English Learning: Daily Routines with Alice & Bob
Join Alice and Bob as they chat about their very different daily routines. One is an early bird, the other… not so much!
Dialogue
Alice: Hi Bob! Wow, you look like a very sleepy cat today. Did you just wake up?
Bob: Alice, you know me too well! Yes, I did. My bed is just too comfy.
Alice: Too comfy? I wake up at 6 AM every day! The sun is my alarm clock.
Bob: Six AM?! Alice, that’s still the middle of the night for me! I usually wake up around 9 AM.
Alice: Nine AM! What do you do then? I already finished my yoga and had a big, healthy breakfast.
Bob: I… uh… I usually eat breakfast then. Maybe a giant bowl of cereal. And then I think about taking a nap.
Alice: A nap after breakfast? Bob, you’re amazing! I eat lunch around 1 PM. What about you?
Bob: Oh, lunch. I usually eat lunch a bit later, around 2 PM. After my “morning” nap, of course.
Alice: (Laughing) You are truly a master of relaxation! Do you ever do anything else?
Bob: Sure! I eat dinner around 7 PM. And then I watch some TV.
Alice: And when do you go to sleep? Do you sleep early after all that relaxing?
Bob: Hmm, I usually go to sleep around 11 PM. But sometimes I read a book until midnight.
Alice: So, you wake up late, eat late, nap, and then sleep late. You have a very… relaxed routine, Bob!
Bob: It’s a special routine, Alice. It works for me! What about you, when do you go to sleep?
Alice: I go to sleep at 10 PM. Gotta get those 8 hours! Good night, Bob! Or, good morning for you!
Bob: (Yawns) Good… everything, Alice! See you later!
Current Situation
This dialogue shows how two friends, Alice and Bob, describe their “daily routines.” Daily routines are the things we do every day, often at the same time. Learning to talk about your routine is very important for everyday English conversations. Alice has an early and active routine, while Bob has a more relaxed and late routine. They use simple English to discuss when they wake up, eat meals, and go to sleep.
Key Phrases
- wake up: To stop sleeping and become conscious.
I wake up at 7 AM every day.
- go to sleep: To start sleeping.
I usually go to sleep around 10 PM.
- eat breakfast/lunch/dinner: To have your morning, midday, or evening meal.
We eat dinner together at 7 PM.
- early: Happening or done before the usual or expected time.
Alice wakes up early, at 6 AM.
- late: Happening or done after the usual or expected time.
Bob goes to sleep late, sometimes at midnight.
- every day: Daily, each day.
She does yoga every day.
- usually: Under normal conditions; most of the time.
I usually drink coffee in the morning.
- sometimes: On some occasions but not always or often.
Sometimes I read a book before bed.
- comfy: (Informal) Comfortable.
Bob’s bed is very comfy.
- take a nap: To sleep for a short period, especially during the day.
Bob likes to take a nap after breakfast.
Grammar Points
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1. Simple Present Tense for Routines
We use the Simple Present tense to talk about habits, routines, and things that happen regularly.
- I / You / We / They + verb (base form)
I wake up at 6 AM.
We eat lunch together.
- He / She / It + verb + -s / -es (Remember the ‘s’ for third person singular!)
He wakes up at 9 AM.
She eats a healthy breakfast.
- I / You / We / They + verb (base form)
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2. Time Expressions
Use these words to talk about when things happen:
- at + specific time: at 6 AM, at 7 PM
- around + approximate time: around 9 AM, around 11 PM
- in the + part of day: in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening
- before/after + event/time: after breakfast, before bed
- every day: I go to work every day.
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3. Adverbs of Frequency (usually, sometimes)
These words tell us how often something happens. They usually go before the main verb.
- usually: I usually wake up around 9 AM. (most of the time)
- sometimes: I sometimes read a book until midnight. (not always, not often)
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4. Asking Questions about Routines
- When do you…? / When does he/she…?
When do you wake up?
When does she eat dinner?
- What do you…? / What does he/she…?
What do you do after breakfast?
What does he eat for lunch?
- When do you…? / When does he/she…?
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks (Choose the correct word)
Complete the sentences using words from the box: wake up, eats, go, take, sleeps
- I usually ______ at 7 AM.
- She ______ breakfast every morning.
- We ______ to sleep around 10 PM.
- He ______ a nap in the afternoon.
- My cat ______ 16 hours a day!
Answers:
- wake up
- eats
- go
- takes
- sleeps
Exercise 2: Match the activity to the typical time expression.
Match the phrases on the left with the best time expression on the right.
1. Wake up _______ (a) 7 PM
2. Eat dinner _______ (b) in the morning
3. Go to sleep _______ (c) 1 PM
4. Eat lunch _______ (d) at night
Answers:
1. b (in the morning)
2. a (7 PM)
3. d (at night)
4. c (1 PM)
Exercise 3: Your Routine (Short Answers)
Answer these questions about YOUR daily routine. Use full sentences.
- When do you usually wake up?
- What do you usually eat for breakfast?
- When do you usually eat dinner?
- When do you usually go to sleep?
(Example answers – your answers will be different!)
- I usually wake up at 7:30 AM.
- I usually eat toast and coffee for breakfast.
- I usually eat dinner around 6:30 PM.
- I usually go to sleep at 10:45 PM.
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