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  • Hello.

  • Welcome to BBC Learning english dot com.

  • I'm Jackie Dalton.

  • Today's program is all about giving and understanding directions.

  • Our reporter Helen is new to London and has been out asking people for directions to various different places.

  • We'll take a look at some of the key phrases that come up as she tries to find her way around.

  • Let's start with a simple one.

  • Can you tell me how to get to the nearest toilet, toilet?

  • Yes.

  • You just go down the stairs here, turn right and it's just on your right, nice and easy.

  • Turn right or turn left.

  • A simple way of telling people in which direction they should go.

  • And if you want to describe the position of a particular place in relation to the person, you can say it's on your right or on your left.

  • Let's listen to that clip once more.

  • Can you tell me how to get to the nearest toilet?

  • Just go down the stairs here, turn right and it's just on your right.

  • Now.

  • Listen out for a slightly different way of telling someone to turn left or right.

  • That's another way of telling someone to go in a particular direction.

  • Earlier we heard the phrase turn right or turn left.

  • You could also say take a left or take a left, turn a word that's already come up five times is just listen to how it's used toilet.

  • Yes.

  • You just go down the stairs here, turn right and it's just on your right, just as a sort of filler and a way of suggesting that what the person has to do isn't difficult.

  • Just go down the stairs somehow sounds easier than go down the stairs.

  • Listen again, you just go down the stairs here, turn right and it's just on your right.

  • One thing that can be confusing when it comes to directions is the use of the word right.

  • Listen to this clip, the word right is used in three different ways.

  • Yeah, yeah, you just go to the left and right and take the second, right, around the left and right.

  • Let's break that down.

  • Simple enough, go right means the same as turn right or take a right.

  • What about here, go right up there could be interpreted in two different ways and even a native english speaker could get confused here, the man could have meant turn right or he could have meant go all the way up there, go right up there, go all the way up there.

  • We say things like go right to the end of the road to mean go all the way to the end of the road, very different from taking a right turn.

  • A clue is often in the prepositions if you're telling someone to turn, it often comes with a preposition at for example, go right at the main road, whereas the preposition up, go right up the main road tends to mean go all the way up the main road, but if you're not sure, just ask.

  • So that's two different uses of right.

  • What about the third garden will just be right in front of you.

  • He could also have said Covent garden will be directly in front of you or immediately in front of you.

  • It's not far away right in front of you in this context means it's not far away.

  • Let's listen to the next set of directions.

  • Listen out for an expression in this clip, which means it's very easy to see.

  • I was wondering if I could ask you how to get to the nearest tube station you could use home and tube station which is straight down the street to turn right and keep going up King's way.

  • And did you spot the expression you won't miss.

  • It is a nice way of saying, it's very easy to see.

  • Now listen to the beginning of this sentence keep going is a good way of telling someone they'll have to walk or drive for a while before they get to a certain point.

  • Let's end with a couple of questions to check.

  • You've understood some of today's language which is correct.

  • The building is at your right or the building is on your right.

  • The second is correct.

  • We use the preposition on the building is on your right, which of these would be a correct way of telling someone to turn left, take a left or have a left.

  • The first one is correct, have a left, doesn't make sense.

  • Take a left is fine, which of these phrases means turn right, go right to the end of the road, or go right at the end of the road.

  • The second one with the preposition at means turn right, go right up the road.

  • Usually means go all the way up the road, that's all for now.

  • But keep practicing your english with our quizzes, games and programs on BBC learning english dot com.

Hello.

Subtitles and vocabulary

Click the word to look it up Click the word to find further inforamtion about it

A2 road preposition turn left listen telling main road

How to ask for directions and how to give directions

  • 71 3
    林宜悉 posted on 2022/05/14
Video vocabulary

Keywords

sort

US /sɔrt/

UK /sɔ:t/

  • verb
  • To organize things by putting them into groups
  • To deal with things in an organized way
  • To arrange things in a systematic way, typically into groups.
  • To arrange things in groups according to type.
  • noun
  • Group or class of similar things or people
  • A category of things or people with a common feature; a type.
phrase

US /frez/

UK /freɪz/

  • noun
  • Common expression or saying
  • Section of musical notes in a piece of music
  • A set of words used together
  • A group of words that form a conceptual unit, though not a complete sentence.
  • A musical unit, often part of a larger melody.
  • A short expression that is commonly used.
  • A group of words that form a conceptual unit, though not necessarily a complete sentence.
  • A short expression that is commonly used.
  • verb
  • To choose words to say what you mean clearly
  • other
  • To express something in a particular way.
  • To express something in a particular way.
context

