Worksheet for teachers and learners: both levels, with quiz and answer key. Free to print and share in class.

    ← Back to story

    Free Daily English · Level A2 (Elementary) · Topic: realizing the meeting was actually yesterday

    Hana Misses the Meeting

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Hana is at a hotel. The hotel has a big rooftop pool. The pool is on the top floor of the building. The sky is blue and the sun is warm. Hana is wearing her swimsuit. She is sitting in a chair next to the pool. She has her phone in her hand. She is feeling very relaxed. There are other people at the pool too. Some people are swimming. Some people are reading books. A waiter brings Hana a cold drink. She says, "Thank you very much." She takes a sip and smiles. It is a lovely morning. Hana looks at her phone. She sees a new message. The message is from her colleague, Mia.

    Hana reads the message slowly. It says, "Hi Hana, where were you yesterday? We all waited for you at the meeting." Hana feels her heart jump. She looks at her calendar app. She opens it quickly with her finger. She sees the meeting. It says "Monday" on the screen. Hana looks at the date again. Today is Tuesday. She says, "Oh no!" out loud. A man near the pool looks at her. Hana feels her face go red. She says, "Sorry, sorry!" and waves her hand. She cannot believe her mistake. She missed the meeting yesterday. Hana sits up straight in her chair. She puts down her cold drink.

    She starts to type a message to Mia. She writes, "I am so sorry, Mia. I had the wrong day in my head. Can we please talk today?" She reads the message two times. Then she presses send. She waits. Her phone makes a sound. Mia writes back fast. Mia says, "No problem, Hana! Let's have a quick call this afternoon." Hana feels much better. She takes a big breath. She writes, "Thank you, Mia. I am really sorry again." She puts her phone down on the table. She looks at the pool and the blue sky. She is not so relaxed now, but she is happy that Mia is kind.

    Key vocabulary

    rooftop (noun)the flat or sloped surface on top of a building“We sat at the rooftop pool and looked at the city below.”
    relaxed (adjective)feeling calm and not worried or stressed“She felt very relaxed sitting by the pool with her drink.”
    colleague (noun)a person you work with“Her colleague sent her a message about the meeting.”
    calendar (noun)a list or app that shows the days, weeks, and months of the year“She checked her calendar to find the date of the meeting.”
    mistake (noun)something wrong that you do or think by accident“He made a mistake and came on the wrong day.”
    message (noun)a short piece of written or spoken information sent to someone“She sent a message to say sorry for missing the meeting.”
    waiter (noun)a person who brings food and drinks to people at a restaurant or hotel“The waiter brought a cold drink to the table.”
    afternoon (noun)the part of the day between noon and evening“They agreed to have a call in the afternoon.”

    Useful phrases

    • feel your heart jump — to suddenly feel surprised or shocked“She felt her heart jump when she read the message.”
    • out loud — said in a voice that other people can hear“He said "Oh no!" out loud when he saw the email.”
    • cannot believe — to be very surprised by something“She could not believe she had missed the meeting.”
    • have the wrong day — to think something is happening on a different day than it really is“He had the wrong day and came to the office on Tuesday instead of Monday.”
    • press send — to tap or click the button that sends a message“She read the message one more time and then pressed send.”
    • write back — to reply to a message or letter“Mia wrote back quickly to say everything was fine.”
    • No problem — used to say that something is not important or that you are happy to help“"No problem," she said with a smile. "We can talk later."”
    • sit up straight — to move your body so your back is upright and not leaning“She sat up straight and picked up her phone to write an apology.”

    Word search

    Find all 8 key words from the story. They can read forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally.

    ABCDEFGHIJK
    1BZHPBMBGCDM
    2CLEKATSIMRN
    3OMAVOCMFEUE
    4LEWBMJKLKHR
    5LSOTYCARUSA
    6ESVKRXMOAVD
    7AAFTERNOONN
    8GGJDTIBFTQE
    9UEBAIIHTOUL
    10EAKPABQOKUA
    11RLTXWQZPBVC

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Where is Hana at the start of the story?

      • A) At a restaurant
      • B) At a hotel rooftop pool
      • C) In an office
      • D) In a meeting room
    2. Who sends Hana a message?

      • A) Her boss
      • B) Her friend
      • C) Her colleague Mia
      • D) The hotel waiter
    3. What does Hana check on her phone after reading the message?

      • A) Her emails
      • B) The weather app
      • C) Her calendar app
      • D) A map
    4. The meeting was on Monday. What day is it when Hana reads the message?

