Language for ...
com
train travel
Age: Adult
Level: Intermediate
Time: 45–60 minutes
Language focus: vocabulary associated with
travelling by train and booking tickets
Skills: reading, speaking
Materials: copies of the worksheet, internet
access preferable
Aims: to provide students with language for booking
train tickets
What are red words?
Ninety per cent of the time, speakers of English use
just 7,500 words in speech and writing. These words
appear in the Macmillan Dictionary in red, and
are graded with stars. One-star words are frequent,
two-star words are more frequent, and three-star
words are the most frequent. ‘Language for’ lessons
are based on red words and encourage students to
improve their English through communicative tasks
using collocation and commonly used phrases.
1 Ask students to look at examples of UK
rail tickets, note down any words they see
repeatedly, and check their meanings in the
Macmillan Dictionary. They will probably
need to look on the internet, where there are
plenty of clear images freely available, e.g.:
www.edinphoto.org.uk/0_d/0_documents_
railway_ticket_british_rail_recent.jpg
Teaching tip: Students could be invited to note
their findings in a word cloud platform (e.g. https://
answergarden.ch), which could be displayed as
the class begins – likely keywords are: from/to,
valid/validity, adult/child, single/return, route, class
(standard/first), price, ticket type, reservation.
Also note the common abbreviations STD
(= standard), SGL (= single) and RTN (= return).
Language for ... train travel
© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2017
www.macmillandictionary.
Teacher’s Notes
2 The warmer focuses on some common words
and phrases connected with different forms of
travel. Ask students to complete it individually,
permitting them to use the Macmillan Dictionary
if necessary. Check answers as a class. Point
out that a waiting area in an airport is always
described as a departure lounge, but smaller
areas for waiting in some stations are simply
waiting rooms. The word roadworks (roadwork
in US English) often pops up when people talk
about car travel because of delays caused.
3 Explain that the lesson will now focus on
buying tickets at a train station. Exercise
2a simulates a typical passenger-assistant
conversation at a ticket office counter in the UK.
If students have prepared for the lesson, they
will recognise some of the featured vocabulary
(e.g. valid, single/return). Invite two students
to read the conversation for the class. Then
give students time to quickly re-read it and
note down their answer. Check as a class.
Teaching tip: Look at Patrick’s second turn.
Note that when UK speakers want to refer to a
particular train, they often simply say the + the
time of train, e.g.: ‘the 16:35’, ‘He’s on the 10:52’
(= He’s travelling on the train that leaves at 10:52).
4 Ask students to complete exercise 2b and
compare their answers with a partner.
Remind them to first complete any matches
they immediately know and to look back
at the conversation text for clues. Check
answers. Note that the ticket types featured
here are mainly used in British English.
Teaching tip: More vocabulary related to ticket
types can be found in the Macmillan Dictionary
Thesaurus feature at: www.macmillandictionary.
com/thesaurus-category/british/tickets-for-travelling
1
IA ND
OP D A
E
BL
OC A
OT LO
PH OWN
D
 Language for ...
train travel
5 Ask students to complete exercise 2c, and check
the answers as a class. Explain that in the US,
the word car is the usual equivalent of UK coach
(which, rather confusingly, can also refer to a
bus in British English). The term quiet coach
is often used in British English to describe a
section of the train where you’re not allowed to
use mobile phones or electronic equipment that
makes a noise. An aisle/table/window seat is a
seat next to an aisle/table/window. Take a brief
look at the distractors: fee is a more general word
for payment, whereas fare can only be used in
reference to payment for travel. The expression
trolley service is commonly used in the UK to
refer to the practice of selling refreshments from
a trolley pushed along the aisle of the train.
6 Ask students to complete exercise 3a and check
the answers as a class by asking one or two
students to read out the completed sections
of the advertisement. As a brief extension
activity, you could ask students to think of (real
or hypothetical) travel scenarios and have the
rest of the class suggest the ticket type (e.g.:
‘I’m leaving and returning today. I want a
cheaper ticket’ = day return / off-peak; ‘I know
exactly when I want to travel and I’d like to
save money by booking ahead’ = advance).
7 Exercise 3b highlights some typical questions
asked either by passengers or staff at a station
ticket office. Ask students to complete it in
pairs as quickly as they can and check the
answers as a class. Then move straight on to
Exercise 3c which lists some responses, again
telling them to think about whether these are
likely to be said by a passenger or member of
staff. Check the answers as a class. You may
need to explain that a railcard is the UK term
Language for ... train travel
© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2017
www.macmillandictionary.com
Teacher’s Notes
for a card, usually purchased, that allows a
person to buy train tickets at a reduced price.
8 Divide students into pairs for exercise 4. Tell
them to spend a few minutes noting down
ideas and then take it in turns to play the role
of the passenger. Remind them to look at
the conversation text, and the questions and
responses in earlier exercise material, to help
them.
9 As a wind-up discussion, ask students if they
know what is meant by the expression slow
travel (= making long journeys over land/sea
rather than flying, because you are concerned
about the environment, or because you want to
spend time enjoying the journey). Advocates of
slow travel often use the train. What do students
think about this? How do they themselves
prefer to travel longer distances? Why?
Teaching tip: Further reading on ‘slow travel’
can be found at: www.macmillandictionary.
com/buzzword/entries/slow-travel.html
Answer key:
1 
car: traffic jam, motorway, roadworks,
service station
plane: boarding pass, check-in, departure
lounge, gate
train: platform, ticket office, waiting room
2a Patrick’s ticket costs £27.80 (= £26.80 plus £1
booking fee)
2b 1 e
2 d
3 a
4 b
5 c
2
IA ND
OP D A
E
BL
OC A
OT LO
PH OWN
D
 Language for ... www.macmillandictionary.com

