Functional Language Practice:

4 Phrases for gaining time

1 Work in pairs. Look at the advertisement. Discuss the questions.
Have you heard of this kind of scheme? Do you think you / your family would like to try it out?

Eurostay Homeswap
Is hotel accommodation too expensive for your holiday?
Would you prefer to stay in a comfortable family home –
just like your home?
Then why not join our Homeswap Register?
•• U
 pload the details and photos of your
house to our website.
•• L
 ook through our list of members’
houses around Europe.
•• C
 hoose your perfect house, contact the owner and
arrange a Homeswap!

2 Complete the dialogue with the phrases below. 3 Act out the dialogue in groups of three.
a good point ​me see ​now I come to ​ 4 SPEAKING   Work in small groups. You are
things considered ​thinking about ​the thing is planning a short holiday to Madrid and
Mum What do you think about this homeswap idea? you want to discuss the accommodation
It would be a great way of finding accommodation options. There are three possible options.
next time we go on holiday. Compare the different options and state
Dad A homeswap? I’ve never heard of that. Let your opinions.
1
 . I’m not sure, really.
Bob I wouldn’t like it at all. I don’t like the idea of people
being in my house when I’m not there. Wouldn’t that Youth hostel
worry you, Mum?
One small room to share. Use of a small
Mum I suppose 2  , you’d have to trust kitchen. Cheap. 30 minutes from the city
them. centre.
Bob And what about your personal information? They
might read your letters while you’re away.
Dad Actually, 3
with Bob. I think it’s too risky.
think about it, I agree Hotel
One large room to share. Breakfast
Mum Well, 4 it, I believe that sometimes
it’s good to take risks. And it would be a good way to included. Expensive. Five minutes from
experience real life in another country. I think we should the city centre.
try it.
Bob No way! I don’t want a stranger sleeping in my bed.
Dad That’s 5  .
Camping
Mum Oh well. All 6  , I suppose we’ll One medium-sized tent to share.
forget that idea and just go back to the usual week’s A barbecue is available at the campsite.
camping in Devon. Very cheap. One hour from the city
centre.

Solutions Third Edition Intermediate photocopiable © Oxford University Press

4A Describing houses and homes

1 Use the words below to complete the sentences.

attic ​cellar ​drive ​extension ​garage ​
hall ​landing ​patio ​pond ​stairs

1 You keep your car and bicycle in the  .

2 The is at the top of the house. People often store old clothes or furniture there.
3 An is an extra part of the house that is added on later.
4 You go up and down to reach different floors in your house.
5 A is a flat, hard area outside a house. People sit here in warm weather.
6 A is at the top of the stairs. It usually has doors into other rooms.
7 The is the first room you come into when you enter a house.
8 The is under the house.
9 A is a private road which leads from the public road to your house.
10 Some people have fish and beautiful water plants in their  .

2 Rearrange the letters to make words and complete 3 SPEAKING   Work in pairs.
the text. Student A  You are an estate agent. You are trying to
sell a house to Student B. Think of at least ten good
things about the house. You can use the ideas below or
your own ideas:
•• the age of the house
My friends Amy and Rudi live •• how many rooms it has got
in a lovely 1 •• the condition of the house
•• the location
(thcatehd cgtaote) in Wiltshire.
Student B  Student A is trying to sell a house to you.
When they first bought it,
You want to be certain that this house is perfect. Ask
three years ago, it was really an extra question about every fact that Student A
2
(ddaaiilpetd). mentions.
The windows were broken, the roof had a hole This is a really lovely house. It’s 100 years
in it, and it didn’t have a front door! But now it’s old and its history is very interesting.
3
(blaulifeuty reersotd) and they’re very
happy in it. It’s in the 4 (tniy) village of 100 years old! Oh dear.
That’s very old. Is it very dilapidated?
Avebury, which has a population of just 486!

