Speaking Boost · A1 · Lesson 30 of 50
Speaking Boost A1 · Block 6: Town and Places

What can you do in a park?

A park is a green place in a city where people rest and play. In this lesson you talk about parks and your town. Review imperatives, can, where is, superlatives and transport, and give the final talk of Block 6.

1

Warm-up

5 min
1.1

Parks

Answer each question with 2–3 sentences.

  1. Is there a park near your home?
  2. What do you do in a park?
  3. Do you go to a park every week?
  4. Is your park big or small?
  5. Can you swim in a lake near your town?
  6. What is your favourite place in your town?
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. A green place in a city with trees, grass and paths is a .
  2. You sit on a in the park.
  3. A big area of water with land around it is a .
  4. Children play on swings in a .
  5. A meal that you eat outside is a .
  6. Short green plants that cover the ground are .
  7. A small road for walking in a park is a .
  8. Water goes up into the air in a .
2.3

Opposites and pairs

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

  1. a park has got trees and
  2. a bench is a
  3. a lake is a big area of
  4. a picnic is a meal
  5. a fountain has got
  6. free = not costing
2.4

Useful phrases

Use these phrases to talk about places and to give directions.

  • You can relax.Можна відпочити.You can relax on a bench.
  • You can run.Можна бігати.You can run along the path.
  • You can't...Не можна...You can't swim in the lake.
  • Don't...Не...Don't walk on the grass.
  • Let's have a picnic.Давай влаштуємо пікнік.Let's have a picnic in the park.
  • Where is the park?Де парк?Where is the park?
  • It's opposite...Це навпроти...It's opposite the museum.
  • It's the biggest...Це найбільший...It's the biggest park in the city.
3

Read and react

8 min
3.1

Parks

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

What can you do in a park?

What can you do in a park? A lot! You can walk along the paths, sit on a bench, have a picnic on the grass or feed the ducks on the lake. Children can play in the playground, and adults can run, ride a bike or just relax. In many cities, the park is free.

Parks are important for a city. They have got a lot of trees, and the air is clean there. Many people go to a park after work, and they feel calmer. Doctors often say that a walk outside is good for your head and your body.

Some parks are very famous. Central Park in New York is one of the best-known city parks in the world. Hyde Park is one of the big parks in London. In many Ukrainian cities there is a park with a fountain, an old statue and a lot of benches.

Every park has got rules. Often you can't ride a bike on some paths, and you can't leave rubbish. A sign says: "Don't walk on the grass." Please read the signs.

What can you do in your favourite park?

3.2

True or false?

  1. You can have a picnic in a park.
  2. Parks have got a lot of trees.
  3. Central Park is in London.
  4. You can do everything in a park.
  5. In many cities, the park is free.
3.3

What do you think?

  1. Is a park important for a city?
  2. Do you want more parks in your city?
  3. Is a picnic better than a restaurant?
  4. What is the best park you know?
4

Grammar for speaking

10 min
4.1

Grammar for speaking

Review: can, imperatives, directions

Can + base verb is for what is possible. Imperatives use the base verb: Turn left. Don't walk on the grass. For directions, use Go straight on, Turn left, It's on the right.

You can run here. You can't swim in the lake. Turn left at the lake. Don't walk on the grass. Go straight on to the fountain.

Review: where is..., superlatives, transport

Use next to, opposite, between ... and ..., in front of, behind. Use the + adjective + -est for the tallest, biggest, oldest. Use by bus / by car and on foot.

The park is opposite the museum. It's the biggest park in the city. It's between the lake and the fountain. I go to the park on foot. It takes ten minutes by bus.

Block 6 review

Use the grammar from this block.

directions and imperatives (L26) · can and can't (L27) · where is..., prepositions of place (L28) · superlatives and transport (L29)

Common mistakes: can + base verb, imperatives without you, opposite without to and the tallest for one-syllable adjectives. ✗ She cans swim → She can swim. ✗ Turns left → Turn left. ✗ The park is opposite to the bank → The park is opposite the bank.

