Taking the Bus

Warm-up: The right bus, the right stop

2 warm-up questions

• Have you ever taken a bus in another city or country?
• First try: I'm the bus driver. Ask me if this bus goes to the market, and buy a ticket — 30 seconds, go.

Reading: Catching the Bus

Read a 128-word text about Catching the Bus

Catching the Bus David is waiting at a bus stop. He asks a woman for help. David: Excuse me, does this bus go to the city center? Woman: No, you need the number 42. This is the 35. David: Oh, where can I catch the 42? Woman: It stops on the other side of the street. David: Thank you! Do you know how often it comes? Woman: Every 15 minutes, I think. You can buy a ticket on the bus. David: Great, thank you for your help! David crosses the street. The bus arrives. He gets on. David: One ticket to the city center, please. Driver: That's 2 euros 50. David: Here you go. Which stop do I get off at? Driver: Central Station. I'll call it out.

Vocabulary: Bus Words

6 items

Practice: Bus Sentences

Gap-fill exercise, 5 items

• Does this bus ____ to the museum?
• Where can I ____ the number 5 bus?
• What ____ do I get off at?
• How ____ does the bus come?
• One ____ to the station, please.

Practice: Make Bus Sentences

Word-ordering exercise, 5 items

• bus · center · Does · go · the · this · to
• at · do · get · I · off · stop · Which
• bus · come · does · How · often · the
• One · please · station · the · ticket · to
• across · bus · is · stop · street · The · the

Dialogue: Ride the Bus

Role-play: You're taking a bus to the market (7 lines)

• You: Does this bus go to the market?
• Driver: Yes, it does. Where exactly?
• You: The Central Market. One ticket, please.
• Driver: That's 3 euros.
• You: Here you go. Which stop is it?
• Driver: Fifth stop. I'll tell you.
• You: Thank you very much!

Discussion: Your mission: don't miss your stop

3 discussion questions

• Mission: you're on the bus and not sure where to get off. Ask another passenger for help. (Success = check the bus goes to your stop, find out which stop to get off at, and say thank you. Tutor: play the passenger — friendly, but only answer what's asked.)
• Second take: bad news — you're on the WRONG bus. Ask the driver where to get off and how to get back.
• Compare this with your first try at the start of the lesson. What will you ask first next time — and how would you tell a visitor to take the bus from A to B in your city?