🗺️
📕 A2: Grades 7-9 • TRAVEL BASICS

Finding Your Way: Past Simple & Imperatives for Directions

Learn to give and follow directions using the past simple and imperatives. Practice with a guidebook story and a direction challenge.

Finding Your Way: Past Simple & Imperatives for Directions
💬 Warm-up
1 Have you ever been lost? What happened?
2 How do you find a new place in your city?
3 What words do you use to give directions?

🎯 Objectives

  • Use past simple to narrate a sequence of events about getting lost and finding a place.
  • Use imperatives to give clear, step-by-step directions.
  • Apply vocabulary like map, direction, lost, find, arrive, and leave in context.
In this block:

📚 Vocabulary

1.
map
"I looked at the map to find the museum."
a picture that shows where places are
2.
direction
"She gave me clear directions to the hotel."
instructions on how to get somewhere
3.
lost
"We got lost in the old town because we had no map."
not knowing where you are
4.
find
"Use a compass to find the right path."
to discover or locate something
5.
arrive
"We arrived at the station at noon."
to reach a place
6.
leave
"Remember to leave your hotel key at the front desk."
to go away from a place
🗓️ Friday, 9th October 2026
map
a picture that shows where places are
direction
instructions on how to get somewhere
lost
not knowing where you are
find
to discover or locate something
arrive
to reach a place
leave
to go away from a place

✍️ Practice

Guess the missing word.
1. I hope we can find a good restaurant near the square.
2. Before we started walking, we checked the map to see the route.
3. We plan to arrive at the airport two hours before the flight.
4. Can you give me direction to the nearest bus stop?
5. We were completely lost in the narrow streets and had to ask for help.
🗓️ Friday, 9th October 2026
1. I hope we can find a good restaurant near the square.
2. Before we started walking, we checked the map to see the route.
3. We plan to arrive at the airport two hours before the flight.
4. Can you give me direction to the nearest bus stop?
5. We were completely lost in the narrow streets and had to ask for help.

📖 Reading

A Guidebook Story

Last summer, Mia and her family arrived in a new city for a holiday. They carried a map and a small guidebook. On the first day, they wanted to find the famous old market. Mia's dad checked the map and said, "We need to go straight and then turn left."

But after ten minutes, they were completely lost! The streets looked the same, and the map was hard to read. Mia's mom asked a local man for direction. He smiled and said, "Leave the main street and take the second right. You will find the market in five minutes." They followed his direction and finally arrived at the colorful market. Everyone was happy. Mia learned that asking for help is smart when you are lost.

Comprehension Questions

1.
What did Mia's family carry to find the market?
They carried a map and a small guidebook.
2.
Why did the family get lost?
The streets looked the same and the map was hard to read.
3.
Who helped the family find the market?
A local man gave them directions.
4.
What did the man tell them to do first?
He told them to leave the main street.
5.
How did Mia feel at the end of the story?
She was happy and learned that asking for help is smart.

🎧 Listening Practice

Lost in the City

0:00 / 0:00
Listening context

Comprehension Questions

1.
Why did the speaker's phone not work?
She forgot to charge it, so the battery was dead.
2.
Who did the speaker ask for help?
She asked a nice woman sitting on a bench.
3.
What was the first instruction the woman gave?
The first instruction was to leave the station and turn left.
4.
What did the speaker find across from the park?
She found the art museum across from the park.
5.
How did the speaker feel at the end?
She was happy and glad she asked for help.

🗣️ Pair Work

Direction Challenge

"Work with a partner. One person chooses a place in your school or neighborhood. Give directions using imperatives. Use at least three of these words: map, direction, lost, find, arrive, leave."

👉 Student A: Choose a secret place.

👉 Student B: Listen and follow the directions. Do you arrive at the right place?

👉 Switch roles and repeat.

🚀 EnglishDee Tasks

KEYWORDS: map direction lost find arrive leave
✍️ WRITING

Directions: Write about giving directions.

Write 80-100 words about a time you gave or followed directions. First, explain where you were. Next, describe the directions you gave or followed. Finally, say if you arrived safely.

✅ Checklist:
  • 80-100 words.
  • Use at least 4 vocabulary words (map, direction, lost, find, arrive, leave).
  • Use past simple.
🎙️ SPEAKING

Directions Talk

Record a 45-second talk. Describe how to get from your school to a nearby landmark. Use imperatives.

✅ Checklist:
  • 45 seconds.
  • Use at least 4 vocabulary words.
  • Speak clearly and at a natural pace.
Helpful Phrases
  • To find the park, go straight and turn left.
  • First, leave the school and walk to the main road.
  • If you get lost, ask someone for directions.
  • Use a map to check your route before you go.
  • I arrived at the station after a short walk.
  • Follow the signs to find the library.