Speaking Boost · A1 · Lesson 28 of 50
Speaking Boost A1 · Block 6: Town and Places

Where can you see the biggest clock?

Some cities have very big clocks on towers. In this lesson you say where places are in a town. You use where is, next to, opposite, between, in front of and behind.

1

Warm-up

5 min
1.1

Town places

Answer each question with 2–3 sentences.

  1. Is there a clock in your town square?
  2. Where is the nearest bank to your home?
  3. Is there a museum in your town?
  4. Do you often look at a clock?
  5. Is there a post office near your home?
  6. What is next to your home?
2

Words and phrases

12 min
2.1

New words

Read each word and the example. Then say one sentence with the word.

2.2

Which word?

Choose the word that fits.

  1. You look at a to see the time.
  2. A tall narrow building is a .
  3. A makes a loud sound when it rings.
  4. A big open place in the middle of a town is a .
  5. You keep your money in a .
  6. In a you can see old and interesting things.
  7. Sick people go to a .
  8. You send a letter at a .
2.3

Opposites and pairs

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

  1. a clock shows the
  2. a tower is
  3. a bell makes a
  4. a square is an open place in a
  5. opposite = on the
  6. behind = at the
    of something
2.4

Useful phrases

Use these phrases to say where places are.

  • Where is...?Де...?Where is the museum?
  • It's next to...Це поруч із...It's next to the bank.
  • It's opposite...Це навпроти...It's opposite the post office.
  • It's between... and...Це між... і...It's between the bank and the shop.
  • It's in front of...Це перед...It's in front of the station.
  • It's behind...Це позаду...It's behind the hospital.
  • Is there a... near here?Тут поруч є...?Is there a bank near here?
  • Yes, there is.Так, є.Is there a bank near here? Yes, there is.
3

Read and react

8 min
3.1

Big clocks

Read the text. Hover over the dotted words for help.

Where can you see the biggest clock?

Where can you see the biggest clock? The answer depends on what you mean by big. Many people say that the biggest clock faces in the world are on the Makkah Royal Clock Tower in Saudi Arabia. The clock is very high on a tall tower, and people can see it from far away. Some sources say that it is the biggest clock face in the world, but you should check the numbers in a good guidebook.

Another very famous clock is in London. It is on a tower next to the Houses of Parliament. People often call it Big Ben. Big Ben is really the name of the big bell inside the tower, and the tower has a different name. The bell rings every hour, and many tourists come to listen to it.

Most towns have a clock in the square. It is often in front of the town hall, between the bank and the post office, or opposite the museum. People use it to meet friends: "See you under the clock at six!"

Is there a clock in your town? Where is it?

3.2

True or false?

  1. The answer to the question depends on what you mean by big.
  2. Big Ben is the name of the bell.
  3. The London clock is in Saudi Arabia.
  4. The bell in London rings every hour.
  5. Most towns have a clock in the square.
3.3

What do you think?

  1. Do you like big clocks?
  2. Is a clock on a tower useful today?
  3. Where do people meet in your town?
  4. What is the biggest building in your town?
4

Grammar for speaking

10 min
4.1

Grammar for speaking

Where is...?

Use Where is + singular place, and Where are + plural places. Answer with It's / They're + a preposition.

Where is the museum? It's opposite the bank. Where are the shops? They're next to the station.

Prepositions of place

Use next to for very near, opposite for the other side of the street, between ... and ... for the middle of two places, in front of for the front, and behind for the back. Do not add to after opposite.

It's next to the bank. It's opposite the museum. It's between the bank and the shop. It's in front of the station. It's behind the hospital.

Block 6 review

Use the grammar from this block.

directions and imperatives (L26) · can and can't (L27)

Common mistakes: use next to, opposite, between ... and ..., in front of and behind without extra words. ✗ The bank is opposite to the shop → The bank is opposite the shop. ✗ The bank is between the shop → The bank is between the shop and the post office. ✗ Where the museum is? → Where is the museum?

4.2

Choose the right form

  1. The bank is
    the shop.
  2. The museum is
    the bank.
  3. The shop is
    the bank and the post office.
  4. The bus is
    the station.
  5. The park is
    the hospital.
  6. the museum?
  7. the shops?
  8. Is there a bank
    here?
4.3

Fix the mistake

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

  1. The bank is opposite to the shop. →
  2. Where the museum is? →
  3. The shop is next the bank. →
  4. The bus is in front the station. →
  5. The park is behind from the hospital. →
  6. Where are the museum? →
4.4

Talk about it

Answer with full sentences. Use where is and prepositions of place.

