Timetables, tables and forms: learn

In this lesson you will

Find information in a timetable or table by reading across a row and down a column
Use symbols, notes and abbreviations to check an answer
Understand form instructions such as BLOCK CAPITALS, date formats and required fields
Compare a form with an email and find information that does not match

Before you start

Think about these questions, or answer them aloud.

→When did you last read a timetable (bus, train, school or TV)? What information did you need?
→What information do forms usually ask for? Make a list (for example, date of birth).

Reading information in boxes

Timetables, price lists and tables don't have paragraphs. The information is in rows (across) and columns (down). You don't read them from beginning to end. You find the right row, find the right column, and read the box where they meet.

Before you answer any questions, spend 20–30 seconds on the layout:

Read the title: what is the table about?
Read the column headings and the row labels.
Check the units: minutes or hours? Per person or per family?
Look for symbols and notes, such as † or ‡, and read the small print under the table. Many exam questions depend on these notes.

Common abbreviations in timetables and forms
Abbreviation	Meaning
dep. / arr.	departs / arrives
Mon–Fri	Monday to Friday (weekdays)
approx.	approximately (about)
incl. / excl.	including / excluding (not including)
N/A	not applicable (this does not apply to you), or not available
DOB	date of birth
ext.	extension (a phone number inside a company)
no.	number

Forms

Forms ask for information in fields: boxes with labels. Read the instructions at the top. They often say things like:

Please write in BLOCK CAPITALS → use capital letters: ANNA SILVA.
Fields marked ✱ are required → you must complete them.
Tick one box only.
Date format: DD/MM/YYYY → day first, so 05/09/2026 is 5 September, not 9 May.
For office use only → do not write here. The organisation completes it.

In TOEIC Part 7, a form can appear together with an email or a notice. Some questions then check whether the details in the two texts match.

Lakeside Ferries: weekday timetable (Monday to Friday)
Departs Northport	Arrives Kessel Island	Arrives Brook Bay	Notes
07:15	07:50	08:20
09:30	10:05	10:35	†
12:00	12:35	—	Kessel Island only
14:45	15:20	15:50	†
17:30	18:05	18:35	‡

Lakeside Ferries: notes and fares

† Bicycles are carried free of charge on these sailings only.

‡ This sailing does not run on Fridays.

Single fares: adults £6.50; children aged 5–15 £3.20; children under 5 travel free. A return ticket costs twice the single fare.

Tickets can be bought on board, but passengers who book online save 10%.

How a strong reader uses the timetable

Question: Ana works on Kessel Island. On Wednesday she must arrive by 10:30. What is the latest ferry she can take from Northport?

Find the column Arrives Kessel Island. 10:05 is before 10:30; 12:35 is too late. So she takes the ferry that leaves at 09:30.

Question: Can Tom take his bike on the 12:00 ferry?

Bikes are in the notes: only sailings marked † carry bicycles. The 12:00 has no †. No.

Question: It's Friday. What is the last ferry to Brook Bay?

The 17:30 is marked ‡: does not run on Fridays. So the last one is the 14:45.

Question: How much is a return ticket, bought on board, for an adult and a four-year-old child?

Adult single £6.50, so a return is £13.00. Children under 5 travel free. £13.00.

Notice that three of the four questions needed the notes, not only the times. A strong reader always checks them.

Lakeside Ferries: weekday timetable (Monday to Friday)
Departs Northport	Arrives Kessel Island	Arrives Brook Bay	Notes
07:15	07:50	08:20
09:30	10:05	10:35	†
12:00	12:35	—	Kessel Island only
14:45	15:20	15:50	†
17:30	18:05	18:35	‡

Greenfield Language School: evening courses (autumn)
Course	Level	Day and time	Starts	Weeks	Fee
Spanish for Travel	Beginner	Mon 18:30–20:00	14 Sept	10	£150
Business English	Intermediate	Tue 19:00–20:30	15 Sept	12	£195 †
Italian Conversation	Intermediate	Wed 18:00–19:30	23 Sept	8	£120
Japanese	Beginner	Thu 18:30–20:30	17 Sept	10	£210 ‡
French Grammar Review	Advanced	Thu 19:00–20:30	17 Sept	6	£90

Greenfield Language School: fees and dates

† The fee includes the course book.

‡ The fee includes the course book and online practice.

Students and people over 65 get 15% off all course fees. Please show your student card or proof of age when you enrol.

There are no classes in the week of 26 October (half-term).

To enrol, complete the registration form and pay the full fee.

Gap fill

Short answers

Use the course table and the notes. Answer the questions with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS AND/OR A NUMBER.

1. Which course has the most weeks? 2. On which day of the week is the Italian course? 3. Which beginner course costs the most? 4. How many weeks does the shortest course last? 5. What is included in the Business English fee? 6. What must students show to get 15% off? 7. There are no classes in the week of which date?

