An invitation to a party

Listen to some phone messages with directions to practise and improve your listening skills.

Do the preparation task first. Then listen to the audio and do the exercises.

Preparation

Transcript

Automated message: You have two new messages. Message number one, received today at 3.45 p.m.

Hi, it's me. How's it going? I guess you're at work and you don't have your phone on, right? First of all, thank you, THANK YOU for the birthday card and message. I received it this morning. That's so nice of you. I'm organising a little party for my birthday. It's nothing very big – only a few of my best and closest friends. That means you too! We're going to have it at my cousin's house. She lives in the countryside in a nice big house with a swimming pool. I'd love to see you there. It's going to be this Friday. I'll send you the instructions on how to get there later, OK?

Anyway, have fun at work. Don't work too hard, OK? Talk soon.

Automated message: You have two new messages. Message number two, received today at 5.15 p.m.

Aw, you're still not answering your phone! OK, here are the instructions to get to my cousin's house for the party. Are you going to take your car? If you take the car, drive straight on Forest Road until you get to the motorway. Drive past Brownsville and take exit 13A. That's 13A. You drive down the road there and turn left. It's the first big house on the right. OK? If you're taking a bus, you can get the number 80 to Brownsville. Call me when you get there and somebody can pick you up in a car. I can't wait. This is going to be so great!

Task 1

Exercise

Task 2

Exercise

Discussion

Is it easy to get lost in your town? Have you ever given directions to a visitor?

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Language level

A2 Pre-intermediate

I live in a city of about 130,000 people; in the center of the city the streets intersect at right angle; therefore it's easy to be oriented; but it's more difficult in the suburbs, where urban settlement has expanded chaotically. I have rarely given directions to a visitor.

Sir What does 'That's so nice of you' mean? Some says it is the expression of praising and some express it as thankfulness. Which one is correct?

Hello Emily Mellor

In the situation on this page, I'd say it's an expression of gratitude (thankfulness) for the other person's thoughtfulness (which is also a kind of praise).

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

Thanks a lot, Sir.

Yes, it easy to get lost in my town, because most the buildings looks the same, and have the same white color. Yes I have given directions to a visitors many times.

I think it isn't easy to get lost in my town. But for visitors, they can get lost because there aren't a lot of visible indicators everywhere. People in Myanmar are mostly helpful. So, if you get lost, you can ask everyone. They will give you directions. Or if you take bus, you can ask the driver and everyone on the bus too. I have given directions to a visitor. When someone ask me directions, I explain in details .

No, in my city isn´t easy lost because the subway runs through the entire city so you can enter any station and get any address. If you take a bus you can ask the driver and he will indicate the sector you are looking for. If you go on foot you can ask the workers of the newspaper kiosks or in a store. Now, if you go by car, you can use the app or ask the traffic police.

I live in Kabul, Afghanistan. There aren't enough signs in the sides of roads or alleys don't have special name or sometimes the names aren't written at the beginning of them. So, it is easy to get lost and it is too difficult to find an address or give instruction to somebody. Yes, I have given a lot of directions. When I invite somebody by invitation cards, then I usually write the exact address of my house on it. On the other hand, if somebody want to come my home, they should call me to get exact address. Most of time, I should go to get my friends at my house. The government is going to plan for nomination of each alleys, but it will take a long time to complete this program. I hope that complete very soon.

I live in the countryside so there are not many roads and it is not difficult to find my house. I have never shown anyone the way because the houses in my hometown are easy to find

It is easy to get lost in your town if you don’t see the road signs while you’re driving.I have also met several foreign guests asking for directions. And I also show them the street number or the place they want to go specifically and in detail.