5 Describing places around Town
In this chapter you will learn about:
- Describing places and listening to directions
- Using numbers for addresses
- Listening to past tense regular verb endings
Discussion Questions:
- The picture above shows a European city, Copenhagen, Denmark. Have you visited Europe before?
- Do you think the city looks like a nice place to live? Why or why not?
Chapter 5 Vocabulary
public (adj./n.) business (n.) region (n.) population (n.) advantage (n.) modern (adj.) natural (adj.) traditional (adj.) purchase (n./v.) market (n.)
Part 1:
Directions: Use your dictionary to find the meaning for the vocabulary words in the box. Then write the words from the box next to their definitions below.
A company that makes or sells things for money.
Something available to anyone, not private.
A way of thinking or doing that has been done by people for a long time.
To buy something with money.
Something that is good; a benefit.
Something related to a new style.
Something from nature; not made by humans.
A place to buy something.
A part of a country that is separate or different.
The number of people who live in a place.
Part 2: Syllables
Listen to the vocabulary words1. Write the words and the number of syllables that you hear in each word. The first word has been done for you.
1. Pu-blic (2)
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Activity 2:
Read the conversation and complete the missing words with the chapter 5 vocabulary words. You will not use two of the words.
public (adj./n.) business (n.) region (n.) population (n.) advantage (n.) modern (adj.) natural (adj.) traditional (adj.) purchase (n./v.) market (n.)
Amy: Hi Abdullah. What’s new? I haven’t seen you in a long time!
Abdullah: Hey, Amy! Actually, a lot has changed in my life recently. I graduated from my university, and now I’m looking for a new home.
Amy: Wow! Congratulations on finishing university. Where are you looking for a home?
Abdullah: Well, I’d like to stay in this I really like this area.
Amy: Are you looking to rent or a home?
Abdullah: Well, right now, I think I’d like to rent.
Amy: Cool. I actually know an available apartment.
Abdullah: Really? Tell me about it.
Amy: It’s a apartment and is located downtown by lots of . It has a lot of windows with light. It’s also close to transportation.
Abdullah: That sounds great.
Amy: I agree. And because the is not very high in the neighborhood, the apartments are more affordable.
Abdullah: Yes, this is a great .
Amy: If you like the way this apartment sounds, I can give you the number to call.
Abdullah: Great. I really appreciate that. Thank you so much, Amy!
Amy: You’re welcome, Abdullah! See you around! Bye
Activity 2 Part 2
Now listen to the conversation and check your answers. Then practice reading the conversation with a partner
Speaking Fluency Practice: Housing and Neighborhoods
Directions: Talk about the questions below with your classmates. Ask follow up questions like, “Why?” or “Really?” or use phrases like “tell me more” to make the conversation keep going.
Would you choose to live in a big house or a small house? Why?
Do you want to live close to businesses and shopping? Why?
Would you like to live close to people or far from them?
Do you like living in a busy city or a quiet town more? Why?
Do you want to live in a modern neighborhood or a traditional one? Why?
Do you want to live close to nature? Why or why not?
Is the housing market expensive in your country? Why?
Is it important to have public transportation where you live? Why or why not?
What are three things you want to have in your neighborhood?
Is it important to live close to your family? Why or why not
Asking for and Giving Directions
There are many ways to ask for directions in English.
Ask for a specific place
- Excuse me, where is the bank?
The bank is in front of the hotel.
- Excuse me, do you know where the mall is?
The mall is across from the park.
The prepositions below are used to describe where places are in a city.
In front of – behind – up/down the street- on the corner – between
around the corner – to the right of / to the left of – across from
across the street from – Next to /Beside – at the end of the block
Ask for the address of a place
- Excuse me, can you tell me the address of the bank?
The bank is located at 1234 S.W. 12th St.
- Excuse me, could you give me the address of the hospital?
The hospital is located at 176 N. 23rd Ave.
Addresses in English often have shortened words
- Ave. = Avenue, St. = Street, Blvd.= Boulevard, Rd. = Road
- N. = North, S. = South, E. = East, W. = West
Addresses use both ordinal and cardinal numbers
- Ordinal = first, second, third
- Cardinal= one, two, three
Watch this Video, for specific information on how to say numbers in English: Ordinal and Cardinal numbers presentation
Speaking Practice Activity
Partner A: Ask your partner the questions and follow their answers on the map
Example: A: Where is the park?
B: The park is between the post office and the bus station.
- Where is the city library?
- What is across from the fire station?
- What is on the corner of 5th Ave. and Main St.?
- What is next to the post office?
- What is behind the River Park?
- Where is the post office?
Partner B: Ask your partner the questions and follow their answers on the map.
- Where is the city park?
- What is between the cemetery and the city hall?
- What is on the corner of River St. and 1st Ave.?
