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Accommodation vocabulary things in common

A LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS

Describing places you live words and phrases speaking

By: Alex Case
Level: All Levels
Theme: General
Study Area: General
      Page: /

Lesson Plan Content:


Accommodation vocabulary things in common

Describe the place where you are living now/ staying now. When you finish, your partner will comment on any similarities and differences between you with phrases from below, ticking them off as they use them. Then do the same as they and you describe your current homes in more detail.

Useful phrases for talking about similarities and differences

  • … and… both…
  • … and… have … in common.
  • … as well.
  • … is (absolutely/ virtually) identical.
  • … is (exactly/ almost) the same (but…)
  • … is (very/ somewhat) similar, but…
  • … is (much/ quite a lot/ slightly) …er than…
  • … is (far/ considerably/ a little) more… than…
  • … neither.
  • … share…
  • … too.
  • A difference/ similarity which stands out is…
  • In (complete) contrast,…
  • Like…,…
  • The (biggest/ most obvious/ most important) difference/ similarity between… and…
  • Unlike,…
  • whereas
  • while

Use the table below to find more things in common about your accommodation, this time also talking about the past, future, hypothetical situations, etc. Words divided by a slash (/) are similar (though not always the same) and words divided by a dash (–) are opposites, so choose one specific thing (not a whole line).

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I absolutely adore

I absolutely detest

I dislike

I don’t approve of

I don’t care about

I don’t get (the appeal of)

I don’t know why… is popular

I don’t mind

I envy people who

I grew up/ was brought up

I have no interest in

I have… (once/ recently)

I have lived

I have stayed

I hope

I (really/ quite) like

I live

I love

I miss

I (once) stayed

I think… ruins

I understand the appeal of

I used to live

I (don’t/ really) want

I wish

I would(n’t) choose

I would(n’t) like

I would(n’t) pay (extra) for

I’d love

I’m planning to

If I could choose anything

If I had the money

In my neighbourhood

It’s important for me that

Life would be easier if

Life would be nicer if

My ambition is to

My area needs more

My family home

My grandparents

There are too many

 

 

affordable

ancient/ historic/ old

authentic – fake/ mock

boring/ bland/ dull

brick/ stone

compact/ cosy

concrete

converted

designer/ elegant/ stylish

(semi-)detached

exclusive

(un)furnished

gorgeous/ stunning

ground – top

hideous/ ugly

high-rise – low-rise

holiday/ vacation

huge/ large/ spacious

identikit

impressive

inner city – suburban

Instagrammable

isolated – well-connected

luxury/ luxurious/ posh

modern – traditional

newly-built

open plan

public – private

renovated – rundown

rented

roof-top

second

self-catering

serviced

shared

sheltered

simple – ornate/ fancy

…-storey

student

studio

subsidised

terraced

thatched

time-share

typical

wooden/ log

accommodation

Airbnb

apartment (block)/ flat

attic/ loft

B&B

balcony

basement/ cellar

bungalow

cabin

caravan/ trailer

castle/ palace

chalet

concierge/ doorman

condo(minium)

cottage

dorm/ halls

exterior – interior

floor

flooring

garden

home

host family

hostel

hotel/ motel

house

housing estate

hut

inn

kitchen

lobby

mansion

nursing home

patio

penthouse

(bed/ dining/ living) room

shack

shed

squat

storage space

tent

terrace

(camper) van/ RV

view

villa

warehouse

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Accommodation collocations

In each section below, join one of the nine starters with one of the nine endings to make words and expressions related to accommodation.

 

Air                                                                                                                         attic/ loft/ warehouse

bed and                                                                                                                bnb

camper                                                                                                   breakfast

condo                                                                                                                   cottage

converted                                                                                                             exterior/ interior

cosy/ thatched/ traditional                                                                                 floor

designer/ elegant/ stylish                                                                                  hotel

exclusive/ luxury/ posh                                                                        -minium

ground/ first/ second/ top                                                                                  van

 

-------------------------------------------------------

 

high-rise/ twelve-storey                                                                       apartment block

holiday/ nursing/ second                                                                                   built

host                                                                                                                       cabin

housing                                                                                                  estate

huge                                                                                                                   family

Instagram                                                                                                             home

log                                                                                                                         -mable

low                                                                                                                        mansion

newly                                                                                                                    rise

 

-------------------------------------------------------

 

open                                                                                                                    connected

rent                                                                                                                       dorm/ halls

roof                                                                                                                       -down

run                                                                                                                        -ed

spacious                                                                                                              flooring

storage                                                                                                   interior

student                                                                                                   plan dining room kitchen

well-                                                                                                                      space

wooden                                                                                                  -top terrace/ garden

 

Check as a class.

Brainstorm as many things as you can which commonly go before each word below. Some things could go with more than one, in which case try to make the most common collocation.

 

 

                                                                                                                                            + apartment/ flat

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                            + house

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                            + housing

 

 


Mixed answers

Use these words to help with the task above. Some can go with more than one word above, but try to put them with the one that each goes best with. 

  • affordable
  • brick
  • detached
  • furnished
  • public
  • rented
  • self-catering
  • semi-detached
  • serviced
  • shared
  • shared
  • stone
  • studio
  • subsidised
  • suburban
  • terraced
  • three-storey
  • traditional
  • unfurnished
  • wooden

 

 

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Suggested answers

Other answers are possible, so please check if you put different ones together.

furnished/ rented/ self-catering/ serviced/ shared/ studio/ unfurnished + apartment/ flat

brick/ detached/ semi-detached/ shared/ stone/ terraced/ three-storey/ traditional/ wooden + house

affordable/ public/ subsidised/ suburban + housing

 

Differences between words to describe accommodation

Brainstorm language for talking about similarities and differences, then compare with the list on the first page.

Use similar language to explain the similarities and differences between these terms.

  • apartment/ apartment block
  • apartment/ condo
  • apartment/ house
  • apartment/ room
  • balcony/ terrace
  • brick/ stone
  • bungalow/ cottage
  • ceiling/ roof
  • flat/ studio flat
  • flooring/ wooden flooring
  • gorgeous/ luxurious
  • hideous/ ugly
  • historic/ old
  • home/ house
  • house/ mansion
  • large room/ wide room
  • suburbs/ outskirts/ satellite

 

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