SPEAK FIRST · A1 · 50 min

Welcome to London

Passport control, a black taxi, and the rain. The first hour in a new country.

Speak First · Lesson 7 of 15. ← Lesson 6: The Airport · Lesson 8: The Hotel →

Today: answer the questions at passport control, take a taxi and pay for it, and ask the five big questions yourself. Grammar: Where…? How long…? How much…? How many…?
Warm up — five words to remember. They come from Lessons 4 and 6. 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 passport — from The Airport
What does it mean? Where is your passport now?
a passport — the small book that says who you are; you need it to travel.
delayed — from The Airport
What does it mean? What do you do when your flight is delayed?
delayed — late; not at the normal time.
a suitcase — from The Airport
What does it mean? Big or small — which do you take?
a suitcase — a big bag with clothes for a trip.
nervous — from The Airport
What does it mean? When are you nervous?
nervous — a little afraid, not calm.
a customer — from A Working Day
What does it mean? Who is Leo's customer?
a customer — a person who buys things from a company.

Now — the words for today's conversation

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

Words

  1. a queue
  2. business
  3. a visit
  4. to stay
  5. a taxi
  6. an address
  7. a receipt
  8. change

Meanings

  • A. the money you get back when you pay too much
  • B. a line of people waiting
  • C. the street and the number of a place
  • D. a car with a driver; you pay for the journey
  • E. work; not a holiday
  • F. a paper that says you paid
  • G. to be in a place for some days or nights
  • H. a short time in a place; going to see a person or a place

1 = B (a queue) · 2 = E (business) · 3 = H (a visit) · 4 = G (to stay)

5 = D (a taxi) · 6 = C (an address) · 7 = F (a receipt) · 8 = A (change)

Now talk — out loud

Before we read:
  • Which words are about money? Which word is about waiting?
  • At passport control, what questions do they ask? Guess three.

The conversation, in three parts

Leo at passport control in London, a border officer behind the glass, a sign reading UK BORDER.
Look at the picture. Say:
  • Where is Leo?
  • Who is he talking to?
  • What does the sign say?

Leo lands in London. Read each part. Then try the questions from memory, and answer the last one about you.

Part 1 — Passport control

Twelve thirty. The plane lands at London Heathrow. Leo walks and walks — the airport is very big. Then, a queue. A long queue. Passport control.

Officer: Good afternoon. Passport, please.

Leo: Here you are.

Officer: What's the purpose of your visit?

Leo: Business. I have a meeting.

Officer: How long are you staying?

Leo: Three days.

Officer: Where are you staying?

Leo: At the Park Hotel, in the city.

Officer: Thank you. Enjoy your stay.

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. Why is Leo in London?

2. How long is he staying, and where?

1. For business. He has a meeting.

2. Three days, at the Park Hotel.

Talk about it:
  • And you? When you travel, is it for business or a holiday? How long do you usually stay?

Part 2 — The taxi

Outside, it is raining. Of course — it's London. Leo finds a black taxi.

Leo: The Park Hotel, please.

Driver: The Park Hotel? Which one? There are two.

Leo: Sorry?

Driver: Do you have the address?

Leo: Yes, one moment. 20 Park Street.

Driver: Ah, Park Street. OK.

Leo: How long is it?

Driver: Forty minutes. Maybe fifty. The traffic is bad.

Leo: In London too!

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. Why does the driver ask for the address?

2. How long is the journey?

1. There are two Park Hotels.

2. Forty or fifty minutes. The traffic is bad.

Talk about it:
  • And you? Do you take taxis? Is the traffic bad in your city?

Part 3 — Paying

At the hotel, the taxi stops. The meter says £62.

Leo: How much is it?

Driver: Sixty-two pounds.

Leo: Can I pay by card?

Driver: Yes, of course.

Leo: Can I have a receipt, please? For my company.

Driver: Here you are. Have a good meeting.

Leo: Thank you! How do you know?

Driver: The suitcase and the face. Business face!

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. How much is the taxi? How does Leo pay?