      • A) Tuesday
      • B) Wednesday
      • C) Sunday
      • D) Monday
    5. What does the word 'colleague' mean in this story?

      • A) A family member
      • B) A person you work with
      • C) A close friend
      • D) A hotel worker
    6. What does Hana say in her apology message to Mia?

      • A) Her phone was broken.
      • B) She forgot to set an alarm.
      • C) She had the wrong day in her head.
      • D) She was sick and could not come.
    7. How does Mia respond to Hana's apology?

      • A) She is angry and does not reply.
      • B) She says Hana must write a report.
      • C) She says she will cancel the meeting.
      • D) She says no problem and suggests a call.
    8. Hana feels completely calm and relaxed at the end of the story. True or False?

      • A) Not stated
      • B) True
      • C) False
      • D) Not mentioned
    9. What does 'feel your heart jump' mean?

      • A) To feel happy and excited
      • B) To feel suddenly surprised or shocked
      • C) To feel tired and sleepy
      • D) To feel very angry
    10. A waiter brings Hana something at the pool. What is it?

      • A) A sandwich
      • B) A towel
      • C) A cold drink
      • D) A hot coffee

    Answer key (A2 (Elementary))

    1. B 2. C 3. C 4. A 5. B 6. C 7. D 8. C 9. B 10. C

    Word search answer key (A2 (Elementary))

    Columns are lettered from the left, rows numbered from the top. The arrow shows the reading direction from the word's first letter.

    afternoon: B7 → · calendar: K11 ↑ · colleague: A2 ↓ · message: B3 ↓ · mistake: I2 ← · relaxed: J2 ↙ · rooftop: H5 ↓ · waiter: E11 ↑

    Free Daily English · Level B1 (Intermediate) · Topic: realizing the meeting was actually yesterday

    The Wrong Day at the Rooftop Pool

    Name: ______________________   Date: ____________

    Hana had been looking forward to a quiet morning at the hotel's rooftop pool since the moment she arrived. The pool area was peaceful and open to the sky, with comfortable sun loungers arranged neatly along the water's edge. She had ordered a cold drink from the waiter, settled into her chair, and was happily letting her mind drift when her phone buzzed on the table beside her. She picked it up and saw a message from her colleague Mia, which simply read, "Hi Hana, we missed you at the meeting yesterday. Is everything okay?" For a moment, Hana stared at the screen without moving. Then she opened her calendar app with a growing sense of unease, and her stomach dropped when she saw it clearly: the meeting had been scheduled for Monday, and today was already Tuesday.

    Hana sat up quickly, nearly knocking her drink off the table. She scrolled back through her calendar, hoping to find some kind of error, but there was no mistake to find. She had simply had the wrong day fixed in her mind all week, convinced that the meeting was today. The other guests around the pool continued reading and swimming, completely unaware of the quiet panic happening on the sun lounger in the corner. Hana pressed her hand to her forehead and muttered, "How did I get this so wrong?" She was embarrassed, not just because she had missed an important meeting, but because she had been relaxing by a pool while her colleagues were waiting for her. Taking a slow breath to steady herself, Hana began typing a message to Mia.

    She apologized sincerely, explained that she had genuinely confused the days, and asked if there was still a chance to go over what had been discussed. She read it back carefully before sending, wanting to make sure her tone was professional but warm. Mia's reply came within a few minutes: "No harm done! We recorded the call, so I'll send you the link. Let's catch up briefly this afternoon if you're free." Hana exhaled with relief and typed a grateful reply. She set her phone back down on the table and looked out at the calm surface of the pool, feeling grateful for Mia's understanding but quietly promising herself to double-check every date from now on.

    Key vocabulary

    unease (noun)a feeling of worry or mild anxiety about something“A growing sense of unease came over her as she opened the message.”
    scheduled (adjective)planned to happen at a particular time“The meeting had been scheduled for Monday morning.”
    sincerely (adverb)in a genuine and honest way, without pretending“She apologized sincerely and explained what had happened.”
    embarrassed (adjective)feeling ashamed or uncomfortable because of a mistake or awkward situation“She felt embarrassed about missing such an important meeting.”
    panic (noun)a sudden strong feeling of fear or anxiety that makes it hard to think clearly“A quiet panic came over her when she realized her mistake.”
    professional (adjective)behaving in a way that is suitable and respectful in a work situation“She wanted her message to sound professional but also friendly.”
    exhaled (verb)breathed out slowly, often as a sign of relief“She exhaled with relief when she read Mia's kind reply.”
    grateful (adjective)feeling or showing thanks for something kind that someone has done“She was grateful for Mia's understanding and patience.”

