ESL Houses Writing

There are four activities for you to do on this ESL houses writing page, and by doing them you will get better at using housing vocabulary. This will mean you will be able to speak and write better when you really need to.

Doing writing exercises is a good way for you to be able to learn vocabulary well. When writing you have much more time to think about the best word to use and consider several alternatives. This really helps you learn and get to know the vocabulary. If you need any help with choosing and using the correct vocabulary while doing these ESL houses writing exercises you can look at the ESL houses vocabulary page.

The four exercises are as follows:

• A list of topics for you to write about.
• A passage that you need to write a summary of.
• A picture that you need to describe.
• Some role-play topics that you need to write about.

ESL Houses Writing Exercises

Exercise 1 – Writing Topics

In this ESL houses writing exercise to need to write as much as you can about one of the following topics. Pick a topic that interests you and then use full sentences and paragraphs to write about it. The more you write the better you will get, so write as much as possible and use as much of the hoses vocabulary as you can. Then if you want to you can also write something about the other two topics.

• Describe what the house or apartment is like that you live in now.
• Describe the sort of outside areas a house might have.
• In your opinion, what is the best sort of house or apartment to live in?

Exercise 2 – Writing a Summary

For the next ESL houses writing exercise you need to read and understand the following passage and then write a summary of it. That means you need to rewrite it so the number of words is less but it has the same main ideas and uses new or different words and sentences to say them.

Choosing an Appropriate Apartment

When you are looking to rent an apartment, there are many things to remember. You must look carefully at your budget, the area, and overall quality of the apartment. These things are very important because if you are not careful, you might end up regretting your rental decision!

The first thing you should do when choosing an apartment is to look at your budget. It is probably best to decide on the amount and then only visit apartments that you know are affordable. It is good advice to avoid visiting any rentals that are out of your budget, so you are not tempted to rent an apartment that is too expensive for you. Most rental companies will require you to show proof of income and will only allow you to pay a maximum of one-third of your monthly earnings anyway.

In addition to your budget, you should also consider location when selecting an apartment. It is important to look at the neighborhood and gather information related to safety and crime. You can easily contact the local police or do a Google search to find out about whether or not the location frequently experiences any problems. You should also find out about what kinds of local businesses are close to the area (supermarkets, gas stations, etc.) and consider the travel distance to your current job.

If the location is good and the apartment is affordable, then your last step is to visit the apartment in person. You should never rely on pictures, as they can make a flat look nicer or cleaner than it really is. In addition, if you visit the rental yourself, you can check to see whether or not anything is damaged, if there is any problem with insects, and if the complex and area is quiet or noisy.  

Exercise 3 – Describing a Picture

For this ESL houses writing task you need to look at the following picture and then describe what it is showing. You should describe the picture but also imagine what the things are like that you cannot see, for example, what is the house like inside or what will the other buildings be. Write about and include as many details as you can manage.

Exercise 4 – Writing –Role-Plays

For the final ESL housing writing activity you need to write a role-play about houses using either one of the following role-play descriptions. Each description tells you where it happens, what is happening and who is taking part. You need to write the words that each of the participant would say to each other. Once you have finished you could act out the role-play with your friends.

Role-play 1

• Location: In a café.
• Situation: 1 friend is describing what the new apartment is like that they will live in.
• Participants: Group of friends (about 3).

Role-play 2

• Location: In a house.
• Situation: An exchange student has come to live with a family and they are describing where everything is in the house.
• Participants: Exchange student and 3 family members.