10 Mistakes People Make Talking About Home — Easy English Conversation

Transcript

Introduction

A: Yesterday we did the housework. Today we’re fixing ten mistakes people often make when they talk about home.

B: Some are words translated straight from another language, some are pairs that are easy to mix up, and one is a question that can sound a bit too direct.

A: Listen for these six: turn off the light, turn on the TV, make the bed, clean or wash, furniture, and Where’s the bathroom?

B: After the ten, there’s a short practice where you answer out loud.

A: You can practice today’s phrases in Recursio — link in the description.

Lights and screens

B: Let’s start with switches. Number one is from today’s short video: “Close the light, please.”

A: I’ve heard that a lot.

B: You have, because in several languages, you “close” or “open” a light. English usually doesn’t. For lights and machines, English uses “turn on” and “turn off.”

A: So: “Turn off the light, please.”

B: Exactly. “Turn off the light.” “Turn on the lamp.” “Don’t forget to turn off the lights when you leave.”

A: People will understand “close the light,” right?

B: Usually, yes, from the situation. But it can sound strange, because in English you close a door or a window — something that physically opens and shuts.

A: What about “switch off”?

B: “Switch off the light” is also correct. You’ll hear it more in British English. In American English, “turn off” is the everyday choice.

A: Number two is the same idea, I guess.

B: It is. “Open the TV.”

A: And it should be…

B: “Turn on the TV.” The same pair: turn on, turn off. “Can you turn on the TV? The game is starting.”

A: So I don’t open the TV. I turn it on.

B: Right. You can open the box a TV came in, but you turn on the TV itself.

A: Fair. And for the radio, the computer, the oven?

B: The same verbs. “Turn on the oven.” “Turn off your phone.” You may also hear “put the TV on,” especially in British conversation. For this lesson, use “turn on the TV.” And with “it,” put the word in the middle: “Turn it on.” “Turn it off.”

A: “Turn it off” — not “turn off it.”

B: Exactly, the same pattern we had yesterday with “take it out.”

A: And when the TV is too loud?

B: Then you don’t turn it off — you “turn it down.” And if it’s too quiet, you “turn it up.” “Can you turn the music down a little? I’m on the phone.”

A: Turn on, turn off, turn up, turn down. Four verbs for one remote control.

B: And all of them are very common at home.

Morning routine

A: Now let’s get up. Number three happens before breakfast.

B: You get out of bed, and you pull the sheets and the blanket straight. Many learners say, “I do my bed.”

A: And that’s wrong?

B: It’s not the usual phrase. The fixed expression is “make the bed.” “I make my bed every morning.” We mentioned it yesterday with the other chores.

A: “Make the bed.” Even though I’m not building anything.

B: Right — it’s just a fixed expression. And there’s a funny saying: “You made your bed, now lie in it.” It means you made a bad choice, and now you have to live with the result.

A: That’s a bit harsh.

B: It is. Use it carefully. Number four is in the bathroom: “I clean my teeth.”

A: I’d understand that.

B: Everyone would. And in British English, “clean your teeth” is actually common. But in American English, the usual phrase is “brush your teeth.”

A: “Brush your teeth.” Because you use a toothbrush.

B: Exactly. “Did you brush your teeth?” is a familiar question at home. And the same verb works for hair: “brush your hair.”

A: That leads to number five, I think. Clean or wash.

B: Good guess. They’re close, but not the same. “Wash” means you use water, often with soap. “Clean” is general — you make something not dirty, in any way.

A: So, “wash your hands,” “wash the car,” “wash the dishes.”

B: Yes — water, often with soap. And “clean the kitchen” or “clean the bathroom” means make the whole place clean. For windows, both “clean the windows” and “wash the windows” are natural in American English.

A: Can I say “wash the kitchen”?

B: Not usually. Say “clean the kitchen” for the whole room. You can “wash the kitchen floor” or “wash the windows” when you use water. “Clean” is the broader word.

A: And number six, still in the morning: clothes.

B: Wear or put on. When learners describe the moment they get ready to leave, they sometimes say, “I wear my jacket and go out.”

A: And that should be “I put on my jacket.”

B: Yes, for that action: “I put on my jacket and go out.” “Wear” describes having it on. “I wear a jacket when it’s cold” also works for a general habit.

A: So, “I put on my coat at eight, and I wore it all day.”

B: Perfect example. “Put on your shoes, we’re leaving!” — action. “She’s wearing a red dress.” — state.

A: And taking it off?

B: That’s “take off.” “Take off your shoes, please.” “Put on” and “take off” are a pair, like “turn on” and “turn off.”

A: And when I put on all my clothes in the morning?

B: Then you “get dressed.” “I get dressed, I have breakfast, and I leave.” It’s a short, natural way to talk about the whole routine.

A: Quick tip before the last group. If pairs like these keep getting mixed up, save them in Recursio and review them later.

Rooms and things

B: Now the home itself. Number seven: “We bought a new furniture.”

A: Something’s wrong, but I’m not sure what.

B: The word “a.” “Furniture” is uncountable in English — like “water” or “information.” No “a,” and no “furnitures.”

A: So, “We bought new furniture.”

B: Yes. And if you want to count it, you say “a piece of furniture.” “This chair is my favorite piece of furniture.” Or name the thing: “We bought a new sofa.”

A: That’s easier. Just say “sofa.”

B: Often, yes. Number eight is about where you keep your clothes. “Closet” or “wardrobe.”

A: Aren’t they the same?

B: In American English, a closet is a space built into a room, with a door. A walk-in closet is big enough to step inside. You may also hear “wardrobe,” especially in British English. In the US, it can mean a cabinet that stands in the room.

