Talking about your daily routines

Here are some useful verbs to describe your routines and habits. Be careful to use the right preposition (to, at, in etc) with the verbs where necessary.

get up
get dressed
have a shower / a bath / a quick wash
wash your hair
put your make-up on (make-up = cosmetics)
have / eat breakfast (lunch, dinner, tea)
have a coffee / grab a coffee (grab = get something quickly)
get the kids ready for school (help your children get prepared for school)
leave home
go to school / go to work
get to school / arrive at school
get back / get home
watch TV / the news / a documentary
surf the net / go online
read a book / a magazine
take the dog out / take the dog for a walk
meet up with friends
catch up with friends / with emails / with the paperwork
tidy up (= make the house clean or organised)
do the washing-up / load the dishwasher (load – unload = put things in and take things out)
do homework (exercises from school)
do the housework (cleaning in the house)
go out for a meal / go to a restaurant
get undressed
go to bed

Dialogue 1

Daily Schedule

Woman: So, what's your usual day like? You always seem so busy.

Man: Well, I usually get up around 5:00 a.m. and work on the computer until 6:00 a.m.

Woman: Why do you get up so early?

Man: Well, I have to leave home at twenty to seven (6:40 a.m.) so I can catch a bus at 7:00 o'clock . It takes me about twenty minutes to walk to the bus stop from my house.

Woman: And what time do you get to work?

Man: Uh, my bus takes about an hour to get there, but it stops right in front of my office.

Woman: That's nice. And what time do you get off work?

Man: Uh, around 5:00 o'clock. Then, we eat dinner around 6:30, and my wife and I read and play with the kids until 8:00 or so.

Woman: So, when do you work on your website? You said one time that you create it at home?

Man: Well, my wife and I often watch TV or talk until 10:00 o'clock. She then often reads while I work on my site, and I sometimes stay up until the early hours of the morning, but I try to finish everything by one or two.

Woman: And then you get up at 5:00 a.m.?

Man: Well, yeah, but it's important to live a balanced life. I enjoy what I do, but you have to set aside time for the family and yourself.

Woman: I agree.

Man: But I think my wife has the toughest job. She spends her whole day taking care of our family . . . taking the kids to school, working in the garden, buying groceries, taking the kids to piano lessons . . . [Wow!] It's a full-time job, but she enjoys what she does.

Woman: Well, it sounds like you're a busy, but lucky man.

Man: I think so too.

Key Vocabulary

• catch (verb): to get on
  - I have to catch a bus in front of the bus station.
• get off work (verb): finish work
  - She seldom gets off work before 6:00 p.m.
• dinner (noun): sometimes supper
  - We seldom eat dinner after 8:00 p.m.
• stay up (verb): not go to bed
  - I almost never stay up past midnight.
• set aside (verb): reserve, allow, or give a certain amount to
  - You have to set aside enough time to study for your classes.
• toughest (adjective): most difficult, hardest
  - The toughest part about being a parent is setting aside time for both work, family, and self.
• take care of (verb): watch, look after
  - You should take care of yourself so you don't get sick.
• groceries (noun): food and other items at a supermarket
  - Mom is going to pick up some groceries from the store for dinner.

1. What time does the man get up?
A. at 5:00 a.m.
B. at 6:00 a.m.
C. at 7:00 a.m.

2. What time does he get to work?
A. at 7:00 a.m.
B. at 8:00 a.m.
C. at 9:00 a.m.

3. What does he do with his family around 6:30 p.m.?
A. They read books together.
B. They play games.
C. They eat dinner.

4. What do the man and his wife do after the kids go to bed?
A. They watch TV.
B. They clean the house.
C. They listen to music.

5. What is one thing the man does NOT say about his wife?
A. She has to take their children to school.
B. She helps the kids with their homework.
C. She goes shopping for food.

Dialogue 2

Saturday’s Chores

Son: Dad. Can I go outside to play?

Dad: Well, did you get you Saturday's work done?

Son: Ah, Dad. Do I have to?

Dad: Well, you know the rules. No playing until the work is done.

Son: So, what is my work?

Dad: Well, first you have to clean the bathroom including the toilet. And don't forget to scrub the bathtub.

Son: No, I want to do the family room.

Dad: Well, okay, but you have to vacuum the family room and the hall, and be sure to dust everything. Oh, and don't forget to wipe the walls and clean the baseboards. [Okay.] And after that. [Oh, no.] Next, sweep and mop the kitchen floor and be sure to polish the table in the living room.

Son: Okay. Okay.

Dad: And make your bed and pick up all your toys and put them away. And . . .

Son: More?

Dad: Yeah. And then, how about going out for lunch and getting a big milk shake, but you probably don't want to do that.

Son: No, No. I want to.

Dad: Okay. While you're doing your work, I'll be out in the yard raking leaves and pulling weeds.

Key Vocabulary

• scrub (verb): clean thoroughly by rubbing hard
  - You'll need to scrub really hard to remove that stain from the table.
• dust (verb): to remove small pieces of dirt
  - Please dust all the furniture in the front room.
• baseboards (noun): a piece of wood or molding attached along the bottom of a wall where it touches the floor; also called "skirting board" in Britain and Australia
  - We need to remove the baseboards to put down new tile on the floor.
• sweep (verb): to clean a floor by using a broom or brush to collect dirt
  - Be sure to sweep the floor before you mop it.
• rake (verb): to gather with a garden tool with a row of plastic or metal teeth at the head
  - I spent all yesterday raking the leaves in my backyard.

1. What does the boy want to do at the beginning of the conversation?
A. go play outside
B. watch TV
C. play video games

2. What is one thing the boy is NOT assigned to do around the house?
A. clean the garage
B. vacuum the floors
C. wash the walls

3. What does the boy have to do in his bedroom?
A. put away his books
B. make his bed
C. pick up his dirty clothes

4. What is the father going to do while the boy is doing his household chores?
A. wash the car
B. paint the house
C. work in the yard

5. Where will the father and son go after the housework is done?
A. to a movie
B. out to eat
C. to a ball game