English speaking lesson · Travel & Transport
Changing a booking
You're on the phone with a travel company, trying to change the date on a booking you already made. You practise it as a real conversation, at whichever of the four levels fits you — the room and the steps stay the same, only the words get harder.
A phone call to a travel company · you talk to the customer service agent
Free plan: 10 messages a day. No card needed.
What you have to do
Identify your booking, ask to change the date, find out about any fee, and confirm the change. You finish the lesson by getting there in conversation — not by answering questions about it. Nothing is corrected while you talk; the corrections are collected and handed to you at the end.
How it opens
Hi there, thanks for calling — how can I help you today?
Spoken aloud by the tutor playing the customer service agent.
The 5 steps that finish it
A step clears when you say the thing that clears it. The steps are identical at all four levels — only the example line fades, and at Natural there is none at all.
- 01
Identify your booking
Say you'd like to change a booking, and give your reference if you have it.
“Hi! I'd like to change my booking, please.”
- 02
Ask to change the date
Say what date you'd like to change it to.
“Could I move it to next Friday?”
- 03
Ask about a fee
Ask whether there's a fee for changing the date.
“Is there a fee to change it?”
- 04
Check the change
Check the change is right, and agree to go ahead.
“Yes, that's right — please go ahead.”
- 05
Confirm the change
Say how you'd like the confirmation sent, and say goodbye.
“Please send it by email. Thanks for your help!”
The words, at all four levels
The same room and the same steps, four vocabularies. These are the words the lesson listens for and scores you on — with what each one means and how it sounds when you are talking to the customer service agent.
Starter
A1 – A2Simple, everyday words with a full hint on every step.
- change
- to make something different
- “I'd like to change my booking.”
- booking
- something you reserved before
- “I have a booking.”
- date
- the day something happens
- “I need a new date.”
- new
- not the same as before
- “A new date, please.”
- fee
- money charged for a service
- “Is there a fee?”
- free
- costing nothing
- “Is it free to change?”
- a message sent over the internet
- “Please send an email.”
- right
- correct
- “Is that right?”
- please
- a polite word when you ask
- “A new date, please.”
- thanks
- a short way to say thank you
- “Thanks for your help.”
Conversational
A2 – B1Common words at a natural pace, with hints to lean on.
- reference
- a code identifying your booking
- “My reference is BK4821.”
- reschedule
- to change to a new date or time
- “I'd like to reschedule.”
- amend
- to make a small official change
- “Could you amend the date?”
- charge
- an amount you have to pay
- “Is there a charge for that?”
- waived
- cancelled or not charged
- “Could that be waived?”
- confirmation
- an official message proving something
- “Could I get a confirmation?”
- correct
- right, with no mistakes
- “Yes, that's correct.”
- sorted
- arranged and settled
- “Great, that's sorted.”
- cheers
- informal thanks
- “Cheers for that!”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for
- “I appreciate your help.”
Confident
B1 – B2Richer, more specific words, with only light hints.
- amendment
- an official change made to a booking
- “I'd like to make an amendment.”
- flexible
- allowing changes without much cost
- “Is the fare flexible?”
- non-refundable
- unable to be paid back if cancelled
- “Is it non-refundable?”
- penalty
- a charge for making a change
- “Is there a penalty for changing?”
- availability
- whether the new date is free
- “What's the availability like on Friday?”
- revised
- changed to a new, updated version
- “Could you send the revised details?”
- sorted
- arranged and settled
- “That's sorted, thanks.”
- waived
- cancelled or not charged
- “Any chance that could be waived?”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for
- “I'd appreciate that.”
- confirm
- to say something is definitely settled
- “Could you confirm by email?”
Natural
B2 – C1Advanced, idiomatic words — no hints at all.
- reshuffle
- to rearrange things around (informal)
- “I need to reshuffle a booking.”
- leeway
- a bit of flexibility
- “Is there any leeway on the fee?”
- goodwill
- kindness beyond what's required
- “As a goodwill gesture, perhaps?”
- tweak
- to change something a little
- “Just a small tweak to the date.”
- swing
- to be able to arrange something (informal)
- “Could you swing that for me?”
- buffer
- extra time or room to allow for change
- “I'd like a bit of a buffer.”
- sorted
- dealt with and settled
- “Brilliant, we're sorted.”
- obliged
- grateful for a favour
- “Much obliged.”
- cheers
- informal thanks
- “Cheers, appreciated.”
- ping
- to send quickly (informal)
- “Could you ping that over by email?”
More Travel & Transport lessons
- Buying a train ticket
- Airport check-in & security
- Lost luggage
- Hotel check-in
- Hostel check-in
- Asking for directions
- Tourist information
- Taxi / rideshare
- Hiring a car
- Booking a tour
- Ferry crossing