To tell someone the way, use go straight ahead to keep going forward, turn left or turn right to change direction, and go along the street to follow the road. You often change direction at the traffic light.
Which way to go
go straight ahead /ɡoʊ streɪt əˈhɛd/ — Go straight ahead for two blocks.
turn left /tɜːrn lɛft/ — Turn left at the traffic light.
turn right /tɜːrn raɪt/ — Turn right at the corner.
go along the street /ɡoʊ əˈlɒŋ ðə striːt/ — Go along the street for one block.
at the traffic light /æt ðə ˈtræf.ɪk laɪt/ — Turn left at the traffic light.
Try it: Choose the word: (go straight ahead / turn left / on the corner) Answer: go straight ahead — Go straight ahead means keep going forward without changing direction, which is what the picture shows. Turn left would change direction, and on the corner says where a place is, not which way to walk.
Saying where a place is
To say where a place is, use next to for right beside it, across from for on the other side, between for in the middle of two places, and on the corner for where two streets meet.
next to /nɛkst tuː/ — The café is next to the bank.
across from /əˈkrɒs frɒm/ — The library is across from the park.
between /bɪˈtwiːn/ — The shop is between the bank and the café.
on the corner /ɒn ðə ˈkɔːr.nɚ/ — The pharmacy is on the corner.
Try it: Choose the word: (between / next to / across from) Answer: between — Between means in the middle of two things, one on each side, which is what the picture shows. Next to means beside just one thing, and across from means on the other side of the street.
How far, and which turning
Two more things people say when they give directions. For how long the walk takes, put the number and minute before walk: a 15-minute walk. To pick out which turning, count them with first, second, third: Take the first right.
minute — It's about a 15-minute walk from the station.
first — Take the first right after the gas station.
Try it: It's about a 15-___ walk from the station. (minute / first / next) Answer: minute — Minute says how long the walk takes, so a 15-minute walk. First picks out which turning to take and next means the one beside it, so neither one measures time.
Try it: There are three streets on the right. Take the ___ right after the gas station. (first / minute / between) Answer: first — First counts which turning you take, and here it is the one before the others. Minute is about how long the walk takes and between is about position, so neither one picks a turning.