Asking for and Giving Directions in English
Do more with this exercise
These are useful phrases for finding a place in a town. Ask the way, understand the directions and give directions to other people. Read each phrase and its short dialogue, then do the exercises.
Asking the way
Excuse me, where is the station?Ask it to find one place in the town.
“Excuse me, where is the station?” “It's over there.”
Is there a bank near here?Ask it when you don't know if a place is close.
“Is there a bank near here?” “Yes, there is one in Park Street.”
How do I get to the museum?Ask it to know the way to a place.
“How do I get to the museum?” “Go straight on.”
Can you tell me the way to the library?Ask it in a polite way.
“Can you tell me the way to the library?” “Of course.”
Is it far from here?Ask it to know the distance.
“Is it far from here?” “No, it's not far.”
How long does it take?Ask it to know the time you need to arrive.
“How long does it take?” “About ten minutes.”
Can you show me on the map?Ask it when you want to see the place on a map.
“Can you show me on the map?” “Yes. We are here.”
Giving directions
Go straight on.Say it to tell a person to keep walking and not to turn.
“Go straight on for five minutes.”
Turn left.Say it to go to the left.
“Turn left at the bank.”
Turn right.Say it to go to the right.
“Turn right after the school.”
Take the second street on the left.Say it to count the streets.
“Take the second street on the left, and you'll see it.”
Go past the bank.Say it to walk by a place and not stop.
“Go past the bank and then turn right.”
Turn left at the traffic lights.Say it to use the lights as a point.
“Turn left at the traffic lights.”
Go to the end of the street.Say it to walk until the street finishes.
“Go to the end of the street and turn right.”
Cross the road.Say it to go to the other side.
“Cross the road at the lights.”
Saying where a place is
It's next to the post office.Say it for a place at the side of another place.
“It's next to the post office.”
It's opposite the park.Say it for a place on the other side of the street.
“The cafe? It's opposite the park.”
It's on the corner.Say it for a place where two streets meet.
“It's on the corner, next to the bank.”
It's between the bank and the shop.Say it for a place with one place on each side.
“It's between the bank and the shop.”
It's on your left.Say it when the place is at your left side.
“Go straight on. It's on your left.”
It's behind the church.Say it for a place at the back of another place.
“The car park? It's behind the church.”
Understanding and thanking
It's about five minutes on foot.Say it to tell the time you need to walk.
“It's about five minutes on foot.” “Great, thanks.”
You can't miss it.Say it when a place is easy to see.
“It's a big red building. You can't miss it.”
Sorry, can you repeat that, please?Ask it when you don't understand.
“Sorry, can you repeat that, please?” “Turn left at the bank.”
Can you speak more slowly, please?Ask it when the person speaks too fast.
“Can you speak more slowly, please?” “Sure.”
Sorry, I don't know. I'm not from here.Say it when you can't help.
“Where is the station?” “Sorry, I don't know. I'm not from here.”
Thanks a lot for your help.Say it to thank a person.
“Thanks a lot for your help.” “You're welcome.”
Practice exercises
Match the Phrase and the Situation
Match each phrase with the situation.
Choose a word on the left, then its match on the right.
What Do You Say?
Choose the best phrase for each situation.
7.You are lost and you want the station. What do you say to a stranger?
8.“Is there a bank near here?” “Yes, ___ the post office.”
9.The person speaks too fast. What do you say?
10.You want to know the time you need to walk to the park. What do you ask?
11.“It's ___ the school.” (The cafe is on the other side of the street from the school.)
12.“___ the road.” (The person tells you to go to the other side of the street.)
13.A tourist asks for the post office. You don't know the town. What do you say?
Complete the Dialogue
Type the missing word.
How to ask for and give directions in English
To find a place in a town, start with Excuse me and ask: Where is the station? Is there a bank near here? How do I get to the museum? You can also ask Is it far from here? and How long does it take?
When you give directions, use short instructions: Go straight on. Turn left. Turn right. Go past the bank. Take the second street on the left. Cross the road. Use points in the street, like the traffic lights or the end of the street.
To say where a place is, use words of place: next to, opposite, on the corner, between, behind, on your left. Finish with You can't miss it, or It's about five minutes on foot. If you don't understand, ask Sorry, can you repeat that, please?
Here is a short model dialogue. Tourist: Excuse me, how do I get to the museum? Local: Go straight on and turn left at the traffic lights. It's opposite the park. Tourist: Is it far from here? Local: No, it's about five minutes on foot. You can't miss it. Tourist: Thanks a lot for your help.
Frequently asked questions
How do I start when I ask a stranger for directions?
Start with Excuse me, and then ask your question: Excuse me, where is the station? At the end, say Thank you or Thanks a lot for your help.
What is the difference between next to, opposite and between?
Next to means at the side of a place. Opposite means on the other side of the street. Between means there is one place on each side: between the bank and the shop. In American English, people also say across from for opposite.
What does You can't miss it mean?
It means the place is easy to see. For example, it is a big, red building. People say it at the end of the directions.
What do I say when I don't understand the directions?
Say Sorry, can you repeat that, please? or Can you speak more slowly, please? It is not rude. People like to help, and they can say it again.
Answer key
1. How do I get to the museum?
Answer: You ask for the way to a place.
How do I get to…? asks for the way.
2. Turn left at the traffic lights.
Answer: You tell a person where to turn: at the lights.
Traffic lights are an easy point to see in the street.
3. It's opposite the park.
Answer: The place is on the other side of the street.
Opposite means on the other side, in front of the park.
4. It's on the corner.
Answer: The place is where two streets meet.
A corner is the place where two streets meet.
5. Sorry, can you repeat that, please?
Answer: You didn't understand the directions.
Repeat means say it again.
6. Is it far from here?
Answer: You want to know the distance.
Far asks about the distance to the place.
7. You are lost and you want the station. What do you say to a stranger?
Answer: Excuse me, where is the station?
Excuse me starts a polite question. The other two phrases are directions: you give them.
8. “Is there a bank near here?” “Yes, ___ the post office.”
Answer: it's next to
It's next to the post office tells where the bank is. Between needs two places, and turn next to is not a phrase.
9. The person speaks too fast. What do you say?
Answer: Can you speak more slowly, please?
Ask the person to speak more slowly when you can't follow the directions.
10. You want to know the time you need to walk to the park. What do you ask?
Answer: How long does it take?
How long…? asks for the time. The other questions ask for the place.
11. “It's ___ the school.” (The cafe is on the other side of the street from the school.)
Answer: opposite
Opposite means on the other side of the street. Behind means at the back, and between needs two places.
12. “___ the road.” (The person tells you to go to the other side of the street.)
Answer: Cross
We cross a road to go to the other side.
13. A tourist asks for the post office. You don't know the town. What do you say?
Answer: Sorry, I don't know. I'm not from here.
The other answers give directions, but you don't know the place.
14. “How do I ___ to the museum?” “Go straight on.”
Answer: get
The question is how do I get to…? After do I we use the base verb.
15. “Go ___ the bank and then turn right.”
Answer: past
Go past a place means you walk by it and don't stop.
16. “Turn ___ at the traffic lights.” (You want to go to the right.)
Answer: right
We turn right to go to the right.
17. “Go straight on. It's on your ___.” (The place is on the left.)
Answer: left
The place is on your left side.
18. “It's ___ the bank and the shop.” (There is a place on each side.)
Answer: between
Between is for a place with one place on each side.
19. “Excuse me, is there a bank ___ here?”
Answer: near
Near here means close to this place.