Everyday Dialogues

Hailing
a Taxi
In this lesson, you will practise useful expressions and
questions for taking a taxi in an English-speaking country.

Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1. When do you take a taxi?

2. What questions should someone ask a taxi driver?

3. Do you tip taxi drivers? Why or why not?

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match the words on the left with the correct meanings on the right.

1. suitcase a) we have arrived at our destination

2. downtown b) the amount of money you have to pay for transportation

3. flat rate c) a large bag that travellers use to carry clothing and necessities
d) the storage compartment at the back of a vehicle
4. meter
e) a device that tracks distance and cost in a taxicab
5. fare
f) you can have the leftover money as a tip for your service
6. here we are
g) a city’s main core
7. keep the change
h) a fixed rate or fare for a specific destination
8. trunk (such as from an airport to downtown)

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 Hailing a Taxi
Everyday Dialogues

Dialogue Reading
Read the dialogue with your partner a few times. Take turns
being each character. Practise your intonation and pronunciation.
Circle any new words or phrases that you need to practise.

Taxi Driver: Would you like a taxi, ma’am?

Woman: Yes, I would.

Taxi Driver: Do you have just one suitcase?

Woman: Yes, that’s it. I’m going downtown. Is there a flat rate, or do you use the meter?

Taxi Driver: I use the meter. Where would you like to go?

Woman: I’m going to the Claremont Hotel on 5th and Broadway.

Taxi Driver: Okay.

Woman: About how long will it take to get there?

Taxi Driver: Oh, at this time of day, it won’t take long...about 15 or 20 minutes.

Woman: What do you think the fare will be?

Taxi Driver: Probably about $25.00.

(15 minutes later)

Taxi Driver: Here we are.

Woman: How much is that?

Taxi Driver: That’ll be $22.00.

Woman: Here’s twenty-five. Keep the change.

Taxi Driver: Thank you. I’ll get your suitcase for you.

(the taxi driver opens the trunk)

Taxi Driver: Here you go. Have a nice day.

Woman: Thank you.

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 Hailing a Taxi
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Practice
Work with your partner. Role-play the dialogue on page 2,
substituting the different expressions below. Then switch roles.

1. Would you like a taxi, ma’am? 8. At this time of day, it won’t take long.

• Do you want a taxi? • The traffic is light now, so it shouldn’t take long.
• Would you like a cab? • The traffic is quite heavy, so it may take awhile.
• Do you need a taxi?
• Are you waiting for a taxi? 9. What do you think the fare will be?

• What do you think it will cost?

2. Yes, I would.
• How much do you think it will be?
• Yes, I do.
• Yes, thanks. 10. Probably about $25.00.
• Yes, I am.
• It’ll probably be about...
• It might be around...
3. Do you have just one suitcase?

• Do you have any luggage? 11. Here we are.

• Do you have any bags?
• Here you are.
• This is it.
4. Yes, that’s it.
• Okay. We’re here.
• No. Just my computer. I’ll keep it with me.
• Yes, I have these two. 12. How much is that?

• How much is it?

5. Is there a flat rate, or do you use the meter?
• What’s the fare?
• Is there a set rate...
• Is there a fixed rate... 13. That’ll be $22.00.
• Is there a fixed fare...
• It’s $22.00.
• That’s $22.00.
6. Where would you like to go?

• Where are you going? 14. Here’s twenty-five.

• Where to?
• Here you are.
• Here you go.
7. About how long will it take to get there?

• Is it far? 15. I ’ll get your suitcase.

• How long a trip is it?
• your bag
• How long does it take?
• the luggage

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 Hailing a Taxi
Everyday Dialogues

Listening Practice
Listen to the recording of the dialogue from page 2. Fill in the missing
words as you listen. Listen again. Now look back at page 2 and check your
work. Did you fill in the correct words? Did you spell everything correctly?

Taxi Driver: Would you like a taxi, ma’am?

Woman: Yes, I            .

Taxi Driver: Do you have just one suitcase?

