How Do I Get There? Asking for Directions

Imagine you have just arrived in a town you have never visited before. Your phone has no battery. You need to find the library — but you have no idea where it is. What would you do? You would have to ask someone! Asking for directions is one of the most useful language skills in the world. People use it every single day, in every country. Today you will learn exactly how to do it.

When you ask for directions, you need two things: a question to start with, and direction words to understand the answer. **Starting your question** There are two great ways to ask: • 'Excuse me, where is the [place]?' • 'Excuse me, how do I get to the [place]?' Always begin with 'Excuse me' — it is polite and gets the other person's attention. **Direction words** Here are the most important direction words you need to know: • Left — the side of your left hand. • Right — the side of your right hand. • Straight on — keep going forward, do not turn. • Past — go beyond something (for example, 'past the school'). • Turn — change the direction you are walking. • Corner — the point where two streets meet. **How a conversation sounds** You say: 'Excuse me, how do I get to the post office?' Someone answers: 'Go straight on, then turn left at the corner. It is past the park on your right.' Notice how the answer uses several direction words together. If you know the words, you can follow the instructions step by step.