My dream home: describing places and preferences

A2
90 min
Premium
1

Think about these questions before reading. Share your ideas with a partner.

  1. What is your favorite room in your home? What is in it?
  2. What is your neighborhood like? Are there any nice places to go, like a park or a cafe?
  3. Think about your dream home. What is one special thing you would like to have?
2

Finding a New Apartment

Listen to the dialogue. Notice how the vocabulary and grammar from the lesson are used.

3

Answer these questions in your own words. Support your answers with evidence from the article.

01What is the main topic of this lesson?
Sample answerThe lesson is about homes and neighborhoods.
02What grammar does the lesson teach for describing places?
Sample answerIt teaches students how to use 'There is' and 'There are'.
03Why does the lesson teach words like 'bedroom' and 'kitchen'?
Sample answerBecause these words help students talk about homes.
04How do the practical phrases help students in the speaking activity?
Sample answerStudents can use the phrases to practice asking questions about a new apartment.
4

Key vocabulary for homes and neighborhoods

Vocabulary
These expressions will help you describe places and talk about what you want in a home.
Examples
A quiet neighborhood — a part of a town where there is not a lot of noise.
Usage note: Use this to describe the area around a house. You can also say 'a busy neighborhood' or 'a friendly neighborhood'.
To move in — to start living in a new house or apartment.
Usage note: This is a phrasal verb. The opposite is 'to move out'. For example: 'I would like to move in next month.'
Fully furnished — an apartment that you can rent with all furniture, like a bed, table, and chairs.
Usage note: This is useful when you are looking for a place to rent. You can ask the owner: 'Is the apartment fully furnished?'
Within walking distance — close enough to walk to easily.
Usage note: We use this to talk about location. For example: 'There are shops within walking distance of my house.'
Spacious room — a room with a lot of space.
Usage note: 'Spacious' is a good word to use instead of 'big'. You can talk about a spacious kitchen, a spacious living room, or a spacious garden.
5

Vocabulary for renting a home

Learn these useful words for finding a new place to live.

Match the words with their meanings.

Drag or click to match
Definitions
6

Grammar: Describing places with 'there is / there are'

Grammar
We use 'there is' and 'there are' to say that something exists in a place. This is very useful for describing your home or neighborhood. We use 'there is' for one thing (singular) and 'there are' for more than one thing (plural).
Examples
There is a comfortable sofa in the living room.
Use 'there is' for one thing ('a comfortable sofa').
There are some nice shops near my apartment.
Use 'there are' for more than one thing ('some nice shops').
Are there any parks in your neighborhood? Yes, there are.
For questions, put 'is' or 'are' before 'there'.
Key points
  • Use 'there is' for singular nouns (one thing).
  • Use 'there are' for plural nouns (two or more things).
  • Common mistake: Don't say 'It's a park near my house.' Say 'There is a park near my house.'
7

Complete the sentences with words from the box. One word is extra.

Word bank
01I live in a friendly with many parks and good schools for my children.
02We found a new apartment! We are going to next Saturday.
03I don't have any chairs or a bed, so I need to find a apartment.
04Our new living room is very , so we can buy a big sofa.
05The supermarket is within walking , so I don't need to take the bus.
8

Choose the best answer for each question.

01Where do people usually cook their food in a house?
02What is a 'neighborhood'?
03If you want to live in a new apartment, what do you usually have to do every month?
04Which of these things would you NOT usually find inside a typical house?
9

Discuss these questions with a partner. Try to use vocabulary from the lesson.

  1. Is it better to live in the city center or in a quiet neighborhood? Why?
  2. In your country, what is a typical family home like? For example, are there big gardens or are the rooms spacious?
  3. Imagine you are going to move in to a new home. What is most important for you: a good location, a big home, or a low price? Why?