Woman: Yes, that’s it. I’m going downtown. Is there a flat rate, or do you use the meter?

Taxi Driver: I use the            . Where would you like to go?

Woman: I’m            to the Claremont Hotel on 5th and Broadway.

Taxi Driver: Okay.

Woman: About how long will it take to get there?

Taxi Driver: Oh, at this time of day, it won’t take long...about 15 or            minutes.

Woman: What do you think the fare will be?

Taxi Driver: Probably about $25.00.

(15 minutes later)

Taxi Driver:            .

Woman: How much is that?

Taxi Driver:            $22.00.

Woman: Here’s twenty-five. Keep the change.

Taxi Driver: Thank you. I’ll get your suitcase for you.

(the taxi driver opens the trunk)

Taxi Driver:            . Have a nice day.

Woman: Thank you.

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 Hailing a Taxi
Everyday Dialogues

Vocabulary Review
A. Odd One Out

Circle the word or expression in each

group that does not belong. Explain why.

1. a) taxi 2. a) bag 3. a) automobile 4. a) fare 5. a) fixed rate

b) bus b) car b) boat b) cost b) set rate
c) elevator c) suitcase c) car c) rate c) variable rate
d) subway d) luggage d) vehicle d) expensive d) flat rate

B. Complete the Sentences

Choose the correct word from the list

on the right to complete each sentence.

1. I gave the taxi driver a big            because he was very nice.
Word List:
2. The airline will only allow you to take two pieces of            .
• meter
3. You can’t park your car there. It is a taxi            . • tip
• passenger
4. The taxi driver told the            to put on his seat belt. • stand
• trunk
5. The taxi driver turned on the           
• fare
as soon as he started to drive away from the house. • luggage
6. It is a long way from the airport to the city, so the
taxi            will be very expensive.

7. Our new car has a big            , so we can take a lot of suitcases.

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 Hailing a Taxi
Everyday Dialogues

Write Your Own Dialogue

Write a dialogue with a partner using phrases from page 3.
One of you will be a tourist or business traveller and one of you
will be a taxi driver. Practise and present the dialogue to your class.

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 Hailing a Taxi
Everyday Dialogues

Review
Task 1

LISTEN & ANSWER

Listen to the conversation and answer the questions.

Your teacher will tell you if you have to write or say the answers.

1. What luggage does the traveller have with her?

2. Where does the traveller want to go?

3. How long will it probably take to get there?

4. What is the estimated fare?

5. How much money does the woman give the driver for a tip?

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Review cont.
Task 2

QUESTION FORMATION

A. Questions

Write five questions you might ask a taxi driver.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

B. Answers

Write five possible answers to your questions.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

Task 3

ROLE-PLAY

Find a partner. Imagine that you are the passenger and your partner
is the taxi driver. Use your questions to do a role-play for your teacher.

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Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION: LEVEL: Low Int / CLB 3–4

In this lesson, students learn and practise useful TIME: 1.5 hours
expressions and questions for taking a taxi.
TAGS:  t axi, travel English, travelling, business English,
transportation, city, cab, PBLA, CLB, LINC

Pre-Reading Listening Practice

A. WARM-UP QUESTIONS Have students complete the dialogue by listening

to the recording or by having two students read
Discuss as a class or in small groups. Answers will vary.
the completed dialogue from page 2.

B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW

1. c 3. h 5. b 7. f CLB Skill Competencies

2. g 4. e 6. a 8. d
Listening: I. Interacting with Others,
II. Comprehending Instructions
Dialogue Reading

Give your students time to read the dialogue in pairs. Vocabulary Review

A. ODD ONE OUT

CLB Skill Competencies
1. c 2. b 3. b 4. d 5. c
Reading: IV. Comprehending Information
Speaking: III. Getting Things Done
B. COMPLETE THE SENTENCES

1. tip 4. passenger 7. trunk

Practice 2. luggage 5. meter

3. stand 6. fare

Have your students read the dialogue again and

practise subbing in some of the different expressions.
CLB Skill Competencies

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

CLB Skill Competencies

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

Speaking: III. Getting Things Done (continued on the next page...)

