TYPES OF HOUSES

rowhouse (UK terraced house) /ˈroʊˌhaʊs/

a house that is joined to the houses on either side of it by
shared walls

townhouse /ˈtaʊn.haʊs/
a house that is joined to another house

duplex (also duplex apartment) UK /ˈdʒuː.pleks/ US /ˈduː.pleks/

a pair of small houses on a single floor that are joined
together
a house having two separate apartments, each with its own
entrance

detached house /dɪˈtætʃt haʊs/

a house that is not joined to any other house

semi-detached house /ˌsem.i.dɪˈtætʃt/

a house that is one that is joined to another similar house on
only one side by a shared wall

tenement /ˈten.ə.mənt/
a large building divided into apartments, usually in a poor
area of a city
a type of apartment building, esp. one with many small
apartments that is in a poor area

villa /ˈvɪl.ə/
a house, usually in the countryside or near the sea,
especially in southern Europe, and often one that people can
rent for a holiday

mansion /ˈmæn.ʃən/
a very large, expensive house
maisonette /ˌmeɪ.zənˈet/
a small apartment that is usually part of a larger building
with two levels and that has its own entrance

manor /ˈmæn.ər/
a large old house in the country with land belonging to it,
especially in Europe

skyscraper /ˈskaɪˌskreɪ.pər/
a very tall modern building, usually in a city

cottage /ˈkɒt.ɪdʒ/
a small house, usually in the countryside

penthouse /ˈpent.haʊs/
an expensive apartment or set of rooms at the top of a
hotel or tall building

palace /ˈpæl.ɪs/
a large house that is the official home of a king, queen, or
other person of high social rank

castle /ˈkɑː.səl/
a large strong building, built in the past by a ruler or
important person to protect the people inside from attack
fortress (also fort) /ˈfɔː.trəs/
a large, strong building or group of buildings that can be
defended from attack

tower /taʊər/
a tall, narrow structure, often square or circular, that either
forms part of a building or stands alone

chalet /ˈʃæl.eɪ/
a small wooden house found in mountain areas, especially
in Switzerland, or a house built in a similar style, especially
one used by people on holiday

log cabin /ˌlɒɡ ˈkæb.ɪn/

a small house made from tree trunks

ranch house (also ranch-style house) /ˈrɑːntʃ ˌhaʊs/

farmhouse /ˈfɑːm.haʊs/
the main house on a farm where the farmer lives

caravan /ˈkær.ə.væn/ (US trailer)

a wheeled vehicle for living or travelling in, especially for
holidays, that contains beds and cooking equipment and
can be pulled by a car

motor home /ˈməʊ.tə ˌhəʊm/ (also camper); (UK also

camper van); (US also recreational vehicle, RV)
a large motor vehicle that is designed to be lived in while
travelling. It contains cooking equipment, one or more
beds, and sometimes a toilet
tent /tent/
a shelter made of canvas or a similar material and
supported by poles and ropes, that you can fold up and
carry with you

windmill /ˈwɪnd.mɪl/
a building or structure with large blades on the outside
that, when turned by the force of the wind, provide the
power for getting water out of the ground or crushing
grain

lighthouse /ˈlaɪt.haʊs/
a tall building near the coast or shore with a flashing light
at the top to warn ships of rocks and other dangers

block of flats /ˌblɒk əv ˈflæts/ (US apartment building)

a large building that is divided into apartments

lodging /ˈlɒdʒ.ɪŋ/
a temporary place to stay

hotel /həʊˈtel/
a building where you pay to have a room to sleep in, and
where you can sometimes eat meals

hostel /ˈhɒs.təl/
a large house where people can stay free or cheaply
youth hostel /ˈjuːθ ˌhɒs.təl/
a place where people, especially young people, can stay
cheaply for short periods when they are travelling
inn /ɪn/
a pub or small hotel where you can stay for the night,
usually in the countryside

suite /swiːt/
a set of connected rooms, especially in a hotel

timeshare /ˈtaɪm.ʃeər/
a holiday house or apartment that is owned by several
different people who each use it for a particular period
of the year

bungalow /ˈbʌŋ.ɡəl.əʊ/
a house that usually has only one storey (= level),
sometimes with a smaller upper storey set in the roof
and windows that come out from the roof

houseboat /ˈhaʊs.bəʊt/
a boat that people use as their home, often kept in one
place on a river or canal

wigwam /ˈwɪɡ.wæm/
a rounded structure made from a frame of poles
covered with materials such as grass, cloth, or animal
skins, lived in by Native Americans, especially in the
northeastern US and Canada in the past

