How To Talk About The Park In English

How to talk about the park in English.

You might need to talk about going to the park in the IELTS speaking test.
Or maybe you just want to improve your conversation skills.

Whatever your purpose, let’s dive straight in…

Things in The Park

First, let’s look at the things we can see in the park.

Trees, Plants and Flowers

The most common thing we can see in the park are trees and plants.

These are the kinds of natural things we can see in the park.

• Trees
• Flowers
• Grass
• Plants
• Bushes

Trees

Most parks have trees. People go to the park to be close to nature and they want to see trees.
In a big city, trees can provide a kind of refuge from the hum of traffic or the sight of big buildings.

Our local park has so many trees. It’s nice to walk the dog there and see some greenery.

 

The park in our town centre has a big oak tree in the middle.

 

The trees in the park are filled full of birds and squirrels in the summer.

Flowers

Some parks make a real point of displaying large flower beds filled full of flowers. Others just have flowers growing wherever they may go naturally.
But most parks will have flowers.

Our local park has these huge displays of flowers every year. It’s part of a yearly competition with other small towns nearby.

 

There aren’t many flowers in the park, but at least we have some. And there is a big lawn to lie on in the sun.

Grass

Most parks have grass. Some parks allow people and their pet dogs to run around or play on the grass. Other parks have very strict rules about not going on the grass at all.

The park nearby has a big lawn. It’s great to stretch out on the grass on a nice sunny day.

 

In our park, there are many large patches of grass. But the stupid thing is we are not allowed to go on the grass. We can only look at it. It’s not very comfortable at all…

Plants

You can find many plants in the park. Often plants that are indigenous to that area or place.

We’re so lucky because in our park we have so many varieties of plants. It’s so nice to see them as you stroll around the park.

 

There are many plants in the park. And some of them are protected as they are quite valuable.

Bushes

Bushes are a kind of plant that grows quite big. They are often used as dividers in a park. But many are in the park for people to enjoy and look at.

We have many rose bushes in our park. When the roses are in full bloom, they look lovely.

Now You Try!

What kind of plants, greenery and trees do you have in your park?
Can you name them?

Try to describe the plants and flowers in parks in your country.

Are people allowed on the grass in parks in your country? Why/why not?

Check out my other useful guides to help you talk about different things in English.

How to Talk about Festivals in English

How to Talk About the KITCHEN in English

How To Talk About The Weather In English

How to Talk about Going to the Bank in English

Animals in The Park

Parks often have animals. These animals could be part of the natural wildlife that lives there. Or they could be pets that belong to people.

These are some of the animals that you might see in the park.

• Squirrels
• Ducks
• Birds
• Dogs
• Cats
• Swans
• Fish
• Insects/Bugs
• Butterflies

Squirrels

In England, we have many squirrels. They live wherever there are trees. So you can often find many squirrels in the park.

I often take my two sons to the park. They like to feed the squirrels there. We take some nuts and pieces of fruit and throw it on the grass for the squirrels to find.

 

In the summer, the trees in our local park are teeming with squirrels. But in the winter, you don’t see any of them. They are all hibernating.

Teeming with — full of life, lots of energy

Hibernating — to sleep in the winter. Many animals hibernate in the winter months.

Ducks

Most parks in England have ducks! They live on the pond or small lake in the park and people often like to feed them.

I love to go to the park on a Sunday afternoon with my grandson and feed the ducks. My grandson loves to see the ducks come rushing up to him as he throws bread into the pond!

 

Our local park has many different kinds of ducks. Some of them are quite rare, I think.

Birds

And you can see many birds in the park. Parks often have trees and birds like to live in trees. There is plenty for the birds to eat too.

In the winter, you hardly see any birds in the park, but come Springtime, the whole place is just full of them.

 

I think there is a conservation area in our town park. They want to protect the birds that nest there.

Conservation Area — a place of natural beauty or of animals that people want to protect.

To Nest — to build a nest. Birds and other animals do this.

Dogs

Some parks don’t allow dogs in the park. Other parks encourage it. The park might have a rule — keep your dog on a lead/leash and clean up after your dog!

Lead/Leash — a special line connected to the dog’s neck to make sure he doesn’t run off.

