How can I get...?

Listening practice Select exercise

Do you know how to ask a person for the directions to get to a place? Listen to the following conversations. Can you identify the questions we use in English to ask for directions?

Select the expression you hear in each conversation.

dad

Conversation 1.

A: Excuse me.

B: Sure. Go ahead on this street. Cross Tacuba Street and turn left. The tourist information is next to the library.

Older brother

Conversation 2.

A: Good morning.

B: The City Hall? Oh yes! Go straight ahead this way. Go past the school, and it’s on the other corner, behind the café.

Me

Conversation 3.

A: Sorry.

B: Oh! It’s very close. Walk along Palma Street, on the second block, turn left. It’s on the corner, next to the arcade.

As you can see, when we want to ask for the directions of a place we use some specific questions.

These expressions are:

How can I get to…?

How can I get to the arcade?

How can we get to the museum?

How can I get to the bus station?

Where is …?

Where is the café?

Where is the tourist information office?

Where is the subway station?

How do I get to …?

How do I get to the comic store?

How do I get tothe fashion mall?

How do I get to to the coffee shop?

Writing exercise

Listen to the following conversations and complete them with the expressions you hear.

A: Sorry. I’m trying to buy the newspaper. How do I get to the newsstand?

B: It’s at the corner of Escobedo Street and Palma Avenue. In front of the theater.

A: Thanks!

A: Excuse me. Is there a park near here?

B: Yes, there’s one three blocks from here.

A: How do I get there?

B: Go straight ahead for one block. Turn right. Then turn left. It is behind the craft market.

A: Oh, thank you!

A: My friends and I want to buy tickets for the opera. Where is the concert hall?

B: Well, it’s not so close, but it’s walking time. Go straight ahead for two blocks. Then take a right. Walk two more blocks and it’s behind the dentist’s office.

A: Ok, thanks.

A: I need to buy a new jacket for Sandy. Is there a fashion mall near here?

B: Sure. There is one near here.

A: How can I get there?

B: It’s very close. Go straight ahead this way. Go past the school, and it’s on the other corner, behind the supermarket.

A: Great!