Asking and giving directions

Nouns

1. Asking and giving directions

It is important to know how to ask for and give directions to get to a destination: city, street, etc.
IMG UNIT 03-01
- Where is the chemist's?
IMG UNIT 03-02
- Go straight on and turn left.

2. Asking for directions

To ask for directions, we can use structures as the following:

More informal More formal
Where is the post office? Could you tell me the way to the bank, please?
Is there a chemist's around here? Could you tell me how to get to the cinema, please?
Can you help me? I'm looking for the theatre.
How (can/do) I get to the station? What's the best way to go to the church?

To draw the attention of someone we don't know, we use the expression excuse me followed by the interrogative sentence we want to formulate.

Excuse me, how can I get to the bank?
Excuse me, where is the baker's?

3. Giving directions

To give instructions to someone on how to get to a particular place, we will usually use structures such as the following:

IMG UNIT 03-04
Turn left
IMG UNIT 03-05
Turn right
IMG UNIT 03-06
Go straight on/ahead
IMG UNIT 03-07
Go across the street
IMG UNIT 03-08
On the corner
IMG UNIT 03-09
Go as far as
IMG UNIT 03-10
Go past the
IMG UNIT 03-11
Go along the street
IMG UNIT 03-12
Go up the street
IMG UNIT 03-13
Go down the street
IMG UNIT 03-14
Take the 1 st/2 nd/3 rd turning on the right
IMG UNIT 03-15
Take the 1 st/2 nd/3 rd turning on the left

Remember!

Asking for directions Giving directions
Where is the (nearest)...? Turn left Turn right
How (can/do) I get to the...? Go straight on / ahead Go across the street
Is there a... (around / near) here? On the corner Go as far as the cinema
What's the best way to go to the...? Go past the Go along the street
Could you tell me how to get to the...? Take the 1st / 2nd / 3rd turning on the right Take the 1st / 2nd / 3rd turning on the left