English Directions: Symbols, Most Memorable Learning Methods

1. English Directions: Pronunciation, Symbols

East – West – South – North may already be familiar to everyone, right? However, in some cases, directions or signs will be written in English. Not knowing directions in English can make it difficult for you to find your way.

There are a total of 4 main directions in English. Additionally, there are 4 directions combined by 2 main directions:

E.g:

• The sun sets in the West. (Mặt trời lặn hướng Tây.)
• North mountain. (Vùng núi phía Bắc.)
• 40 km to the East of Truc Ninh, Nam Dinh. (40 km về phía Đông Trực Ninh, Nam Định.)
• In the Northeast, there is scattered rain. (Phía Đông Bắc Bộ có mưa rào rải rác.)

2. Some Common English Directional Terms

When giving directions or instructions, we not only use the main directions as mentioned above but also need specific English directional terms to express our intentions accurately.

Below are some common English vocabulary words used when directing or referring to issues related to directions in English:

3. Tips for Quickly and Simply Memorizing English Directions

To memorize vocabulary for English directions, you can apply the following simple tips:

3.1. Engage in a Game

Surely you have played the game 'east - west - south - north' with friends using just a small folded piece of paper, haven't you? Now play this game again, but instead of using Vietnamese, use English to fill in the directions on the paper.

3.2. Using Similar Sounds

The arrangement of directions when read in English is similar to the order in Vietnamese: east – west – south – north. These 4 words when read in English sound like 'Eat Quest So No'.

Isn't it fun and easy to remember? Learning English communication in this topic helps us not only to remember quickly but also for a long time. But remember to learn the correct pronunciation of the words first. Otherwise, you may be confused by the influence of this way of reading.

4. Some Sample Questions and Ways to Give Directions in English

To make it easier for you to use English to talk about directions, remember the question and answer structures that Mytour shares below:

Structure 1

Excuse me, where is the + địa điểm?

E.g:  

• Excuse me, where is the Phu Quoc hospital?  
• Excuse me, where is the resort named Tropicana?
• Excuse me, where is Tran Hung Dao street? 

Cấu trúc 2

Excuse me, how do I get to + địa điểm?

Ví dụ: 

• Excuse me, how do I get to the post office? 
• Excuse me, how do I get to the Ho Chi Minh museum? 
• Excuse me, how do I get to the bar named Rabbit Hole? 

Cấu trúc 3

Excuse me, is there a + địa điểm + near here?

Ví dụ: 

• Excuse me, is there a cinema near here? 
• Excuse me, is there a bookshop near here? 
• Excuse me, is there any house for rent near here? 

Cấu trúc 4

What’s the way to + địa điểm?

E.g: 

• What’s the way to the nearest bus station? 
• What is the way to the bookstore? I want to buy some English books. 
• What is the way to his house? 

Cấu trúc 5

Where’s + địa điểm? hoặc Where’s + địa điểm + located?

• Where is your high school?/ Where is your high school located? 
• Where is the resort you have booked?/ Where is the resort you have booked located?
• Where is the nearest church?/ Where is the nearest church located?