Communicate about travel, health and services
Understand practical information and write clear messages about transport, appointments and everyday services.
Section CTX-PRACTICAL · Travel, health and services
Exam scope and assessment notes
This is an original starter sequence, not a complete 130-guided-hour course or a timed specimen paper. Browser speech synthesis is supplemental practice, not Cambridge audio; an Afrikaans voice may be unavailable or use unsuitable pronunciation, accent or pacing. No speaking component is assessed in 0548. Writing examples are self-review models, not Cambridge marks or grades. A qualified Afrikaans teacher should review the original language before this is described as publication-ready.
Before you begin
Work on paper. Try each question before revealing help, and explain why your method works.
Quick readiness check
Which details make a service message useful?
What you will learn
- Find route, time and service details.
- Ask for or give a practical next step in a message.
Read practical text types
The syllabus includes notices, instructions, advertisements and other short texts. A route notice may contain a starting point, destination and time; a health message may state symptoms and the next action.
Original vocabulary: «trein» (train), «stasie» (station), «afspraak» (appointment), «dokter» (doctor), «noodsaaklik» (necessary) and «oop» (open). Confirm a word's meaning in context.
Keep dates and times separate from deadlines or opening hours. Compare all numbers before choosing an answer.
Make a message actionable
For a request, state what you need, by when and where to reply. For a health message, report the symptom and the action taken without inventing a diagnosis.
Use polite language appropriate to the reader. A message to a friend and a message to a clinic may need different openings and detail.
Sources for this lesson
Pause and explain
What does «telefonies» indicate?
Worked example
Notice: «Die kliniek is Maandag tot Vrydag oop. Maak telefonies 'n afspraak.» When is the clinic open, and how should a patient arrange a visit?
Show the worked solution
- Identify the days.
- Find the instruction after «maak».
- Answer both parts without adding opening hours.
Answer The clinic is open Monday to Friday. Patients should make an appointment by phone; the notice does not state its daily opening hours.
From guided practice to a new situation
Write your answer and reasoning first. Use a hint only if you are stuck. The model solution is for self-checking; your written work is not automatically marked.
Write a two-line message asking to move an appointment from Tuesday to Thursday.
Give me a hint
State the current date, requested date and polite request.
Compare my reasoning
- Name the current appointment day.
- Ask for Thursday instead.
- Use a courteous phrase.
Example: «Goeiedag. Ek het 'n afspraak vir Dinsdag, maar kan ek dit asseblief na Donderdag verskuif?» It gives the current and requested days.
Look for these in your work
- States the current booking
- Names the requested change
- Uses a polite request
A bus notice says the route ends at the station after 18:00. A passenger wants to reach the library after that time. What should they check next?
Give me a hint
The notice gives a route limit, not a full journey plan.
Compare my reasoning
- Identify the service limit.
- Name the missing information.
- Suggest a practical check.
The passenger should check for another service or walking route from the station to the library. The notice does not say whether a later connection exists.
Look for these in your work
- Uses the stated limit
- Identifies missing information
- Does not invent a connection
A friend feels unwell before a school trip. Write one practical response that asks for key information and suggests telling a responsible adult.
Give me a hint
Use a caring tone and avoid trying to diagnose the illness.
Compare my reasoning
- Acknowledge how the friend feels.
- Ask one relevant question.
- Suggest informing a teacher or caregiver.
Example: «Ek is jammer dat jy sleg voel. Het jy al vir jou ouer of die onderwyser gesê? Dit is belangrik dat 'n volwassene weet voordat ons vertrek.» This encourages help without diagnosing.
Look for these in your work
- Shows concern
- Asks for relevant information
- Suggests appropriate support
Common mistakes
- Confusing weekdays with a specific appointment time
- Giving medical advice not present in the prompt
- Omitting the action requested in a practical message
What can you explain now?
What does «telefonies» indicate?
Compare with the explanation
By telephone
It describes how to make the appointment.
After trying it yourself, choose your next review. This is your self-assessment.
Your review choice appears on Today. Sign in to sync it across devices.
Make it stick
Explain one decision that helped you answer: find route, time and service details.
If you needed the solution, close it and solve the problem again from a blank page. A correct answer is stronger when you can explain the reason for each step.