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 Hailing a Taxi
Everyday Dialogues

Answer Key cont.

Write Your Own Dialogue TASK 2

Answers will vary. Assess your students’ understanding of

Encourage your students to use vocabulary from the model. how to talk to a taxi driver by having them write common
questions and answers that they learned in this lesson.
Check for proper question formation.
CLB Skill Competencies

Writing: II. Reproducing Information

CLB Skill Competencies

Writing: II. Reproducing Information

Review (Assessment Tasks)

The following tasks can be used for assessment purposes TASK 3

and/or review practice. You can save all of the tasks until
Assess two students at a time as they role-play the scenario.
the end or assess your students throughout the lesson.

Personalize your own Listening, Writing, and Speaking Task

Assessment forms for your students’ portfolios by using CLB Skill Competencies

Assessment Tools in the Resources section:

Speaking: I. Interacting with Others, II. Giving Instructions
https://esllibrary.com/resources

TASK 1
(continued on the next page...)
Play the audio from this lesson. Then assign the questions. You
can decide if you want your students to say or write the answers.

1. T he woman has one suitcase with her.

2. T he traveller wants to go downtown.
3. It will probably take 15 or 20 minutes to get there.
4. The estimated fare is $25.00.
5. T he woman gives the driver $3.00.

Mark the assessment form as “achieved success” if the student

answers 70% correctly and fulfills these expectations:

• Gets the gist.

• Identifies factual details, key words,
and expressions as required.

CLB Skill Competencies

Listening: II. Comprehending Instructions,

IV. Comprehending Information

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Answer Key cont.

Canadian Language Benchmarks Summary

OVERVIEW

Stage: 1 CLB Range: 3–4* Primary Skill Competency: Listening: II. Comprehending Instructions

PAGE TASK SKILL COMPETENCIES

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

2 Dialogue Reading
Speaking: III. Getting Things Done

Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

3 Practice
Speaking: III. Getting Things Done

4 Listening Practice Listening: I. Interacting with Others, II. Comprehending Instructions

5 Vocabulary Review Reading: IV. Comprehending Information

6 Write Your Own Dialogue Writing: II. Reproducing Information

7 Review Task 1 (PBLA)** Listening: II. Comprehending Instructions, IV. Comprehending Information

8 Review Task 2 (PBLA) Writing: II. Reproducing Information

8 Review Task 3 (PBLA) Speaking: I. Interacting with Others, II. Giving Instructions

*Note: **Note:

This CLB range is suggested by ESL Library based on
the descriptors in the Canadian Language Benchmarks
guide: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/language-
benchmarks.pdf
PBLA refers to portfolio-based learning assessment in
the LINC program (though any teacher can use these tasks
for review or assessment). Visit our Resources section for
Assessment Tools that you can print and personalize for
PBLA: https://esllibrary.com/resources

(continued on the next page...)

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Answer Key cont.

Canadian Language Benchmarks Summary cont.

PROFILES OF ABILIT Y

The following descriptors from the Canadian Language Benchmarks

apply to this lesson and are used with permission. For more
detailed information see: http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/pub/
language-benchmarks.pdf and visit: https://www.language.ca/

BENCHMARK THE LEARNER CAN:

• Communicate basic information using simple sentences

Speaking about immediate needs and personal experiences. (3)
(3–4) • Communicate information about common everyday
activities, experiences, wants, and needs. (4)

• Understand key words, formulaic phrases, and most

Listening short sentences on topics of immediate personal relevance. (3)
(3–4) • Understand, with considerable effort, simple formal and
informal communication on topics of personal relevance. (4)

Writing • Write short, simple texts about personal experience and

(4) familiar topics or situations related to daily life and experience.

Reading • Understand the purpose, main idea, key information, and some details in simple,
(3) short texts related to everyday familiar and personally relevant situations and topics.

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