Housing Vocabulary

Sarah has just moved into a new apartment. She has to pay a sum of money in advance as part of the rental agreement, which she will get back when she moves out, provided she doesn’t damage anything. What is this payment called?

• Lease
• Mortgage
• Deposit
• Utility

Answer explanation

A deposit is a sum of money paid in advance as security for the rental agreement.

John lives in a building where each unit is individually owned, and there are shared common areas like a gym and a pool. What type of housing is John living in?

• Detached house
• Condo
• Terraced house
• Apartment

Answer explanation

A condo (short for condominium) is a building with individually owned units and shared common areas.

Lisa is a tenant. Who is the person that owns the property she is renting from?

• Property manager
• Tenant
• Landlord
• Gardener

Answer explanation

A landlord is the owner of a property who rents it to tenants.

If someone takes a platform housed in a shaft to move between floors in a building, they are using what?

• Ladder
• Staircase
• Lift/Elevator
• Escalator

Answer explanation

A lift (UK) or elevator (US) is a platform for raising and lowering people or things to different floors.

What is the term for a self-contained housing unit within a larger building?

• Condo
• Apartment/Flat
• Detached house
• Terraced house

Answer explanation

An apartment (US) or flat (UK) is a self-contained housing unit in a larger building.

Maria signed a one-year contract to rent an apartment. What is this contract called?

• Deposit
• Lease
• Mortgage
• Utility

Answer explanation

A lease is a contract by which one party conveys property to another for a specified time.

Tom and Jerry live in the same type of housing. Their houses are in a row, joined together on both sides by other similar houses. What type of houses do they live in?

• Detached houses
• Terraced houses
• Apartments
• Condo

Answer explanation

Terraced houses are in a row and joined together on both sides by other similar houses.

Jane and her family moved into a standalone house not connected to any other buildings. What type of house is this?

• Terraced house
• Detached house
• Apartment
• Condo

Answer explanation

A detached house is a standalone house not connected to any other building.

Mark has a contract with a bank to purchase his home, which he pays back with interest over several years. What is this contract called?

• Lease
• Deposit
• Mortgage
• Utility

Answer explanation

A mortgage is a loan used to purchase real estate, typically repaid with interest.

In the UK, a tenant refers to the outdoor area adjacent to their house as a garden. What do they call it in the US?

• Patio
• Yard
• Garden
• Park

Answer explanation

In the US, the outdoor area adjacent to a house is commonly referred to as a yard.