Lesson 1571: My Hometown

Level: A1–A2
Topic: Places in Town
Grammar Focus: There is / There are; Is there / Are there
Skills: Listening, Vocabulary, Speaking, Grammar
Materials: Video/audio, worksheet, multiple-choice quiz, gap-fill, word puzzle

1. Vocabulary Warm-Up

Give students the worksheet.

Have them match the places in town with the pictures.

Use the pictures to set the scene and introduce the vocabulary before students listen.

2. First Listening – Put the Pictures in Order

Play Sarah's conversation about her hometown in Wisconsin.

Students listen and number the pictures in the order the places are mentioned.

After listening, have students compare their answers with a partner.

3. Listening for Detail – Multiple-Choice Quiz

Have students look at the multiple-choice questions.

Play the audio again. Students listen for details and answer the questions.

Have students compare their answers before checking as a class.

4. Discussion – My Town

Use the five discussion questions at the bottom of the worksheet.

Students work in pairs and talk about their own towns or neighborhoods.

For homework, students can write their answers next to the questions and then discuss them with classmates the next day.

5. Noticing Activity – Gap Fill

Have students work with the transcript.

Students listen for the missing words and complete the gaps.

This is a simple way to slow down the listening and help students notice the language Sarah uses when describing her town.

Afterward, students can compare answers and listen again to check.

6. Grammar Focus – There Is / There Are

Review how we use there is and there are to talk about places.

There is + singular

• There is a cafe near my house.

• There is a library in my town.

There are + plural

• There are two parks in my town.

• There are many restaurants downtown.

Also review the question forms:

Is there + singular?
Are there + plural?

Students can use the short grammar explanation provided with the lesson for additional practice.

7. Places in Town Word Puzzle

Give students the printable word puzzle.

Students are given a question, a clue, and the first letter of a place in town. They use the context to figure out the missing word.

For example:

Is there a b_____ in your town? I love bread.
→ bakery

Is there a c_____ in your town? I want some coffee.
→ cafe

Is there a d_____ in this town? My tooth hurts.
→ dentist

Students can work individually or in pairs to complete the puzzle.

8. Turn the Puzzle into a Speaking Activity

After completing the puzzle, reuse the same sentences for conversation practice.

Students ask each other questions about their towns:

Is there a bakery in your town?
Is there a cafe near your house?
Is there a dentist near your school?

Encourage students to give a little extra information rather than just answering yes or no.

9. Homework / Self-Study

The worksheet includes a QR code, so students can access the audio on their phones.

For homework, students can:

• Listen to the conversation again.

• Complete the multiple-choice quiz.

• Complete the gap-fill activity.

• Write answers to the discussion questions.

The quiz and full transcript are also available online.

Suggested Lesson Flow

Vocabulary → First Listening → Picture Order → Multiple-Choice Quiz → Gap Fill → There Is / There Are → Word Puzzle → Speaking

The final word puzzle can easily become a communicative activity: students first figure out the places from the clues and then use the same questions to talk about their own towns.