Clean Up After Your Dog — a rule in place where you need to pick up any poo/poop that your dog leaves behind.

I take my dog to the park most mornings. But I have to watch him as he likes to chase after the ducks!

 

If we take our dog to the park, she always goes crazy when she sees the squirrels.

Cats

You might see some cats in the park. Maybe cats from the local neighbourhood. Or could be stray cats.

Sometimes I see cats in the park. Maybe they belong to the local neighbours near the park. Usually, they just like to stretch out in the sun.

Stretch Out — to lie flat on the ground with your arms and legs out.

Swans

Many parks in England have swans. Swans are protected by order of The Queen so people cannot harm them.

We have a few swans in our local park. They all live on the lake. They look beautiful gliding across the water.

Gliding — to move gracefully and without effort across the water.

Fish

Many parks have a pond or a small lake. Others have a river or a stream. And if there is water, often there are fish. Some parks in England have exotic breeds of fish — for example, Japanese or Chinese koi carp.

There are tons of fish in the pond in our local park. I go there with my children to feed them sometimes.

 

There is a big lake in our local park and many people go there to go fishing as it is full of fish.

Tons Of — this means many or a lot of.

Insects/Bugs

If there are flowers and plants, there will be insects or bugs. Especially in the Summer!

I have to be careful going to the park in the Summer as I get bitten to death by all the mosquitoes there.

Bitten To Death — this means that the person is bitten many times. They do not die! Just get bitten a lot…

Butterflies

And what park can be complete without seeing butterflies in the summer?

My daughter loves to go to the park in the summer and see the butterflies fluttering around.

Fluttering Around — to fly aimlessly and without direction.

Now You Try!

What animals can you see in your local park?
Are there any animals that are different from the above?

Talk about the animals in your local park and try to describe them.

Kids Playground in The Park

Usually, a park will have a playground area for children to play in. This might be a separate area from the rest of the park (some people want to enjoy the peace and quiet!) or it might have a special surface on the ground so that kids don’t hurt themselves if they fall over.

Jungle Gym

This is a piece of playground equipment made of pipes, bars, ropes, slides and ladders. Kids usually love this, as it is great fun for them.

Whenever we go to the park, my kids run to the playground and go on the jungle gym. They love it so much!

Monkey Bars

Monkey bars are a row of elevated bars joined together by two ladders. Kids can climb the ladder at one end and swing across to the other side like a monkey.

My son loves hanging off the monkey bars in the park. I suppose it is good exercise!

See-Saw

This is another very popular playground item for kids. It’s a long plank or beam with a support in the middle that kids can use for pushing up and down.

I take my son to the park and he always wants to go on the see-saw. The trouble is he wants me to play with him — but I am much heavier than him!

Roundabout/Merry-Go-Round

This is a flat disk with handlebars, where kids can stand on it and spin around.

There’s a roundabout in the park, but sometimes older kids want to play on it. They go too fast and I am worried they could hurt the younger kids.

Swings

A swing is a seat or a short plank attached to two lines. You can sit in it and swing back and forth.

I see the kids use the swings in our local park, and sometimes they go too high. I think it is dangerous for them.

Slide

You can see this in every playground. It’s a structure with a ladder at one end and a long sliding surface down. Children love to slide down.

The slide in the park is very popular. Go to the park on any Sunday and many kids are waiting to go on the slide.

Now You Try!

Are there playgrounds in parks in your country?
If so, what kind of things do they have in them?

Can you describe the playground in your local park?
Write some sentences to describe it and read them out loud to yourself.

Food and Drink in The Park

Some parks provide a place to buy refreshments. Or a place where people can eat their own food.

Picnic Area

Many parks offer a picnic area. There might just be some grass for people to sit on and enjoy their picnic. Or the park might have some wooden tables and benches specially designed for people to sit down and eat.
And of course, they expect everyone to keep the area clean!

We go to this big park in the outskirts of town and we have a picnic there. They have some nice benches for us to sit on. And they also provide lots of bins for people to put their rubbish.

 

You can have a picnic in the park in town. But you must always clean up after yourselves and take your trash home.

