
Okay? If you want to go a little bit further,
learn the other options. All right? Good. Next.
So, let's suppose somebody suggests a time.
Okay? "Could we meet on Friday at 4 o'clock?" So,
how do you answer? Well, you're either going to
say yes or no. Right? It either works for you
or it doesn't. So, you could answer, again,
in many different ways. But here's something
that you could write. "Yes, that would be great."
Or, "Yes, that would be perfect." Or just, "Yes,
that's great." "Yes, that's perfect." Okay? So,
it depends, again, on the formality, how well you
know that person, and so on, and how informal you
can be. But let's suppose that time is not
possible for you or that day. Then you could
say something like this, "Sorry, I'm not available
then." Just use the word "then". Don't... The word
"then" covers whatever they said. So, if they
said, "Are you available on Friday at 4 o'clock?"
And you say, "Sorry, I'm not available then."
"Then" means Friday at 4 o'clock. Okay? So,
you don't have to repeat everything again. And then you... It's your turn to suggest
another time. So, you would say, "Sorry, I'm not available then. How about Tuesday
at 9 o'clock in the morning?" Or, "What about
Tuesday at 9?" Okay? So, these are the ways...
This is usually how the communication goes back
and forth, whether it's a conversation or whether
it's through writing. All right? Now, that's when
you're kind of setting up appointments with people
in terms of business or even social things. All
right? But here, sometimes you have to call to
make an appointment with a doctor or some... For
some kind of official appointment or visit. Then
you would probably be calling. It's possible
you're writing by email, but if you're calling,
you could say something like this, "Hello."
I'm... Sometimes you can introduce yourself,
but you don't need to. They'll usually ask you.
Just say, "Hello. I'd like to make an appointment
with Dr. Adams, please." And then the receptionist
will probably ask you, "All right. What's your
name?" Okay? "Well, Dr. Adams is available on
Friday, April 25th at 3 o'clock. Does that work
for you? Is that convenient for you?" Okay? But
you would say, "I'd like to make an appointment
with Dr. Adams, please." And then follow the
conversation. Or, for example, "I'd like to make
an appointment for a blood test." Let's suppose
you're calling a clinic or a hospital or something
like that. The same thing, same process. Okay?
"I'd like to make an appointment for a blood test,
or for an x-ray, or whatever it may be." All right?
So here, we have looked at several different ways
in which you could make an appointment and set
up your plans wherever you go, and whether it's
by telephone or by email or by messenger. Okay?
So, that's it for now. If you'd like to practice,
which I recommend, those prepositions of time and
place, because that's the critical... Those are
the critical little words-right?-that you need to
get right in order to ask these questions correctly,
please go to our website at www.engvid.com, and
there you can do a quiz where you can really
master those little words and ask these questions correctly.