How do we give directions?

[tufguy]

What is the correct way of telling path to someone on the road?

Please check this.

"Go straight for few meters and take left at (here at means from, right? Can we also use "from" in place of "at"?) the red light and then go straight for one KM after one KM road gets divided into two parts left and right. You have to take the right turn after taking the right turn you have to go straight few meters and your destination will be on your right side".

 

[Rover_KE]

Re: How to tell the path to someone.

Your question should be 'How do we give directions?'

I have changed your thread title ... AGAIN!

 

[tufguy]

Re: How to tell the path to someone.

This is far more natural:

Go straight on to the traffic lights and turn left. Straight on till the road forks after a kilometre. Take the left fork and you'll see X on your right after a few metres.

Could you please resolve my query regarding "at" and "from"?

 

[GoesStation]

Re: How to tell the path to someone.

Could you please resolve my query regarding "at" and "from"?

Take a left at the red light means that when you get to the traffic light, you should turn left. This is good English usage.

Although a traffic light may be called a red light when giving directions, I prefer the term traffic light or just light. After all, it's only red some of the time!

 

[tufguy]

"Take right at the traffic light and go straight after few meters you will reach a post office from where you can go right".

Please check.

Can we also say "take right from the traffic light"?

 

[tufguy]

Can we also say "you have to come straight on until you reach my house(while giving directions sitting at home)?" Or "you have to go straight on the road" or "you have to go straight on to that building or post office?"

 

[GoesStation]

Although BrE-speakers say go straight on, I don't think they use come straight on. In AmE, we'd say You have to go straight till/until you reach my house.

Also, remember the articles that distances require: go a few yards/meters till you reach my house.

 

[Tarheel]

Tufguy, I suggest that you post how you would say it after receiving the advice you got here. Then we can tell you if you've got it right.

 

[tufguy]

Tufguy, I suggest that you post how you would say it after receiving the advice you got here. Then we can tell you if you've got it right.

"You have to go straight on to that building."

"You have to go straight on that road."

"Go straight on after a few meters you will reach a post office where you can either go right or left" or "you can take right turn or left turn".

 

[emsr2d2]

"You have to go straight on until you get to that building."

"You have to go straight on on that road."

"Go straight on. After a few meters you will reach a post office where you can either go right or left" or "... you can take a right turn or a left turn".

See above.

If you don't like the repetition of "on" in the second one, you could say "You have to go straight ahead on that road".

 

[Tarheel]

"Go straight on after a few meters you will reach a post office where you can either go right or left" or "you can take a right turn or a left turn".

I get it that you can take either a right turn or a left turn, but those two choices take you in two opposite directions. I hope that if you were giving me directions you would pick one and it would be the one that goes in the right direction.