Part 1
1. Have you ever had to live in a place where there was no room to swing a cat? Did living in cramped accommodation bother you?
2. How important is decoration in making a house feel like a home? Can you give examples of how different decoration styles can influence the atmosphere of a living space?
3. Have you ever done up a room or rooms in your home? What steps did you take to redecorate the space, and what was the end result?
4. What role does an estate agent play in the process of buying or renting a home? Do you think they deserve the commission they receive?
5. At what age do young people in your country usually get on the property ladder? What difficulties do young people face in doing this?
6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a high-rise building compared to a house or bungalow? Consider factors like space, privacy, and views.
7. Is homeownership important in your country? Why?
Part 2
8. Have you ever had a landlord? What were your experiences like with him/ her?
9. In what ways have you made the place where you live your own? What items of decoration, furniture or paint have you added that makes it feel like home?
10. Is privacy an important factor for you when choosing a place to live? What factors can increase privacy in your home?
11. What does it mean to "put in" or "put up" in the context of home improvement? Can you share examples of projects that involved putting something in or putting something up?
12. Have you ever had to relocate for professional reasons? Was it the right decision to move?
13. When choosing a property is it more important to you to be in a good location, or to have a more spacious home?
14. Do you think owning a home ties you down? Why/ why not?
VOCABULARY
Topic Vocabulary:
cramped (adjective):
Definition: Feeling confined or crowded due to a lack of space.
Example: The studio apartment was so small that it felt cramped when more than one person was inside.
decoration (noun [c]):
Definition: An item or material used to improve the appearance of a room.
Example: She spent the weekend putting up Christmas decorations around the house.
do up (phrasal verb):
Definition: To renovate or redecorate.
Example: We're going to do up the kitchen with new cabinets and appliances.
estate agent (noun [c]):
Definition: A professional who assists in buying, selling, or renting properties.
Example: They hired an estate agent to help them find their dream home.
get on the property ladder (idiom):
Definition: Buy your first home.
Example: She was finally able to get on the property ladder thanks to the money her grandmother left her.
high-rise building (noun phrase):
Definition: A tall building that has many floors.
Example: The city skyline was dominated by high-rise buildings and skyscrapers.
homeownership (noun [u]):
Definition: Owning one's own home.
Example: Homeownership can provide a sense of stability and financial security.
landlord (noun [c]):
Definition: A person who owns and rents out a property to other people.
Example: The landlord was very responsive and quickly fixed any issues that came up with the apartment.
make it your own (idiom):
Definition: To personalise or customise a space or object to one's own tastes or preferences.
Example: She painted the walls and rearranged the furniture to make the apartment her own.
no room to swing a cat (idiom):
Definition: To have very little space in a room.
Example: The tiny apartment was so cramped, there wasn't even room to swing a cat.
privacy (noun [u]):
Definition: Being left alone so other people do not see or know what you are doing.
Example: She closed the door for some privacy while she talked on the phone.
property (noun [c]):
Definition: Land, a house, flat or commercial building.
Example: The farm has a lot of land and several buildings, so it's a big property.
put in (phrasal verb):
Definition: To install or add something, such as equipment or machinery.
Example: They need to put in new air conditioning units before summer.
put up (phrasal verb):
Definition: To put pictures, shelves or other items on the walls.
Example: I put up some new shelves in the living room over the weekend.
relocate (verb):
Definition: To move to a new town, area or country.
Example: They decided to relocate to a different city for better job opportunities.
settle down (phrasal verb):
Definition: To decide to live somewhere permanently, often when also starting a family.
Example: After years of travelling, he finally decided to settle down and buy a house.
spacious (adjective):
Definition: Having a lot of room or space.
Example: The living room was spacious, with high ceilings and plenty of natural light.
tie down (phrasal verb):
Definition: To limit one's ability to move or be flexible, often because of a financial or legal commitment.
Example: Buying a home can tie you down to a specific location for a number of years.
well-equipped (adjective):
Definition: Having all the necessary tools, resources, or amenities for a particular purpose or activity.
Example: The kitchen is well-equipped with an oven, microwave, fridge and many other appliances.
well-lit (adjective):
Definition: Having lots of lighting from natural or artificial sources.
Example: The living room is so well-lit because of its large windows.
Exercise 1: Gap-fill Exercise
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word or phrase from the list provided.
1. The ___________ owns several rental properties in the neighbourhood.
2. The apartment was so ___________ that they could barely move around.
3. The couple wanted the ___________ of the house to reflect their personal style.
4. Apartments are really convenient but you lack the ___________ of a house.
5. The apartment was absolutely tiny, there was ___________.
6. The decision to ___________ required careful consideration of job opportunities and lifestyle.
7. Thanks to a variety of floor-standing lamps and ceiling lighting, the living room was ___________.
8. She hired an interior designer to help her ___________ her new home.
9. After having a baby they were keen to ___________ and put down roots in the community.
10. The new house was so ___________ that they could host large gatherings comfortably.
11. The young couple wanted to ___________ but they were struggling to find a cheap mortgage
12. The ___________ offered stunning views of the city skyline.
13. She didn’t want to be ___________ so she always rented.
high-rise building
privacy
settle down
cramped
relocate
decoration
tied down
landlord
well-lit
no room to swing a cat
Exercise 2: Multiple-Choice Exercise
Choose the best word to complete each sentence.
1. The ___________ found them a lovely 2 bedroom villa near the beach.
a) estate agent
b) landlord
c) tennant
2. Although they wanted to redecorate the house to ___________ the landlord wouldn’t allow it.
a) get on the property ladder
b) do up
c) make it their own
3. The holiday apartment was ___________ so that renters had everything they needed.
a) no room to swing a cat
b) well-equipped
c) spacious
4. The streets around the neighbourhood are ___________ so you feel safe at night.
a) dimly lit
b) bright
c) well-lit
5. The couple decided to ___________ the house to reflect their personal style.
a) put up
b) do up
c) put in
6. The government is trying to encourage ____________ by offering tax breaks for first time buyers.
a) landlords
b) homeownership
c) estate agents
Exercise 3: Gap-fill Exercise
Complete the story with an appropriate word or phrase.
Christine and Mark had been looking for a new house for several months. Although their 1.___________ had shown them around several properties, none had met their demanding requirements. They wanted a 2.___________ three bedroom house so that they would both have plenty of room to work from home. They wanted somewhere that was newly decorated so that they wouldn’t need to 3.___________ the place themselves. Christine intended to 4.___________ some paintings on the walls, but they just didn’t have time to deal with painters and decorators. 5.___________ was a major concern as well, as Mark hated being surrounded by noisy neighbours, so they wanted a house at the end of a cul-de-sac, and with a tall hedge or wall surrounding the house.
Vocabulary Answer Key:
Exercise 1: 1. landlord, 2. cramped, 3. decoration, 4. privacy, 5. no room to swing a cat, 6. relocate, 7. well-lit, 8. do up, 9. settle down, 10. spacious,11. get on the property ladder, 12. high-rise building, 13. tied down
Exercise 2: 1. estate agent, 2. make it their own, 3. well-equipped, 4. well-lit, 5. do up, 6. Homeownership
Exercise 3: 1. estate agent, 2. spacious, 3. do up, 4. put up, 5. privacy
Advanced Discussion Questions
18. Home
SPEAKING