    Useful phrases

    • look forward to — to feel excited or pleased about something that is going to happen“She had been looking forward to a relaxing morning by the pool.”
    • let your mind drift — to allow your thoughts to wander without focusing on anything in particular“She was letting her mind drift when her phone suddenly buzzed.”
    • stomach dropped — to suddenly feel a shock or fear, often when you see or hear bad news“Her stomach dropped when she saw that the meeting was yesterday.”
    • go over — to review or discuss something in detail“She asked if she could go over what had been discussed at the meeting.”
    • no harm done — used to say that a mistake or problem has not caused any serious damage“"No harm done," said Mia. "We can catch you up on everything."”
    • catch up — to talk with someone to share information or news you have missed“Mia suggested they catch up briefly that afternoon.”
    • double-check — to check something a second time to be sure it is correct“She promised herself to double-check every date from now on.”
    • steady yourself — to calm yourself down after a shock or moment of panic“She took a slow breath to steady herself before writing the message.”

    Word search

    Find all 8 key words from the story. They can read forwards, backwards, up, down or diagonally.

    ABCDEFGHIJKLMN
    1NEYLKVJEBEESSA
    2DOQLRKTESHCJPZ
    3WIESETEAZHNFYE
    4RTDTHREOEVXCFK
    5OEEZFNEDCLKXYL
    6BVSYUFUCPCWZOU
    7FPSFBLUZNVPATF
    8OOAXEGZQGIIBDE
    9OURDDDDCKWSMBT
    10NFRUCRNSHNNDKA
    11YLANOISSEFORPR
    12BMBDELAHXEVZGG
    13OTMFFCHZPCINAP
    14NOENLQJVDZQBYQ

    Comprehension quiz

    1. Why was Hana at the hotel rooftop pool?

      • A) She was attending a work event there.
      • B) She was enjoying a quiet, relaxing morning.
      • C) She was having a business lunch.
      • D) She was waiting for Mia to arrive.
    2. What does 'her stomach dropped' suggest about how Hana felt?

      • A) She felt proud of herself.
      • B) She felt dizzy from the heat.
      • C) She felt suddenly shocked and anxious.
      • D) She felt hungry and needed to eat.
    3. What had Hana believed about the meeting all week?

      • A) That it was happening on Tuesday, not Monday.
      • B) That it was optional for her to attend.
      • C) That it had been canceled.
      • D) That it was scheduled for the following week.
    4. What does the word 'unease' mean as used in the story?

      • A) A feeling of boredom and tiredness
      • B) A feeling of anger toward someone
      • C) A feeling of worry or mild anxiety
      • D) A feeling of excitement and energy
    5. Why was Hana embarrassed, according to the story?

      • A) She had argued with the waiter at the pool.
      • B) She had sent an unprofessional message to Mia.
      • C) She had fallen asleep by the pool during the meeting.
      • D) She had missed a meeting while relaxing at the pool.
    6. How did Mia respond to Hana's apology message?

      • A) She said no harm was done and offered to share a recording.
      • B) She asked Hana to write a summary of her missed contribution.
      • C) She was upset and did not reply straight away.
      • D) She said the meeting would have to be rescheduled.
    7. The other guests at the pool were aware of Hana's panic. True or False?

      • A) Not mentioned
      • B) True
      • C) Not stated
      • D) False
    8. What does 'double-check' mean as used in the story?

      • A) To ask another person to check your work
      • B) To write something down in two different places
      • C) To cancel a plan and make a new one
      • D) To check something twice to make sure it is correct
    9. What did Mia offer to send Hana after the missed meeting?

      • A) A new invitation for a future meeting
      • B) A written summary of the meeting notes
      • C) A message explaining what was decided
      • D) A link to a recording of the call
    10. What did Hana promise herself at the end of the story?

      • A) To stop using her phone by the pool
      • B) To apologize to all her colleagues in person
      • C) To double-check every date from now on
      • D) To always arrive at meetings early

    Answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

    1. B 2. C 3. A 4. C 5. D 6. A 7. D 8. D 9. D 10. C

    Word search answer key (B1 (Intermediate))

    Columns are lettered from the left, rows numbered from the top. The arrow shows the reading direction from the word's first letter.

    embarrassed: C14 ↑ · exhaled: J12 ← · grateful: N12 ↑ · panic: N13 ← · professional: M11 ← · scheduled: L1 ↙ · sincerely: K9 ↖ · unease: E6 ↗

    Free Daily English · www.freedailyenglish.com/stories/hana-misses-the-meeting-2026-07-04