A. Types of houses/places people live in

• self-contained flat: does not share facilities with any other
• cottage: a small house in the country or in a village
• studio flat: a small apartment for one or two people, usually with one large room for sleeping and living in, a bathroom and sometimes a separate kitchen
• villa: a large house with big gardens or a rented house in a holiday resort / tourist area

B. Places in the home

You probably already know the names of most rooms and locations in a typical home. Here are some less common ones and what they are for.

• master/main bedroom: the largest, most important bedroom
• utility room: usually just for the washing machine, freezer, etc.
• shed: small building separated from the house usually for storing garden tools
• attic/loft: space in the roof of a house used for storing things; it can also be converted into an extra living space with stairs leading up to it (attic/loft conversion)
• cellar: room below ground level, no windows, used for storing things
• basement: room below ground level, with windows, for living/working
• studio: a room in which a painter or photographer works
• landing: flat area at the top of a staircase
• hall/hallway: open area as you come into a house
• porch: covered area before an entrance door
• terrace or patio: paved area between house and garden for sitting and eating, etc.
• drive: a short road leading from the street to the house or garage; you can drive/park on it

C. Everyday objects in the home