Initial Consultation with Instructor
A new student meets their driving instructor for the first time to discuss the overall driving test process, requirements, and schedule the first few lessons.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
handbook
A book with rules and information, like the driver's handbook which explains driving laws and tests.
practical test
The actual driving exam where you drive a car and show your skills, not just a written test.
maneuvers
Specific driving actions or movements, such as parking or turning, that you practice during lessons.
steering
The action of turning the wheel to control the direction of the car.
braking
The act of using the brake pedal to slow down or stop the car safely.
parallel parking
A driving skill where you park your car parallel to the curb between two other cars.
awareness
Being alert and paying attention to your surroundings while driving to stay safe.
beginner
Someone who is new to something, like a complete beginner in driving who has no experience.
flexible
Able to change or adjust easily, like having a flexible schedule means you can meet at different times.
confirmation
Official proof or agreement, such as a confirmation email that verifies your lesson details.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
It's nice to finally meet you!
This is a polite greeting for first meetings. Use it to show you're happy to meet someone in person. It's simple present tense and builds rapport in conversations.
Have you looked at the driver's handbook at all yet?
This is a question using present perfect tense to ask about past actions up to now. It's useful for checking preparation before starting something like lessons.
What exactly does it involve, and what are the main things they look for?
This asks for specific details using 'what' clauses. Great for clarifying processes like tests. It shows curiosity and helps in consultations or interviews.
The testers are primarily looking for safe driving habits, awareness of your surroundings, and proper use of signals and mirrors.
This uses a present continuous for ongoing evaluation and lists items with 'and'. Useful for explaining expectations in exams or jobs; practice listing skills.
For a complete beginner, I usually recommend a minimum of 20 hours of instruction.
This gives advice with 'recommend' and quantifiers like 'minimum of'. Use it when suggesting plans based on experience, common in teaching or planning scenarios.
I'm pretty flexible in the afternoons.
This expresses availability using 'pretty' as an adverb for 'quite'. It's practical for scheduling meetings or appointments when discussing time options.
How about we aim for next Tuesday and Thursday afternoon?
A suggestion using 'how about' for proposals. The structure with 'aim for' means to target a plan. Use this politely when arranging dates in conversations.
I'll send you a confirmation email with the details.
Future simple tense with 'will' for promises. Useful for confirming arrangements; include it in professional or service interactions to assure follow-up.