Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
 
Trains
Trains

Learn English with this trains English lesson

Date: Jun 25 2019

Themes: Travel

Grammar: Past Progressive Tense

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

There are many options when it comes to traveling cross country. With an airplane, you can fly at the speed of light and arrive anywhere within hours of take off. With a car, you can stop anywhere you want along the way. With a train, you have the pleasure of seeing the scenery pass by and enjoying the long ride.

Depending on where you live, trains have a different status in the transportation network. In Europe, for example, trains are definitely an integral part of the transportation system. In the US, however, travel by train is far less common.

Taking a train is different than flying or driving because you can get up and walk around during the trip. Maybe you’re hungry, so you go to the dining car to buy a snack. Maybe your train has an observation deck, and you’d like some fresh air. Train travel does take longer than flying, though, so make sure you have a lot of patience before starting a trip.

If you’ve never ridden a train, maybe now’s the time for you to have an adventure! Head to the station, book a ticket, and listen for the conductor to call, “All aboard!”

Learn who wants to take a train trip in this English lesson.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Amanda

Amanda

Marni

Marni

Amanda:  I was wondering if you’d want to take a cross country trip with me by train.

Marni:  You had me at cross country trip, but then train? So long!

Amanda:  Come on! There’s the scenery out the window.

Marni:  Yeah, but, you know, I just prefer the speed of airplanes. You get to your destination so much faster!

Amanda:  What is the hurry?

Marni:  I know you think it’s nice to take in your surroundings, but I just want to get there so I can maximize my time wherever I’m going.

Amanda:  I love being a passenger on trains. You can pay a little and go coach, or you can pay a little bit more and travel by first class. Where else can you do that? Not on a plane!

Marni:  Yes, you can. Absolutely.

Amanda:  My mistake.

Marni:  I think it would be super fun to travel together, but let’s think about taking a plane, and then maybe we’ll just do a little bit of traveling by train. I don’t want to be a passenger on the train. I’d way rather be a passenger on a plane. It’s so much more efficient with your time.

Amanda:  Speaking of time, let’s take some down time. Make a list of pros and cons. Really weigh out our options. I think you’ll be surprised.

 

Grammar Point

Go Super to learn "Past Progressive Tense" from this lesson Go Super!

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz Go Super!

 

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3 Go Super!

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Discussion

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

Amanda wants to take a trip with Marni, and she suggests they go by train. Marni doesn’t think train travel is a good idea, though.

Marni would like to travel with Amanda, but she hates the idea of wasting so much time on the train. She’d rather fly to her destination, so she can spend her vacation doing activities instead of riding on a train.

For Amanda, watching the scenery is part of the fun. She also likes the option of riding coach or first class. She and Marni decide to take some time apart and make a list of pros and cons to decide whether they’ll fly or take a train.

Do you prefer to take a train or an airplane? What’s the longest train ride you’ve ever been on?

 

Comments

Log in to Comment

Rebecca26

American Samoa

Actually traveling is fun in any means if we are with faily or friends. All matters is how much you are enjoying it and most importanat is how you are enjoying it . The more you communicate with others the more you gain and enjoy the travel in a more grandious manner 


https://vimeo.com/126347479

05:50 AM Sep 12 2015 |

1 person likes this

byerman

byerman

Taiwan


  • I am a commuter for the shuttle train everyday, so I have got used to taking train to my office.

  • There is a High Speed Rail in Taiwan, which the bullet train’s speed is up to 300 km/hr.

  • Therefore, if you want to travel from Northern Taiwan to Southern Taiwan, it only takes you two hours to reach the destination. 

09:39 PM Feb 01 2014 |

Staisy

Staisy

Russian Federation

Really, I am a travelling by train addict, but if it does not lasts long. I like to listen to the  sound of  train wheels, and I like to see the  scenery pass by , especially when it is winter and everything is covered with ice and snow. It looks so  amazing.


In Russia, as in  Europe,  trains are also an integral part of transpotation system, so sometimes there are difficults with getting tickets, especially in summer, which is a time of vacations. So everybody try to book them beforehand, and to both ends.


The largest cross- country train ride I had was also the first travelling with my friends by ourselves. We spent all our money during it and did not even care to save some  for the  way back. Although it was a bit difficult to stay at the  train almost without any food for two days,  it did not  seem a big problem to us, as we were very happy about this journey. And it is nice to remember that time , when I travelled with my good friends.

09:01 PM Feb 01 2014 |

ahmet55

ahmet55

Germany

In my opinion traveling by train or airplane depends on things such as why i’m in a trip, where i would like to go, and also how long it would take as well as with whom I’m going to be. Indeed, If I have time more than enough, besides with so much wonderful scenery environmental places to look out, obviously, i will take a first class train and I’m sure it would be amazing journey to me to enjoy it a lot. BTW, stretching out and watching an excellent movie is another legitimate reason for preferring train. But time time time…. it’s very valuable than tungsten, gold, silver and so on. It makes me to put up a airplain some times. 


oooo. the longest train ride. Actually i can’t remember how many times i spend for traveling from city to another one. The far of my hometown and my workplace is 1450 km. Can u believe it? Just imagine in spite of it’s hard to do. i just measured it by Google map a few mins ago. I’ve taken it for almost 2 years and i’m so so happy bcz it’s gonna be finish soon. 

