A complete nine-part A1 module: grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, listening with recording scripts, reading, speaking, writing, revision, and a scored mini-test — with full answer keys.
This is one self-contained module from an A1 general-English course, written to a fixed nine-part template so that every module in the course has the same shape. It is designed for an app or online school: the listening scripts are written for studio recording (speaker labels, pauses, speed notes), every task has an answer key, and the mini-test is scored. Task formats follow the ones learners meet in Cambridge A2 Key–style tests: multiple-choice cloze, true/false, short-answer, gapped text, and guided writing of 25–35 words.
Target level: CEFR A1. Learner time: about 2 hours, in two or three sessions. Language of instruction: English throughout, with instructions kept at A1.
| Part | Focus | Task types | Min |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Grammar | Present simple for routines; adverbs of frequency; at / in / on with times and days | Gap fill, question formation, word order | 20 |
| 2 Vocabulary | Daily-routine verb phrases; telling the time; parts of the day | Sequencing, times in words, gap fill | 15 |
| 3 Pronunciation | Third-person -s: /s/, /z/, /ɪz/ | Sorting, listen and repeat | 10 |
| 4 Listening | Maria's day (monologue, ~150 words) | Prediction, true/false, note the times | 15 |
| 5 Reading | A baker in Kraków (~150 words) | Best title, multiple choice, short answers | 15 |
| 6 Speaking | Talking about your day; asking about someone's day | Interview questions, information gap, recorded answer | 15 |
| 7 Writing | Your typical day | Guided writing, 25–35 words, with checklist | 15 |
| 8 Revision | Everything above | Error correction, cloze, collocations | 10 |
| 9 Mini-test | Grammar & vocabulary, listening, reading, writing | 20 points, pass mark 14 | 15 |
Can-do outcomes (A1). By the end of the module the learner can: say what they do every day and at what time; ask and answer simple questions about someone's routine; understand a short, slow, clear talk about a person's day; write a few connected sentences about their own day.
Aim: use the present simple to talk about things you do every day; put adverbs of frequency in the right place; use at, in and on with times and days.
| I / you / we / they | he / she / it | |
|---|---|---|
| + | I get up at seven. | She gets up at seven. |
| − | I don't get up early. | She doesn't get up early. |
| ? | Do you get up early? — Yes, I do. / No, I don't. | Does she get up early? — Yes, she does. / No, she doesn't. |
Spelling with he / she / it: most verbs add -s (gets, works); verbs ending in -ch, -sh, -s, -x add -es (watches, finishes); -y after a consonant becomes -ies (studies); and remember go → goes, do → does, have → has.
always (100%) · usually · often · sometimes · never (0%)
The adverb goes before the main verb — I usually have lunch at one. — but after the verb be — She is always tired in the evening.
at seven o'clock · at night · at the weekend · in the morning / afternoon / evening · on Monday(s) · every day
Aim: learn 16 routine verb phrases and tell the time in words.
| Morning | Day | Evening / night |
|---|---|---|
| wake up · get up · have a shower · get dressed · brush my teeth · have breakfast | go to work / school · start work · have lunch · finish work · go home | cook dinner · have dinner · do homework · watch TV · go to bed |
Note the fixed pairs: have breakfast / lunch / dinner / a shower; go to work / to school / to bed / home (no to!); get up / dressed.
| Digital | Words | Digital | Words |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:00 | seven o'clock | 7:15 | (a) quarter past seven |
| 7:30 | half past seven | 7:45 | (a) quarter to eight |
| 7:10 | ten past seven | 7:50 | ten to eight |
| 12:00 | twelve o'clock · midday · noon | 0:00 | midnight |
Parts of the day: in the morning (until about 12), in the afternoon (12–6), in the evening (6–10), at night. In everyday English you can also just say the numbers: seven thirty, eight fifteen.
go to bed · get up · have breakfast · have a shower · go to work · have dinner · have lunch · go home
Aim: hear and say the three sounds of the third-person -s. Learners often drop this ending; hearing the three groups helps them keep it.
| Sound | When | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| /s/ | after a voiceless sound: /p/ /t/ /k/ /f/ | gets, works, cooks, starts, sleeps, eats |
| /z/ | after a voiced sound or a vowel | goes, has, plays, lives, reads, does |
| /ɪz/ | after /s/ /z/ /ʃ/ /tʃ/ /dʒ/ — an extra syllable | watches, finishes, brushes, washes, relaxes, uses |
Tip for learners: put your fingers on your throat. If you feel a vibration at the end of the verb (live, play), the -s is /z/. If you don't (get, work), it is /s/.
She gets up at six. · He goes to work by bus. · She watches TV in the evening.
Focus: keep the -s, and give watches two syllables.
Aim: understand a short, slow, clear monologue about a person's day; catch times and days.
☐ has a shower ☐ goes to work by car ☐ has lunch at home ☐ goes to the gym ☐ plays football ☐ watches TV
Now listen to Recording 1 and check.
