My Daily Routine – B1/B2 Listening
What kinds of things do you do in a typical day?
In this B1/B2 English listening lesson, Jade is talking about her daily routine. Jade has a south-eastern British accent, and she speaks quite quickly. Can you understand everything she says?
First do the exercises, then read the transcript at the end to check for listening accuracy.
Listen and understand
Answer the questions about Jade’s daily routine. Check answers when you have finished all of the questions.
How does Jade feel about having a routine?
What does Jade do to make her day less repetitive?
Why does Jade say her routine is helpful?
Why does Jade say she sometimes struggles to leave on time in the morning?
Which meal does Jade say often ends up being less healthy than planned?
How does Jade usually relax when her afternoon is quiet?
What does Jade mean when she says her routine "keeps her busy"?
What would happen, according to Jade, if she didn’t follow a routine?
Train your ear
Listen and complete ONLY the missing words.
But it
I make myself a cup of tea
Toast or cereal or
I behind schedule sometimes
I don’t really have to relax
Dictation and transcript
Listen to the speaker again, and write what you hear. Then check your answers. Pause, replay or restart if you want to.
Words and phrases
Here are some useful words and expressions from the text about daily routines that you might want to learn and use.
Words
a routine (n) – the usual way you do things every day
to hit the snooze button (v) – press the alarm to sleep a bit longer
a spot of breakfast (n) – a small amount of breakfast (informal)
fancy (adj) – special or expensive
behind schedule (adj) – later than planned
junk food (n) – food that is quick to eat but not healthy
snacks (n) – small amounts of food eaten between meals
repetitive (adj) – doing the same things again and again
organised (adj) – able to plan and manage your time well
Phrases
to be honest – I really believe..
I find myself (doing something) – I realise that I am doing something without planning to
get ready for the day – prepare yourself before going out or starting work
leave on time – go out or start at the planned time
a bit behind schedule – running late
hang around – wait or spend time doing nothing special
grab something (to eat) – get food quickly when you’re busy
work from home – do your job at home instead of the office
take a break – stop working for a short time to rest
scroll through my phone – look through posts or messages on your phone
mix things up – change your usual routine
meet a friend after work – see a friend when the workday is finished
do something different – change your normal pattern of activity
at the weekend – on Saturday or Sunday
stay organized – keep your life or work in good order
waste time doing nothing – spend time without achieving anything useful
keep busy – stay active and not get bored
Grammar from the transcript
This routine description contains several useful grammar patterns.
Verb + object + -ing patterns
“Some verbs take an object followed by an -ing form to express repeated or ongoing behaviour.
Phrases like “I find myself …ing” suggest that some things happen by accident:
- I often find myself hitting the snooze button
- I often find myself eating snacks and junk food
Sequencing phrases
Jade uses phrases like “Once,” After that,” to signpost stages in her daily routine:
- Once I’m up, I make myself a cup of tea = After I get up, / As soon as I get up
- After that, I get myself ready for the day
Would for imaginary situations
Jade uses would to talk about imagined outcomes, general suppositions, or unreal situations.
- I think most people would say the same.
- Without it, I think I’d just waste time doing nothing.
More free A2, B1 + B2 English listening exercises and lessons here!
