A2 — Towns & cities: places and adjectives
Level A2
City vocabulary
Places & adjectives
Goal
Talk about towns and cities: name typical places, use basic adjectives to describe them, and build short sentences like My city is modern and safe.
Key places in a town or city
Use there is / there are to say what your town has.
- park – green area with trees and grass, open to everyone.
- library – place to borrow books and study quietly.
- museum – building with art or historical objects on show.
- market – open place with many stalls selling food or goods.
- shopping centre / mall – big building with many shops and cafés.
- post office – buy stamps, send letters and parcels.
- town hall – building for the local government and mayor.
- church / mosque – religious buildings for prayer.
More city places & areas
- castle – old strong building with high walls, often from the past.
- statue – stone or metal figure of a person or animal.
- tourist attraction – famous place tourists like to visit.
- suburb – residential area at the edge of a city.
- factory – place where things are made by machines.
- car park / parking lot – area to leave your car.
- downtown – the city centre (US English); shops, offices, main streets.
Pattern: I live in the suburbs, but I work downtown.
Adjectives for towns & cities
| Adjective | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| busy / crowded | full of people, noise and activity | The centre is very busy on Saturdays. |
| lively / vibrant | energetic, with a lot happening | It’s a lively area with many bars. |
| peaceful / quiet | calm, not much noise | The park is peaceful in the morning. |
| modern | new style; built recently | The city has many modern offices. |
| historical | connected with the past; very old | The old town has historical buildings. |
| cosmopolitan / multicultural | many nationalities and cultures | It’s a multicultural city with people from everywhere. |
| safe | little crime; you feel secure | My area is very safe at night. |
| dangerous | crime or other risks | That part of town is dangerous. |
| touristy | full of tourists and souvenir shops | We stayed in a touristy area near the beach. |
| picturesque | very pretty, like a postcard | The old streets are really picturesque. |
| industrial | with many factories | The industrial zone is outside the centre. |
| residential | mainly houses and flats | It’s a quiet residential neighbourhood. |
Useful patterns & questions
- There is / There are
There is a big park near my house.
There are two museums in my city. - Describing your town
My town is small but very peaceful.
It’s a modern, busy city. - Talking about areas
I live in a residential area.
The old town is very touristy but picturesque. - Asking about a place
What is your city like?
Is it safe and modern?
Tip: combine place + adjective: a modern shopping centre, a quiet residential suburb, a busy tourist attraction.
Exercises:
Towns & Cities
Choose the correct option to complete each sentence below.
1
There is a big
near my house where children play and people walk their dogs.
Correct: park — a green area with trees and grass.
2
I go to the
to borrow books and study in a quiet place.
Correct: library — a place for books and studying.
3
Tourists visit the city
to see old paintings and historical things.
Correct: museum — you look at art and history there.
4
On Saturday there is a
in the square with people selling fruit and vegetables.
Correct: market — open place with many small sellers.
5
We go to the
to buy clothes, shoes and presents all in one place.
Correct: shopping centre — many shops together in one building.
6
In the USA, a big indoor
has many shops and fast-food restaurants.
Correct: mall — a large indoor shopping centre (AmE).
7
I need to go to the
to send a parcel and buy some stamps.
Correct: post office — for letters and parcels.
8
The mayor works in the
in the centre of the city.
Correct: town hall — offices for the city government.
9
On Sunday morning many people go to
to pray and sing.
Correct: church — Christian place of worship.
10
In this part of the city there is a big
where Muslims go to pray.
Correct: mosque — Muslim place of worship.
11
The old
on the hill is very popular with tourists.
Correct: castle — big stone building from the past.
12
There is a large
of a famous writer in the main square.
Correct: statue — a model of a person or animal in stone or metal.
13
The castle, the old bridge and the museum are the main
in our city.
Correct: tourist attraction — popular place for visitors.
14
We don’t live in the city centre; we live in a quiet
with small houses and gardens.
Correct: suburb — area outside the city centre.
15
My uncle works in a
where they make cars.
Correct: factory — place where products are made.
16
In British English, drivers leave their cars in the
next to the supermarket.
Correct: car park — BrE word for a place to park your car.
17
In American English, people say “
” for the big place where many cars are left.
Correct: parking lot — AmE word for a place to park cars.
18
In American English, the word
means the city centre with many shops and offices.
Correct: downtown — AmE for the city centre.
Towns & Cities
Match the sentences with the words
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