20+ words related to locations & an easy-to-remember way to read street addresses in English

Asking and answering street addresses is quite common in everyday communication and English listening exams related to locations and how to read street addresses. In the article below, Prep will provide you with 20+ words related to locations and a detailed guide on how to read street addresses accurately like an English native speaker!

I. The listening section of street addresses in English in the IELTS Listening Part 1

Listening and completing addresses in English often appear in IELTS Listening Part 1. Here is a specific example of the occurrence of this listening task:

This listening section requires candidates to listen to English addresses (3) and fill in the blanks. To complete this task, you need to have a good understanding of how to read street addresses in English and practice writing them fluently.

II. Basic words about locations in English

Before learning how to read street addresses in English, let's familiarize yourself with some basic words about locations in English:

III. General rules for writing/reading street addresses in English

Below are some general rules for reading street addresses in English that you should remember:

• Read the proper noun followed by the common noun (the common noun refers to administrative units such as commune, district, street, etc.). For example: Toronto District, Ontario City
• If the proper noun consists of numbers or a combination of numbers and letters, read the common noun first followed by the numbers (numbers + letters). For example:  Alley 20, Lane 3
• Capitalize both the common noun and the proper noun when writing. For example: Shanghai City, Rose Street
• The writing and reading conventions for street addresses in English are similar, and the order of writing is also the order of reading.

IV. The methods for reading and writing house addresses in English 

Please remember the detailed steps for reading street addresses in English:

1. How to read and write hamlet, commune, and district in English

To read and write the local administrative units such as hamlet, commune and district in English, you can use the following rules:

• Append the corresponding administrative unit nouns after the proper noun.
• If the specific address consists of only a number, write/read the general noun followed by the number.
• For example: 789 Rose Street, Huangpu District, Shanghai City.

2. How to read and write streets in English

For neighborhood addresses, there is often additional information such as house numbers and alley numbers. We read and write them similarly as described above.

• Append the corresponding administrative unit noun after the proper noun.
• Add "No." before the street number.
• For example, No.60, Alley 1, Lane 1150, Maple Street, Nut District, Citrus City/capital. 

3. How to read and write apartment addresses in English

Similarly to the above-mentioned guidelines, you need to follow the below steps to read apartment addresses:

• Remove the accents from the proper nouns.
• Append the corresponding location unit noun after the proper noun.
• Add "No." before the house number.
• For example, Flat Number 32, Peace Apartment Block, No.176, Harmony Street, Beach District, East City. 

That is the way to read street addresses in English according to each specific region, which you need to understand clearly.

V. How to abbreviate addresses in English

To abbreviate addresses in English, you can use the following common abbreviations 

VI. How to ask and answer house addresses in English

To communicate more effectively, it is helpful to remember some common ways to ask and answer street addresses in English. Here are some frequently used address-related questions:

• What is your address? 
• Where are you from?
• Where do you live?
• Where is your domicile place?
• Where is your company address?

The answers to these questions are quite easy. Please follow the following structures:

My address is/My company address is + address (how to read and write house addresses in the mentioned rules)

For example, My company address is NO.21-C2 Block A, Flower Ward, Butterfly District, Toronto City.

Understanding how to read street addresses in English will help you feel more comfortable and confident when communicating and exchanging address information.

VII. Exercises on house addresses in English

To improve your ability to read and write street addresses in English, it's helpful to dedicate time to practicing communication exercises and listening to dialogues that involve asking and answering address-related questions. Below is an exercise that you can refer to for practicing how to read street addresses effectively in English:

1. Exercise 1: Listen and write the address

Listening file: HERE

Answer keys:

2. Exercise 2: Listen and fill the information into the blank

Listening file: HERE

Answer keys:

Spending time listening to conversations and practicing the IELTS Listening Part 1 will help you better understand how to read street addresses in English on a daily basis! 

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