Coordinating Group Schedules
A small group of people (e.g., colleagues on a project, friends planning an outing) are trying to find a mutually convenient time for a meeting or activity, discussing everyone's availability and preferences.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
availability
This means the times when someone is free to meet or do something. Use it when asking about schedules, like 'What's your availability this week?'
flexible
It describes someone who can easily change their plans or times. Say 'I'm flexible in the afternoon' to show you can adjust your schedule.
booked
This means completely full with no free time, like a busy day. Use it as 'My day is booked' to explain you can't meet then.
tricky
It means something is difficult or not straightforward, often for schedules. For example, 'Thursday is tricky for me' means it's hard to find time.
best bet
An informal way to say the most reliable or good choice. Use it like 'Tuesday is our best bet' when suggesting the top option from options.
works for me
A casual phrase meaning a time or plan is okay and convenient for you. It's common in group planning, like 'That time works for me.'
ideal
It means perfect or the best possible. Say '2 PM is ideal' to show strong agreement with a suggested time.
calendar invite
An email or digital invitation that adds a meeting to people's calendars with details like time and place. Useful in work or group settings.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
What does everyone's availability look like?
This is a polite way to ask about free times in a group. It's useful for starting schedule discussions; the structure uses 'look like' to describe a situation visually or generally.
I'm pretty flexible on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons.
Here, 'pretty flexible' means quite adjustable. This sentence pattern is great for sharing your schedule options; use it to suggest days when you can change plans easily.
Wednesday is completely booked for me.
This expresses no free time on a day. The adverb 'completely' emphasizes fullness; it's practical for politely declining a day in coordination talks.
Tuesday afternoon might be our best bet, then.
This suggests the top choice based on discussion. 'Might be' shows possibility, and 'best bet' is idiomatic for the safest option; use after reviewing availabilities.
How does Tuesday at 2 PM sound to everyone?
A question to check group agreement on a specific time. 'Sound to' means 'seem like'; it's useful for confirming plans and includes 'everyone' for politeness in groups.
Tuesday 2 PM works perfectly for me.
This agrees strongly with a proposed time. 'Works for me' is a common idiom for suitability, and 'perfectly' adds emphasis; repeat this pattern to show approval.
I'll send out a calendar invite for Tuesday at 2 PM.
This promises to share meeting details digitally. It's a closing sentence in planning; the future 'I'll' shows action, useful for confirming next steps in emails or chats.