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JustLearn English. Make clear arrangements — English through real life. Listen, pause

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and repeat. This lesson uses a synthetic voice.

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Leo agrees to help his friend Aisha prepare a community event. Before

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he says yes, he checks his calendar. He is free on Saturday

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morning, but he must leave at eleven.

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Leo says, ‘I can help from nine until eleven. Would you like

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me to arrange the chairs?’ Aisha replies, ‘Yes, please. Could you also

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stay to welcome visitors?’ Leo explains that he cannot stay, but he

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can prepare the signs before he leaves.

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They agree on the chairs and signs. Aisha finds someone else to

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welcome visitors. On Friday, Leo learns that he will arrive at half

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past nine. He tells Aisha immediately and asks whether the new time

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will still be useful.

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A clear arrangement says who will do what and when. If something

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changes, an early message gives the other person time to make a

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new plan.

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Leo. I can help from nine until eleven. Aisha. Could you arrange

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the chairs and welcome visitors? Leo. I can arrange the chairs, but

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I cannot stay to welcome visitors. Aisha. Could you prepare the signs

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instead? Leo. Yes. I can finish them before I leave. Aisha. Great.

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Let’s confirm: chairs and signs, from nine until eleven.

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Use from…until… for a time period: from nine until eleven. Use before

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for an earlier time: before I leave. By introduces a latest completion

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time: Please finish by eleven. Can and cannot describe what you are

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able to offer here. Instead introduces an alternative. Let’s + base verb

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proposes a shared action: Let’s confirm the plan.

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Compare NINE and ELEVEN in ‘from nine until eleven’. Practise ‘I CAN

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arrange the chairs, but I CAN’T stay.’ The audio uses cannot in

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the dialogue to keep the contrast clear. Listen to half past nine,

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pause, then repeat the whole phrase.

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Your turn. Plan a small event with a partner. Each person has

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a different time limit. Agree two tasks and say who will do

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each one. Then introduce a change: one person will arrive thirty minutes

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late. Explain the change and revise the plan. Alone? Speak both sides

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of the conversation. Pause here to practise. Then use the activities and

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answers on the JustLearn English website.