B1 Unit 1: Solve an Everyday Problem

B1 · LEARN THROUGH PRACTICE

Small steps.
Real conversations.

Try a real task. Practice with support. Use what you learn in a new situation.

LE-B1-PROB-01 · Beginning B1 · Reading, writing and spoken interaction · Free

Allow about 45–60 minutes, or work in short sessions. This first B1 unit is a pilot: the time estimate and task difficulty will be reviewed through use.

Your goal

Explain a familiar problem, compare two options, give a reason for your choice and check what to do next. You will use simple language you already know, then connect your ideas more clearly.

Before you begin

It helps if you can understand a short everyday message, make or change a simple plan and write a short request. You do not need perfect grammar. If you need support, use the short phrases below and keep practicing.

Useful A2 preparation: LE-A2-PROB-01 — Explain a Problem and Ask for Help and LE-A2-APPT-01 — Change a Plan Politely. Practice describing a problem or confirming a time, then return to this B1 task to compare options and explain your reasons. You can also return to Start B1.

1. Pre-check: try before you study

Read this situation. Write a short message to the organizer before opening any models. Keep it as “Before”, with today’s date. Say what the problem is, choose an option, explain why and ask for a next step.

Situation: Your reading club has 16 people. It plans to meet at the library on Saturday at 10 a.m. The library has closed because of a water leak. The meeting needs one hour. Two members must leave by noon.

Café: available at 10 a.m.; 12 seats; US$30 for the group; step-free entrance; five minutes from the bus stop.
Community room: available at 11 a.m.; 20 seats; free; step-free entrance; 15 minutes from the bus stop.

Use only the facts above. About 60–100 words is a guide, not a pass requirement. Try without a model or AI first. Record any help you use.

2. Presentation: notice how a solution is explained

Read this message after you have kept your first attempt.

Message from Lina: “The library is closed, so we need another place for Saturday’s reading club. I suggest the community room at 11 a.m. It has enough seats for all 16 people, and it is free. We can finish at noon, so the two members can leave on time. However, the room is farther from the bus stop than the café. Could you check whether everyone can get there? If the time works for the group, can you book the room and confirm it with us?”

Notice the communication moves

Problem: “The library is closed, so…” explains why a change is needed.
Choice and reasons: “I suggest…” is followed by capacity, cost and timing.
A limitation: “However…” recognizes a difficulty with the chosen option.
Next step: the message asks someone to check access and confirm a booking. It does not claim the room is already booked.

These moves help the other person decide and act. Other wording can work equally well.

3. Practice: check the meaning

Answer before opening each explanation.

Question 1: Why is the café unsuitable for the whole group?

It has only 12 seats for 16 people. Distance alone does not solve the capacity problem.

Question 2: Can the community-room meeting finish by noon?

Yes. It starts at 11 a.m. and needs one hour. The message should still make the finishing time clear.

Question 3: What useful detail still needs checking?

Whether everyone can get to the community room. It is farther from the bus stop. The organizer also needs to book and confirm the available room.

Question 4: Is “I have booked the room” supported by the situation?

No. The room is available, but no completed booking is stated. A clear message must not invent a promise or completed action.

Practice the language

Join two facts: “The café has 12 seats. We have 16 people.” Use “but”.
Compare the locations: “The community room is ___ from the bus stop ___ the café.”
Add a condition: “If the time works for everyone, ___.”
Ask a clear follow-up question about the booking.

Check possible answers

“The café has 12 seats, but we have 16 people.” “The community room is farther from the bus stop than the café.” “If the time works for everyone, could you book the room?” A question such as “Could you confirm the booking with us?” also works. The facts and next step matter more than copying these exact words.

4. Production: agree on a solution

Work with a partner, or play both roles and record yourself on your device. One person prefers the café because it is nearer the bus stop. The other explains the seating problem and suggests the community room. Ask a follow-up question, respond and agree who will check and confirm the plan.

If you are alone, pause after each question and answer without reading a script. If you cannot record, speak aloud and write down what you found difficult. No upload is needed.

Helpful phrases

“The problem is…”
“One option is…, but…”
“I suggest… because…”
“Could you explain what you mean?”
“Let me check: are we meeting at…?”
“Who will confirm the booking?”

