Everyday Dialogues

Looking for
an Apartment
In this lesson, you will learn useful words and
expressions to use when you are apartment‑hunting.
Practise asking and answering questions before
you talk to a real landlord. Let’s start
by having a discussion in small groups.

Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1.  hat does your dream

W 2. W
 hat is near your dream 3. D
 escribe your dream
apartment look like on apartment (restaurants, landlord vs. a bad landlord.
the inside? parks, etc.)?

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match the words on the left to the correct meanings on the right.

1. landlord a) heat, electricity, and water

2. tenant b) a soft floor covering
3. lease c) ready to use
4. damage deposit d) close
5. available e) a person who rents an apartment
6. bachelor suite f) a written rental agreement
7. utilities g) window coverings that open and close with a string or handle
8. appliances h) an apartment manager or owner
9. convenient i) a fridge, stove, washer, and dryer
10. nearby j) money paid in advance in case of damages, a security deposit
11. blinds k) a small apartment for one person without a separate bedroom
12. carpeting l) easy to use, easy to do

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 Looking for an Apartment
Everyday Dialogues

Dialogue Reading
Read the dialogue with your partner a few times. Take turns
being each character. Practise your intonation and pronunciation.
Circle any new words or phrases that you need to practise.

Ellie: Hi, I’m calling about your ad for the apartment for rent.

Landlord: Oh, yes.

Ellie: Can you give me a little more information, please?

Landlord: Sure. What would you like to know?

Ellie: How many rooms does it have?

It has an L-shaped living room/dining room, a small kitchen,

Landlord:
two bedrooms, one large bathroom, and a small bathroom off the master bedroom.

Ellie: How much is the rent?

Landlord: It’s $600 a month.

Ellie: Does it have carpeting?

Landlord: No. It has hardwood floors throughout.

Ellie: Is there a parking spot?

Landlord: Yes. There are two spaces available.

Ellie: Is parking included in the rent?

One space is included.

Landlord:
If you want the other spot, you’ll have to pay an extra $20 per month.

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 Looking for an Apartment
Everyday Dialogues

Dialogue Reading cont.

Ellie: What about utilities?

Landlord: Heat, water, and electricity are included. You just have to pay for cable and telephone.

Ellie: Do I have to sign a lease?

Landlord: No. You just have to give one month’s notice if you want to move out.

Ellie: Is there a damage deposit?

Landlord: Yes. It’s $300, which is half a month’s rent.

Ellie: Is it okay to have a pet?

Landlord: Small pets are allowed.

Ellie: One more thing. Is it close to a major bus route?

Landlord: Yes, there’s a bus stop just one block away.

Ellie: Great. When can I see it?

Landlord: How about 2:00 this afternoon?

Ellie: That’s fine. Oh, I forgot to ask. When is it available?

Landlord: It’s available immediately.

Ellie: Okay. See you at 2:00. Thanks.

Landlord: See you. Bye.

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 Looking for an Apartment
Everyday Dialogues

Practice
Work with your partner. Role-play the dialogue on pages 2 and 3,
substituting the different expressions below. Then switch roles.

1. I ’m calling about your ad 7. Is there a parking spot? 13. Great. When can I see it?
for the apartment for rent.
• Does it have a parking spot? • Good. When will I
• the house be able to look at it?
• the townhouse 8. Do I have to sign a lease?
• the duplex 14. How about 2:00?
• Do I need to sign a lease?
• the bachelor suite
• Is it necessary to sign a lease? • Is 2:00 okay?
• Is 2:00 convenient?
2.  an you give me a little
C
9. Is there a damage deposit? • Do you want to come at 2:00?
more information, please?
• Is there a security deposit?
• Could you give me a little 15. When is it available?
• Do I have to pay
more information, please?
a damage deposit? • When will it be vacant?
• Could you tell me a
• When can I move in?
little more about it?
10. Is it okay to have a pet?
16. It’s available immediately.
3. What would you like to know? • a dog
• a cat • It’s vacant now.
• What do you want to know?
• You can move in right away.
• What information
11. Is it close to a major bus route?
would you like?
• a school
4. How many rooms does it have? • a shopping centre
• a park
• How many rooms are there?
• a bank

5. How much is the rent?

12. T
 here’s a bus stop
• What’s the rent? just one block away.

• There’s a school nearby.

