SPEAK FIRST · A1 · 50 min

My Home

House or flat, big or small, city or town. Talk about where you live.

Speak First · Lesson 3 of 15. ← Lesson 2: My Family · Lesson 4: A Working Day →

Today: say where you live and what rooms you have, and ask another person about their home. Grammar: There's… and There are…

Warm up — five words to remember. They come from Lessons 1 and 2. Do you know it? Say what it means and use it in a sentence. Is it new? Good — learn it now. Click Reveal to check, and follow the link to read the lesson.

a wife — from My Family

What does it mean? Say the word for a man.

a wife — the woman a man is married to. The man is a husband.

parents — from My Family

What does it mean? Where do your parents live?

parents — your mother and father.

married — from My Family

What does it mean? Ask me: married?

married — with a wife or a husband. "Are you married?"

to call — from My Family

What does it mean? Who do you call every week?

to call — to speak to a person on the phone.

a company — from Name and Job

What does it mean? Do you work for a company?

a company — a business; people work there.

Now — the words for today's conversation

These are the new words for My Home. Match each word (1–8) to its meaning (A–H). Say your answers out loud — "I think 1 is D" — then check.

Words

a flat
a bedroom
a kitchen
a garden
a balcony
quiet
old
favourite

Meanings

A. the room where you cook
B. not new
C. the one you like best
D. rooms in a big building — people live there
E. a small place outside a window, high up, where you can sit
F. with no noise
G. the room where you sleep
H. a place outside a house with grass and flowers

1 = D (a flat) · 2 = G (a bedroom) · 3 = A (a kitchen) · 4 = H (a garden)

5 = E (a balcony) · 6 = F (quiet) · 7 = B (old) · 8 = C (favourite)

Now talk — out loud

Before we read:

Which words are rooms? Which words describe a place?
Two people talk about their homes. What questions do they ask? Guess two.

The conversation, in three parts

Leo on his small balcony with a coffee, the city behind him.

Look at the picture. Say:

Is it a house or a flat?
What can you see?
Is it big or small?

Anna and Leo talk after work. Read each part. Then try the questions from memory, and answer the last one about you.

Part 1 — Where do you live?

Anna: Where do you live, Leo?

Leo: I live in a flat in the city. Near the station.

Anna: Is it big?

Leo: No, it's small. But it's quiet. I like it.

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. Does Leo live in a house or a flat?

2. Is the flat big?

1. In a flat, in the city, near the station.

2. No, it is small. But it is quiet.

Talk about it:

And you? Do you live in a house or a flat? In a city or a small town?

Part 2 — The rooms

Anna: How many rooms?

Leo: There are two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom.

Anna: Do you have a balcony?

Leo: Yes, a small balcony. I drink my coffee there every morning. It's my favourite place.

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. How many bedrooms are there?

2. What does Leo do on the balcony?

1. Two.

2. He drinks his coffee there every morning.

Talk about it:

And you? What rooms are in your home? What is your favourite room?

Part 3 — Anna's house

Leo: And you, Anna? Where do you live?

Anna: I live in a house. It's old, but I love it. There's a big garden.

Leo: Nice! Who do you live with?

Anna: With my two dogs. And a cat!

Leo: Three animals and a garden. Perfect.

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. Is Anna's house new?

2. Who does Anna live with?

1. No, it is old. But she loves it.

2. With two dogs and a cat.

Talk about it:

And you? Who do you live with?

Grammar: There's / There are

To say what is in a place, English uses there is and there are.

There's = There is. One thing: "There's a bathroom." "There's a big table in the living room."

There are. Two or more: "There are three bedrooms." "There are two cars in the garage."

Questions: "Is there a garage?" — "Yes, there is. / No, there isn't." · "How many rooms are there?" — "Five."

live in / live with. "I live in a house." "I live in a small town." "I live with my family." Alone? "I live alone."

1. There's or There are?

Complete each sentence with There's or There are.

1. a kitchen.

2. two bathrooms.

3. three bedrooms and a garden.

4. a small balcony.

1. There's (one kitchen)

2. There are (two)

3. There are (three)

4. There's (one)

2. Make the sentence

Put the words in order. Then say the sentence out loud.

1. in / I / live / a flat

2. you / do / Where / live?

3. a / there / Is / garden?

4. with / live / I / my parents

1. I live in a flat.

2. Where do you live?

3. Is there a garden?

4. I live with my parents.

3. Complete the conversation

Fill each gap with one word. Read the conversation out loud when you finish.

"Where do you ?" — "I live a house in a small town. There four rooms, and a big garden." — "Who do you live ?" — "With my husband and my two ."

live · in · are · there's · with · children (or: dogs, cats, sons, daughters)

One thing → there's. Two or more → there are.

Role Play

A friend visits your city. He asks about your home.

Round 1 — you are yourself. Read your partner's line, then say your own line from the cue in italics. Use your real answers. Then click to compare with a model.

Sam: Where do you live?
You: house or flat · city or town

Sam: Is it big?
You: big or small · one more thing

Sam: How many rooms?
You: There's… There are…

Sam: Do you have a garden or a balcony?
You: yes or no

Sam: Nice. Who do you live with?
You: who

Sam: Where do you live?
You: I live in a flat in the city.

Sam: Is it big?
You: No, it's small. But it's quiet.

Sam: How many rooms?
You: There are two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom.

Sam: Do you have a garden or a balcony?
You: Yes, a small balcony.

Sam: Nice. Who do you live with?
You: With my wife and my son.

Round 2 — change roles. Now you are Sam. Ask the questions, and listen to the answers. Then say one thing you remember.

Quick-fire questions

Answer fast, in full sentences. No time to think. Then check a model answer for the ones that were hard.

1. Where do you live?

2. Do you live in a house or a flat?

3. Is it big?

4. How many bedrooms are there?

5. Is there a garden?

6. What's your favourite room?

7. Who do you live with?

8. Is your street quiet?

1. I live in a house in a small town.

2. In a flat.

3. No, it's small.

4. There are three.

5. Yes, there is. / No, there isn't.

6. The kitchen.

7. I live with my family.

8. No, it's noisy.

Speak

Do all three tasks out loud. Use the timer to keep talking.

Useful language: "I live in…" · "There's a…" · "There are two…" · "It's big / small / old / new / quiet." · "My favourite room is…" · "I live with…"

Time remaining: 1:00

Task A · Play the conversation

You are Leo, but with your home. Follow the steps: where you live → big or small? → the rooms → a balcony or a garden? → who you live with

Then change: you are Anna. Ask the questions.

Task B · My home (1 minute)

Say five sentences about your home: house or flat, city or town, the rooms, your favourite room, and who you live with. Start the timer and keep talking.

Task C · Ask me

Ask me five questions about my home: where, house or flat, how many rooms, a garden, who with. Listen to my answers, and say one thing you remember.

To finish

What is good about your home? Say one thing.
Is your street quiet or noisy? Do you like it?
From memory: There's or There are? "___ a garden." "___ two bedrooms." Say both.