- Where is the County Hospital?
- What is across from the elementary school?
- What is on the corner of River Rd. and First Ave.?
Homework Listening: Directions on a map
Directions: Listen as the person describes the location of places on the map. Circle true or false
.
- True or False
- True or False
- True or False
- True or False
- True or False
- True or False
- True or False
- True or False
- True or False
- True or False
- True or False
- True or False
- True or False
- True or False
- True or False
Listening Practice: Using a Map
Watch this video and answer the questions below using the PSU Campus Map.
- What is the address for the University Center?
- What is the address of the gym?
- Where do they do their homework?
- What is the address of the library?
- What restaurant do they eat at?
- How many blocks is the restaurant from the library?
- What is the address of the person’s house?
Adjectives for Describing Cities and Neighborhoods
Cities and towns come in all sizes. Some are big, and some are small. Each city or town has many neighborhoods, which are groups of houses or apartments where people know each other. The people in your neighborhood are called your neighbors.
There are many ways to describe cities and neighborhoods:
- Size: big, huge, large, tiny, small, medium
- Location: downtown, in a suburb (next to a city), in the city, out of the city, rural
- Feel: busy, loud, quiet, convenient, exciting, modern, traditional, green, crowded, safe, dangerous
Example:
What is your city like?
My city is small and rural. It is not a big city. It is quiet.
What is your neighborhood like?
My neighborhood is quiet and safe. It is not busy or dangerous.
Practice: Ask your partner about their hometown. Try to find three similarities and three differences between you and your partner’s hometowns.
- What is your hometown like?
- What is your neighborhood like?
- Is your city safe or dangerous?
- Is your city crowded?
- Is your neighborhood green?
- Is your neighborhood busy?
Discussion Activity: Describing Houses
Part 1:
You are choosing a new house to buy. The list below has some qualities of houses. Put the list in order of importance for you. Write 1-10 next to each quality. Number 1 is the most important thing for you.
___________a big size
___________a modern style
___________a large yard or garden outside
___________close to shopping and restaurants
___________a parking space for a car
___________friendly neighbors
___________a good price
___________a fireplace
___________a quiet neighborhood
___________a nice kitchen
Part 2:
Imagine you are buying the house with your partner. Compare your lists and choose the most important 3 qualities. You must agree.
Beachfront house, by Marcilinobobe, CC0
Listening Practice: Listening for Details about Houses
Directions: Watch this video about four houses that are for sale :
Answer the questions below.
House #1
- How far is the house from the city?
- How many bedrooms does the house have?
- What kind of animals can you have at the house?
- How much does the house cost?
House #2
- How many people live in the town?
- How many bedrooms does the house have?
- Does the house have a back yard?
- How much does the house cost?
House #3
- Where is the apartment?
- How many bedrooms does the apartment have?
- Where can you walk to from the apartment?
- How much does the apartment cost?
House #4
- How many bedrooms does the house have?
- Does the home have a swimming pool?
- How much does the house cost?
House #5
- Where is the home?
- How many bedrooms does the house have?
- How much does the house cost?
Which home would you choose to buy? Why?
Grammar Tip: Regular Past Tense Verb Endings
In English, all regular verbs end with ‘ed’
Some verbs change their spelling, but others do not.
There are three different ways to pronounce past tense regular verb endings:
/id/ /t/ /d/
wanted helped called
needed looked cleaned
Follow these rules:
- If the base verb ends with the sound /t/ or /d/ = /id/
/id/
Paint = painted
- If the base verb ends with the sounds /p/, /f/, /x/, /sh/, /ch/ /k/ = /t/
/t/
Watch = watched
/t/
Wash = washed
- If the base verb ends with any other sound = /d/
/ d/
Play = played
The sounds of /t/ and /d/ are very similar, but the sound of /id/ is very different because it has an extra syllable added to the verb.
A native speaker of English will quickly notice if a verb that should have one syllable is pronounced with two.
For example:
/id/
Paint = 1 syllable Painted = 2 syllables
/id/ /t/
Help = 1 syllable Helped = 1 syllable Not Helped = 2 syllables
Listening Practice: Past Tense Verb Endings
Part 1 Directions: Listen to the past tense verbs. Check the box that has the sound of the verb ending you hear.
Part 2 Directions: Listen to the person talk about visiting Japan. Write the missing verbs that you hear. Next, practice reading the paragraph with a partner. Use the correct pronunciation for the past tense verbs. Past tense verb endings part 2
Chapter 5 Review
In this chapter, you learned about:
- Directions in a city
- Talking about houses
- Using ordinal and cardinal numbers
- Past tense verb endings
Extra Listening Practice
Listen as a group of people talk about what is their favorite city outside of their country.
Six people share the best place to live in their country.
Keren talks about some of the interesting places she has visited in the world.