Barbecue Area

It is not very common, but you might see a barbecue area in some parks. This is where people can bring their own food and have a barbecue.
The reason not many parks like to do this is that there is a risk of fire.

Sometimes we go to the big park by the mountain and have a barbecue. You must clean all your trash up after you though.

 

There is a barbecue area in our local park and people can take their own food there to cook outside.

Coffee Shop/Tea Shop

You could see a coffee shop or a tea shop in your local park. And somewhere for people to sit down and drink something.

There is a tea shop in our town park. It’s really nice to sit down with a hot cup of tea and watch people walk by in the park.

Kiosk

Or the park might have a small shop that sells drinks and snacks. This is usually a small one-room place that we call a kiosk in English.

The kiosk in our local park is run by a woman. She sells everything there — soft drinks, snacks and some fruit.

Now You Try!

What about in your local park?
Is there anywhere to buy something to eat in the park?
Can you take food to the park and eat it there? If so, where?

Write some sentences about eating and drinking in your local park.

Waterways in The Park

You can often find water in the park. Could be a pond or small lake, maybe a river or stream. Or maybe a man-made water fountain.
But people like to see water in the park. It makes the park more comfortable.

These are the different kinds of waterways you can see in the park.

You might want to take a look at my article below…

How to Talk about Rivers Lakes or Seas in English

Pond

A pond is a small area of still freshwater. It often has some ducks on it and fish and other creatures in the water.

My son loves to go to our local park. There is a pond there, and he always wants to walk along the banks looking at the frogs, the fish and all the other animals that live there.

 

I often sit beside the pond in our town park and read. It’s very quiet there in the mornings.

Lake

A lake is bigger than a pond. But still freshwater. You might see rowing boats on a lake. And people go fishing too. You might even see some people swimming.

We can hire a rowing boat to go on the lake in our local park. It’s good fun to go out on the lake in a boat.

 

I like to go to the lake in our park at the weekend and do a spot of fishing.

A Spot Of — a small amount of or a small period of time.

River

In some parks, you may see a river. The river could be passing through the town and go through the park.
People might go fishing, go running or just walk beside the river.

I love to walk along the river in our local park. It’s very quiet and relaxing in the evening.

 

Many people do exercise by the river in the park. I suppose it’s the perfect place for running or jogging.

Stream

A stream is a smaller river. Often very shallow.

My kids love to go to the stream in the park. In the summer, they like to take their shoes off and go paddling.

Paddling — to walk around in shallow water.

Fountain

In some city parks, there may not be a lake or a pond. But the local authorities want some water in the park, so they might build a fountain.

There’s a big fountain in our park. There are benches all around the fountain and people like to sit there.

 

In the summer, people always seem to end up jumping into the fountain in the city park.

Swimming Pool/Lido

And some parks might even have a swimming pool or a lido. These can be very popular in the summer!

My kids always ask me to take them to the lido in the summer. I feel like we go there three times a week…

 

There is a swimming pool in my local park. It’s not very big but a great comfort on hot days.

Now You Try!

What kind of waterways are there in parks in your country?
What do people do beside or in these waterways?

Think about the kind of waterways and water you might see in your local park.
Now write a paragraph about this if you can and read it out loud.

Other Things in The Park

As well as all the things above, there are many other things in the park too.

Let’s take a look at some other things you could see in the park.

Benches

Every park has benches. Long seats often made of wood where people can sit down and take in the view of the park.
In some parks, they make special benches to prevent homeless people from sleeping on them. This has caused a lot of anger from people.

There are many benches in the park. I can always find one with no one using it.

 

I love to sit on a bench and read in the early evening.

Footpaths/Walking Paths

People go to the park to look at the flowers, to get a little exercise or to just amble around. So there are footpaths for people to do just this.

Amble Around — to walk around aimlessly.

The footpath in our park is used by joggers in the morning. And in the evening, people often just stroll around on it.

Cycle Path

The park may provide access for bikes and cyclists. So there could be a cycle path for bikes.

There is a separate cycle path in the park that is different from the footpath. They are different colours, so people can distinguish the two.

Outdoor Gym

An outdoor gym is an apparatus made of steel parts. It is used by people to do exercises that you might find inside an indoor gym.

