Table
lay/set the table
Roberta, would you set the table while I cook breakfast? The knives and forks are in the drawer next to the fridge.
sit at a table
My father always sits at the top of the table when we're eating.
clear the table
Yuan, could you clear the table and put the dirty dishes in the sink. I'll wash them later.
leave the table
When I was a child, we had to ask permission before we could leave the dinner table.
manage to get a table
We were lucky to get a table. The restaurant was really busy when we got there.
be shown to your table
When we arrived at the restaurant, we were shown to our table by the head waiter.
book a table
Hello. Is that the Golden Lotus? I’d like to book a table for four, please. Around 8.30?
set a place at the table
I've set a place for you at the table. You're sitting next to Michael.
sit round the table
We'll easily get eight people round the dining table for Christmas dinner.
reach across the table
I accidentally knocked over a glass of wine while I was reaching across the table to get
the salt.
Notes
Here are different kinds of tables:
-
kitchen table
-
dinner table
-
side table
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coffee table
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dining table
-
folding table
You play pool on a pool table, and billiard on a billiard table.
Drawer
Look in a drawer
I've looked in all the drawers in the house, but I can't find my passport anywhere.
The top/bottom drawer
We keep the scissors in the top drawer where our son can't reach them.
the drawer is stiff
I'm having trouble opening this drawer - it's very stiff. Can you try?
at the back of the drawer
My mother finally found her wedding ring in the back of a drawer in her bedroom.
open a drawer
He opened the drawer of his desk and took out some writing paper.
lock a drawer
I'd love to read my sister's diary, but she keeps it in a drawer in her room, which she always locks when she goes out.
Chair
lean back in your chair
I put my feet up on the desk, leaned back in my chair and tried to relax.
get up from your chair
I don't know what's wrong with him! He just got up from his chair and left without saying a word!
fall off your chair
It was no accident. He fell off his chair because he was drunk!
push back your chair
At the end of the meal he pushed back his chair and got up to make a speech.
sit in a chair
When I arrived my grandfather was sitting in his favorite chair by the fire.
flop into a chair
I was so tired after work, I just dropped my bags and flopped into the nearest chair.
Mirror
There's a full-length mirror behind the door of the wardrobe in the bedroom.
They say you get 7 years' bad luck if you break a mirror.
There's a large mirror, hanging above the fireplace in the living room.
She never leaves the house without looking at herself in the hall mirror.
I find it difficult to shave when the bathroom mirror is all steamed up.
When I looked in the mirror, I noticed a small spot on the tip of my nose.
Rob was standing in front of a mirror, trying on a new suit, when I last saw him.
Note
Note these types of car mirror:
-
I adjusted the side mirrors, then glanced in the rear-view mirror to see if anyone was behind me.
Bed
make your bed
We’ve trained our kids to tidy their rooms and make their beds before they go to school in the morning.
go to bed
I was very tired when I got home, so I went straight to bed.
get out of bed
I had a lazy day yesterday. I didn't get out of bed until lunchtime.
put (the children) to bed
Oh. it's you, Mary! Jane's upstairs putting the children to bed. I'll get her to ring you back later. Is that OK?
change the bed
I think we'd better change the beds before your parents come for the weekend. You know what your mother is like!
a single/double bed
I'm afraid we don't have a double room, but we have a twin with two single beds.
a soft/hard bed
The bed's too soft for me. I prefer a very hard mattress.
a(n) (un)comfortable bed
Thanks. I slept very well. It was a really comfortable bed.
a spare bed
You can spend the night here if you want - we have a spare bed.
bunk beds
When I was a boy, my brother and I had bunk beds. I slept on the top bunk.
an unmade bed
Our daughter 'S room is in a mess as usual. The bed's unmade and there are dirty clothes
all over the floor.
Last Saturday I lay in bed all morning and read a book.
I like to be in bed by 10 o 'clock on weekdays.
My father always has breakfast in bed on a Sunday morning.
It can be dangerous to smoke in bed.
I spent four days in bed with flu last week.
The children are safely tucked up in bed.
sheet, blanket, pillow, mattress, wardrobe, alarm, curtains
Open/close the wardrobe
I opened the wardrobe. chose a shirt, then tried to decide what tie to wear with it.
an extra blanket
It was colder than usual, so I put an extra blanket on my bed.
change the sheets
My mother always changes the sheets on our beds on a Sunday because Monday is her washing day.
set the alarm (for 7 o'clock)
I set the alarm for seven, but it didn't go off / ring That’s why I was late for work.
Clean/dirty sheets
Jack and Sue want to stay over on Saturday night. Could you put some clean sheets on the bed in the spare room?