6. Does it have carpeting?
• There’s a shopping centre
• hardwood floors down the street.
• blinds • There’s a bank on the corner.
• drapes • There’s a park on
• curtains the next street.
• air-conditioning
• a balcony
• a fireplace
• in-suite laundry
• a parking spot
• appliances

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 Looking for an Apartment
Everyday Dialogues

Listening Practice
Listen to the recording of the dialogue from pages 2 and 3.
Fill in the missing words as you listen. Listen again.
Now look back at pages 2 and 3 and check your work.
Did you fill in the correct words? Did you spell everything correctly?

Ellie: Hi, I’m calling about your ad for­­ for rent.

Landlord: Oh yes.

Ellie: Can you give me­ ­ , please?

Landlord: Sure.­ ­ to know?

Ellie: How many­ ­ does it have?

It has an L-shaped ­ ­ / dining room, a small kitchen,

Landlord:
two bedrooms, one large bathroom, and a small bathroom off the­ ­ .

Ellie: How much is the­ ­ ?

Landlord: It’s $600 a month.

Ellie: Does it have­ ­ ?

Landlord: No. It has­ ­ floors throughout.

Ellie: Is there a­ ­ ?

Landlord: Yes. There are two spaces­ ­ .

Ellie: Is parking­ ­ in the rent?

­ is included.
Landlord:
If you want the other spot, you’ll have to pay an extra $20 per month.

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 Looking for an Apartment
Everyday Dialogues

Listening Practice cont.

Ellie: What about­ ­ ?

Heat, water, and electricity are included. You just have

Landlord:
to pay for­­ and telephone.

Ellie: Do I have to sign a­ ­ ?

Landlord: No. You just have to give­ ­ if you want to move out.

Ellie: Is there a­ ­ deposit?

Landlord: Yes. It’s $300, which is half a month’s rent.

Ellie: Is it okay to have a pet?

Landlord: Small pets are­ ­ .

Ellie: One more thing. Is it close to a­ ­ ?

Landlord: Yes, there’s a bus stop just­ ­ .

Ellie: Great. When can I see it?

Landlord: How about­ ­ this afternoon?

Ellie: That’s fine. Oh, I forgot to ask.­ ­ ?

Landlord: It’s available­ ­ .

Ellie: Okay. See you at 2:00. Thanks.

Landlord: See you. Bye.

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 Looking for an Apartment
Everyday Dialogues

Write Your Own Dialogue

Write a dialogue with a partner using phrases from page 4.
Practise and present the dialogue to your class.

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 Looking for an Apartment
Everyday Dialogues

Review
Task 1

LISTEN & ANSWER

Listen to the conversation and answer the questions.

Your teacher will tell you if you have to write or say the answers.

1. What information does the woman ask about? Name three things.

2. What is included in the rent?

3. Why is the damage deposit $300?

4. Is the apartment close to public transit? Explain.

5. Are large dogs allowed? Explain.

6. What is the woman going to do next?

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 Looking for an Apartment
Everyday Dialogues

Review cont.
Task 2

QUESTION FORMATION

A. Questions

Write five questions an apartment hunter might ask a landlord.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

B. Answers

Write five possible answers to your questions.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Task 3

ROLE-PLAY

Find a partner. Imagine that one of you is the landlord and one of you is an
apartment hunter. Use your questions to do a role-play for your teacher.

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 Looking for an Apartment
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION: LEVEL: Low Int – Int / CLB 3–5

In this lesson, students learn and practise using vocabulary and TIME: 1–2 hours
expressions related to apartment-hunting. They have a group
TAGS:  apartment, housing, rentals, landlord,
discussion and practise writing their own dialogues.
roommate, rent, dialogue, PBLA, CLB, LINC

Pre-Reading Listening Practice

A. WARM-UP QUESTIONS Have students complete the dialogue by listening

to the recording or by having two students read
Discuss as a class or in small groups. Answers will vary.
the completed dialogue from pages 2 and 3.

B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW

1. h 3. f 5. c 7. a 9. l 11. g CLB Skill Competencies

2. e 4. j 6. k 8. i 10. d 12. b Listening: I. Interacting with Others,

IV. Comprehending Information
Dialogue Reading

Give your students time to read the dialogue in pairs. Write Your Own Dialogue

Encourage your students to use vocabulary from the model.