train travel

Transcript
2c 1 destination
2 valid
3 fare
4 reserve a seat
5 aisle
6 break the journey
7 coach
8 outward
9 buffet car

3a 1 restrictions
2 day
3 booked
4 break
5 outward
6 within
7 return
8 within
9 flexibility
10 expensive

3b 1 T
2 P
3 P
4 P
5 T
6 T
7 P
8 T

3c 1 g
2 f
3 a
4 d
5 b
6 h
7 c
8e

4,5 students’ own answers

Language for ... train travel 3

IA ND

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2017

OP D A
E
BL
OC A
OT LO
PH OWN
D
 Language for ... www.macmillandictionary.com

train travel

Worksheet
1 Warmer
The words and phrases in the box are connected with different forms of travel. Put them in the correct
column of the table.

boarding pass traffic jam waiting room gate

motorway platform roadworks departure lounge
ticket office check-in service station

2 Reading
a Patrick wants to buy a ticket at the station.
Read the conversation – how much does
his ticket cost?

Ticket assistant: Can I help you?

Patrick: Hello, yes – I’d like a
ticket to Edinburgh
for tomorrow
morning, please.
Ticket assistant: OK – what time did
you want to leave?
Patrick: Well, I’m going up
there with a friend
who already has an advance ticket – I think he’s booked the 09:38?
Ticket assistant: [Checking computer screen] Yes, that’s correct – arriving at Edinburgh Waverley
at 11:32.
Patrick: Great, yes, that’s the one.
Ticket assistant Since that’s after 9 o’clock, you can get an off-peak fare.
Patrick: Oh, good.
Ticket assistant: Are you returning the same day? An off-peak day return is £14.40.
Patrick: Ah no, I’m not planning to come back until the weekend, but I’m not sure
which day.
Language for ... train travel 1
IA ND

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2017

OP D A
E
BL
OC A
OT LO
PH OWN
D
 Language for ... www.macmillandictionary.com

train travel

Worksheet
Ticket assistant: Right, so you’ll need an open ticket then.
Patrick: OK – and how long is that valid?
Ticket assistant: For up to a month.
Patrick: Oh, that’s fine then – I’m definitely coming back by Sunday evening. So how much
for a return ticket?
Ticket assistant: Actually, your cheapest option is to buy two single tickets. An off-peak single for
tomorrow at £9.80, and an anytime single for the return journey at £17.00.
That’s £26.80.
Patrick: Right, thank you. I’ll go for that then.
Ticket assistant: Would you like to reserve a seat on the train tomorrow morning?
Patrick: Oh, yes, maybe that’s a good idea.
Ticket assistant: There’s a reservation fee of £1, is that ok?
Patrick: Yes, that’s fine, thanks. Would it be possible to have a table seat?
Ticket assistant: Let me see … [checking screen again] … yes, I can get you one in coach D. Do you
prefer aisle or window?
Patrick: Aisle, please. And ah, yes, I forgot to ask – is it possible to break the journey with
that ticket?
Ticket assistant: Not the outward journey, but you can when you return, as long as you reach your
final destination the same day.
Patrick: Oh, great. And can I just ask – is there a buffet car?
Ticket assistant: Not on that train, I’m afraid, but there is a trolley service.
Patrick: Brilliant, thanks for your help.

b Match the ticket types to the descriptions a–e.