US /ˈkɑnˌtɛkst/

UK /ˈkɒntekst/

  • noun
  • Set of facts surrounding a person or event
  • The circumstances that form the setting for an event, statement, or idea, and in terms of which it can be fully understood and assessed.
  • The parts of something written or spoken that immediately precede and follow a word or passage and clarify its meaning.
slightly

US /ˈslaɪtli/

UK /ˈslaɪtli/

  • adverb
  • Only a little
expression

US /ɪkˈsprɛʃən/

UK /ɪk'spreʃn/

  • noun
  • Act of making your thoughts and feelings known
  • Group of words that have a specific meaning
  • The act of conveying thoughts, feelings, or information through words, gestures, or other means.
  • A particular look or demeanor on someone's face that conveys emotion or thought.
  • A word or phrase used to convey a particular idea or feeling.
  • A mathematical phrase combining numbers, symbols, and operators.
  • The manifestation of emotions, ideas, or qualities in art, music, or literature.
  • The act of making one's thoughts or feelings known.
  • A look on someone's face that conveys a particular emotion.
  • A look on someone's face that shows their feelings.
  • A word or phrase.
  • The act of making your feelings or opinions known.
  • The way in which music is performed to convey emotion
  • A mathematical phrase combining numbers, symbols, and operators.
  • The manifestation of emotions, ideas, or feelings through artistic mediums.
  • The act of making your opinions or feelings known.
  • other
  • The act of expressing one's thoughts or feelings
  • The process of conveying feelings or ideas through creative means
  • The way a performer conveys emotion or feeling in their performance
practice

US /ˈpræktɪs/

UK /'præktɪs/

  • noun
  • The office and place for legal or medical work
  • Doing something many times to become better at it
  • The customary, habitual, or expected procedure or way of doing of something.
  • A usual or customary action or proceeding.
  • A customary way of doing something.
  • A doctor's or lawyer's business.
  • Repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it.
  • verb
  • To work as a doctor or lawyer
  • To live according to the teachings of a religion
  • To do something many times to improve a skill
  • To perform an activity or exercise a skill repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one's proficiency.
  • other
  • Repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it.
  • Repeated exercise in or performance of an activity or skill so as to acquire or maintain proficiency in it.
  • Repeated exercise of an activity or skill in order to improve or maintain proficiency.
  • The customary, habitual, or expected procedure or way of doing something.
  • other
  • A customary way of doing something.
  • The business or work of a professional person, such as a doctor or lawyer.
  • other
  • To perform an activity or exercise a skill repeatedly in order to improve or maintain proficiency.
  • To carry out or perform (a particular activity, method, or custom) habitually or regularly.
  • To do something repeatedly so as to become skilled at it.
  • To carry out or perform (a particular activity, method, or custom) habitually or regularly.
  • To perform (an activity) or exercise (a skill) repeatedly or regularly in order to improve or maintain one's proficiency.
  • other
  • Work at or be engaged in (a profession).
straight

US /stret/

UK /streɪt/

  • adjective
  • Not having curves, bends, or angles
  • Not gay; heterosexual
  • honest and direct
  • Without bends or curves; proceeding in the same direction without deviation.
  • Honest; frank; straightforward.
  • In proper order; correctly arranged.
  • Continuous; uninterrupted.
  • Heterosexual.
  • adverb
  • in a line; immediately; honestly and directly
  • In a straight line; directly.
  • Immediately; at once.
  • noun
  • A heterosexual person.
  • other
  • To make or become straight.
native

US /ˈnetɪv/

UK /ˈneɪtɪv/

  • noun
  • Someone from or born in a specific country
  • Original inhabitant, e.g. before others
  • Person speaking a language from birth
  • adjective
  • Caused by natural ability; innate
immediately

US /ɪˈmidiɪtli/

UK /ɪˈmi:diətli/

  • adverb
  • Without any delay; straight away
  • Without any delay; instantly.
  • Very closely in space or time; next to.
  • Directly and personally.
  • Without any delay; at once.
  • Following or preceding without any interval of time or space.
spot

US /spɑt/

UK /spɒt/

  • noun
  • A certain place or area
  • A difficult time; awkward situation
  • Place or ranking on a list
  • A small amount of (substance help hard work etc.)
  • Mark caused by a drop of liquid, food, etc.
  • verb
  • To see someone or something by chance