CLB Skill Competencies

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

CLB Skill Competencies
Speaking: III. Getting Things Done

Writing: II. Reproducing Information

Practice
(continued on the next page...)
Have your students read the dialogue again and
practise subbing in some of the different expressions.

CLB Skill Competencies

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

Speaking: III. Getting Things Done

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 Looking for an Apartment
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key cont.

Review (Assessment Tasks) TASK 2

Answers will vary. Assess your students’ understanding

The following tasks can be used for assessment purposes of how to talk to a landlord by having them write common
and/or review practice. You can save all of the tasks until questions and answers that they learned in this lesson.
the end or assess your students throughout the lesson. Check for proper question formation.

Personalize your own Listening, Writing, and Speaking Task

Assessment forms for your students’ portfolios by using
CLB Skill Competencies
Assessment Tools in the Resources section:
https://esllibrary.com/resources Writing: II. Reproducing Information

TASK 1
TASK 3
Play the audio from this lesson. Then assign the questions. You
can decide if you want your students to say or write the answers. Assess two students at a time as they role-play the scenario.

1. T he woman asks about the number of rooms, the cost of rent,

and the type of flooring. She also asks if there is parking, if CLB Skill Competencies
parking costs extra, if the rent includes utilities, if there is a
Speaking: I. Interacting with Others,
lease, if there is a damage deposit, if pets are allowed, and if
III. Getting Things Done
it’s near transit. Finally, she asks when it’s available and when
she can view it. (Students should name three of the above.)
2. Two parking spots, heating, water,
(continued on the next page...)
and electricity are included in the rent.
3. T he damage deposit is $300 because
that is half of a month’s rent.
4. Yes, the apartment is just a block away from a bus stop.
5. No, only small pets are allowed.
6. She is going to see the apartment at 2:00 pm.

Mark the assessment form as “achieved success” if the student

answers 70% correctly and fulfills these expectations:

• Gets the gist.

• Identifies factual details, key words,
and expressions as required.

CLB Skill Competencies

Listening: IV. Comprehending Information

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 Looking for an Apartment
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key cont.

Canadian Language Benchmarks Summary

OVERVIEW

Stage: 1–2 CLB Range: 3–5* Primary Skill Competency: Speaking – III. Getting Things Done

PAGE TASK SKILL COMPETENCIES

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

2 Dialogue Reading
Speaking: III. Getting Things Done

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

4 Practice
Speaking: III. Getting Things Done

5 Listening Practice Listening: I. Interacting with Others, IV. Comprehending Information

7 Write Your Own Dialogue Writing: II. Reproducing Information

8 Review Task 1 (PBLA)** Listening: IV. Comprehending Information

9 Review Task 2 (PBLA) Writing: II. Reproducing Information

9 Review Task 3 (PBLA) Speaking: I. Interacting with Others, III. Getting Things Done

*Note: **Note:

This CLB range is suggested by ESL Library based on PBLA refers to portfolio-based learning assessment in
the descriptors in the Canadian Language Benchmarks the LINC program (though any teacher can use these tasks
guide: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/language- for review or assessment). Visit our Resources section for
benchmarks.pdf Assessment Tools that you can print and personalize for
PBLA: https://esllibrary.com/resources

(continued on the next page...)

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 Looking for an Apartment
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key cont.

Canadian Language Benchmarks Summary cont.

PROFILES OF ABILIT Y

The following descriptors from the Canadian Language Benchmarks

apply to this lesson and are used with permission. For more
detailed information see: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/
language-benchmarks.pdf and visit: https://www.language.ca/

BENCHMARK THE LEARNER CAN:

• Communicate basic information using simple sentences

Speaking about immediate needs and personal experiences. (3)
(3–5) • Communicate information about common everyday activities, experiences, wants, and needs. (4)
• Participate in very short phone calls. (5)

• Understand key words, formulaic phrases, and most

short sentences on topics of immediate personal relevance. (3)
Listening
• Understand, with considerable effort, simple formal and
(3–5)
informal communication on topics of personal relevance. (4)
• Identify basic signals in speech for collaboration, turn-taking, and interrupting. (5)

Writing • Write short, simple texts about personal experience and

(4) familiar topics or situations related to daily life and experience.

Reading • Understand the purpose, main idea, key information, and some details in simple,
(3) short texts related to everyday familiar and personally relevant situations and topics.

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 Looking for an Apartment
Everyday Dialogues

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