English speaking lesson · Everyday Life
Joining a gym
You're at the front desk of a gym, ready to sign up for a membership. 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 gym front desk · you talk to the gym staff member
Free plan: 10 messages a day. No card needed.
What you have to do
Say you'd like to join, explain how you'll use it, ask about membership options, and sign up. 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! Are you looking to join today, or just checking things out?
Spoken aloud by the tutor playing the gym staff member.
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
Say you'd like to join
Say hello, and say you'd like to join the gym.
“Hi! I'd like to join the gym, please.”
- 02
Say how you'll use it
Say how often you'd like to come, or what you're hoping to do.
“Three times a week, I think.”
- 03
Ask about the options
Ask about the price, or the contract length.
“What's the price? How much a month?”
- 04
Check the membership
Check the membership is the one you'd like.
“Yes, that's the one, thanks.”
- 05
Sign up
Give your details, and finish signing up.
“By card, please. Thanks a lot!”
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 gym staff member.
Starter
A1 – A2Simple, everyday words with a full hint on every step.
- join
- to become a member of something
- “I'd like to join, please.”
- gym
- a place with equipment for exercise
- “I'd like to join the gym.”
- often
- how many times something happens
- “How often can I come?”
- week
- seven days
- “Three times a week, please.”
- price
- how much something costs
- “What's the price?”
- month
- a period of about thirty days
- “How much a month?”
- much
- used to ask the price — 'how much'
- “How much a month?”
- please
- a polite word when you ask
- “I'd like to join, please.”
- card
- a bank card you pay with
- “By card, please.”
- thanks
- a short way to say thank you
- “Thanks a lot!”
Conversational
A2 – B1Common words at a natural pace, with hints to lean on.
- membership
- the agreement to join and use something
- “I'm after a membership.”
- sessions
- planned periods of exercise
- “How many sessions a week is typical?”
- contract
- an agreement for a fixed period
- “How long is the contract?”
- monthly
- happening once a month
- “What's the monthly cost?”
- flexible
- able to change easily
- “Is there a flexible option?”
- tied
- bound to something for a period
- “I'd rather not be tied in too long.”
- cancel
- to end an agreement
- “Can I cancel anytime?”
- everything
- all of it — 'is that everything?'
- “That's everything, thanks.”
- total
- the full amount to pay
- “What's the total?”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for
- “I appreciate you explaining that.”
Confident
B1 – B2Richer, more specific words, with only light hints.
- induction
- an introductory session to get you started
- “Is there an induction included?”
- tailored
- adjusted to suit someone specifically
- “Is there a tailored plan available?”
- off-peak
- outside the busiest times
- “Is there an off-peak membership?”
- commitment
- a period you're tied in for
- “What's the minimum commitment?”
- rolling
- continuing month to month
- “Is there a rolling option?”
- freeze
- to pause a membership temporarily
- “Can I freeze it if I travel?”
- altogether
- in total — 'how much altogether'
- “How much altogether?”
- receipt
- the printed proof of payment
- “Could I get a receipt?”
- sorted
- arranged and settled
- “That's sorted, thanks.”
- appreciate
- to be grateful for
- “I'd appreciate that.”
Natural
B2 – C1Advanced, idiomatic words — no hints at all.
- sign
- to formally join something — 'sign up'
- “I'm ready to sign up, really.”
- ditch
- to stop using or drop something (informal)
- “I want to ditch my old routine.”
- gains
- physical progress from training (informal)
- “I'm chasing some proper gains.”
- cooling-off
- a short period to change your mind
- “Is there a cooling-off period?”
- freeze
- to pause a membership temporarily
- “Good to know I can freeze it.”
- tap
- to pay by touching your card
- “I'll just tap.”
- cheers
- informal thanks
- “Cheers, appreciated.”
- sorted
- dealt with and settled
- “Perfect, we're sorted.”
- obliged
- grateful for a favour
- “Much obliged, thank you.”
- rolling
- continuing month to month
- “A rolling one suits me best.”
More Everyday Life lessons
- Grocery shopping
- Making plans with a friend
- At the post office
- Missed delivery
- At the dry cleaners
- At the hairdresser
- Locked out