Greenfield Language School: evening courses (autumn)
Course	Level	Day and time	Starts	Weeks	Fee
Spanish for Travel	Beginner	Mon 18:30–20:00	14 Sept	10	£150
Business English	Intermediate	Tue 19:00–20:30	15 Sept	12	£195 †
Italian Conversation	Intermediate	Wed 18:00–19:30	23 Sept	8	£120
Japanese	Beginner	Thu 18:30–20:30	17 Sept	10	£210 ‡
French Grammar Review	Advanced	Thu 19:00–20:30	17 Sept	6	£90

Greenfield Language School: fees and dates

† The fee includes the course book.

‡ The fee includes the course book and online practice.

Students and people over 65 get 15% off all course fees. Please show your student card or proof of age when you enrol.

There are no classes in the week of 26 October (half-term).

To enrol, complete the registration form and pay the full fee.

Text 1: Greenfield registration form
Field (write in BLOCK CAPITALS; ✱ = required)	Entry
Family name ✱	OKONJO
First name ✱	AMARA
Date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY) ✱	04/11/1998
Email ✱	[email protected]
Phone	07700 900 318
Course and day ✱	JAPANESE (THURSDAY)
Level	BEGINNER
Student or over 65?	YES – STUDENT CARD NO. 55102
How did you hear about us?	FROM A FRIEND
Amount paid ✱	£178.50 (CARD)
For office use only	Received 2 Sept – K.L.

Email: booking at the Harbour Hotel

From: Daniel Ferreira

To: Harbour Hotel reservations

Subject: Booking in October

Hello,

I'd like to book a double room for my wife and me from Friday 16 October to Sunday 18 October, so two nights. We are driving from Leeds, so we will need a parking space, and we expect to arrive at about 9 pm.

My wife doesn't eat meat or fish, so could you please make a note of that for breakfast?

Please send the confirmation to my work email, [email protected], rather than my personal address. My mobile number is 07700 900 146.

Many thanks,

Daniel Ferreira

Gap fill

Complete the booking form

You work at the hotel. Read Daniel's email and complete the booking form. Write ONE WORD AND/OR A NUMBER in each gap.

HARBOUR HOTEL – BOOKING FORM Surname: Room type (single / double / family): Check-in date: Friday October Number of nights: Parking space needed (yes / no): Special request: breakfast for one guest Expected arrival time: about pm Send confirmation to (work / personal) email:

Save words to review them later with flashcards.

timetable
a list of the times when buses, trains, classes, etc. start or leave
“Check the timetable for the last bus home.”
sailing
a journey by ship or ferry that leaves at a particular time
“The 9.30 sailing was cancelled because of the wind.”
fare
the money you pay to travel by bus, train, plane or boat
“Children under five travel without paying a fare.”
return (ticket)
a ticket for a journey to a place and back again (British English)
“A return to the island costs £13.”
on board
on a ship, plane, train or bus
“You can buy snacks on board.”
row
a line of information that goes across a table
“Read across the row to find the price.”
column
a line of information that goes down a table
“The last column shows the arrival times.”
enrol
to officially join a course or school (US: enroll)
“I enrolled on an evening Spanish course.”
registration
the act of putting your name on an official list, for example for a course
“Registration closes on Friday.”
block capitals
capital letters written separately, LIKE THIS
“Please write your name in block capitals.”
required
necessary; that you must give or do
“Fields marked with a star are required.”
half-term
a short school holiday in the middle of a term (British English)
“We're going to the coast during half-term.”

Key points

Before answering, read the title, the column headings, the row labels and the units.
Find the right row and the right column, and read the box where they meet.
Always check symbols and notes under the table: they often change the answer.
On forms, follow the instructions (BLOCK CAPITALS, date format, required fields) and check that the details match any other text.

Check your answers in the practice exercises to record a score.

Up next · Reading B1 Foundation

Fact or opinion?

Go to lesson

Warm-up

In this lesson you will

Before you start

Reading information in boxes

Forms

Lakeside Ferries: notes and fares

How a strong reader uses the timetable

Lakeside Ferries: notes and fares

Read the ferry timetable

Greenfield Language School: fees and dates

Short answers

Greenfield Language School: fees and dates

Text 2: Email from Amara

A form and an email

Email: booking at the Harbour Hotel

Complete the booking form

Key points

Warm-up

In this lesson you will

Before you start

Reading information in boxes

Forms

Lakeside Ferries: notes and fares

How a strong reader uses the timetable

Lakeside Ferries: notes and fares

Read the ferry timetable

Greenfield Language School: fees and dates

Short answers

Greenfield Language School: fees and dates

Text 2: Email from Amara

A form and an email

Email: booking at the Harbour Hotel

Complete the booking form

Key points