VOCABULARY
POST OFFICE
BANK
CAFÉ
HOTEL
MUSEUM
LIBRARY
THEATER
GAS STATION
DISCOTHEQUE
STADIUM
PHARMACY
RESTAURANT
MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION 1. On the road
on foot
by bicycle
by scooter
by motorcycle
by tram
by train
by underground
by bus
by coach
by car
by lorry
by van
by helicopter
by zeppelin
by hot air balloon
by boat
by submarine
by hovercraft
2. In the air
by plane 3. In the water
by ship 4. Use these verbs To take a bus To catch a bus To get on a bus To get off a bus To drive a car To ride a bike
Where are you going?
We are going to school
They are going to the theater
It is going to theater
He is going to stadium
She is going to the bank
Asking for directions
Here is some useful vocabulary for asking directions in English. • • • •
"How do I get to your office?" "Can you tell me the best way of getting to your office?" "What's the quickest way of getting to your office?" "Where are you exactly?"
Getting information • • •
"Will you be coming by car or by train?" "It's much easier if you take the train." "Which hotel are you staying at?"
General information • • •
"We're not far from…" or "We're quite close to…" "It's about a mile / kilometre / two blocks from…" "We're opposite / next to / in front of / across the road from / round the corner from the supermarket."
Giving directions
• • • • • • • • •
"Come off the motorway / highway at Junction / Exit 12." "It's signposted 'Manchester'." "Follow the signs to …" "There's a one-way system in the centre of town." "Take the 'A12' to 'Chelmsford'." "Go straight on / left / right at the lights / at the roundabout /at the junction of … and …" "Go past the supermarket." "You'll come to / see …" "It's the first turning on the right after the bank."
Use landmarks to help • • • •
"You'll see a large sign / roundabout." "On your left you'll see an industrial center / a hospital / the police station." "Just after the level crossing / shopping centre (or mall)." "Go past the petrol station / the garage."
Final tips • • • •
If you're giving directions over the phone, remember to speak slowly to allow the other person to write things down. Check that the other person has understood. If you're speaking face-to-face with someone, use your hands to show left, right, or straight on. Use "please" when you ask someone to give you directions. It's polite, and will normally get you what you want!
Prepositions
There are pens on the desk There is a lamp on the desk There are pillows on the bed There is a picture on the wall There are books under the clock There is a book on the bed There is a bag next to the desk There are clothes under the bed There is a rug on the floor There is a window next to the clock Â
TELLING THE TIME Asking the time Here are some phrases you can use when you want to know the time: • • • •
What's the time? What time is it? Have you got the right time? What time do you make it?
Telling the time To tell someone what the time is, we can say "The time is..." or, more usually, "It's...". Here is a typical dialogue: Question: What's the time, please? Answer: It's three o'clock.
The chart below shows you two different ways to tell someone what the time is.
3.00 3.02 3.03 3.05 3.09 3.10 3.15 3.20 3.21 3.25 3.30 3.35 3.40 3.45 3.50 3.55 3.57 3.58 4.00
more formal It's... three o'clock just gone three o'clock three minutes past three five past three nine minutes past three ten past three a quarter past three twenty past three twenty-one minutes past three twenty-five past three half past three twenty-five to four twenty to four a quarter to four ten to four five to four three minutes to four nearly four c'clock four o'clock
less formal It's... three three oh two three oh three three oh five three oh nine three ten three fifteen three twenty three twenty-one three twenty-five three thirty three thirty-five three forty three forty-five three fifty three fifty-five three fifty-seven three fifty-eight four
MONTHS AND SEASONS Â
Month
Short Form
Days
Season
1
January
Jan.
31
Wint er
2
February
Feb.
28/29
3
March
Mar.
31
4
April
Apr.
30
5
May
May
31
6
June
Jun.
30
7
July
Jul.
31
8
August
Aug.
31
9
September
Sep.
30
10
October
Oct.
31
11
November
Nov.
30
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter 12
December
Dec.
31
AT THE AIRPORT
1) Buying a ticket • • • • • •
I'd like to reserve two seats to New York. Will that be one way or round trip? How much is a round trip ticket? It's $819. Will you pay by check or by credit card? Here's my Visa Card. Can we get an aisle seat please? You can choose your seat when you check in.
2) Checking In • Can I see your ticket and passport, please? • Here they are. Can we get one seat near the aisle? • Yes, that's no problem. You're in seats 27B and 27C. • Thanks. Where do we go next? • Go to Gate A8, straight ahead then turn left.