Speed: slow and clear, about 100–110 words per minute. One neutral accent throughout the course (British or American — the same voice for the same character across modules). Pauses are marked. Each recording is played twice in the app; the script is recorded once.
Recording 1 — Maria's day (female voice, 30s–40s, friendly; ~1 min 25 s)
Maria: Hello. My name is Maria. I'm a nurse, and I work in a hospital in Porto, in Portugal. [pause 2 s]
My day starts early. I get up at six o'clock. I have a shower, I get dressed, and I have breakfast — usually coffee and toast. [pause 2 s]
I leave home at a quarter to seven, and I go to work by bus. I start work at half past seven. In the morning, I visit my patients and I talk to the doctors. [pause 2 s]
I have lunch at one o'clock, in the hospital café. I finish work at four o'clock. [pause 2 s]
After work, I sometimes go to the gym — but I never go on Fridays. On Fridays, I'm too tired! In the evening, I cook dinner and I watch TV. I go to bed at ten o'clock. [pause 2 s]
At the weekend, I don't work. I sleep late, and I visit my parents on Sundays.
Recording 2 — Pronunciation drill (same voice or a second voice; slow, ~1 min; leave 3 s after each item for the learner to repeat)
Voice: Group one. [pause] gets — works — cooks — starts — sleeps — eats.
Group two. [pause] goes — has — plays — lives — reads — does.
Group three. [pause] watches — finishes — brushes — washes — relaxes — uses.
Now the sentences. [pause] She gets up at six. [pause 3 s] She gets up at six. [pause 3 s] He goes to work by bus. [pause 3 s] He goes to work by bus. [pause 3 s] She watches TV in the evening. [pause 3 s] She watches TV in the evening.
Recording 3 — Mini-test, Part 2 (five short conversations, two voices each; ~2 min; 5 s pause after each conversation; the question is read by a narrator before each conversation)
Narrator: One. What time does Tom start work?
Woman: Tom, do you start work at eight?
Tom: No, at half past eight. I finish at five. [pause 5 s]
Narrator: Two. How does Anna usually go to school?
Man: Do you walk to school, Anna?
Anna: No, it's far. My dad drives me. But on Fridays I go by bus. [pause 5 s]
Narrator: Three. What does Ben have for breakfast?
Woman: Do you want eggs for breakfast, Ben?
Ben: No, thanks. I always have cereal and a glass of milk. [pause 5 s]
Narrator: Four. When does Lucy go to the gym?
Man: Lucy, do you go to the gym every day?
Lucy: No, only on Tuesdays and Thursdays. At the weekend I go swimming. [pause 5 s]
Narrator: Five. What time does Sam usually go to bed?
Woman: You look tired, Sam. What time do you go to bed?
Sam: Usually at eleven. On Saturdays, at midnight. [pause 5 s]
Aim: read a short text for the main idea and for detail; notice third-person forms in context.
Daniel is a baker. He lives in Kraków, in Poland, and he works in a small bakery near the main square. His day starts very early. He gets up at half past three in the morning! He doesn't have breakfast at home — he has coffee and a bread roll at work. He starts work at four o'clock. He makes bread and cakes. The bakery opens at seven, and the first customers come for fresh bread.
Daniel finishes work at twelve o'clock. Then he goes home and has lunch with his wife. In the afternoon, he always sleeps for two hours. In the evening, he plays with his children, and they have dinner together at six o'clock. Daniel goes to bed at nine o'clock.
He works from Tuesday to Saturday. On Sundays and Mondays he doesn't work — he relaxes, and sometimes he goes fishing.
A A baker's early day B Daniel's weekend C Bread in Poland
Aim: answer simple questions about your routine; ask about another person's routine and report it in the third person.
Useful language: I usually … / On weekdays … / At the weekend … / After that … / Then …
| Elena | Marek | |
|---|---|---|
| gets up | 6:30 | ? |
| goes to work by | bike | ? |
| has lunch at | 12:30 | ? |
| finishes work at | 4:00 | ? |
| in the evening | goes to the gym | ? |
| goes to bed at | 10:30 | ? |
| Elena | Marek | |
|---|---|---|
| gets up | ? | 8:00 |
| goes to work by | ? | car |
| has lunch at | ? | 1:00 |
| finishes work at | ? | 6:00 |
| in the evening | ? | cooks dinner |
| goes to bed at | ? | 11:30 |
Model question: What time does Marek get up? — He gets up at eight o'clock. · How does Elena go to work? — She goes by bike.
Say at least five things, with times. Then listen to your recording and check:
Aim: write a short, connected text of 25–35 words, the length used in A2 Key–style writing tasks.
Say: what time you get up · two things you do in the day · what time you go to bed. Use usually or always once.
Model answer (34 words):
I usually get up at seven o'clock. I have a shower and breakfast. I go to work by bus. In the evening I cook dinner and watch TV. I go to bed at eleven.
Check your writing:
Focus: -s on the verb (gets up, goes, has) and doesn't in negatives.