Then revise your original message. Keep both versions and note two changes. For example, you may have added a reason, corrected a time or made the request clearer.

Use four checks

Score this task from 0–3 in each area. If you have not tried the task, record “Not tried yet”. Judge your response against the task, not against a memorised model.

Task completion

0: The response does not communicate a workable solution.
1: It gives some useful information but misses a key need, such as seating or the next step.
2: It explains the problem, gives a workable choice and reason, and asks for the needed next step.
3: It does those things clearly and handles the relevant limitation or follow-up without inventing facts.

Clear meaning and organization

0: The main message cannot yet be understood.
1: The reader or listener needs substantial help to connect the ideas.
2: The problem, choice and reason are understandable and in a useful order.
3: Connections and emphasis make the reasoning easy to follow.

Fit for the situation and interaction

0: The response does not fit the task or does not respond to the other person.
1: Some wording fits, but the request or response is unclear.
2: It makes a respectful request and responds or checks meaning when needed.
3: It responds to the other view accurately and helps move the conversation toward a clear next step.

Language range and control

0: There is not enough relevant language to communicate the required meaning.
1: Limited language or errors obscure important facts or reasons.
2: Suitable words and connected sentences communicate the main meaning; errors do not usually block it.
3: Language is chosen effectively for this task, with good control of the important details.

Start by improving task completion and clear meaning. These scores describe this task only; they are not a CEFR award or an exam score.

5. Post-check: try a fresh problem

A 45-minute workshop is planned for Monday at 2 p.m. The original room is unavailable. There are 12 participants, and everyone must leave by 4 p.m. The group can spend up to US$20.

Hall A: available at 2 p.m.; 10 seats; free.
Hall B: available at 3 p.m.; 16 seats; US$20.

Write a new message to the organizer. Explain the problem, recommend a workable option, give your reasons and ask for the booking to be confirmed. Try with the same amount of help as your first attempt. You may also discuss it aloud.

Check the facts after you finish

Hall B can hold all 12 people and fits the budget. A 3 p.m. start allows the 45-minute workshop to finish at 3:45 p.m., before everyone must leave. Hall A has too few seats. A good response asks for confirmation; it does not claim a booking is complete.

One possible response — read after your own attempt

“Hi Noor, our original room is unavailable for Monday’s workshop. I suggest Hall B at 3 p.m. It has enough seats for all 12 participants and costs US$20, which is within our budget. The workshop can finish at 3:45 p.m., so everyone can leave before 4 p.m. Hall A is free, but it has only 10 seats. Could you book Hall B and confirm the new time with the group?”

Choose your next step

Missing a key fact? Read the situation again and add it.
Reason unclear? Connect your choice with “because”, “so” or “but”.
Time unclear? State the start and finish separately.
Hard to respond aloud? Reuse one helpful phrase, then answer a new question.

After about a week, invent or choose another everyday problem with two options. Try without copying either model. Use Check Your Progress to keep the date, help used, scores and one next step.

What this lesson provides: reading, writing, spoken practice and the device-voice listening section below. No audio file, automatic writing marking or saved progress is provided.

Continue with Unit 2

Coordinate Work and Study: turn an agreed solution into tasks, deadlines and clear follow-up.

Learn English · Choose a goal · Check your progress

Listening practice for this unit

Listen for meaning

Listen before opening the transcript. For practice, listen once for the main point and again for details. Record replays or slower playback with your result.

Listen in American English

Audio uses an American English voice available on your device. Pause and Stop appear when a session starts.

Which place and time are proposed?
What needs checking?

Transcript — open after listening

The library is closed this Saturday. Our reading club can use the community room at eleven. It has twenty seats and is free. Please check whether everyone can reach it from the bus stop before we confirm the booking.

Listening answers and reasons

The community room at eleven. Whether everyone can reach it before confirming.

If you read the transcript before answering, record that as supported practice rather than an independent listening check.

Continue in order from B1 home.

Guided speaking: answer one question at a time

Answer about the situation or your own response in this unit. Each question stops for your answer. Take as long as you need, then choose Continue. Pause also works while you are thinking; Resume replays that question. This page does not record or upload your voice.

Guided spoken practice