2. What does Leo ask for? Why?

1. Sixty-two pounds. He pays by card.

2. A receipt, for his company.

Talk about it:
  • And you? Do you pay by card or cash? Do you ask for receipts?

Grammar: Where…? How long…? How much…? How many…?

At passport control and in a taxi, four question words do most of the work. Learn the question and the short answer together.

Where…? = a place. "Where are you staying?" — "At the Park Hotel." · "Where are you going?" — "To the city."
How long…? = time. "How long are you staying?" — "Three days." · "How long is the journey?" — "Forty minutes."
How much…? = money. "How much is it?" — "Sixty pounds." · How many…? = a number. "How many bags?" — "Two."
Your plans: "I'm staying at the Park Hotel." "I'm leaving on Friday." "I'm here for business / for a holiday / for three days."

1. Which question word?

Look at the answer. Complete the question with Where, How long, How much or How many.

1. are you staying? — At the Park Hotel.

2. are you staying? — Three days.

3. is it? — Sixty pounds.

4. bags do you have? — Two.

1. Where

2. How long

3. How much

4. How many

2. Make the sentence

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

1. staying / are / you / Where?

2. here / I'm / business / for

3. pay / Can / by card / I?

4. a receipt / I / have / Can / please?

1. Where are you staying?

2. I'm here for business.

3. Can I pay by card?

4. Can I have a receipt, please?

3. Complete the conversation

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

"What's the of your visit?" — "Business. I have a ." — "How are you staying?" — "Two nights. I'm at the City Hotel." — "Do you have the ?" — "Yes: 5 King Street."

purpose · meeting · long · staying · address

How long? → days or nights. Where? → a place.

Role Play

You arrive in a new country. Passport control.

Round 1 — you are the traveller. 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.

Officer: Good afternoon. Passport, please.
You: give it

Officer: What's the purpose of your visit?
You: business or holiday · one detail

Officer: How long are you staying?
You: days

Officer: Where are you staying?
You: hotel · city

Officer: Is this your first time here?
You: yes or no

Officer: Thank you. Enjoy your stay.
You: thank

Officer: Good afternoon. Passport, please.
You: Here you are.

Officer: What's the purpose of your visit?
You: Business. I have two meetings.

Officer: How long are you staying?
You: Four days.

Officer: Where are you staying?
You: At the Central Hotel, in the city.

Officer: Is this your first time here?
You: No, my second time.

Officer: Thank you. Enjoy your stay.
You: Thank you.

Round 2 — change roles. Now you are Officer. 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 are you staying?

2. How long are you staying?

3. What's the purpose of your visit?

4. How much is the taxi?

5. How many bags do you have?

6. Can I pay by card?

7. Do you have the address?

8. How long is the journey?

9. When are you leaving?

10. Is this your first time in London?

1. At the Park Hotel.

2. Three days.

3. Business.

4. Forty pounds.

5. One.

6. Yes, of course.

7. Yes. 20 Park Street.

8. Thirty minutes.

9. On Friday.

10. Yes, it is.

Speak

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

Useful language: "I'm here for business." · "I'm staying at… for three days." · "Do you have the address?" · "How long is it?" · "How much is it?" · "Can I pay by card?" · "Can I have a receipt, please?"
Time remaining: 1:00
Task A · Tell the story

Tell Leo's first hour in London in your own words. Steps: the plane lands → a long queue → the officer's three questions → the rain → the taxi and the address → forty minutes → £62, card, receipt → "business face".

Task B · Your trip (2 minutes)

You arrive in a new city. Tell me: the airport, passport control, the taxi, the hotel. Say how long, how much and where. Start the timer and keep talking.

Task C · In the taxi

I am the driver. Tell me where to go, give me the address, ask how long it is, ask how much, and ask for a receipt. Then we change: you are the driver.

To finish

  1. Passport control: are you calm or nervous? Why?
  2. Taxi or train from the airport? Which is better in your city?
  3. From memory: say the four question words from today, each with a short answer.