My dream home: describing places and preferences

Summary

This 90-minute ESL lesson for A2 learners explores My dream home: describing places and preferences through a real article. Across 10 interactive exercises, you'll develop reading comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, practical communication, speaking skills — all built around authentic English content.

What you'll practise:

• 5 key vocabulary items with definitions and usage notes
• Grammar focus: Describing places with 'there is / there are' with examples and practice
• Real-world phrases for looking at an apartment to rent
• Gap-fill and cloze exercises to test vocabulary in context
• Matching exercise to connect terms with their meanings

Lesson activities (10 exercises)

Each exercise builds on the previous one. Work through them in order for the best learning experience.

1. Warm-up — Discussion questions to activate what you already know about the topic.
2. Comprehension — Answer questions to check your understanding of the main ideas and supporting details.
3. Vocabulary — Learn key words and expressions from the article, with definitions and usage notes.
4. Matching — Connect words, phrases, or concepts to their correct counterparts.
5. Grammar — Study Describing places with 'there is / there are' — explanation, examples, and key rules.
6. Fill the gaps — Complete sentences with the correct vocabulary. Drag and drop or type your answers.
7. Practical English — Learn phrases for looking at an apartment to rent — ready to use in real conversations.
8. Multiple choice — Choose the correct answer from four options — testing comprehension and language use.
9. Discussion — Reflect on the topic and share your opinions using the language you've learned.

Vocabulary

This lesson introduces 5 key terms drawn directly from the article:

• A quiet neighborhood — a part of a town where there is not a lot of noise.
• To move in — to start living in a new house or apartment.
• Fully furnished — an apartment that you can rent with all furniture, like a bed, table, and chairs.
• Within walking distance — close enough to walk to easily.
• Spacious room — a room with a lot of space.

Grammar

This lesson focuses on Describing places with 'there is / there are'.

We use 'there is' and 'there are' to say that something exists in a place. This is very useful for describing your home or neighborhood. We use 'there is' for one thing (singular) and 'there are' for more than one thing (plural).

Examples from the lesson:

• There is a comfortable sofa in the living room. — Use 'there is' for one thing ('a comfortable sofa').
• There are some nice shops near my apartment. — Use 'there are' for more than one thing ('some nice shops').
• Are there any parks in your neighborhood? Yes, there are. — For questions, put 'is' or 'are' before 'there'.

Key rules:

• Use 'there is' for singular nouns (one thing).
• Use 'there are' for plural nouns (two or more things).
• Common mistake: Don't say 'It's a park near my house.' Say 'There is a park near my house.'

Practical English

looking at an apartment to rent

When you visit a new apartment or house you want to rent, you need to ask good questions. Here are some useful phrases to help you get the information you need from the owner or agent.

Phrases you'll learn:

• "How much is the rent per month?" — to ask about the cost.
• "Are bills included?" — to ask if the rent price includes electricity, water, and gas.
• "Is it possible to have a pet?" — to ask about the rules for animals.
• "What's the neighborhood like?" — to ask for a general description of the area.
• "Does everything work okay?" — to ask about the condition of things in the apartment.