You are walking down the street and suddenly you don’t know where you are, and you don’t know how to properly ask for directions to a specific address. Or maybe someone suddenly approaches you on the street and asks for directions to a certain address, but you don’t know how to direct them.

Has any of these stressful situations happened to you before?

If not, then lucky you! But to those of you who might have encountered this unpleasant situation, we are here to help make sure it doesn’t happen again. 

Make sure to keep reading if you would like to know how to properly describe an address in English.

What is an address?

The term ‘address’ can be defined as a group of information that informs others of the location of a house or building. 

This is done by using street names and house, building, or apartment numbers to help identify the correct building. An address is very important because it tells you where someone or something specific is or lives. 

An address is used for any building or to identify any piece of land.

How do I give someone directions? 

The best way to give directions is to use basic and general phrases and keywords. Not only does this make it easier for the person asking for directions, but it also makes it easier for you! 

Some questions you might be asked are:

• “Do you know how to get to Central Park from here?” 
• “Do you know any good restaurants near here?”
• “Can you tell me where Church Street is?”

The best way to answer these types of questions is to use easy-to-understand terms and to speak slowly and clearly. Pronunciation is key! 

You can start by saying, “The quickest/easiest/best way would be to go/take/turn/stay on…” and then you must use directional words such as rights, left, up, down, through, and over. You can also incorporate street names, distance, and estimated time of arrival.

For example:

• “The quickest way would be to go left on Commercial Avenue.” 
• “The easiest way is to stay on this road and to take the 3^rd right turn.”
• “The best way is to take the highway.”

You can even use terms and phrases such as, across from, opposite, near, close to, and around the corner. 

Sometimes people remember directions better when you paint them a picture of the location by describing what the area looks like. 

For example;

• “You should keep on this road for 5 minutes then you will see a big red brick building on your right and a large blue clock on your left.”

What do I do if I can’t give directions?

If all else fails, and you do not know how to give someone accurate directions then the best thing to do is to use Google Maps or Apple Maps. Both these applications are great for getting around, especially in places you are not familiar with. 

Both applications are easy to use. When using Google Maps, you must turn on your location on the device you will be using, such as your cell phone. Then, you simply type in the address or area you would like to visit. 

Google Maps offers directions in more than 70 different languages, and Apple Maps is also available in 33 different languages. 

Apple Maps is the default map application on OS devices, such as iPadOS, macOS, iOS, and watchOS. Both Google Maps and Apple Maps give the estimated time of arrival by walking, cycling, public transport and driving.

If you do not have an OS device then don’t worry, you can still use the Apple Maps application on Windows and Android. You can use a popular search engine that is privacy-focused and that uses Apple Maps as the default map software, DuckDuckGo.