08:35 PM Jan 19 2014 |

*butterfly wings*

Saudi Arabia

I have never traveled by train but it is something i would definitely love to do. :)

05:47 PM Jan 19 2014 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

Planes, even though they’re time efficient are not that fun to fly as used to be in the past. Catering is awful. For drinks that remove your worries on the plane, you’ve got to pay. The salon is dirty and so densly packed with rows of seats that you can hardly move not to bump into another passenger.


Trains, it’s a dream. Very expensive here. Yes, In Europe it’s a matter-of-fact transportation. There you don’t even have to go into the dining train, go to your seat, lie down and eat :) taking in the scenery. Or just go down from your seat, unroll everything what you packed for the trip, invite your train neighbours and, voila, you have a feast. The whole chicken is a staple food used to be to share. Nice! So nice!

02:37 PM Jan 19 2014 |

omidsama

omidsama

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i don`t like train , not about it`s fast or slow , so it`s not comfortable . there is alot of wrone thing about it for example  : noise , shake  , not wide  or ….........


i think a perivate car is well

08:17 AM Jan 19 2014 |

moon8

moon8

Chile

It depends on the situation.If I want to arrived soon to a place , I take a plane.If i want to enjoy the sight and a quiet trip…the train is perfect.When I was a child  we used to go to the south of my country by train.It was great!It was so quiet , the landscape was so beautiful..full of trees and vegetation!...


04:53 AM Jan 19 2014 |

pyu

pyu

Indonesia

for me, it’s depend on my budget. If I have more money, Ilike taking plane than train. It’s more efficient.


 

01:42 AM Jan 19 2014 |

dearishtaq

India

It depend’s why i am travelling. If it is for holidaying then i would definitely prefer by train. But if it is on some work, then i prefer to fly by plane.

05:54 PM Jan 18 2014 |

sara1998

sara1998

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

you know i prefer trains to all transportation vehicles cause i always nauseous when i am in any car or airplane and vomit after half an hour except trains…i mean I’m more comfortable in them but not without any bad feeling!

05:04 PM Jan 18 2014 |

1 person likes this

lailae3

lailae3

Åland Islands

I assembeled sentences from this words. any teacher here can correct me?



1. the conductor transport us to new york


2. i prefer cross the country by coach in the airplane


3.tennis and soccer are integral part of my life


4.the scenery from my window is awesome


12:33 PM Jan 18 2014 |

hienho

hienho

Viet Nam

i love traveling both train and airplane, i usually travel by train .it is very wonderfull for me


 

11:33 AM Jan 18 2014 |

bashirathi

Canada

I did’nt use train but i prefer airplane duly it is faster and reliable


09:59 AM Jan 18 2014 |

1 person likes this

liuan2013

China

i prefer to take an airplane. because train serve is bad in china.so bad.very  crowd and dirty.

07:36 AM Jan 18 2014 |

1 person likes this

Zambuka

Zambuka

United States

after reading “Atlas shrugged” i grew fonder to the railroads and trains in general. they are a great means of transportation, giving you the time to think, to read , to relax. no hurry, no jet lags, you just really take your time with it. but at the same time, when you think about maximizing your time, trains are not the best option. so, you really have to take into consideration all the conditions and circumstances of your present situation

06:45 AM Jan 18 2014 |

ABHIJITAK

ABHIJITAK

India

I would like to travel by using both ways of travelling ..that is by means of train or by means of airplanes ..I have travelled a lot by train , but uptill time I haven’t travelled by airplane.


Travelling by train in first class in good experience in India. Because ,as you travel by train from city to city or state to state ..you met with different peoples with different languages and dilects. If  you are Indian national than you will enjoy it .If you are foreigner ,than you will need some Indian companion to expain it..

05:34 AM Jan 18 2014 |

1 person likes this

nogas

Egypt

the re are advantages and disadvantages about both traveling by train or airplane.i prefer to travel by airplane at large distances because it is more comfortable than by train and efficient at time but i see the diavantages of traveling by airplane that u can not enjoy by scenery ..plz value my topic because i  am new beginer at learning english ..my topic is good at english or not ….share with ur oponion plz

02:23 AM Jan 18 2014 |

bravevivian

Ecuador

hi everyone,



I traveled once by train, it was very nice from Switzerland to France.  I enjoyed it a lot.


I love traveling, so it doesn’t matter how.


:D

01:45 AM Jan 18 2014 |

lailae3

lailae3

Åland Islands

hello people.


it is my first time comment in english lesson. i would like to ask you, how do you learn the words in every lesson? do you repeat them? i think it is not helpful, boring and hard…so i don’t know how to improve my english.


my opinion about what we read : i used the train only once. first of all , i don’t need it at all. secondly, i live in country that train is soooo slow lol


but i agree with amanada, you can see some scenery on the way…it is better :)

08:36 PM Jan 17 2014 |

1 person likes this

Likes (34):

See all >

Share this lesson:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Bebo
  • Share on Myspace
  • Share on Twitter
  • Email this to a friend
  • Share on Sina

Post Ebaby! lessons on your blog:

Ebaby! Cast