I see a lot of old people using the outdoor gym in the park. I think it’s great that they are doing some exercise.

Drinking Fountain

Parks might provide drinking fountains. These are small devices where people can get a drink of fresh water from a small tap.

Any time I go jogging in the park, I always stop at the drinking fountain to quench my thirst.

Quench My Thirst — to cause or stop the feeling of feeling thirsty, usually by drinking some water.

Signs

Parks often have signs too. These might direct people to the nearest exit. Or to the public toilets. Or to certain plants and trees in the park.

Our local park has plenty of signs to tell you where to find things. It is easy to get around.

Rubbish Bins/Trash Cans

I think all parks have rubbish bins. The park authorities want people to dispose of their rubbish properly.

The park in our town has lots of rubbish bins. So the park always looks clean and well-maintained.

Bridges

If the park has a waterway — a river or stream for example — there might be bridges to cross the water. Or the bridge might go over a walkway or some other part of the park.

There is a Chinese-style bridge in our park. It goes over the lake to an island in the middle. It looks really beautiful.

Water Sprinklers

Because of all the grass, plants, and trees, there might be water sprinklers. Especially in a country where it may not rain all year round.

On hot days, the park has water sprinklers to water the plants and grass. I think one of the park attendants turns the sprinklers on every day.

Public Toilets

And of course, most parks have public toilets. People need to go to the bathroom and most parks provide small rooms to do just that.

The public toilets in our local park are very clean.

Now You Try!

Do you have any of the items above in your local park?
Can you see them in any central parks in the city?

Write down a few sentences about the items you can find in your park.
Read the sentences out loud in front of a mirror.
This can help you with confidence in speaking English.

Things People Do in The Park

People like to do activities in the park. The park is there for recreation, exercise and to enjoy.

Below are some activities and things people like to do in the park.

• Climb the Trees
• Play in the Playground
• Play in the Sandpit
• Feed the Birds
• Feed the Fish
• Play Hopscotch
• Play Football
• Play Frisbee
• Play Badminton
• Sit and Read
• Go Jogging
• Do Some Exercise
• Meditate

Now You Try!

Do people do any of the activities above in parks in your country?
What other activities do people do in the park?

Think of some sentences and write them down.
Then read your sentences out loud. Maybe stand in front of a mirror when you read out loud.
The more you do this, the more confident you will feel to speak English.

People Talking About The Park

Look at the following extracts of people talking about the park.

Simon

I love going to my local park. It is a real oasis in the middle of the town. Lots of trees and plants and plenty of places to sit down and just relax.
One corner of the park has a Japanese rock garden. It was donated by a park in Japan. There are some Japanese plants there too. I think it looks really nice.
There’s a river that runs through the park too. You can see kids playing there in the summer. I think lots of fish and ducks for the kids to see.

Grace

I go to the park in town every Friday evening. They have a Tai Chi class there and I joined them. The teacher is a Chinese woman, and she takes us through all the movements.
It’s nice to do something like Tai Chi in the park surrounded by plants and trees. It feels very relaxing.
The park has very strict rules about noise — so people cannot play loud music or make too much noise.

Blake

I take my two kids to the park most weekends. They love to run around and see the squirrels running up the trees.
We often take sandwiches to eat while sitting on the grass. Just have to remember to throw the rubbish away after. The park rules are very strict about leaving rubbish behind.
And then we go to the playground. The kids love to go on the swings and the slide.

Now You Try!

Write down some sentences about what you like to do in the park.
Then read them out loud.

Rules of The Park

Look at all the rules of the park below.

Do you agree with these rules? Why/why not?

Go through each of the rules below and think about each one. Decide if the rules are good or not.

Pick up all your rubbish/trash

Keep your dog on a lead/leash at all times

Don’t pick the flowers

Don’t harm the plants or trees

No drinking alcohol in the park

No smoking in the park

No sleeping on the benches

Keep off the grass

No loud music

No fishing

Do not start fires in the park

Do not harass, trap, or hunt the wildlife

Now You Try!

What rules do you have in your park?
What do you think of the rules above?

Write your own list of park rules.

Conclusion

I hope this helps.

If you need to practice talking about the park, make sure you go through every section above.

And let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

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