English, baby!

简体

Apartment or House?

Learn the First Conditional

Date: Jun 18 2012

Grammar: First Conditional

Go Super!

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

Go Super to Listen

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Go Super to Listen

Do you ever feel like you just need more space? Maybe it’s time to upgrade from an apartment to a house. But finding an affordable house that is also close to the center of town can be a challenge. Plus, apartment living can be more urban and exciting. On the other hand, it’s nice not to have to hear your neighbors all the time, or worry about them hearing you if you want to throw a big party. Ella is looking for a new place to live. Find out if Jason thinks she should live in an apartment or a house.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Ella

Jason

Ella: I’m looking to live on my own without any roommates, and I can’t decide if I want a house or an apartment. I need some advice.

Jason: Oh, you know, maybe the happiest I’ve ever been with my living situation is living in a house by myself. It’s incredible. You have this structure all to yourself. You can sing or make noise or make a mess, or do anything you want at all times, and no one will have any idea. It’s pretty incredible. But it’s hard to find a house that’s cheap enough to get by yourself.

Ella: Exactly. That’s the only con. The only pro to an apartment seems to be the price. But the house has everything else I want, unless it’s like a studio house, maybe, but those are kinda hard to come by as well.

Jason: Yeah, those are cool, like a guesthouse or a pool house.

Ella: Exactly.

Jason: But yeah, apartments, they’re so cramped. You never have anywhere to store anything. You’re like, “Where do I put my skis?” And your neighbors are on all sides of you. If your neighbors are playing music in any of the six adjascent apartments, you’re gonna hear it.

Ella: Hmm. Looks like I’m leaning towards a house on my own.

Jason: Gotta find that guesthouse. That’s gonna be awesome.

Grammar Point

Go Super to learn "First Conditional" from this lesson

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3

Go Super to Ask Ebaby! teachers your questions!

The iTEP^® test

Sponsored by

Schedule an iTEP^® test and take the official English Practice Test.
Take Now >

Discussion

Go Super to Listen

Ella is looking for a new place to live. She wants to live by herself. She is trying to decide between a house and an apartment, and she asks Jason for advice.

Jason says that he loved living in a house by himself. He could make as much noise as he wanted to because he had no neighbors close to him. He loved the privacy and the freedom of living in the house. Another great thing about living in a house is all the space.

Ella agrees. She would like to live in a house, but she isn’t sure she can afford it. Apartments are cheaper than houses, so young people usually live in apartments or share houses with their friends. Ella hopes she’ll be able to find a small house that she can afford.

Do you live in a house or an apartment? Which do you think is better? Why?

Comments

1 through 20 of 39
Next >
1 2

NIJ321655

United States

I need a house then a apaetment.

annefrankp

United Kingdom

Need <a href=”http://www.paydayloanssunday.co.uk/”>Sunday payday loans</a> and weekend payday loans open on Sunday in UK? Get Weekend cash loans bad credit, no credit check loans on Sunday / Saturday from direct lenders no brokers online.

Hamd

Saudi Arabia

apartment

Olya1106

Ukraine

I live in a house with my parents. Yes, to live in a house is better. You have much space around, you can out and walk in the yard or in the garden, you can do what you want. But on the other hand I’d like to have an apartment for myself to have a rest from everyone.

DominikLi

China

I would like to spend my life in a house.It’s free and quiet interesting,you have your own space,you can paint your house to the color you like,you can lying in the lawn in bright afternoons,ect.Can an apartment bring these happiness to you?There are toooooooo many advantages to have a house:D

teenager

Brazil

nothing compares to the freedom we have when living in a house…

you have all the space you need, nobody near to bother….

ivroja

Colombia

Living in a House definitely is better because you have your own space, a big place for you things, and for me the most important have your privacity, you can do all what you want. but i would have no problem to share an apartment with my friends that would be pretty fun to spend time with them.

La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

I live in house with dad and mum and my siblings. For me, I think a house is the proper place to live in as my young brothers are villains, they’re always fighting, singing and speaking loudly and they like to play football with the sense of enthusiasm like if they are cheered up by an encouraging crowd. :D

yijianpiaohong

China

I want to hire a small house. I can do anything that I want to do.

Liany_liany

Indonesia

House.

I live in small house in center of town.

The neighbors are good and friendly

My kids also have a good sosialization with other kids in the neigborhood

Love it !

ErinDong

United States

in a house u can throw huge parties without people coming up to your front door saying”whats all the racket? i can’t even hear myself talk.” you can make as much noise as you want and you can throw your socks and underwears across the room without an apartment manager phoning you right after you move out. best of all,the rooms are like open savannahs! you can race your friends around the house all day long.

kukuka

Ukraine

I live in an apartment. I’m not sure which is better.

In my country living in a house has more disadvantages than just price. For instance, they can you rob easier if you live in a house and stuff like that.

Yeah and also there’s much more work to do in a house – you have to take care of your front yard and back yard, clean the pool, mow the grass, get rid of snow, etc.

Overall, owing an apartent means less problems and costs. But of course it’s just a matter of taste. I assume I can change my mind in future.

snow l

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

“your home is where your heart is”
well i prefer to live in a peaceful house with a small garden:) and a pool in the backyard,
and good neighbors:)of course!
be happy everywhere you are

Mahtab.bp

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

A very small apartment or a huge house!!

It does not matter!!!

You must feel comfortable and be happy everywhre you are living!

But for me living in a small house with a small garden full of flowers is a dream!And of course far away from the crowded and polluted city!;)

julito

Argentina

I live in an apartment, actually, a condominium of 90 apartments , I occupy an apartment on the nine floor , has two bedrooms , one bath and of course ,living room, a kitchen and laundry space. To live in an apartment is safer than a house ,the neighbors are fine, the problem was our previous administrator who ripped off from us 50000 dollars ,money that he collected over two years to pay maintenance ,union ,insurance ,etc. Now,we the tenants must collectively honor the debt with interest, lawyers fees , a pain in the neck and a big hole in the pocket for us.

sepide_icegirl

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I LIVE IN A HOUSE BUT TO ME APARTMENT IS BETTER BECAUSE IN AN APARTMENT HEARTS ARE NEAR TOGETHER MORE THAN A HOUSE PLUS APARTMENT IS SAFER

diva87

Morocco

i live in house with my family i think house cuz u will move as u like & also find more space in it

ErinDong

United States

i live in a house. it is more comfortable.

justerichard

Haiti

i live in house but i used to live in an apartment

Antonin@

Ukraine

I live in an apartment .I like it!)But there are unpleasant sides of this. First of all, I have horrible neighbors! Of course, not everybody!) But one family always cry! It’s so tired !I can’t sleep! And I can’t say anything! Because they’re nervous! So, in my opinion ,to live in own house better! Of course, if you are able to keep it!