Buildings
1. Describing Exploration: Check out/ Look around/ Look about/ Walk around/ Wander around/ Wander about/ Stroll around/ Stroll about/ Dander around/ Dander about
Meaning:
Check out, Look around & Look about can mean to take a quick look at something or to explore a particular subject or item in more detail. Walk around also has the feeling of exploring but not necessarily quickly. The others can be used in this way as well but at an even more relaxed leisurely pace.
Examples:
I love checking out old historic buildings.
There are a few new super modern buildings I’m dying to check out!
We spent like 2 hours looking around the Colosseum!
I love wandering about in new cities.
We dandered around the museum sipping our coffees.
Strolling around the Taj Mahal was incredible.
You could honestly spend weeks walking around my city!
We just wandered around the market for ages.
I love strolling around the park on the weekend.
2. Describing investigation of a place: Suss out/ Scope out
Meaning:
While the previous phrasal verbs (check out, look around etc) are more for general assessment, suss out and scope out involve a more detailed and thorough investigation.
Examples:
The first thing I’ll do before moving is to suss out different areas to see what kinds of facilities, parks and transport systems they have.
People always scope out the main attractions when they come to my city, but I’d definitely recommend that they head to where all the locals go.
I arrived in the city early, so I spent the morning sussing out the downtown area to find the best coffee shops and attractions.
Before we buy a house, we’re going to spend some time scoping out different neighbourhoods to find the best fit for our family.
3. Describing visiting a place: Go (in)to/ Head (in)to/ Pop (in)to
Meaning:
Go into & head into simply mean to enter, while pop into is used when it is a brief visit. Go is quite standard, but Head and Pop are more colloquial.
Examples:
I recommend popping into St.George’s market on a Saturday morning.
I love heading into the art gallery because the area is really nice but I don’t actually go in much.
I went went into the city centre to do some shopping.
4. Describing visiting a place casually on the way: Drop by/ Swing by/ Stop by/ Pop by/ Call by/ Call in(to)
Meaning:
All of these are used when a person stops at a place briefly when they’re on their way to another destination.
Examples:
I always tell my friends that they need to pop by this amazing Italian cafe on their way home from work.
I tend to stop by the park if I’m feeling stressed.
If I go to the city centre, I usually swing by one of my favourite clothes shops just to see what’s new.
I might call into the post office on the way.
He’s dropping by the church for 5 minutes.
Can you call by John’s and pick up my backpack please?
5. Describing a building being removed or destroyed: Knock down/ Tear down
Meaning:
You might use this to talk about renovations of total buildings or even parts of the building (tearing down a bathroom wall, for example)
Examples:
A bunch of buildings near my house were recently knocked down. I think they’re building a new shopping centre there.
I’d love to tear down this wall and create one big room.
I wish they’d knock down those old buildings and make it into a sports centre!
6. Describing improvements or renovating a building: Fix up/ Do up
Meaning:
You might use this to talk about renovations (fixing up the living room, for example).
Examples:
- I bought a new apartment but I have to fix it up a little bit. It needs new floors, paint and new electrics installed.
- This house will be nice when you do it up a little bit.
- They really need to do up the town hall. It looks awful.
- There is a great area for kids near my house, but the local council really needs to fix up the playground.. it’s a bit battered.
- I heard they’re doing up the old cinema. It’s supposed to have amazing new chairs being put in.
7. Describing preserving buildings: Look after/ Take care of
Meaning:
You might use these to express care, maintenance or preserving buildings, statues and monuments.
Examples:
I think it’s important to look after our historic buildings.
People on my street really take care of their homes. You always see them painting, cleaning and tidying their area.
They council hasn’t done a very good job at looking after the war memorials.
The council do a decent job at taking care of the town hall.
Examiner: What types of buildings are there where you live?
Student: In my neighbourhood, you can find a mix of buildings. We have residential houses, apartment complexes, there’s a little shopping mall nearby, and some office buildings too. The architecture is pretty diverse, with a blend of modern structures and a few older ones.
Examiner: Are there any monuments in your hometown?
Student: Absolutely! There’s a few war memorials scattered around the city. Most of them were put up a few years after the war.