Aim: recycle the grammar and vocabulary of the module before the test; fix the most common A1 errors.
Anna is a teacher. She (1) up at half (2) six. She (3) breakfast with her family and (4) to school by car. Her lessons (5) at half past eight. She (6) lunch at school. In the evening she (7) her students' homework. She (8) go to bed late — she is always tired!
1. a shower · 2. to bed · 3. dressed · 4. homework · 5. TV · 6. up · 7. lunch · 8. to school
Pass mark: 14/20. Parts 1–3 are marked automatically; Part 4 uses the marking guide in the answer key.
Sofia is a student in Madrid. On weekdays she gets up at eight and goes to university by metro. Her classes start at nine. She has lunch with her friends at two o'clock — in Spain, lunch is late! In the evening she studies in the library. She goes to bed at midnight. On Saturdays she works in a café.
| gets up | goes to work by | has lunch at | goes to bed at |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7:15 | bike | 12:30 | 10:45 |
1. 2.
3. 4.
1.1 1 get up · 2 goes · 3 have · 4 watches · 5 don't work · 6 doesn't like · 7 studies · 8 has
1.2 1 Do you get up early? · 2 Does she work in a bank? · 3 Do they have breakfast at home? · 4 Does he go to bed late? · 5 Does your mother cook dinner? — Short answers: Yes, I do / No, I don't; Yes, she does / No, she doesn't, etc. Accept any true answer with the correct auxiliary.
1.3 1 I never go to the gym. · 2 She is always late. · 3 We usually have lunch at home. · 4 They are often tired in the evening. · 5 He sometimes watches TV at night.
2.1 get up 1 · have a shower 2 · have breakfast 3 · go to work 4 · have lunch 5 · go home 6 · have dinner 7 · go to bed 8. (Accept shower and breakfast in either order.)
2.2 1 seven o'clock · 2 half past seven · 3 (a) quarter past eight · 4 (a) quarter to nine · 5 twelve o'clock / midday / noon · 6 ten past six. (Also accept seven thirty, eight fifteen, eight forty-five, six ten.)
2.3 1 get · 2 have · 3 brush · 4 go · 5 do · 6 watch
3.1 /s/: gets, works, cooks, starts · /z/: goes, has, plays, lives · /ɪz/: watches, finishes, brushes, washes
4.1 ✓ has a shower · ✓ goes to the gym · ✓ watches TV (she goes to work by bus, has lunch at the hospital café, and does not play football)
4.2 1 T · 2 F (six o'clock) · 3 T · 4 F (in the hospital café) · 5 F (never on Fridays) · 6 T
4.3 1 (a) quarter to seven / 6:45 · 2 half past seven / 7:30 · 3 one o'clock / 1:00 · 4 four o'clock / 4:00 · 5 ten o'clock / 10:00
5.1 A
5.2 1 C · 2 B · 3 A · 4 B
5.3 1 At half past three (in the morning). · 2 His wife. · 3 He goes fishing.
6.1 Any true, full-sentence answer, e.g. I get up at half past six. · I have toast and tea. · I go by bus. · I watch TV and cook dinner. · I go to bed at eleven. · I visit my friends. Marking focus: present simple form, at + time, one adverb of frequency.
6.2 Completed table — Elena: 6:30 · bike · 12:30 · 4:00 · goes to the gym · 10:30. Marek: 8:00 · car · 1:00 · 6:00 · cooks dinner · 11:30. Report stage: Marek gets up at eight o'clock. He goes to work by car. He has lunch at one …
7.1 / 7.2 Use the checklist. A pass answer has 25–35 words, all three content points, correct at + time, and no error in the present simple form. In 7.2 also check the -s ending and doesn't.
8.1 1 She gets up at seven. · 2 I go to work by bus. (delete am) · 3 He doesn't like coffee. · 4 We have lunch at one o'clock. · 5 I always watch TV in the evening. · 6 Does she work on Saturdays?
8.2 1 gets · 2 past · 3 has · 4 goes · 5 start · 6 has · 7 reads · 8 doesn't
8.3 1 have · 2 go · 3 get · 4 do · 5 watch · 6 get · 7 have · 8 go
Part 1 (1 point each) 1 B · 2 A · 3 B · 4 C · 5 B · 6 B
Part 2 (1 point each) 1 B · 2 A · 3 C · 4 C · 5 A
Part 3 (1 point each) 1 F (by metro) · 2 T · 3 F (at two o'clock) · 4 T
Part 4 (5 points) Model: Leo gets up at a quarter past seven. He goes to work by bike. He has lunch at half past twelve. He goes to bed at a quarter to eleven. Give 1 point per sentence for the correct verb form (gets, goes, has) and at before the time; give the fifth point if all four sentences start with a capital letter and end with a full stop and the times are written correctly (in words or digits). Accept seven fifteen, twelve thirty, ten forty-five.
Total: 20. Pass: 14. Learners who score 10–13 repeat Part 8 (Revision) and the listening before moving to the next module; below 10, repeat Parts 1–3.