A Day in London – A Story for Learning English

In this lesson, you will follow two teenagers through London and learn important words and grammatical structures for everyday conversations.

You will practise asking for directions, using public transport, buying food and clothes, asking about prices, making suggestions and having short conversations.

Open this article in your native language and in English side by side in my free PolyglotMona app.

First, try to translate each sentence into English yourself before looking at the English version.

Part 1: A Day in London – 60 Sentences with Questions and Answers

At the Station and on the Underground

01 – Emma and Ben are spending a Saturday in London.

02 – They are standing in front of a large railway station and looking at a city map.

03 – “Where is the nearest underground station?” Emma asks.

04 – “There is a station right next to the railway station,” Ben answers.

05 – “How do we get to London Bridge?” Emma asks.

06 – “We can take the underground,” Ben says.

07 – “How much is a ticket?” Emma asks.

08 – “I don’t know, but we can ask someone,” Ben answers.

09 – “Excuse me, can you help us, please?” Emma asks a member of staff.

10 – “Of course, what would you like to know?” the man answers.

11 – “We want to go to London Bridge,” Ben explains.

12 – “Take this line and get off at London Bridge station,” the member of staff says.

At the Street Market

13 – After the journey, Emma and Ben visit a large street market.

14 – There are lots of small stalls selling food from different countries.

15 – “Are you hungry?” Ben asks.

16 – “Yes, I’m very hungry,” Emma answers.

17 – “Would you like to try some chicken with spicy sauce?” Ben asks.

18 – “No, I don’t like spicy food,” Emma says.

19 – “Is there any vegetarian food here?” she asks.

20 – “Yes, there are lots of vegetarian dishes,” the seller answers.

21 – “I’d like a salad and some bread, please,” Emma says.

22 – “Would you like something to drink, too?” the seller asks.

23 – “Yes, have you got any apple juice?” Emma asks.

24 – “Sorry, we haven’t got any apple juice, but we’ve got some water,” the seller answers.

25 – “Then I’ll have a bottle of water,” Emma says.

26 – “How much is that altogether?” she asks.

27 – “That’s eight pounds, please,” the seller answers.

A Conversation with a Street Seller

28 – A man is selling a magazine in the street.

29 – “Hello, would you like to buy a magazine?” he asks.

30 – “What kind of magazine is it?” Ben asks.

31 – “It’s called The Big Issue,” the man explains.

32 – “Many sellers earn money to support themselves by selling it,” he explains.

33 – “That sounds interesting,” Emma says.

34 – “We can buy a magazine,” Ben suggests.

35 – “Yes, that’s a good idea,” Emma answers.

Shopping for Clothes

36 – In the afternoon, Emma and Ben go to a shopping centre.

37 – “I need some new shoes,” Emma says.

38 – “What colour would you like?” Ben asks.

39 – “I’d like black or white shoes,” Emma answers.

40 – “There are lots of nice shoes here,” Ben says.

41 – “Excuse me, have you got these shoes in my size?” Emma asks the shop assistant.

42 – “What size do you need?” the shop assistant asks.

43 – “I need size 38,” Emma answers.

44 – “We’ve got some black shoes, but we haven’t got any white ones in that size,” the shop assistant explains.

45 – “Can I try on the black shoes?” Emma asks.

46 – “Of course, here they are,” the shop assistant answers.

47 – “They’re comfortable, but they’re a bit expensive,” Emma says.

48 – “How much are they?” Ben asks.

49 – “They’re forty-five pounds,” the shop assistant answers.

50 – “I’ll take them anyway,” Emma decides.

Street Music and Plans for the Evening

51 – A young woman is playing the guitar outside the shopping centre.

52 – Lots of people stop and listen to her.

53 – “She sings really well, doesn’t she?” Emma asks.

54 – “Yes, her voice is beautiful,” Ben answers.

55 – “What shall we do this evening?” Emma asks.

56 – “We could go to the cinema,” Ben suggests.

57 – “That sounds good, but I’d rather go for a walk,” Emma says.

