Hello, friend!
Where do you live: in a house or a flat?
Is it big/small?
How many rooms has it got?
Where is it?
Who do you live with?
Do you like your home? Why/Why not?
Look at the photos. Which of the houses would you like to live in? Why?
Match the types of the houses with their descriptions.
a) cottage – a small house in the country usually with a garden
b) semi-detached house – two houses joined together
c) terraced house – several houses joined together
d) bungalow – a house which only has one floor
e) detached house – a house which stands alone and is not joined to any other
f) mansion – a very large expensive house
g) a flat in a block of flats – a set of rooms for living in, usually on one floor of a building.
Name the types of houses in the photos.
Study the diagram. Which type of housing is the most popular in the UK? Which is the least popular?
There are four basic types of housing in the UK: detached houses, semi-detached houses, terraced houses and flats. The most popular type of home in England is semi-detached (more than 27% of all homes), closely followed by detached then terraced.
Look at the picture of my house for twenty seconds. Then without looking at it correct the sentences about the picture.
Ready?
Here we go:
1. There are three rooms upstairs and three rooms downstairs.
2. We have a fireplace in the bedroom.
3. In the kitchen there is a fridge, a cooker and many cupboards.
4. Downstairs there is a living room and a dining room.
5. Most houses have bathrooms upstairs but ours is downstairs.
6. The three rooms upstairs are all bedrooms.
7. In my bedroom I have a rug, a computer, a wardrobe and a bookcase.
8. Outside my house we have a back garden and a front garden.
Now welcome to my house.
As you see I live in a detached house. In my house there are three rooms downstairs and three rooms upstairs. We have central heating which keeps our house warm.
We are coming through the back door and find ourselves in the kitchen. In the kitchen there is a fridge, a cooker and cupboards. Our microwave is quick and easy to use. we wash up the plates in the sink as we don’t have a dishwasher.
Downstairs there is also a lounge. Some people call this room a living room. In our lounge there is a table with chairs, a sofa, a television, a coffee table. There are also some pictures on the walls.
Most houses have bathrooms downstairs but ours is upstairs. In my bathroom there’s a toilet, a bath, a shower, a sink and a laundry basket.
The three rooms upstairs are all bedrooms. They all have carpets on the floor except my bedroom.
In my bedroom I have a wardrobe to hang my clothes in, cupboards and drawers for other staff. There is also a bookcase and my bed. I have a computer on the desk. I also have my own television.
Outside my house we have a back garden and a front garden. Mum likes to grow vegetable in the garden and plant flowers.
Now let’s have a look at my house again. I’ll show you the room and you say the furniture in it:
· a study
· a basement
· a dining room
· a bedroom
· a bathroom
· a kitchen
My cousin Bill entered the university in London. So, he is looking for a flat there. He can’t afford an expensive one. He came across an interesting advertisement. Look!
Read the advert and answer the questions.
· Who are microflats for?
· Where are they?
· Are the expensive?
· Which rooms and furniture can you see in the pictures?
Microflats were first launched in London in 2002. The development of microflats has grown in response to the demand for cheap accommodation for young people, particularly students, young professionals, teachers and nurses, who can’t afford to buy or rent a flat of their own in large expensive cities.
Listen to people talk about a microflat. Number the rooms in the order they talk about them:
dining room – 1
balcony – 6
bathroom – 5
bedroom – 4
kitchen – 3
living room – 2
Woman (Bill’s mum): Hi! It’s me.
Bill: Hi, mum! Come on in.
W: Here, I brought you a plant. A small plant for your microflat!
B: Thanks, it’s great! I’ll put it on the dining room table.
W: Oh, so this is the dining room.
B: Yes, well, this is where I eat.
W: There are only two chairs? It’s good your father isn’t here.
B: Mum, it’s a microflat. There isn’t a lot of furniture.
W: It’s very … sweet. Now, is there a living room?
B: Well, there isn’t a separate living room. This is the living room.
And here is the kitchen.
W: Oh, I see, three rooms in one – the dining room, the living room and the kitchen.
B: Muum, it’s a microflat!
W: Is there a bedroom? Or do you sleep on the sofa?
B: Of course, there is a bedroom. Come through here.
W: Yes.
B: Here it is.
W: This is nice - but there aren’t any shelves. Where do you put your things?
B: There’s a wardrobe here.
W: Oh, but look, there’s a bathroom!
B: Mum…
W: … and a toilet!
B: Mum. Listen, do you want a drink? Let’s go out to the balcony.
W: The balcony? Is there really a balcony?!!
B: Of course, there is a balcony. It’s a microflat!
Listen again. What’s one thing the woman likes about the flat? What’s one thing doesn’t she like?
likes: the balcony
dislikes: everything else
Do you like the microflat? Why? Why not?
Look at this word map and add as many words as you can think of on the topic.
· types of houses
· rooms in the house
· furniture
· applications
· and outside features
Here is the final task for you.
Use the vocabulary of the lesson and describe your house or flat.
I live in a house / block of flats, etc.
I live on the 1st, 2nd, etc. floor / in the city center / in the suburbs / in a village.
My neighbourhood is quiet / noisy / crowded.
There is a(an) garage / attic / basements, etc. in my house / flat.
There are 2, 3 rooms in it.
In my bedroom I have a desk / carpet on the floor, etc.
There are two chair and a table in the living room / kitchen.
Next week Billy is having a “micro farewell party” in his new microflat. I need to buy something portable for him. Have you got any ideas?