4.2

Choose the right form

  1. You
    run here.
  2. left at the lake.
  3. walk on the grass.
  4. The park is
    the museum.
  5. It's the
    park.
  6. I go to the park
    .
  7. Where
    the fountain?
  8. She can't
    in the lake.
4.3

Fix the mistake

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

  1. She cans swim in the lake. →
  2. Turns left at the lake. →
  3. Don't to walk on the grass. →
  4. The park is opposite to the museum. →
  5. It is the most big park. →
  6. I go to the park by foot. →
4.4

Talk about it

Answer with full sentences. Use the grammar of Block 6.

  1. What can you do in the park near your home?
  2. Where is your favourite park?
  3. What can't you do in a park?
  4. How do you get to the park?
  5. What is the biggest park in your country?
  6. Do you like picnics?
5

Three people in a park, and a final talk

8 min
5.1

Three people in a park

Three people tell about their parks. Compare them. Who goes to the park every day? Who can't walk there? What can you do in your park?

Person 1

Sofia, 8

  • Goes to the playground
  • Rides a bike
  • Feeds the ducks
  • Can't swim in the lake
Person 2

Mr Lee, 70

  • Sits on a bench every day
  • Relaxes
  • Feeds the birds
  • Walks along the path
Person 3

Daniel, 25

  • Runs in the park
  • Takes photos
  • Has a picnic with friends
  • Goes on foot
5.2

Final talk of Block 6: my town

This is the final speaking task of Block 6. Your teacher will time you.

  1. Plan for one minute, then speak for two minutes.
  2. Part 1: say where your favourite park or place is and how you get there.
  3. Part 2: say what you can and can't do there.
  4. Part 3: give directions from a bus stop to it and ask your teacher one question.
2:00
6

Personal questions

10 min
6.1

Part I: Me

  1. Is there a park near your home?
  2. What can you do there?
  3. How do you get to the park?
  4. Where is it?
  5. What is next to it?
  6. Do you have picnics?
  7. Can you ride a bike in your park?
  8. What is the biggest park in your city?
6.2

Part II: Other people

  1. Who in your family goes to the park?
  2. Who likes picnics?
  3. Who runs in the morning?
  4. Who sits on a bench?
  5. Who feeds the ducks?
  6. Who rides a bike?
6.3

Part III: A bit deeper

  1. Is a park important for a city?
  2. Are big parks better than small parks?
  3. Should parks be free?
  4. Is it good to have more parks?
  5. Do you want to live next to a park?
7

Roleplay

12 min
7.1

Final talk: my town

You

Speaker

A friend (your teacher) asks about your town:
  • say where your favourite place is
  • give directions to it from a bus stop
  • say what you can do there
  • say what you can't do there
Speak for at least 2 minutes in total. Use the grammar of Block 6.
Your teacher

Friend

Says things like:
  1. Where is your favourite place?
  2. How do I get there?
  3. What can I do there?
  4. What can't I do?
7.2

Planning a picnic

You

Speaker

A friend (your teacher) wants a picnic in a park:
  • say which park and where it is
  • say how you get there
  • say what you can do there
  • say what you can't do there
You do most of the talking. Use: Let's... · You can... · Don't... · It's next to...
Your teacher

Friend

Says things like:
  1. Which park?
  2. How do we get there?
  3. What can we do?
  4. Great idea!
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

parkbenchlakeplaygroundpicnicgrasspathfountain
  1. A green place in a city with trees, grass and paths is a .
  2. You sit on a in the park.
  3. A big area of water with land around it is a .
  4. Children play on swings in a .
  5. A meal that you eat outside is a .
  6. Short green plants that cover the ground are .
  7. A small road for walking in a park is a .
  8. Water goes up into the air in a .
H2

Block 6 review: choose the correct word

  1. You run here.
  2. right at the lake.
  3. walk on the grass.
  4. The park is the bank.
  5. It's the park.
  6. I go to the park .
  7. Where the benches?
  8. He can't in the lake.
H3

Correct or incorrect? (Block 6 review)

Decide if each sentence is grammatically correct.

  1. You can run here.
  2. You cans run here.
  3. Turn left at the lake.
  4. Turns left at the lake.
  5. The park is opposite the museum.
  6. The park is opposite to the museum.
  7. It is the biggest park.
H4

Match the two halves

  1. You can
  2. You can't
  3. Don't
  4. Let's have
  5. It's
  6. It's the
  7. I go there

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