Their previous home was completely different! It was No, of course not. It’s been beautifully restored
a5 (ctooaprnmery) flat in the centre
of Birmingham. The flat was quite 6 Beautifully restored. Hmm. Who …
(scipouas) – it had three large bedrooms and a big
kitchen – and, of course, it was very 7
(ceentloinnvy laocetd) close to the shops, but it wasn’t
as 8 (chmirang) as their cottage.

Solutions Third Edition Intermediate photocopiable © Oxford University Press

4B Comparison

1 Choose the correct words to complete the sentences.

1 There are fewer / less shops in this area, but it’s much more convenient for work.
2 It’s the most beautiful house I’ve ever / never seen.
3 The traffic is far heavy / heavier than it used to be.
4 Our neighbours are getting more / noisier and noisier.
5 We can get to your house more quickly / quick if we take the bus.
6 The harder we look for a house, the much / more difficult it gets.
7 Your bedroom is much bigger for / than mine.
8 This is the least / worst expensive house in the street.

2 Complete the email with the words and phrases below.

better and better ​cheaper ​fewer ​further ​impressive ​I’ve ever seen ​less ​most

Message Options

Hi Freya,
It was great to hear from you, and I’m really pleased that you’re planning to move
here. You wanted some advice about different areas in the city, so here are my favourite
three places.

South Hollifield is probably the 1 charming part of the city. It’s got some
beautiful big houses and some really interesting shops and restaurants. But I know that
you’re looking for a flat and unfortunately there are 2 flats in this area.
Upper Hollifield is in the north of the city. The houses here are much less
3
than in South Hollifield, and of course they’re also much
4
 . But I think that the area is getting 5  . There’s
6
crime here than there used to be and the new school is very good.
The third area to consider is Lower Greenside. This is a contemporary development
and it’s got some of the most unusual houses and flats 7  ! It is
8
from the centre of town, but the public transport system is excellent.

Hope that’s helpful!

Lots of love
Kay

3 SPEAKING   Work in pairs. Complete the table with your own opinions. Then ask and answer questions to find out
your partner’s ideas.

Me My partner What’s the most boring

book you’ve ever read?
most boring book / ever read

least expensive thing / in my bag

I think the most boring book
most difficult exam / ever take I’ve ever read was the first
Harry Potter book.
best actor / ever see

worst song / ever hear

Really? I loved it! The most boring
most expensive thing / in my room book I’ve ever read was …

Solutions Third Edition Intermediate photocopiable © Oxford University Press

4D Imaginary situations

1 Match the sentence halves.

1 If I lived in the country, a if I had a car.
2 If I couldn’t swim, b I would learn to speak Spanish.
3 If my house were bigger, c if the traffic wasn’t so noisy.
4 I wouldn’t walk to college d if we lived closer to them.
5 I’d visit my grandparents every weekend e if we had a bigger garden.
6 I’d get a dog f I’d go for long walks every day.
7 If I moved to Spain, g I’d have my own bedroom.
8 I would sleep better h I wouldn’t enjoy a beach holiday.

2 Complete the text with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.

I wish my sister 1
(not come) into my room. If only
I 2
(have) a lock on my bedroom door! She’s always
borrowing my stuff. If I 3
(take) her things, she
4
(get) really annoyed. And I wish she 5

(not play) her music so loudly. I can’t do my homework because

of the noise. If only I 6
(can) go to my friend’s house.
If I 7
(be) at Rachel’s house, we 8
(can)
do our homework together and then watch TV.

3 SPEAKING   Work in groups.

•• T ake it in turns to choose one of the situations below.
•• Complain about your situation. Make sentences beginning with If only or I wish.
•• Time each person in the group. Who can continue talking for the longest?

use you live

You are very annoyed beca
like it.
in the country and you don’t
If only I were in the city
. Life in the country is so
boring. I wish I lived clo
ser to the shops. If only
I…

You are very stre

ssed because you
city and you don live in the
’t like it.

You are very bored becaus

e your because your
journey to school is long. You are very upset
than your
bedroom is smaller
bedroom.
brother’s / sister’s

Solutions Third Edition Intermediate photocopiable © Oxford University Press