ESL Houses Reading

This page about ESL houses reading has a reading passage for you to read and understand, after which there are some questions for you to answer about the passage. This will help you learn and get used to using housing vocabulary.

Being able to talk about your home or what you want when you buy a house or rent a flat or apartment is very important when you are living in an English speaking country. Everyone needs somewhere to live, and you will need to be able to explain what sort of house you want to live in.

By doing the comprehension task on this page you will need to learn all the words related houses and homes. If you do not know any of the words from the passage you can look at the vocabulary list on the ESL houses vocabulary page that has definitions of the words.

Once you have finished reading the ESL houses reading passage and answering the questions you can click the get score button to see how many you got right and what the correct answers were.

ESL Houses Reading Comprehension Passage

Buying a House or Rent an Apartment

There are many things to consider when choosing to buy a house or rent an apartment. For example, you should think about space, finances, long-term plans, and even responsibility for repairs and maintenance. This is a big choice for any individual or family, one which requires careful thought in order to choose what is best for you.

Your financial situation is probably the easiest and simplest thing that you should consider. Whether you plan to rent or buy, you will probably be making monthly payments. But how much money can you afford to pay each month? The general rule is that you should spend no more than one-third of your monthly income on housing. In addition, this rule is followed by many apartment companies who require potential renters to show monthly bank statements to prove that they can afford to live there.

Another important consideration is your need for space. If you are a single person, an apartment will probably be the best choice. However, if you are married with children, you might prefer to buy a house, since they are bigger and usually include a yard, which is great for kids to run and play.  

One of the most important things to think about when choosing between renting an apartment and buying a house are your long-term plans. For example, if you are not sure whether or not you plan to permanently stay in your current city or town, then you should avoid buying a home. Many times people make this mistake and find that it is difficult to resell the house when they would like to leave the area. On the other hand, if you are positive that you will live there for the rest of your life (or at least for many years), buying a house might be your best option.

In addition to the above, you will need to decide if you are able and willing to take responsibility for repairs and maintenance. If you rent an apartment, things such as mowing the yard, pest control, and repairs will be taken care of for you. However, if you buy your own home, all of this will be your responsibility. Home repairs can be very expensive, so you should ask yourself if you have enough money to make repairs in case of an emergency. Also, things like mowing the yard may be easy for a young, healthy person but difficult or impossible for an older individual.

ESL Houses Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension questions that go with the above reading passage.

1) According to the passage, what should you think about when choosing between buying a house and renting an apartment?

    A) You should think about space, finances, long-term plans, and responsibility for repairs and maintenance.
    B) You should think about space, neighbors, short-term plans, and responsibility for repairs and maintenance.
    C) You should think about neighbors, long-term plans, short-term plans, finances, and space.
    D) The passage doesn’t tell you to think about anything when choosing between buying a house and renting an apartment.

2) According to the passage, when might buying a house be your best option?

    A) When you have a lot of money saved.
    B) When you cannot find an apartment that you like.
    C) When you feel like it is the right time to buy a house.
    D) When you are positive that you will live in your current location for many years.

3) According to the passage, which of the following is true about houses?

    A) Houses are more expensive per month than apartments.
    B) Houses are usually in better condition than apartments.
    C) Houses are easier to repair and maintain than apartments.
    D) Houses are bigger than apartments and usually include a yard.

4) According to the passage, what might older individuals have trouble doing?

    A) Painting a house or apartment
    B) Mowing the yard
    C) Reselling a house
    D) Making monthly payments

5) According to the passage, what should you ask yourself about home repairs and maintenance?

    A) You should ask yourself if you know anyone to who can do repairs for you.
    B) You should ask yourself if you have enough money saved to pay for repairs in an emergency.
    C) You should ask yourself if you are healthy enough to do the repairs yourself.
    D) You should ask yourself if there is a home repair store near you.

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