an illustratoin of the eart with to points, showing distance, and a slogan "idioms"

Idioms: distance

Worksheet overview

This ESL lesson introduces students to idioms related to distance and proximity, helping them improve their ability to describe locations, give directions, and discuss accessibility in a more natural way. Students will practice these idioms through matching exercises, sentence completion, dialogue creation, role-playing, and discussion activities.

Lesson Activities
Students read short dialogues containing idioms related to distance (e.g., a stone’s throw away, within walking distance, in the middle of nowhere, at arm’s reach). They then match the idioms in bold to their correct definitions. Students complete sentences with the missing words to reinforce their understanding of idioms such as out of the way, in the distance, on my doorstep, and more. Then they change the sentences so that they are true for them

Next, the rest of the idioms (e.g. nowhere near, keep your distance, too close for comfort) are introduced with short dialogues. Students match the idioms to their definitions and fill in the blanks using the correct idiom from the lesson, ensuring they apply the expressions accurately.

The rest of the activities are focused on speaking:

Students answer location-based questions using idioms from the lesson starting with “How far is …” and respond with a suitable idiom.
They role-play asking for directions to different places (e.g., restaurants, museums, landmarks), and the local provides answers using idioms from the lesson.
Students discuss questions that include the idioms.
They engage in a discussion comparing different lifestyles, using idioms to express opinions about city vs. countryside living, living near the ocean vs. the mountains, studying abroad vs. studying in your hometown
Role Play: Booking a Holiday:
Students act as a travel agent and a customer looking for the perfect vacation. The travel agent describes destinations using idioms (e.g., It’s way off the map – perfect for an adventure!, This resort is just a stone’s throw away from the beach!), while the customer asks about location, accessibility, and amenities.

For more speaking practice, you can use the conversation cards.