1. Business English
  2. English for emails
  3. Unit 5: Making arrangements

Unit 5: Making arrangements

Unit 5: Making arrangements

Need to organise something? In this unit you can practise common phrases used to make plans by email.

Making arrangements

Think about these points when the purpose of your email is to make an arrangement.

Useful questions

Here are some typical questions used for making arrangements:

  • Are you free next Tuesday afternoon?
  • What time would you like to meet?
  • When would be convenient for you?
  • Could you please let me know?

Expressions of time

Use on with days: Could we meet on Monday?

Use in with months, years and other expressions: I'm going to visit my grandparents in October.

Use at with times and other expressions: Could you please call me at 3pm?

Use next to refer to future times: I hope we can meet again next week.

Use when to start a future time clause: Let's meet again when it is convenient.

Tenses

To speak about a timetable, use the present simple: Next term runs from 1 September until 16 December.

To speak about a future arrangement, use the present continuous: Mr Toshiko is coming to our next meeting.

To speak about a plan, use 'be going to': Next term we are going to learn about pollution.

See the talking about the future page for more practice.

Tenses in complex sentences about the future

Use the present simple after when, if and next time in future time clauses:

  • I will call you when I get to the station.
  • I'm going to work with my dad when I finish school.
  • Let's go for a walk if the weather is good.
  • Will you visit the Eiffel Tower next time you are in Paris?

Task 1

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Task 2

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Task 3

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Task 4

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Task 5

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Submitted by qayum2s on Mon, 18/06/2018 - 12:18

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Hello Sir, This is my first time posting a comment and asking a question, first please comment on my texts what I am writing whether it is correct or wrong. Second, what is the rule for putting a comma and a colon in the following sentence? To speak about a timetable, use the present simple: Next term runs from 1 September until 16 December.
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Submitted by Kirk Moore on Tue, 19/06/2018 - 07:52

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Hi qayum2s,

The use of the colon in the sentence you ask about is unusual, so I wouldn't recommend taking it as an example. The comma is often used after an infinitive of purpose when that infinitive comes first in a sentence. If the words came in a different order, the comma would not be used – 'Use the present simple to speak about a timetable'.

If you'd like to ask us about a specific part of a specific sentence, we're happy to help you but I'm afraid we don't provide the service of correcting users' texts.

All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by ali shah on Sat, 09/06/2018 - 00:58

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comma is used if the conditional is used as the first clause of a sentence and I have read that if the conditional comes in the beginning, we put comma after it and then write another clause. However, I have read many reading which doesn't follow this rule. Either the rule is wrong is not applicable, or the ones write wrong? Please reply with examples

Hello ali shah,

Different publishing houses follow different rules for punctuation and style, but in general I'd say that a comma is usually used after an initial 'if'-clause and not after a final 'if'-clause. I'm afraid I can't explain why other texts choose not to follow this general rule.

All the best,
Kirk
The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by ali shah on Sat, 09/06/2018 - 00:45

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Hello Dear Sir! I have learned that we don't use colon(:) after a dependent clause and anyone does so is on wrong, but I have come across articles of eminent writers who do that. For example, '' The only question is: can India not to invest in its people at this stage?'' Here the colon is used after a dependent clause. Does it nullfy the rule of not using colon before a dependent clause? Sir, please make me clear this.

Hello ali shah,

I am always leery of such hard and fast rules as this regarding punctuation. I was taught a similar rule and would phrase the sentences differently:

The only question is this: can India not to invest in its people at this stage?

 

Most respected style guides follow this line. However, punctuation rules are always in a state of flux and you can find examples of the colon used after dependent clauses or even after single phrases or words.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by Zeeshan Siddiqii on Thu, 10/05/2018 - 04:56

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Cognates: Is this right to make a sentence using cognates like the following: "In primitive age, guards used to guard." Doesn't this make sense? Is this grammatically incorrect?
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Submitted by Peter M. on Thu, 10/05/2018 - 07:05

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Hello Zeeshan Siddiqii,

There is nothing wrong with saying 'guards used to guard'. The first part of your sentence is not correct, however. You might say In more primitive times, for example.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Submitted by ali shah on Sat, 20/01/2018 - 09:37

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Sir I hope you are fine. Let me put my question. 1."I get a lot of phone calls from my male fellows pretending to be females,asking me to meet them." Is this grammatically okay? 2. "I get a lot of phone calls from my male fellows, pretending to be females." Is this also correct? can I remove here the comma before 'Pretending' or by doing so,would there be any change in its meaning?