Getting Around

Ask for directions and use public transport in English.

Lesson

Asking for directions:

Excuse me, where is the...?
How do I get to...?
Is it far from here?

Giving directions:

Turn left / right at the traffic lights.
Go straight ahead.
It's on the left / right.
Take the second turning on the right.

Transport:

bus, train, tube/subway, taxi, tram, bike

Vocabulary

English	English	Example
	Excuse me	Excuse me, is the museum nearby?
	Turn left/right	Turn right at the corner.
	Straight ahead	Go straight ahead for 200 metres.
	Bus stop	The bus stop is around the corner.
	Platform	The train leaves from platform 3.
	Return ticket	A return ticket to Oxford, please.

Pronunciation

Word	Phonetic	Tip
Straight ahead	streɪt əˈhed	The "gh" in "straight" is silent
Turning	ˈtɜːnɪŋ	British English for "turn" as a noun
Traffic lights	ˈtræfɪk laɪts	Two equal stresses

Grammar tip

Imperative for directions: English uses the imperative (base verb, no subject): Turn left. Go straight. Take the bus. This is not rude — it's standard for directions.

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