58 – “How about a walk along the Thames?” Ben asks.

59 – “That’s a great idea!” Emma answers.

60 – Together, they walk to the river and enjoy the evening in London.

Part 2: Grammar Made Easy

1. There Is and There Are

In English, we use different forms to say that something exists or can be found somewhere.

We use “there is” with one countable thing or an uncountable noun.

We use “there are” with plural countable nouns.

Example: There is an underground station nearby.

Example: There are lots of shops in this street.

To make a question, we put “is” or “are” before “there”.

Example: Is there a supermarket here?

Example: Are there any black shoes in this shop?

To make negative sentences, we use “isn’t”, “aren’t” or a negative expression with “no”.

Example: There isn’t a railway station here.

Example: There aren’t any white shoes in this shop.

2. Some and Any

In English, we use “some” and “any” to talk about indefinite quantities or numbers.

We usually use “some” in positive sentences.

Example: I’ve got some apples.

Example: We need some water.

We usually use “any” in questions and negative sentences.

Example: Have you got any apples?

Example: We haven’t got any bananas.

An important exception is that we often use “some” in polite offers and requests.

Example: Would you like some water?

Example: Can I have some bread, please?

3. Countable and Uncountable Nouns – Much, Many and A Lot of

In English, we need to distinguish between things we can count and things we cannot count individually.

Countable nouns include shoes, tickets, apples, books and shops.

Uncountable nouns include water, money, music and rice.

We use “many” with plural countable nouns.

Example: How many shops are there here?

We use “much” with uncountable nouns, especially in questions and negative sentences.

Example: How much money do you need?

We can use “a lot of” with both countable and uncountable nouns.

Example: There are a lot of tourists in London.

Example: We’ve got a lot of time.

4. Questions and Negatives in the Simple Present

In English, we need an auxiliary verb to form most questions and negative sentences in the simple present.

We use “do” with I, you, we and they, and “does” with he, she and it.

After “does”, the main verb stays in its base form without an additional ending.

Example: Do you like spicy food?

Example: Does Emma need new shoes?

Example: Ben doesn’t like spicy sauce.

Different rules apply to forms of “be” and modal verbs because they do not normally need an additional “do”.

Example: Is the underground station far away?

Example: Can you help me?

5. Making Suggestions and Responding to Them

In everyday conversations, we often make suggestions and decide together what we would like to do.

There are several useful sentence patterns for making suggestions in English.

Example: We could go to the cinema.

Example: Let’s go for a walk.

Example: How about visiting the museum?

Example: Why don’t we go shopping?

When you agree with a suggestion, you can say that it sounds good or interesting.

When you disagree, you can politely refuse and suggest something else.

Example: That sounds good, but I’d rather go to the museum.

6. Small Talk in Everyday Situations

Small talk often begins with a greeting or a simple question.

Typical topics include the weather, travelling, the city, food and personal interests.

Example: How are you?

Example: I’m fine, thank you.

Example: Is this your first time in London?

Example: Yes, it’s my first time here.

Example: Do you like the city?

Example: Yes, I like it very much.

Part 3: Important Vocabulary for a Day in London

The following vocabulary is organised by everyday situations.

Think about what each word means in your native language.

Getting Around the City

the railway station, the underground, the underground station, the ticket, the line, the city map, the stop, the passenger, the exit, the direction, the bridge, the street, the crossroads, the way, public transport, get on, get off, change trains, go straight on, turn left, turn right, ask someone for directions.

At the Market and Buying Food

the market, the market stall, the seller, the shop assistant, the dish, the chicken, the sauce, the salad, the bread, the vegetables, the juice, the water, the bottle, the portion, the price, spicy, sweet, salty, vegetarian, delicious, hungry, thirsty, try, order, pay.

Clothes and Shopping

the shopping centre, the shop, the clothes, the T-shirt, the shirt, the trousers, the dress, the jumper, the jacket, the shoes, the size, the colour, the price, the special offer, the discount, the shopping bag, cheap, expensive, comfortable, fashionable, fit, try on, buy, sell, return.