Examiner: Do you like to visit historic buildings?
Student: I do actually. Whenever I have time, I like to suss out the historic buildings in the area. I find it fascinating to learn about their stories and architecture. Recently, I popped into a local museum housed in an old mansion, which was a great experience.
Examiner: What are the landmarks in your hometown?
Student: Well we’ve got a courthouse, park, and a famous local theatre. I often swing by the park after work and always pass the theatre on my way into town.
Examiner: Have you ever visited a famous structure?
Student: Yes, indeed! Last summer, I had the chance to check out the Burj Khalifa. It’s absolutely mind-blowing! I’d highly recommend seeing it!
Examiner: What kinds of buildings do you like?
Student: Honestly I like both modern and old. As long as they look good or are historically interesting. There’s a lovely old Victorian hotel in the city centre that I really like. It’s really nicely lit up at night and spectacular inside. And people had previously wanted to tear it down!
1. What types of buildings are there where you live?
2. Are there any monuments in your hometown?
3. Do you like to visit historic buildings?
4. What are the landmarks in your hometown?
5. Have you ever visited a famous structure?
6. What kinds of buildings do you like?
i) Describe a style of architecture that you like.
You should say:
● what style it is
● what it looks like
● where you can see it
and explain why you like this style.
ii) Describe a modern building
You should say:
● where it is
● what it looks like
● what it is used for
and explain why you like/dislike it.
iii) Describe a style of architecture that you like.
You should say:
● what style it is
● what it looks like
● where you can see it
and explain why you like this style.
1. What kinds of people like to visit historic buildings?
2. Do you think it’s worth the money to preserve old buildings?
3. How have buildings changed in the past few years?
4. Are buildings now better than those in the past? Why?
Make up a story about a fictional character using each set of words. You must integrate all of these words in the correct tense into your story.
E.g. If the set includes the following: walk about, call by, knock down, take care of, the story could be something like this: “Kyle was visiting Dublin for the weekend with his mate Steve. They started the day by walking about the city centre and just taking in the sights. After recommendations from some locals, they decided to go to the museum of history. On the way, they were a bit peckish so they called by a bakery for a croissant and coffee. They thought the city was great in general with piles of nice old buildings that are well taken care of. “I love these two buildings, but I’d 100% knock that one down”, said Steve. “For sure”, said Kyle.”
Set 1:
Check Out
Look around
Head (in)to
Tear Down
Set 2:
Wander Around
Suss Out
Pop (In)To
Knock down
Set 3:
Scope Out
Stroll Around
Drop by
Look after
Fill in the appropriate vocabulary in the correct tense from the following list to complete the story. The words may be used more than once or not used at all.
Check out/ Look around/ Look about/ Walk around/ Wander around/ Wander about/ Stroll around/ Stroll about/ Dander around/ Dander about, Suss out/ Scope out, Go (in)to/ Head (in)to/ Pop (in)to, Drop by/ Swing by/ Stop by/ Pop by/ Call by/ Call in(to), Knock down/ Tear down, Fix up/ Do up, Look after/ Take care of
Lena, Marco, Sarah, and Jake had dreamed of Italy for years. In Rome, they 1) _______ the Colosseum, marvelling at its history. “Let’s 2) ______ that café,” Marco suggested, craving an espresso. In Florence, they 3) _______ cobbled streets, pausing to 4) ________ a leather shop. Venice was magical—they 5) _______canals, watching gondolas glide by. One evening in Naples, they saw an old villa being 6) ________. “Imagine living here,” Sarah mused. “They sure do 7) ________ the place don’t they!”, said Lena.
Answers
Lena, Marco, Sarah, and Jake had dreamed of Italy for years. In Rome, they 1) strolled around the Colosseum, marvelling at its history. “Let’s 2) pop into that café,” Marco suggested, craving an espresso. In Florence, they 3) wandered about cobbled streets, pausing to 4) scope out a leather shop. Venice was magical—they 5) walked around canals, watching gondolas glide by. One evening in Naples, they saw an old villa being 6) done up. “Imagine living here,” Sarah mused. “They sure do 7) ____take care of/ look after____ the place don’t they!”, said Lena.
