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# First day at work: Describing past events
- URL: https://www.lessonpills.com/first-day-new-job-meeting-team-asking-questions/
- Published: 2026-06-30T04:35:46.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-13T05:45:35.000Z
- Description: Starting a new job — an A2 English lesson. Practise the past simple tense and expand vocabulary around the workplace.
- Author: Lessonpills
- Tags: A1, Work, Practical English, Grammar, Audio, Premium, Past tenses

## Summary

This 90-minute ESL lesson for **A2** learners explores **First day at work: Describing past events** through a real audio recording. Across 11 interactive exercises, you'll develop listening comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, practical communication, speaking skills — all built around authentic English content.

**What you'll practise:**

- **5 key vocabulary items** with definitions and usage notes
- Grammar focus: **Past simple** with examples and practice
- Real-world phrases for **asking for help in your first week**
- Gap-fill and cloze exercises to test vocabulary in context
- Matching exercise to connect terms with their meanings
- Error correction to sharpen grammar awareness
- A reading passage to practise newly learned language

[![CTA Image](https://www.lessonpills.com/content/images/2026/07/icon128-2.png)](https://learn.lessonpills.com/first-day-new-job-meeting-team-asking-questions?ref=lessonpills.com) 

Ready to practise? This interactive lesson includes vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension exercises — all based on real English content. 

[Start the lesson ](https://learn.lessonpills.com/first-day-new-job-meeting-team-asking-questions?ref=lessonpills.com) 

Your browser does not support the audio element.

## Lesson activities (11 exercises)

Each exercise builds on the previous one. Work through them in order for the best learning experience.

1. **Warm-up** — Discussion questions to activate what you already know about the topic.
2. **Comprehension** — Answer questions to check your understanding of the main ideas and supporting details.
3. **Vocabulary** — Learn key words and expressions from the audio recording, with definitions and usage notes.
4. **Fill the gaps** — Complete sentences with the correct vocabulary. Drag and drop or type your answers.
5. **Grammar** — Study **Past simple** — explanation, examples, and key rules.
6. **Error correction** — Find and fix the mistake in each sentence — a great grammar workout.
7. **Practical English** — Learn phrases for **asking for help in your first week** — ready to use in real conversations.
8. **Matching** — Connect words, phrases, or concepts to their correct counterparts.
9. **Reading** — Read a short passage on the topic and answer comprehension questions.
10. **Discussion** — Reflect on the topic and share your opinions using the language you've learned.

## Vocabulary

This lesson introduces **5 key terms** drawn directly from the audio recording:

- **Show someone around** — to guide a person through a new place, like an office
- **Get to know** — to learn more about someone or something
- **A team meeting** — a planned event where you and your colleagues talk about work
- **Ask for help** — to say that you need assistance with something
- **Settle in** — to start to feel comfortable and happy in a new place

## Grammar

This lesson focuses on **Past simple**.

We use the past simple to talk about actions that started and finished in the past. It is very useful for describing events like your first day at a new job, as you heard in the audio recording.

**Examples from the lesson:**

- *I started my new job yesterday.* — For most verbs, we add '-ed' to make the past simple form.
- *I met my new manager in the morning.* — Some common verbs are irregular. For example, the past of 'meet' is 'met'.
- *I didn't know where the printer was.* — For negative sentences, we use 'didn't' + the base form of the verb (know).

**Key rules:**

- For regular verbs, add '-ed' to the end (e.g., start -> started).
- Many important verbs are irregular (e.g., go -> went, have -> had).
- For questions and negatives, use 'did/didn't' + the base verb (e.g., 'Did you like it?', not 'Did you liked it?').

## Practical English

**Asking for help in your first week**

When you start a new job, you will have many questions. It's okay to ask for help! These phrases will help you ask your new colleagues for information politely.

**Phrases you'll learn:**

- **"Excuse me, \[Name\]? Sorry to bother you."** — To get a colleague's attention politely.
- **"Do you have a quick minute?"** — To check if the person is free to talk before you ask your question.
- **"I'm not sure how to..."** — To explain that you need help with a process or task.
- **"Where can I find...?"** — To ask for the location of a person, place, or thing.
- **"Could you show me quickly?"** — To ask someone to demonstrate how to do something.

[![CTA Image](https://www.lessonpills.com/content/images/2026/07/icon128-2.png)](https://learn.lessonpills.com/first-day-new-job-meeting-team-asking-questions?ref=lessonpills.com) 

Ready to practise? This interactive lesson includes vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension exercises — all based on real English content. 

[Start the lesson ](https://learn.lessonpills.com/first-day-new-job-meeting-team-asking-questions?ref=lessonpills.com)