Lesson 04 – Planning a First Date: Invitations, Time & Place

Par /

Exercise 1

Vocabulary

invite (verb)

/ɪnˈvaɪt/ – to ask someone to join you for an event or activity.

He wants to invite her for coffee.

▸ I usually invite friends out on weekends.

plan (verb / noun)

/plæn/ – to decide what you will do and when you will do it.

Let’s plan something for Saturday.

▸ Do you have any plans for the weekend?

available (adjective)

/əˈveɪ.lə.bəl/ – free or ready to do something.

Are you available on Friday evening?

▸ I’m not available tomorrow, maybe next week.

confirm (verb)

/kənˈfɜːrm/ – to check and make sure something is correct or still happening.

Can you confirm the time later?

▸ They confirmed the reservation by email.

reschedule (verb)

/ˌriːˈʃed.juːl/ – to change the date or time of a meeting or event.

Sorry, can we reschedule for tomorrow?

▸ We had to reschedule the dinner because of the rain.

location (noun)

/loʊˈkeɪ.ʃən/ – a place where something happens or someone meets.

Let’s choose a nice location for the date.

▸ The café is a perfect location — quiet and cozy.

suggest (verb)

/səˈdʒest/ – to give an idea or propose something.

Can I suggest a new restaurant?

▸ She suggested meeting earlier in the day.

Exercise 2

Useful Expressions

  • Would you like to go out for coffee this weekend?
  • Are you free on Friday evening?
  • How about we meet at 7 p.m.?
  • Does Saturday work for you?
  • I’d love to.
  • I’m sorry, I’m not available that day.
  • Can we reschedule for next week?
  • I’ll confirm the time and place later.

Exercise 3

Dialogue Practice

Read the dialogue aloud with your tutor.

Luke
Hey, I was thinking… we’ve been talking for a while now, but we’ve never actually met outside of class.
Amelia
True! I was just about to say the same thing. Were you planning to invite me somewhere?
Luke
Maybe I was. There’s this cozy café by the river, a perfect location for good coffee and a quiet chat.
Amelia
That sounds really nice. I think I’m available on Saturday afternoon if that works for you.
Luke
Saturday sounds perfect. Let’s plan for around three.
Amelia
Three works. Should we confirm the exact time the day before, just in case?
Luke
Absolutely. I’ll message you on Friday evening to be sure.
Amelia
And if something comes up, we can always reschedule. I’m pretty flexible that weekend.
Luke
Good point. Or we could suggest another place if the café’s too crowded. There’s also a park nearby.
Amelia
Perfect! A walk by the river after coffee actually sounds even better.
Luke
Then it’s a plan. Coffee, a walk, and maybe a little sunshine if we’re lucky.
Amelia
Deal. Now I’m already looking forward to Saturday.

Exercise 4

Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks to complete the dialogue.

Two friends are chatting after class. One of them wants to plan a first date and suggests meeting for coffee.

Luke
Hey, I wanted to (1) you for coffee this weekend.
Amelia
That café by the river sounds like a great (2) .
Luke
Let’s (3) something for Saturday afternoon.
Amelia
Are you (4) on Saturday, or should we meet Sunday instead?
Luke
We can (5) the exact time on Friday evening.
Amelia
If something changes, we can always (6) for another day.
Luke
Maybe I can also (7) a new restaurant downtown.

Choose answers from the options below that fit in blanks 1 to 7

Answer Pool (Questions 1-7)

Exercise 5

Role Play

Role-play the following situation with your tutor.

Situation

You are planning a first date with someone you like. Invite them to an activity, agree on a time, and confirm the location.
If they are not available, try to reschedule politely and keep the conversation natural. Your teacher will play the other person.

Exercise 6

Discussion

  1. How do people usually plan first dates in your country?
  2. What’s the best kind of place for a relaxed first date?
  3. Do you prefer to plan dates in advance or decide spontaneously?
  4. How do you usually confirm plans with someone?
  5. Have you ever had to reschedule a date? How did you handle it?
  6. What’s more important to you — the time, the place, or the activity?
  7. How can you politely say no if you’re not available?
  8. When planning a date, what makes someone sound confident and respectful?

Correction – Exercise 4: Fill in the Blanks

(1) → invite
(2) → location
(3) → plan
(4) → available
(5) → confirm
(6) → reschedule
(7) → suggest

Retour en haut