  1. Where is your home?
  2. What is next to your home?
  3. What is opposite your home?
  4. Is there a bank near your home?
  5. Where is the nearest shop?
  6. What is behind your home?
5

Three people and a clock, and a short talk

8 min
5.1

Three people and a clock

Three people tell about a big clock. Compare them. Who sees it every day? Who is a tourist? Where is a big clock in your town?

Person 1

Peter, 45

  • Is a tourist in London
  • Looks at the big clock
  • Listens to the bell
  • Stands in front of the tower
Person 2

Fatima, 30

  • Is from Saudi Arabia
  • Lives near the big clock
  • Sees it every day
  • Has a shop next to it
Person 3

Olya, 28

  • Is from a small town
  • Meets friends under the clock
  • Her bank is opposite the square
  • Her post office is behind the museum
5.2

Mini-talk: where places are

Your teacher will time you.

  1. Plan for one minute, then speak for one or two minutes.
  2. Part 1: say where your home is and what is next to it.
  3. Part 2: say where three places in your town are.
  4. Part 3: ask your teacher where something is.
2:00
6

Personal questions

10 min
6.1

Part I: Me

  1. Where is your home?
  2. What is next to your home?
  3. What is opposite your home?
  4. Is there a clock in your town square?
  5. Where is the nearest bank?
  6. Is there a museum in your town?
  7. Where is the post office?
  8. What is behind your home?
6.2

Part II: Other people

  1. Who lives next to you?
  2. Who works at a bank?
  3. Who works at a hospital?
  4. Who meets friends in the square?
  5. Who often looks at a clock?
  6. Who lives opposite you?
6.3

Part III: A bit deeper

  1. Is a big clock useful?
  2. Is it good to live in the centre of a town?
  3. Is a museum a good place for children?
  4. Should a town have a big square?
  5. Is it good to live next to a hospital?
7

Roleplay

12 min
7.1

Where is it?

You

Tourist

You are a tourist and ask a local person (your teacher) about places:
  • ask where the museum is
  • ask if there is a bank near here
  • ask where the post office is
  • say thank you
Speak for at least 1 minute. Use Where is...? and Is there...?
Your teacher

Local

Says things like:
  1. It's opposite the clock.
  2. Yes, there is. It's next to the shop.
  3. It's behind the bank.
  4. You are welcome.
7.2

Telling about my town

You

Local

A visitor (your teacher) asks about your town:
  • say where the square is
  • say what is next to the square
  • say what is opposite the bank
  • ask the visitor a question
You do most of the talking. Use: It's next to... · It's opposite... · It's between...
Your teacher

Visitor

Says things like:
  1. Where is the square?
  2. What is next to it?
  3. What is opposite the bank?
  4. Thank you!
8

Homework

at home

Your homework score

Do all four exercises, then press Check all homework. Correct answers will appear next to your mistakes.

– / 30
H1

Complete with a word

clocktowerbellsquarebankmuseumhospitalpost office
  1. You look at a to see the time.
  2. A tall narrow building is a .
  3. A makes a loud sound when it rings.
  4. A big open place in the middle of a town is a .
  5. You keep your money in a .
  6. In a you can see old and interesting things.
  7. Sick people go to a .
  8. You send a letter at a .
H2

Choose the correct word

  1. The bank is the shop.
  2. The museum is the bank.
  3. The shop is the bank and the post office.
  4. The bus is the station.
  5. The park is the hospital.
  6. the bank?
  7. the shops?
  8. Is there a post office here?
H3

Correct or incorrect?

Decide if each sentence is grammatically correct.

  1. The bank is next to the shop.
  2. The museum is opposite to the bank.
  3. Where is the museum?
  4. Where the museum is?
  5. The bus is in front of the station.
  6. The bus is in front the station.
  7. The park is behind the hospital.
H4

Match the two halves

  1. Where
  2. It's next
  3. It's
  4. It's between
  5. It's in front
  6. It's
  7. Is there

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© Yevheniia Kolesnykova, Academy of Languages. All rights reserved. No copying or reuse without written permission.