English course

Lesson 133 of 240

New here? This is lesson 133 of a free 240-lesson English course.

Start hereHow this works

What's in the apartment in English

Ana walks Mr. Kowalski through her second-floor apartment on Larch Street. She names what is broken and what is missing.

The oven does not work. There is no dishwasher. A window will not open.

You will learn how to name those problems. You will also say where the washer is.

Keep the lines short. Mr. Kowalski does not want a long speech.

By the end of this lesson

Name things in the apartment and what is broken or missing.

  • The ___ doesn't work.Name a thing in the home that is not functioning.
  • There's no ___.The apartment does not have this thing.
  • The washer is in the basement.The clothes machine is downstairs.
  • This outlet doesn't work.This wall plug has no power.
  • The window is stuck.I cannot open or close this window.
  • A light is missing.A lamp that should be here is not.

Scene — the second floor

Ana stands in her second-floor kitchen on Larch Street. Mr. Kowalski is at the door with a ring of keys.

The window by the sink will not open. One wall plug has no power. A ceiling light is missing.

He will look, nod, and say he will see. The jukebox is not in this room.

Ana holds the kitchen door open as Mr. Kowalski arrives with his keys.

Learn — broken or missing

Six short lines help you name what is broken or missing at home.

You will also say where the washer is.

  1. Ana points out the broken oven while Mr. Kowalski looks at the stove.

    The ___ doesn't work.

    Name a thing in the home that is not functioning.

    When to use it: Use this to name a home thing that is broken.

    Doesn't is does not said as one piece.

    Say it: Doesn't is pronounced as one short word.

  2. Ana opens her hands toward the empty space where a dishwasher should be.

    There's no ___.

    The apartment does not have this thing.

    When to use it: Use this when the apartment does not have something.

    There's is there is said as one piece.

    Say it: There's is pronounced as one short word.

  3. Mr. Kowalski points down the hall toward the stairs below the apartment.

    The washer is in the basement.

    The clothes machine is downstairs.

    When to use it: Say this to tell where the clothes machine is.

    Basement is the floor under the first floor.

    Say it: The stress in basement is on the first part.

  4. Mr. Kowalski tests the wall outlet while Ana watches beside him.

    This outlet doesn't work.

    This wall plug has no power.

    When to use it: Say this about a wall plug with no power.

    An outlet is where you plug in a cord.

    Say it: The stress in outlet is on the first part.

  5. Ana braces at the window as Mr. Kowalski tries to move its stuck sash.

    The window is stuck.

    I cannot open or close this window.

    When to use it: Say this when you cannot open or close a window.

    Stuck means the window will not move.

  6. Ana points up at the bare ceiling mount where a lamp should be.

    A light is missing.

    A lamp that should be here is not.

    When to use it: Say this when a lamp that should be here is gone.

    The -ing form missing means it is not here.

Story — he will see

Watch Ana walk Mr. Kowalski through the apartment. She names what is broken.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.

  1. The second-floor hallway. Ana holds the door.
  2. AnaCome on in.please come inside
  3. Mr. KowalskiShow me what is wrong, Miss.He wants Ana to show the problems.
  4. They walk into the kitchen. He looks at the stove.
  5. AnaThe oven doesn't work.The oven is broken.
  6. AnaThere's no dishwasher.The apartment does not have a dishwasher.
  7. Mr. KowalskiThe washer is in the basement.The clothes machine is downstairs.
  8. AnaWhere? I don't see a basement here.She looks for a basement in this room.
  9. Mr. KowalskiDownstairs, Miss. Not in this room.He tells her it is the floor below.
  10. AnaThis outlet doesn't work.This wall plug has no power.
  11. He tests a wall plug. His face does not change.
  12. AnaA light is missing.A lamp that should be here is not.
  13. AnaThe window is stuck.I cannot open or close this window.
  14. He pulls the window. It does not move. He nods.
  15. Mr. KowalskiI will see.He will look at it later.
  16. AnaThank you.you say this when someone helps you

Practice — name the problem

Ten quick exercises wait here. You will listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.

They stay small, so the round moves fast.

0 of 10 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    English

    The washer is in the basement.Drop the Simple English here
    This outlet doesn't work.Drop the Simple English here
    The window is stuck.Drop the Simple English here
    A light is missing.Drop the Simple English here

    Simple English

    Drag a Simple English line onto its English, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What do you say?

    Mr. Kowalski is at your apartment door. Let him inside.

  4. What does it mean?

    There's no ___.

  5. Fill the gap

    This wall plug has no power.

    This outlet ____ work.

  6. Build the line

    The clothes machine is downstairs.

    .

    Tap the words in order.

  7. Pick the reply

    Mr. Kowalski says:

    I will see.

    He will look at the problem later.

    And you reply with:

  8. Swap the word

    You try the window. It will not move up or down.

    The ____ is stuck.

  9. What do you say?

    The oven in your kitchen is broken. Tell Mr. Kowalski.

  10. True or false?

    This line means the lamp still works.

Say it — tell him

Now you're Ana in your apartment. Mr. Kowalski is at the door.

When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.

Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.

  1. Mr. KowalskiShow me, Miss.He wants you to show the problems.
  2. Ana (you)Name a home thing that is broken.

    The ___ doesn't work.

    Name a thing in the home that is not functioning.

0 of 6 said

Recap — what you can say now

EnglishSimple English
The ___ doesn't work.Name a thing in the home that is not functioning.
There's no ___.The apartment does not have this thing.
The washer is in the basement.The clothes machine is downstairs.
This outlet doesn't work.This wall plug has no power.
The window is stuck.I cannot open or close this window.
A light is missing.A lamp that should be here is not.
Next: lesson 134Rent and bills

Save your progress — it’s free

Keep your place in the course and see which lines you’ve learned.

Want the next lesson in your inbox?

Get the next lesson by email, one a day.

Where should we start?
Join the newsletter

Daily lesson emails are coming soon. Newsletter subscribers get them first.

Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Want to keep these apartment lines handy? Grab the Yak Cards for this lesson and review them anywhere.

A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your apartment lines ready.

Open Yak Cards