Easy Everyday English: How to Ask for Directions and Understand the Answer

Which one of the following is a polite way of approaching someone, if you need to ask for directions?

“Dear…”“Excuse me…”“Hey you…”“Hi there…”“Listen…”

Which one of the following is the most polite way to ask for directions?

“Could you tell me…”“I want to know where…”“I will get to…”“Where is…”“Will you tell me…”

Which one of the following is another good way to ask for directions?

“How do I get to…”“How to I get to…”“Tell me the way to…”“Where do I get to…”“Where to I get to…”

When giving directions, it’s helpful to say how many minutes’ walk it will be. What is the best way of saying that?

It will arrive about 10 minutes.It will come about 10 minutes.It will cost about 10 minutes.It will go about 10 minutes.It will need about 10 minutes.It will take about 10 minutes.

What is another way of telling someone to continue walking in a particular direction?

carry walkinggo walkingkeep walkingstay walkingstraight walking

If the person needs to go right around a corner, what is the best way of saying that?

it’s the second cornering on the rightit’s the second finding on the rightit’s the second placing on the rightit’s the second turning on the rightit’s the second walking on the right

If the person needs to carry on walking without turning, what is the best way of saying that?

keep in a linekeep it upkeep straight onkeep throughkeep walking round

If the person needs to get to the other side of the road, what is the best way of saying that?

cross the roadcut across the roadgone over the roadjump over the roadskip over the road

Which one of the following means the same as across from?

behindclose byin front ofnext toopposite

Which one of the following means the opposite of close to?

aboveaheadfar fromnear toopposite