Intermediate Level
Page 1
Casual conversation: Cities
Having trouble with conversation?
This unit will help you speak about the city you come from with fluency.
There are two examples with some questions and gap fill exercises. Then its your turn to describe your own
city in worksheet 4. Use these worksheets to build up your vocabulary and add some simple phrases to your
future conversations.
Just remember: this unit of work will help you ask and answer questions about cities but you need to go out
and practice speaking them with other people if you want the words and phrases to stay in your head!
___________________
Match the city with the picture.
Singapore
Paris
What do you know about Paris and/or Singapore?
________________________________________________________________
Imagine you meet someone from Singapore or Paris at your school. What questions could you ask to find out
more about the city?
1.
_________________________________________________________________
2.
_________________________________________________________________
3.
_________________________________________________________________
4.
_________________________________________________________________
Worksheet 1
Casual conversation: Pierre talks about his native city.
Look at this conversation between Pierre and Yumi and answer the question underneath.
Yumi: Hello Pierre, I havent seen you for ages. How are you?
Pierre: Hi Yumi! Im great. How about you?
Yumi: Not bad thanks. Where do you come from Pierre?
Pierre: Paris, in France.
Yumi: Wheres that? Can you show me on the map?
Pierre: Sure. Its not far from London.
Yumi: Whats Paris like?
Pierre: Its a very beautiful city. There are some lovely old buildings and interesting sights like the
Eiffel Tower. There are also many good restaurants and cafes. Theres a big river called the Seine that goes
through the city and you can go on a boat along the river.
Yumi: It sounds like a lovely place. What are the people in Paris like?
Pierre: Well, they are friendly if you try to speak a little French but they can be a bit too proud
Yumi: Hmm, Whats the food like?
Pierre: Delicious! There are some really nice dishes like quiche and Coq au Vin, which is a chicken and
wine dish. I love it. And there are also many great cakes because we have a lot of bakeries in France.
Yumi: I m sure I would love Paris because I love eating cakes! Whats the weather like?
Pierre: Well, it can be very nice in summer but winters are cold.
Yumi: And whats the shopping like in Paris?
Pierre: If you like shopping, you will love Paris. Its a shoppers paradise! You can buy some beautiful
clothes and lovely perfumes. Paris has a lot of artists so you can buy artworks too.
Yumi: Sounds great. Id love to go there.
Pierre: Yes, you should go one day.
Yumi: Oh, I didnt realize the time. I have to go. I have to meet a friend.
Pierre: OK. Ill see you later Yumi.
Yumi: OK. See you!
Questions:
1.
How did Yumi ask for a general description of Paris? _____________________________
2.
Pierre gave many descriptive words in his answer. Write some of the adjectives Pierre used to
describe Paris. __________________________________________________________
3.
Coq au Vin is a French name but Pierre describes what it is in English for Yumi. What word does
he use to say this? Coq ua Vin, _______ is a chicken and wine dish
4.
Why does Yumi end the conversation? _________________________________________
Worksheet 2
Casual conversation: Andrew talks about his native city.
Look at this conversation between Andrew and Karen. Practice saying the conversation with a partner or by yourself out loud. Try to remember some of the lines.
Karen: Hello Andrew, I havent seen you for ages. How are you?
Andrew: Hi Karen! Im great. How about you?
Karen: Not bad, thanks. Where do you come from Andrew?
Andrew: Singapore.
Karen: Wheres that? Can you show me on the map?
Andrew: Sure. Its here, not far from Malaysia.
Karen: Whats Singapore like?
Andrew: Its a very interesting city. There are some great outdoor markets and interesting sights like
The Singapore Lion. There is an island called Sentosa that has a lot of theme parks and tourist sights such as
a war museum. It even has a beach. There are also many good outdoor street restaurants all over Singapore.
It is an important place for trade so you can see many container ships.
Karen: It sounds like a lovely place. What are the people in Singapore like?
Andrew: Well, they are mostly friendly people but they are always rushing. Everybody is busy in Singapore, even the children.
Karen: Hmm, Whats the food like?
Andrew: Delicious!. Singapore has a huge range of cuisines such as Chinese, Indian, Malay and nonya.
There are some really nice curries from India and great stir-fry and dumpling dishes from China. The Malay
dishes are spicy. My favourite dish is called Keow Tao which is a dry noodle dish.. I love it. I didnt like the
sweets much.
Karen: Im sure I would love Singapore because I love eating curries! Whats the weather like?
Andrew: Well, its about 31 degrees all year round. It is quite humid but you get used to it. Singapore
doesnt have seasons like here in Australia because its right on the equator. Instead there is the rainy season.
During this time it pours every afternoon for a few hours. .
Karen: And whats the shopping like in Singapore?
Andrew: If you like shopping, you will love Singapore. It is a shoppers paradise! You can buy some anything you want but watches and jewelery are especially cheap. There are many designer clothes shops.
Karen: Sounds great. Id love to go there. Maybe I will go there one day.
Andrew: Yes, you should go one day. Youd love it.
Karen: OK, I will. Oh, I didnt realize the time. I have to go. I have to catch my bus.
Andrew: OK. See you Karen. Ill see you at school tomorrow
Karen: OK. Catch you later!
Worksheet 3
Casual conversation: Andrew talks about his native city.
Fill in the gaps of this conversation between Andrew and Karen.