igloo /ˈɪɡ.luː/
a circular house made of blocks of hard snow,
especially as built by the Inuit people of northern North
America
hut /hʌt/ also shack /ʃæk/
a very simple and small building made from pieces of
wood, metal, or other materials

hovel /ˈhɒv.əl/
a small home that is dirty and in bad condition

shanty /ˈʃæn.ti/
a small house, usually made from pieces of wood,
metal, or cardboard, in which poor people live,
especially on the edge of a city

barracks /ˈbær.əks/
a building or group of buildings where soldiers live

monastery /ˈmɒn.ə.stri/
a building in which monks live and worship

convent /ˈkɒn.vənt/ also nunnery /ˈnʌn.ər.i/

a building in which nuns (= members of a female
religious order) live
orphanage /ˈɔː.fən.ɪdʒ/
a home for children whose parents are dead or
unable to care for them

retirement home /rɪˈtaɪə.mənt ˌhəʊm/ also

old people's home /ˌəʊld ˈpiː.pəlzˌhəʊm/
a place where older people live together and are
cared for

prison /ˈprɪz.ən/
a building where criminals are forced to live as a
punishment
jail /dʒeɪl/
a place where criminals are kept to punish them for
their crimes, or where people accused of crimes are
kept while waiting for their trials

barn /bɑːrn/
a large building on a farm in which animals or hay
(= dried grass) and grain are kept

greenhouse /ˈɡriːn.haʊs/ glasshouse /ˈɡlɑːs.haʊs/

a building with a roof and sides made of glass, used
for growing plants that need warmth and protection

shed /ʃed/
a small building, usually made of wood, used for
storing things
TYPES OF ROOMS
bathroom /ˈbɑːθ.ruːm/
a room with a bath and/or shower and often a toilet

bedroom /ˈbed.ruːm/
a room used for sleeping in

kitchen /ˈkɪtʃ.ən/
a room where food is kept, prepared, and cooked and
where the dishes are washed

laundry room (also called a utility room)

a room where clothes are washed and dried

living room or sitting room or lounge room /ˈlaʊndʒ/

the room in a house or apartment that is used for
relaxing in and entertaining guests

dining room /ˈdaɪ.nɪŋ ˌruːm/

a room in which meals are eaten
guest room /ˈɡest ˌruːm/
a bedroom in a house for visitors to sleep in

alcove /ˈæl.kəʊv/
a small space in a room, formed by one part of a wall
being further back than the parts on each side

hall (US usually entryway or hallway)

the area just inside the main entrance of a house,
apartment, or other building that leads to other rooms
and usually to the stairs

garage /ˈɡær.ɑːʒ/ /ˈɡær.ɪdʒ/ US /ɡəˈrɑːʒ/

a building where a car is kept, built next to or as part of
a house

landing /ˈlæn.dɪŋ/
an area of floor that joins two sets of stairs or that
leads from the top of a set of stairs to rooms

balcony /ˈbæl.kə.ni/
an area with a wall or bars around it that is joined to
the outside wall of a building on an upper level
loft /lɒft/
a space at the top of a building under the roof used
for storing things and usually entered by a ladder, or
sometimes made into a room for living in

attic /ˈæt.ɪk/
the space or room at the top of a building, under the
roof, often used for storing things

cellar /ˈsel.ər/
a room under the ground floor of a building, usually
used for storing things

larder /ˈlɑː.dər/ or pantry /ˈpæn.tri/

a small room or large cupboard in a house where food
is kept

basement /ˈbeɪs.mənt/
a part of a building consisting of rooms that are partly
or completely below the level of the ground

lavatory /ˈlæv.ə.tər.i/ or loo /luː/ or

water closet WC /ˈwɔː.tə ˌklɒz.ɪt/
a room containing a toilet
study /ˈstʌd.i/
a room, especially in a house, used for quiet work
such as reading or writing

cell /sel/
a small room with not much furniture, especially in a
prison or a monastery or convent

canteen /kænˈtiːn/
a place in a factory, office, etc. where food and
meals are sold, often at a lower than usual price

staffroom /ˈstɑːf.ruːm/
a room in a school that is for the use of the teachers
when they are not teaching

waiting room /ˈweɪ.tɪŋ ˌruːm/ or lounge /laʊndʒ/

a room in a place where people can sit while
waiting, as in an airport or a doctor's office

changing room /ˈtʃeɪn.dʒɪŋ ˌruːm/

a room where people can change their clothes, for
example before and after sports or, in a shop, where
people can try on clothes before buying them
OUTSIDE THE HOUSE
TOOLS & EQUIPMENTS
THE LIVING ROOM
THE BEDROOM
TYPES OF BEDS & CHAIRS
THE DINING ROOM
THE KITCHEN
KITCHENWARE