People and Free Time

the tourist, the street musician, the street performer, the magazine, the concert, the museum, the cinema, the park, the walk, the river, the sight, the performance, listen, watch, perform, take photos, have a conversation, make a suggestion, agree, disagree.

Part 4: Grammar and Vocabulary Exercises

Try to complete the following exercises without looking at the German version first.

Write your answers in English and then check them using the model answers.

Exercise 1: Translate the Sentences into English

01 – There are lots of interesting shops in London.

02 – Is there an underground station here?

03 – We haven’t got any tickets.

04 – I want to buy some water.

05 – Have you got any money?

06 – How many pairs of shoes have you got?

07 – How much time have we got?

08 – My sister doesn’t like spicy food.

09 – Would you like to try a salad?

10 – We could go shopping this afternoon.

11 – That sounds interesting, but I’d rather go to the museum.

12 – Have you got these shoes in my size?

13 – How much is this T-shirt?

14 – Can you show me the way, please?

15 – Get off at the next station.

Exercise 2: Translate the Questions and Answer Them

01 – Where can you buy tickets in London?

02 – What kinds of public transport are there in London?

03 – What can you buy at a street market?

04 – Do you like spicy food?

05 – What would you like to eat today?

06 – How much money do you need for shopping?

07 – What clothes do you like wearing?

08 – Do you prefer shopping in shops or online?

09 – What can you do in London in the evening?

10 – Which sight would you like to visit?

Exercise 3: Choose the Correct Grammatical Form

Translate the sentences into English and decide which of the given forms you need.

01 – There is a park next to the railway station. (There is / There are)

02 – There are lots of tourists at the market. (There is / There are)

03 – I’ve got some friends in London. (some / any)

04 – Have you got any brothers or sisters? (some / any)

05 – We haven’t got any time. (some / any)

06 – How many books would you like to buy? (much / many)

07 – How much water do you need? (much / many)

08 – Does your brother like music? (do / does)

09 – Do your friends like London? (do / does)

10 – Would you like some tea? (some / any)

Exercise 4: Complete the Dialogues

Translate the complete dialogues into English and then add a suitable answer of your own to each dialogue.

01 – A: Excuse me, where is the nearest underground station?

02 – B: Go straight on and turn left.

03 – A: How much is a ticket?

04 – B: A ticket costs five pounds.

05 – A: Would you like something to eat?

06 – B: Yes, I’d like a salad, please.

07 – A: Would you like to go to the cinema?

08 – B: No, I’d rather go for a walk.

09 – A: Have you got this T-shirt in blue?

10 – B: No, but we’ve got it in green.

Exercise 5: Reading Comprehension

Answer the questions in complete English sentences.

01 – Where do Emma and Ben want to go at the beginning?

02 – Who do they ask for directions?

03 – What can you buy at the market?

04 – Why doesn’t Emma want chicken with spicy sauce?

05 – What does Emma order to eat and drink?

06 – How much does she pay?

07 – What does the man sell in the street?

08 – What kind of shoes does Emma want to buy?

09 – How much do the shoes cost?

10 – What do Emma and Ben do in the evening?

Exercise 6: Write Your Own Dialogue

Imagine you are in London with a friend.

First, you want to get something to eat, and then you want to go shopping for clothes.

Write a dialogue with at least ten English sentences.

Use at least two questions, one negative sentence, one quantity expression, one question about a price and one suggestion.

Make sure that both people respond to each other and that the conversation sounds natural.

Model Answers and More Exercises

There is a separate password-protected article with model answers and English example answers for this lesson.

My own students receive the model answers free of charge.

Other learners can get access for €0.50 per article through my PolyglotMona shop or via PayPal.

You can find access information and more learning materials in my PolyglotMona shop.

If you want to practise English regularly, read the story several times, translate the sentences independently and revise the new words by using them in your own example sentences.

It is particularly helpful to ask the questions aloud and answer them freely.