English speaking lesson · Travel & Transport

Ferry crossing

You're at a ferry terminal ticket desk, buying tickets for your crossing. You practise it as a real conversation, at whichever of the four levels fits you — the room and the steps stay the same, only the words get harder.

A ferry terminal ticket desk · you talk to the ferry ticket clerk

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Ferry crossing — English speaking practice scene

What you have to do

Say your route, how many passengers, whether you have a vehicle, check the tickets, and pay. You finish the lesson by getting there in conversation — not by answering questions about it. Nothing is corrected while you talk; the corrections are collected and handed to you at the end.

How it opens

Morning! Which crossing are you looking to book?

Spoken aloud by the tutor playing the ferry ticket clerk.

The 5 steps that finish it

A step clears when you say the thing that clears it. The steps are identical at all four levels — only the example line fades, and at Natural there is none at all.

01
Say your route
Say where you'd like to sail from and to.
“Morning! The next ferry to the island, please.”
02
Say how many passengers
Say how many passengers are travelling.
“Two people, please.”
03
Say about your vehicle
Say whether you have a car, or you're travelling on foot.
“I have a car with me.”
04
Check the tickets
Check the tickets are right, and ask how much it costs.
“Yes, that's everything. How much is it?”
05
Pay and finish
Say how you'd like to pay, and finish politely.
“By card, please!”

The words, at all four levels

The same room and the same steps, four vocabularies. These are the words the lesson listens for and scores you on — with what each one means and how it sounds when you are talking to the ferry ticket clerk.

Starter

A1 – A2

Simple, everyday words with a full hint on every step.

ferry: a boat that carries passengers; “The next ferry, please.”
boat: a vehicle that travels on water; “When does the boat leave?”
two: the number 2; “Two passengers, please.”
people: more than one person; “Two people, please.”
car: a vehicle you drive; “I have a car with me.”
foot: travelling without a vehicle; “I'm on foot, no car.”
much: used to ask the price — 'how much'; “How much is it?”
time: when something happens; “What time does it leave?”
please: a polite word when you ask; “Two tickets, please.”
card: a bank card you pay with; “By card, please.”

Conversational

A2 – B1

Common words at a natural pace, with hints to lean on.

crossing: a trip across water by boat; “How long is the crossing?”
sailing: one scheduled trip of the ferry; “Is there an earlier sailing?”
passengers: the people travelling; “Three passengers, please.”
vehicle: a car or other transport you bring; “I have a vehicle to bring.”
foot: travelling without a vehicle; “We're travelling on foot.”
return: a ticket for there and back; “Could I get a return?”
everything: all of it — 'is that everything?'; “That's everything, thanks.”
total: the full amount to pay; “What's the total?”
cheers: informal thanks; “Cheers for that!”
contactless: tapping a card to pay without a PIN; “Contactless, please.”

Confident

B1 – B2

Richer, more specific words, with only light hints.

berth: a reserved sleeping space on board; “Is a berth available?”
deck: an open or covered level on the ferry; “Is there an outdoor deck?”
sailing: one scheduled trip of the ferry; “What's the next available sailing?”
onboard: on the ferry itself; “Is there anywhere to eat onboard?”
priority: boarding or loading before others; “Is there priority boarding?”
capacity: how many vehicles or people fit; “Is there capacity for a car?”
altogether: in total — 'how much altogether'; “How much altogether?”
receipt: the printed proof of payment; “Could I get a receipt?”
sorted: arranged and settled; “That's sorted, thanks.”
appreciate: to be grateful for; “I'd appreciate that.”

Natural

B2 – C1

Advanced, idiomatic words — no hints at all.

hop: a short crossing or trip (informal); “It's a quick hop across.”
choppy: rough, with uneven waves; “Is it likely to be choppy?”
sailing: one scheduled trip of the ferry; “Any earlier sailing going spare?”
squeeze: to fit something in when it's tight; “Any chance you can squeeze us on?”
roll-on: a ferry you drive straight onto; “Is this a roll-on service?”
spot: a place, informally; “Nice spot for a crossing.”
damage: the cost — 'what's the damage?' (informal); “What's the damage for the car?”
tap: to pay by touching your card; “I'll just tap.”
cheers: informal thanks; “Cheers, appreciated.”
sorted: dealt with and settled; “Perfect, we're sorted.”

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Ferry crossing

What you have to do

The 5 steps that finish it

Say your route

Say how many passengers

Say about your vehicle

Check the tickets

Pay and finish