Arranging appointments (make, change & cancel appointments)

This lesson teaches useful expressions and polite language for making, changing and cancelling appointments in professional and everyday contexts. You will learn how to propose times, confirm details, reschedule when needed, and cancel politely while preserving relationships.

• When to use formal vs. informal language (email vs. phone vs. chat)
• Key verbs: make, schedule, reschedule, postpone, cancel, confirm, pencil in
• How to give or ask for availability and how to confirm time, date and place

Politeness and clarity are essential—always include date, time and time zone if necessary.

When arranging appointments, follow these simple guidelines to ensure smooth communication:

• State the purpose, date, time and place (or platform) clearly.
• Use polite modal verbs and softeners: could, would, can, I'm afraid, I'm sorry.
• Offer options if possible: “Are you free on Tuesday or Wednesday?”
• Confirm details at the end and include time zone when needed.

Politeness + specificity = fewer misunderstandings.

Watch out for these universal errors when arranging appointments:

• Being vague about time or place — always include date, time and location/platform.
• Using the wrong preposition: say "at 3 PM", not "on 3 PM".
• Forgetting to confirm participant names or contact details.
• Mixing up 'reschedule' (change time) with 'cancel' (remove the appointment).
• Not considering time zones when participants are in different locations.

A brief confirmation message prevents most misunderstandings.