Reading: A Basic Timetable

What You Will Learn

You'll learn to read and understand simple timetables — like bus schedules, class times, or shop hours. This is a real skill you need every day!

Explanation (with real-life context)

A timetable is a list that shows when things happen. You see timetables everywhere:
- Bus and train schedules at the station
- Class times at school or university
- Work shifts at your job
- Shop opening hours on the door
- Sports match times

Timetables use times (like 9:00, 14:30) and days (Monday, Tuesday). They're organized in rows and columns to make information easy to find.

Examples (natural sentences from daily life)

Reading a bus timetable:
- "The bus arrives at 8:15 AM." (This means 8 hours and 15 minutes in the morning)
- "The next train leaves at 16:45." (This is 4:45 PM — 24-hour time)

Reading work/school times:
- "My English class starts at 10:00 and finishes at 11:30."
- "The shop closes at 18:00 on weekdays." (Weekdays = Monday to Friday)

At a coffee shop:
- "We're open from 7:00 to 21:00." (7 AM to 9 PM)
- "Monday to Friday we open early. Saturday and Sunday we open late."

Common Mistakes

❌ Mixing 12-hour and 24-hour time: Many timetables use 24-hour format. 14:00 is 2 PM, NOT 14 PM (there's no "14 PM")!

❌ Forgetting to check the day: A bus at 9:00 on Monday is different from 9:00 on Sunday.

❌ Not reading "from" and "to": "Open 9-17" means FROM 9 AM TO 5 PM, not AT 9 and 17.

Quick Tips

• Look at the top row: It usually shows the days
• Look at the left column: It usually shows the times
• Use your finger: Point to find where the row and column meet
• Read 24-hour time: 13:00 = 1 PM, 20:00 = 8 PM
• Check small letters: Look for "Mon-Fri" (weekdays only) or "weekends" notes