A: So in an American apartment, I’d say, “My coat is in the closet.”

B: Exactly. And in American English, “wardrobe” can also mean all the clothes you own: “I need a new winter wardrobe.”

A: Number nine. This one confuses me every time I travel.

B: First floor or ground floor. In the US, the first floor is the one at street level — where you walk in.

A: And in Britain?

B: In Britain, that’s the ground floor, and the first floor is one level up.

A: So an American on the “second floor” is on a British “first floor.”

B: Exactly. If an American friend says, “My apartment is on the first floor,” you don’t need to climb any stairs. In a US elevator, street level may be marked “1” or “L” for lobby. In Britain, you may see “G” for ground, and an elevator is called a “lift.”

A: Good to know before I go looking for someone’s door.

B: Very good to know. Last one, number ten. You’re a guest at someone’s home, and you need to use the bathroom. You ask: “Where’s the toilet?”

A: Is that wrong?

B: Not wrong — in British English, it’s completely normal. In American English, though, it can sound a bit direct, because “toilet” usually means the thing itself, not the room.

A: So what do Americans say?

B: “Where’s the bathroom?” At someone’s home, that’s the usual question. “Excuse me, where’s the bathroom?”

A: Even if there’s no bath in it?

B: Even then. In a restaurant or an office, you’ll also hear “restroom”: “Where’s the restroom?” But “bathroom” works almost everywhere in the US.

Visiting a friend

A: Let’s hear them together. I’m visiting your new apartment for the first time.

B: Okay. Hi! Come in. It’s on the first floor, so no stairs.

A: Great. Should I take off my shoes?

B: If you don’t mind. You can put on these slippers.

A: Thanks. Wow, you have so much new furniture.

B: Just a few pieces. The sofa is new, and the lamp. Let me turn on the light — it’s a bit dark in here.

A: It looks great. I like the little table by the window, too.

B: That came from my old place. I cleaned it this morning before you arrived.

A: Where can I put my jacket?

B: In the closet, right by the door. There’s plenty of room for it.

A: Perfect. And, um… where’s the bathroom?

B: Second door on the left. There’s a clean towel for you, and you can wash your hands there before dinner.

A: Thank you. Oh, and your bedroom door is open — you even made the bed!

B: Of course. I had a guest coming.

A: I’m impressed. My bed hasn’t been made since Monday.

B: After dinner, let’s turn on the TV and watch the game.

A: Sounds good. Should I turn off the light in the hallway?

B: Yes, please. Thanks.

A: I’ll wash my hands, then come help you set the table.

A video call with Dad

B: Now imagine you’ve just moved into your first apartment, and your dad calls you on video. I’ll be your dad.

A: Hi, Dad! Can you see me?

B: I can see a very dark room. Turn on the light, please!

A: Sorry. There. Is that better?

B: Much better. So, show me the place. Where’s all the furniture?

A: I don’t have much furniture yet. A bed, a table, and one chair.

B: One chair? Where will your friends sit when they come over?

A: My friend is bringing a second chair tomorrow. For now, they can sit on the bed. I made it this morning.

B: That works for now. And where do you keep your clothes? Is there a closet?

A: A big one in the bedroom. It’s a walk-in closet, so I can step right inside.

B: Lucky you. Which floor are you on?

A: The first floor, at street level. I don’t have to climb any stairs.

B: That’s convenient. How’s the kitchen? Is it easy to keep clean?

A: So far. I wash the dishes every day, and I clean the kitchen on Sundays. The windows still need work, though.

B: You can wash the windows this weekend. There’s no hurry. Does the place feel like home yet?

A: Almost. The boxes are gone, and I finally know where everything is.

B: That’s a good start. Are you meeting your friends for coffee soon?

A: Yes. I still need to get dressed and brush my teeth before I go.

B: Then I’ll let you get ready. Call me after the weekend and tell me how the apartment feels.

A: I will. Thanks for checking in, Dad.

B: Always. Have a good time.

Practice

A: Here’s how it works. You’ll hear a situation. Answer out loud in the pause, then listen to our answer. First one: you’re leaving the room, and you want your friend to switch the lamp off. What do you say?

B: Can you turn off the light, please?

A: “Turn off” — not “close.”

B: You get out of bed and fix the sheets and the blanket. Then you use your toothbrush. What two things did you do?

A: I make the bed, and I brush my teeth.

B: “Make the bed,” and in American English, “brush your teeth.”

A: You use soap and water on your car. Then you use a spray and a cloth on your windows. How would you describe each job?

B: I wash the car, and I clean the windows.

A: “Wash” uses water; “clean” is more general. You can also wash the windows when you use water.

B: It’s cold. In the morning you get ready to go out in your coat. Later, a friend asks why you’re hot. What two sentences can you say?

A: I put on my coat. I’ve been wearing it all day.

B: “Put on” is the action. “Wear” is the state.

A: You just moved and bought a sofa, a table, and two chairs. What could you tell a friend in one short sentence?

B: We bought new furniture.

A: “Furniture” is uncountable — no “a,” no “furnitures.”

B: You’re a guest in an American home, and you need to wash your hands. What could you ask your host?

A: Excuse me, where’s the bathroom?

B: At someone’s home, “bathroom” is the usual question in American English.

Outro

A: Today you fixed ten common mistakes about home, from “turn off the light” to “Where’s the bathroom?”

B: Small choices can make it easier to explain what you mean in your own home or someone else’s.

A: Open the link below and practice them in Recursio.

B: See you in the next one.