Do you have to talk about your living room in English?
Maybe as part of the IELTS speaking test… Or as part of your work?
If so, let me show you how to talk about your living room in English.
Read on…
What is the Living Room?
Most family homes have a living room.
This is a room where all the family can be together. Usually, they are watching TV together. Or they could be eating dinner together (many families eat dinner in the living room).
Or it could be a place where all the family can be together and relax, play games, talk about things or sit together quietly.
Where is The Living Room?
In a house, the living room is usually located on the ground floor and at the front of the house.
But in an apartment, the living room is usually at the front, and often the first room you see as you enter the apartment.
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A Basic Description of The Living Room
Depending on the house and the size of the house, the living room can be very small or very big.
Most living rooms in an average house in the UK are big enough for all the family to sit together. So about big enough for four or five people to sit comfortably.
The living room is a room for living.
Traditionally, it was the room where all the family were together in the evening.
Nowadays, we have many devices and people may stay in their bedrooms or different rooms of the house. But many years ago, there was just one TV in the living room — and that was where everyone stayed.
Size of The Living Room
It really depends on the house.
Some living rooms can be very small. Others can be huge.
But most standard living rooms will have enough room for four or five members of the family to sit comfortably together.
There is usually a sofa — and this can seat three people.
Then there could be two armchairs — these can seat two more people.
Not big enough to do activities like dancing or playing badminton.
But big enough for everyone to sit down together.
The Location of The Living Room
Like I said before, in a normal house in England, the living room is on the ground floor of the house — and at the front of the house.
The windows usually look out of the front of the house.
But some living rooms are at the back — facing the garden.
If in an apartment, the living room is the first room that you see as you enter through the front door.
Things We Can See in The Living Room
Let’s look at the things we can see in the living room.
Furniture
This is a list of furniture items you can find in most living rooms.
Sofa/Couch
Armchair
Easy Chair
Coffee Table/Tea Table
Bookshelf
Side Tables
Other Items in The Living Room
Television/TV
Stereo/Music System
Shelves
Plants
Pictures
Mirror
Rug/Carpet
Curtains/Blinds
Fan
Lamp
Light/Lighting
Vase
Clock
Useful Sentences About Things in The Living Room
Here are some sentences you can use to talk about furniture in the living room.
Sofa/Couch
I love to stretch out on the sofa and watch TV
All my family can sit on the sofa together comfortably
Armchair
My dad has his favourite armchair and no one else sits in it
My mum bought this armchair that can recline back. It is very comfortable!
Easy Chair
In our living room, there is one easy chair — it’s very comfortable so there are arguments about who can sit in it!
Coffee Table/Tea Table
We have a wooden coffee table in front of the sofa. It’s where we can put our drinks or some snacks.
I sometimes do my homework on the coffee table in the living room
Bookshelf
The bookshelf in our living room is crammed full of books
We keep some encyclopedias and other useful books on the bookshelf
Side Tables
There are two side tables — one on either side of the sofa.
Mum forbids us to put hot drinks on the side tables in case we damage the surface.
And here are some sentences you can use for the other items in the living room.
Television/TV
We have a big flat-screen TV in the living room, but the only person who watches it is my dad.
Stereo/Music System
My parents have a big music system in the living room. But they like to listen to all their old music. I go to my room and listen to music there.
Shelves
There are many shelves in our living room. Full of books, plants and some ornaments too.
Plants
My mum loves to keep plants around the house. We have two big plants in the living room. It makes it feel more comfortable.
Pictures
We have pictures of the family on the living room walls. Me and my brother as kids and some pictures of my mum and dad too.
Mirror
There’s a small mirror on one of the living room walls. I don’t think anyone uses it though.
Rug/Carpet
Under the coffee table, we have a large rug. It’s nice in the winter because the floor can get a little cold.
Curtains/Blinds
My mum closes the curtains as soon as the sun goes down.
Fan
It’s nice to use the fan on hot days in the living room.
Lamp
We have two lamps in the living room. Both of them are on the side tables on each end of the sofa.
The lamp in the living room provides a much softer kind of light.
Light/Lighting
There is a ceiling light, but it is very bright so we usually use the lamp.
Vase
My mum loves to have flowers in the living room. So she bought this really nice glass vase to put flowers in.
Clock
There’s a clock on the shelf in the living room. I don’t know who uses it to tell the time as we all have smartphones.
Things We Can Do in The Living Room
Here are some things that most people do in the living room.
- Reading
- Studying
- Playing board games
- Relaxing
- Watching TV
- Playing computer games
- Sleeping or napping on the sofa
Useful Sentences About Things We Can Do in The Living Room
And here are some useful sentences you can use about things we do in the living room.
Reading
We are a family of book readers and we all love to read in the living room.
There’s nothing I like better than reading while lying on the sofa.
Studying
Sometimes I do my homework in the living room. But in the evening it is too noisy.
Playing board games
My mum doesn’t always allow us to watch TV so we might have one or two evenings a month where we only play board games.
Relaxing
Our living room is very quiet and faces out to the garden. So it is a relaxing place to spend time.
Watching TV
The living room is the only room with a TV in our house so that’s where we watch TV shows.
Playing computer games
If no one else is around, I like to use the big flat-screen TV for playing computer games in the living room.
Sleeping or napping on the sofa
The living room can be very quiet sometimes. Perfect for sleeping on the sofa or taking a quick nap.
Now You Try!
Try talking about your living room. Use the following questions to form answers.
- Describe your living room. What does it look like?
- What items of furniture do you have in the living room?
- Do you have a sofa in your living room?
- What colour is it?
- What is its style?
- Is it comfortable?
- Is there a coffee table/tea table in your living room?
- What is it made of? What is its style?
- Describe everything that is on the table.
- What is it used for?
- Are there any pictures on the walls of your living room?
- Describe the pictures.
- Why do you have these pictures on the wall?
- What is the story behind these pictures?
- Do you have a bookshelf in the living room?
- What kind of books do you have on the bookshelf?
- Are you a family of readers?
- Who bought the books?
- Are there any old books there? Who bought them?
- What kind of things do you like to do in the living room?
- What does your father do in the living room?
- What does your mother do there?
- Or you?
- Do you have family get-togethers in the living room?
- What kind of things do you do there?
- Are there any items in the living room that have a special story about them?
- Tell the story.
Conclusion
I hope this can help you talk about your living room with more ease.
Keep practising and you will get there!
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