Open/close the curtains
The first thing I do when I get out of bed in the morning is to open the curtains and see what the weather's like.
a fitted wardrobe
All the bedrooms in our new flat have fitted wardrobes, so there's plenty of storage space for our clothes.
hang (your shirts) in the wardrobe
Can you hang these trousers in the wardrobe, please?
sleep on a firm mattress
I prefer to sleep on a firm mattress. If it's too soft, I find it gives me a sore back.
prop (yourself) up with a pillow
I propped myself up with a couple of pillows, so that 1 could read comfortably in bed.
cry into your pillow
When I went into her room, Farah was crying into her pillow. She was obviously still upset about splitting up from her boyfriend.
Notes
Note these expressions:
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I was so tired last night I was asleep before my head hit the pillow!
-
When my parents turn the lights out, I read my book under the blankets with a torch.
Note that we usually refer to an alarm clock as 'an alarm '.
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Don't forget to set the alarm . We have to be up early tomorrow.
Draw the curtains can mean either open or close them.
bath and shower
get into the bath/shower
I undressed quickly and got into the bath.
have/take a bath/shower
How often do you have a bath?
get out of the bath /shower
When I got out of the shower, I discovered there were no towels in the bathroom!
clean the bath/shower
Don't forget to clean the bath when you've finished. There's a dot h under the basin.
run a bath
I'll be home in about twenty minutes. Could you run a bath for me, please?
turn on/off the shower
I turned off the shower and reached for a towel.
lie in the bath
My brother lies in the bath for ages, which means that nobody else can get into the bathroom!
the bath overflows
Marta! Run up to the bathroom and turn the water off before the bath overflows.
have a quick shower
Have I got time for a quick shower before we have to leave for the theatre?
a long bath/shower
I had a long, hot bath after the game to soothe my aching muscles. I soaked for nearly an hour.
have a cold shower
He has a cold shower every morning to waken himself up. I don't know how he can do that!
a hot bath/shower
I love standing under a hot shower when I get back from work in the evening. It only takes a couple of minutes to relax the tense muscles in my neck.
Note
Note these common expressions:
-
Could you see who is at the door? I'm in the bath.
-
Turn the taps off or the bath will overflow!
Towel
There are no paper towels in the washroom and the electric hand drier is broken!
If there's one thing I hate, it's dirty towels!
I dried myself with your towel by mistake. It's exactly the same as mine!
There’s nothing nicer than a lovely soft clean bath towel!
I can't find a clean dish towel anywhere, so I'm afraid I can't dry the dishes!
Sorry. I've spilt some coffee on the carpet. Have you got a cloth or some paper towels?
We can buy beach towels when we get there. They're much cheaper in Spain.
Note
Note that we talk about a bath towel. but a face cloth.
Toilet
go to the toilet
Don't forget to wash your hands after you've been to the toilet.
need the toilet
I need the toilet, so can you stop the video for a few minutes?
public toilets
We couldn't use the public toilets in the park because they had been vandalized.
use the toilet
Nobody could use the toilet because it was out of order.
disabled toilet
Excuse me, is there a disabled toilet? My friend is in a wheelchair.
flush the toilet
There was a sign above the toilet bowl which said, ' Please flush toilet when finished '.
ladies / gents toilets
There was a queue outside the ladies toilets. Why is there never one outside the gents?
toilet paper
Maria, we're out of toilet paper Could you get some when you're out?
the toilet seat
I wish your grandfather would remember to put the toilet seat up!
toilet facilities
There was no wheelchair access and no disabled toilet facilities at the concert.
Notes
The informal word '100' is often used for toilet:
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I’ll just go to the 100 before the film starts.
In the UK public toilets are sometimes called public conveniences.
In the US, the toilet in your home is the bathroom, and in a public place, it is the restroom
Andrew, could you lay the table for dinner, please?
I can't open this drawer. It’s really stiff.
When I finished the letter, I leaned back in my chair and looked out of the window.
I never look in the mirror first thing in the morning!
Make sure you change your bed at least once a week.
I set the alarm for 7 am, but for some reason it didn't go off.
Could you run the bath for me?
Have I got time for a quick shower before we go out?
Excuse me, but this towel is wet. Have you got a dry one?
Harry's room's in a mess again. He hasn't even made his bed yet.
My grandfather is now 90 and needs help to get in and out of the bath.
We all sat around the kitchen table, drinking tea and chatting.
It's going to be a cold night. Can I have an extra blanket on my bed?
I put my passport in the drawer by my bed, and locked it before going out.
Could you hang these shirts up in the wardrobe please?
I always close the windows when I go to bed. I never sleep with them open!
Unfortunately, there were no toilet facilities at the bus station.
Make sure you turn off the shower when you've finished.
I was so tired I couldn't get up from my chair.
I reached across the table to get the salt.
I prefer to sleep on a firm mattress.
I'm usually in bed by ten o 'clock most days.
My brother lies in the bath for hours after playing football.