Easy English Podcast for English Conversations | Asking for Directions

About this video

• Video Title: Easy English Podcast for English Conversations | Asking for Directions
• Channel: Everyday English Academy
• Speakers: Sarah, Mike
• Duration: 00:19:55

Overview

This video from Everyday English Academy is a podcast episode focused on teaching viewers how to ask for and understand directions in English. Hosts Sarah and Mike share personal anecdotes to illustrate common challenges and provide practical phrases, vocabulary, and tips for both asking for and giving directions effectively.

Key takeaways

• Asking for Directions: Learn polite phrases like "Excuse me, how do I get to...?" and the slightly more formal "Could you tell me the way to...?"
• Clarifying Distance: It's useful to ask "Is it far from here?" and follow up with "How many minutes, roughly?" to get a better estimate of travel time.
• Understanding Directional Cues: Key phrases to listen for include "straight ahead," "around the corner," "next to," "across from," "go past," and "dead end."
• Handling Misunderstandings: If you don't understand directions, politely ask for repetition using phrases like "I'm sorry, could you repeat that, please?" or "I didn't catch that."
• Giving Clear Directions: Keep instructions simple, provide them in small steps, and use easily recognizable landmarks rather than just street names.

Here are 15 useful phrases from the transcript for learning:

1. "Excuse me, how do I get to the bakery?" (03:47)
2. "Could you tell me the way to the library?" (04:29)
3. "Is it far from here?" (05:02)
4. "How many minutes, roughly?" (05:45)
5. "Go straight ahead." (07:28)
6. "Walk straight ahead for two blocks." (07:49)
7. "The post office is just around the corner." (08:32)
8. "The pharmacy is next to the supermarket." (09:02)
9. "It's across from the school." (09:16)
10. "Go past the coffee shop." (09:43)
11. "Turn left at the big church." (10:24)
12. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that, please?" (11:11)
13. "I didn't catch that." (11:22)
14. "What does that mean?" (11:44)
15. "Go down this street until you hit a dead end." (12:04)