Check your answers on worksheet 2
Karen: Hello Andrew, I ____________seen you for ages. How are you?
Andrew: Hi Karen!. Im great. ____ about you?
Karen: Not ____, thanks. Where __ ____ ____ ____Andrew?
Andrew: Singapore.
Karen: Wheres _____? Can you _______ me __ the map?
Andrew: Sure. Its here, not ____ _____Malaysia.
Karen: Whats Singapore like?
Andrew: Its a very interesting city. There are _________ great outdoor markets and interesting sights
______ the Singapore Lion. There ___ an island called Sentosa that ____a lot of theme parks and tourist
sights _____ __ a beach . There ___ also many good outdoor street restaurants. It ___ an important place for
trade so you ____ see many container ships.
Karen: It __________ like a lovely place. What ____ the people ___ Singapore like?
Andrew: Well, they ___ friendly people but they are always rushing. Everybody __ busy ___ Singapore,
even the children.
Karen: Hmm, Whats ____ food like?
Andrew: Delicious! Singapore ____ __ huge range of cuisines _____ __ Chinese, Indian, Malay and nonya.
There ___ some really nice curries from India and great stir-fry and dumpling dishes _____ China. The Malay dishes ___ spicy. My favourite dish __called Keow Tao which__ a dry noodle dish.. I love it. I didnt like
the sweets much.
Karen: Im sure I would love Singapore _________ I love eating curries! _________ the weather like?
Andrew: Well, _____ about 31 degrees all year round. _________ quite humid but you get used to it. Singapore doesnt have seasons like here __ Australia _________ its right on the equator. Instead there is ____
rainy season. During this time it pours every afternoon ____a few hours. .
Karen: And whats the shopping like in Paris?
Andrew: If you like shopping, you will love Singapore. It is a shoppers paradise! You ____ buy some anything you want but watches and jewellery ___ especially cheap. There ___ many designer clothes shops.
Karen: Sounds great. Id love ___ ___ there. Maybe I ____go there one day.
Andrew: Yes, you __________ go one day. Youd love ___.
Karen: OK, I will. Oh, I didnt __________ the time. I have to go. I _____ __ catch my bus.
Andrew: OK. See you Karen, Ill see you __ school tomorrow
Karen: OK. Catch you later!
Worksheet 4
Casual conversation: talking about your native city.
Now its your turn to talk about the city you come from. Use the conversations of Pierre with Yumi and
Andrew with Karen to help you write your own conversation below.
Friend: Hello _________, I havent seen you for ages. How are you?
You:
Hi ______! ____ ______. How about you?
Friend: Not bad, thanks. Where do you come from _________?
You:
______, in ___________.
Friend: Wheres that? Can you show me on the map?
You:
Sure. Its here, not far from ___________.
Friend: Whats _________ like?
You: _________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Friend: It sounds like a lovely place. What are the people like?
You: _________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Friend: Hmm, Whats the food like?
You: ________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Friend: I m sure I would love ________ because I love eating __________! Whats the weather like?
You:
_______________________________________________________________________
Friend: Andwhats the shopping like in ___________?
You: ________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Friend: Sounds great. Id love to go there. Maybe I will go there one day.
You: Yes, you should go one day. Youd love it
Friend: OK, I will. Oh, I didnt realize the time. I better go. I have to ________________________.
You: OK. Ill see you at school tomorrow.
Friend: OK. See you!
Worksheet 5
Right or wrong?
Look at the sentences below. Are they correct?
If the sentence is correct, tick it.
If it is incorrect, circle the mistake and write the sentence out correctly underneath.
1.
I havent seen you for ages.
2.
Whats the shopping like on your city?
3.
Can you show me on the map?
4.
You should go there one day.
5.
Id love to went there.
6.
See you on school tomorrow.
7.
It sounds like a lovely place.
8.
Whats the food like?
9.
Im sure I would love it because I love eating cakes.
10.
Maybe I will go there one days.
11.
What are the weather like?
12.
I didnt realize the time. I better go.
13.
There has some really nice curries from India.
14.
My favourite dish are called Keow Tao.
15.
I love eating curries.
16.
Its about 31 degrees all year round.
17.
It has huge range of cuisines.
18.
There are some great outdoor restaurants.
19.
Everybody is busy at Singapore.
20.
There is an island called Sentosa that has a lot of themes parks
Answers
Worksheet 1
1.
Whats Paris like?
2.
Lovely, interesting, good, big,, etc
3.
Coq ua Vin, which is a chicken and wine dish
4.
She has to meet a friend.
Worksheet 5
1.
I havent seen you for ages. (right)
2.
Whats the shopping like in your city?
3.
Can you show me on the map? (right)
4.
You should go there one day. (right)
5.
Id love to go there.
6.
See you at school tomorrow.
7.
It sounds like a lovely place. (right)
8.
Whats the food like? (right)
9.
Im sure I would love it because I love eating cakes. (right)
10.
Maybe I will go there one day.
11.
Whats the weather like?
12.
I didnt realize the time. I better go. (right)
13.
There are some really nice curries from India.
14.
My favourite dish is called Keow Tao.
15.
I love eating curries. (right)
16.
Its about 31 degrees all year round. (right)
17.
It has a huge range of cuisines.
18.
There are some great outdoor restaurants. (right)
19.
Everybody is busy in Singapore.
20.
There is an island called Sentosa that has a lot of themes parks. (right)
