Transport, commuting, and finding your way in a new place. 20 questions from A1 to C1, with follow-ups and role plays. Answer out loud in full sentences.
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A1Beginner
How do you usually get around your city?Then: Do you like it?
Is there a bus stop near your home?
Can you ride a bike?Then: Do many people ride bikes in your city?
Is your city good for walking?
A2Elementary
What is the longest bus or train trip you have taken?Then: Where did you go?
Have you ever gotten lost in a new place?Then: What did you do?
Which is faster in your city, the bus, a bike, or a taxi?
When you go somewhere new, do you use a map app or ask people for directions?
B1Intermediate
Have you ever missed a train, bus, or flight?Then: What happened next?
If you could change one thing about public transportation in your city, what would it be?Then: Who would it help most?
Do you think people in your city should drive less?Then: What would help them do that?
How has getting around your city changed in the last ten years?
What advice would you give a visitor who wants to get around your city cheaply?
B2Upper intermediate
Some people spend more than two hours a day traveling to and from work. How does that affect their lives?
How does getting around a big city in your country compare with a city you’ve visited or seen in movies?
Would self-driving cars make our streets safer, or would they create new problems?
Looking back, is there a trip you wish you had planned differently?Then: What would you have changed?
C1Advanced
Should city centers be designed mainly for people walking and cycling, even if that makes driving harder?Then: Who might lose out?
How does the way a city is connected, or not connected, shape people’s opportunities?Then: Can you think of an example?
Is the convenience of cheap flights worth their environmental cost, and how should individuals think about that trade-off?
Role plays
Work with a partner or a tutor. Read the situation together, then each person opens only their own card. Use the phrases to help you.
A2 Elementary
When your train is canceled
You’re at a train station in a city you don’t know. Your train to the airport is canceled, and you need to be there in ninety minutes.
Card A: Traveler
Explain your problem. Ask how to get to the airport another way, how long it takes, and how much it costs. Repeat the directions to check you understand.
Card B: Station worker
There’s a bus, but the stop is a short walk away: cross the street, turn left, and it’s the second stop. A taxi is faster but expensive. Give both options.
Useful phrases
Excuse me, can you help me?
How do I get to…?
How long does it take?
Is it far from here?
So I go…, and then…?
B1 Intermediate
Setting up a carpool
You and a neighbor travel to the same part of town every weekday. You’re talking about sharing a car to save money and time.
Card A: Driver
You have a car and are happy to share, but you leave at 7:30 and don’t like waiting. You think the passenger should help pay for gas.
Card B: Passenger
You’d love to share, but you usually leave at 8:00, and you’re not sure how much to pay. Agree on a time, a cost, and what happens if someone is late.