1 off-peak a going and coming back on the same day
2 advance b used for travelling to a place, but not for returning
3 day return c can be used at any time
4 single d booked several days or weeks before travelling
5 open e cheaper because not as many people want to travel

c Complete the definitions with words and phrases in bold from the conversation. There are two
words/phrases you don’t need.
1 A             is the place where someone is going.
2 If a ticket is            , it is accepted by officials.
3 A             is the money that you pay for a journey.
4 If you            , you make an arrangement so that it is kept for you to use later.
5 An             is a passage between rows of seats.
6 If you            , you stop travelling for a period of time.
7 A             is one of the sections of a train.
8 An             journey is one in which you are going away from home.
9 The             is part of a train where you can buy and eat food.

Language for ... train travel 2

IA ND

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2017

OP D A
E
BL
OC A
OT LO
PH OWN
D
 Language for ... www.macmillandictionary.com

train travel

Worksheet
3 Language in use
a Choose the correct options to complete the advertisement for Anytime tickets.

BUY YOUR ANYTIME TICKET NOW!

Anytime tickets have no (1) restrictions/laws on the time of (2) day/life that you can travel. With
Anytime Single tickets, you can travel on any train on the date of travel (3) booked/told. You can
also (4) break/divide your journey at stations along your route.

Buying an Anytime Return train ticket gives you even more freedom! (5) Away/Outward journeys
must be made (6) within/before 5 days of the date shown on your ticket and (7) return/back
journeys must be made (8) between/within one calendar month. Because they allow you
complete (9) change/flexibility in terms of when you travel, Anytime tickets are more
(10) expensive/valuable than Advance or Off-Peak.

b Read the questions and decide if they are asked by a passenger (P) or a ticket assistant (T).
1 Do you have a railcard?
2 How often do the trains run to Wimbledon?
3 Is that the cheapest fare?
4 What time is the next train to York?
5 When would you like to travel?
6 Standard or first class?
7 Where do I change for Aberdeen?
8 When will you be coming back?

c Match the answers a–h with the questions in exercise 3b

a Yes, it is.
b In the next hour.
c In Edinburgh, I think, but I’ll just check.
d It’s at 16:35, from platform 3.
e I’m not sure, so I’d like an open ticket.
f They leave every 30 minutes.
g No, I don’t, I’m afraid.
h Standard, please.

4 Communicate
Find a partner. Decide who is the passenger and who is the ticket assistant, and practise buying a ticket
in a train station. Then swap roles. Use your own ideas or the ideas in the box on the next page. Use the
questions and words/phrases from the exercises above to help you.

Language for ... train travel 3

IA ND

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2017

OP D A
E
BL
OC A
OT LO
PH OWN
D
 Language for ... www.macmillandictionary.com

train travel

Worksheet
You’re travelling from Leeds to Manchester today. You want to leave before 10am. You’re returning this
evening. You have a student railcard and want the cheapest fare available.

You want to book an advance ticket from Newcastle to Southampton. You’d like to travel next month, on
5th July, and return on the 12th. You’d like a table seat by the window. It’s a long journey so you’d like to
know if the train has a buffet car.

You want to travel to London tomorrow. You need to arrive by 11am. You won’t be returning until the
weekend and are not sure when you’re coming back. You’d like to reserve a seat because you know the
train is likely to be busy.

5 Discuss
Ask and answer the following questions with a partner:

• How do you prefer to travel long distances? Why?

• Is the train better than the plane? Why/Why not?

Red Words
   book (verb)**      destination **      fare **      fee***      reserve **
    return***        seat***        single***      ticket***      valid **

Language for ... train travel 4

IA ND

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2017

OP D A
E
BL
OC A
OT LO
PH OWN
D