Describing houses and homes

Describing houses and homes

Types of home

Parts of a house and a garden

During the lesson you will:

-expand vocabulary on the topic and will learn what the words 'patio, gazebo, porch and etc.' mean;

-listen to the conversation between an estate agent and a customer;

-practise using the vocab on the topic.

​At the end of the lesson:

​-You can describe houses and homes;

-You know types of homes and parts of a house and a garden;

​- You can use synonyms in your description;

​- You can find out the necessary information from the audio or written sources;

​- You can explain your choice.

Take notes during the lesson!

House or Home

• The house is a physical building. House refers to a material thing.

• While a home is lived-in (often by a family) and full of memories. A home can be a house or an apartment, but it could also be a tent, a boat, or an underground cave. 

You can buy a house, but not a home.

A: "I know it hurts to move to a new 

town, but we'll have a new house there, and..." 

B: "Oh, a house is not a home! It won't 

be the same!"

“A house is made of bricks and beams. A home is made of hopes and dreams.” Learn the expression by heart!

“A house is made of ______ and ______. A home is made of ____ and _______.”

“A house _ m_ of ______ and ______. A ___ is made of ____ and _______.”

Types of houses

What type of house do you live in?

Types of houses

• Bungalow

• a small house or cottage that is either single-storey or has a second storey built into a sloping roof (usually with dormer windows), and may be surrounded by wide verandas.

Types of houses

• Detached house

• Not joined to another house on either side 

Types of houses

• Houseboat

• A boat that people can live in, usually kept at a particular place on a river or canal.

Types of houses

• Mansion

• A large impressive house 

Types of houses

• Mobile home

• a long narrow home made in a factory that is brought to a permanent location

Types of houses

• Semi-detached house

• A semi-detached house is a single-family home that shares one common wall with one other home.

Types of houses

• Terraced house

• A house that is joined to the houses on either side of it by shared walls (rowhouse)

Block of flats/ apartment building

A tall building that contains flats.

Types oh houses

• Thatched cottage

• A thatched building has a roof that is made from straw or reeds

​What type of home do you live in?

It is time for practice. Choose the right option.

Multiple Choice

A house that is joined to the houses on either side of it by shared walls is a ...

• house with a terrace

• detached house

• terraced house

• semi-detached house

Multiple Choice

A house that is not joined to another house on either side is ...

• mansion

• detached house

• terraced house

• semi-detached house

Multiple Choice

A large impressive house is a ...

• mention

• mansion

• terraced house

• detached house

Put the words into two groups: those that are more likely to be a) part of a house and b) in a garden. Work with a dictionary if necessary:

Parts of a house and garden: attic, balcony, basement, cellar, conservatory, drive, extension, fence, flower bed, garage, gate, hall, hedge, landing, lawn, path, patio, pond, porch, shutters.

Open Ended

How many more rooms and other parts of a house or garden can you think of?

Gazebo

A small building with open sides in a garden.

Shed

A small simple building, used for keeping things in.

Windowsill

A narrow shelf below a window, either inside or outside.

Which is the odd one out? Explain why. Sometimes more than one answer is possible. 

1 cellar, basement, attic; 

2 detached house, bungalow, mansion ;

3 lawn, path, porch; 

4 detached house, semi-detached house, terraced house;

5 fence, gate, hedge; 

6 houseboat, mobile home, villa; 

7 pond, swimming pool, patio; 

8 cottage, houseboat, farmhouse.

Listen to an estate agent showing someone round a house. Which seven parts of the house are mentioned in the dialogue?

• front gate

• hall

• living room

• kitchen

• back garden

• fence

• main bedroom

Describing houses and rooms

Match the word with the meaning.

Open Ended

Uncomfortably small

Open Ended

Very small

Open Ended

Quiet

Open Ended

Far from other places

Open Ended

Modern

Open Ended

In a good location

Open Ended

In very bad condition

Open Ended

Large

Listen again. Complete the sentences with words and phrases from the previous exercise.

1 It's_______near to the shops. 

2 We're in a very________of town.

3 On the right is the living room.  _____, isn't it?

4 It's_______. It certainly isn't __________ but I wouldn't say it's ___________.

5 The back fence is very___________. 

6 There's a ___________view from the window.

7 It could be ___________.

Check your answers

• 1 It's conveniently located near to the shops. 

• 2 We're in a very popular area of town.

• 3 On the right is the living room. Cosy, isn't it?

• 4 It's tiny. It certainly isn't spacious but I wouldn't say it's cramped.

• 5 The back fence is very dilapidated.

• 6 There's a charming view from the window.

• 7 It could be beautifully resorted.

Speaking: Describe where you live and where would you like to live in future.

-It's a flat/detached house/terraced house. 

-It's in the town centre / on the outskirts / in the suburbs. 

-There's a park/There are some shops nearby. 

-It's got... (bedrooms). 

-There is... (other rooms). 

-There's /There isn't a garden/drive, etc. 

-It's a bit / very (adjective).

Poll

At the end of the lesson___

• I understand new words.

• I can describe my home.

• I can understand description of houses.

• I need to study more to memorise new words.