Giving directions

Question

Hi,could you please answer the questions below? They're all related to giving directions.1. Someone is asking for directions to the bank. What can you say instead of the highlighted part below to sound most natural?Take the first right. Take the first right. The bank is the first building on the/your left.Some suggestions:Take the first right twice.Take the first right and then take the first right again. (not sure about the second article - underlined)Take the first right and then take another right.2. Which articles would you use in the sentences below?a. Well, go straight ahead until you come to a / the church, then...b. Take the first left into Long Street. Go straight down the street. You('ll) come to a / the church on your left. The bank is opposite it.3. Which article would you use here?Sentence 2.a above followed by ...take a / the right.   (I'd use the indefinite article here)4. Would you use the present simple or the future simple tense in 2.a and when giving directions in general?Other examples (note - these senetences have been preceded by other "commands" and are not the first piece of "information" you're giving):a. ...ahead of you is / will be a large car park. b. ...take a right at the cathedral. You are (now) / will be in High Street.c. ...there is / will be a post office on your left.I'd use the present simple here.Thank you in advance.P.S. All of the examples above use BrE prepositions.

Nona the brit · Accepted Answer

I'd say

1) Take the first right and then the first right again. (but you could leave the 2nd 'take' in if you wanted).

a. Well, go straight ahead until you come to a / the church, then...
b. Take the first left into Long Street. Go straight down the street. You('ll) come to a / the church on your left. The bank is opposite it.

Really I'd say either a or the church, it doesn't make much difference. I suppose I might use 'the' if I knew they would only be going past one church and 'a' if there might be several churches in the area, but it doesn't really matter. Just don't use 'the' if they have to drive straight past one church before they get to the one you mean.

3. Yes, a sounds better here. Unless you are specifying which right, which really you need to do in directions. Take the third right.

4. Most people us ethe 'will be' form.

Pastsimple · Answer

Nona The BritI'd say

1) Take the first right and then the first right again. (but you could leave the 2nd 'take' in if you wanted).

a. Well, go straight ahead until you come to a / the church, then...
b. Take the first left into Long Street. Go straight down the street. You('ll) come to a / the church on your left. The bank is opposite it.

Really I'd say either a or the church, it doesn't make much difference. I suppose I might use 'the' if I knew they would only be going past one church and 'a' if there might be several churches in the area, but it doesn't really matter. Just don't use 'the' if they have to drive straight past one church before they get to the one you mean.

3. Yes, a sounds better here. Unless you are specifying which right, which really you need to do in directions. Take the third right.

4. Most people us ethe 'will be' form.

Thank you for your answers.

As for #4:

The present simple form isn't incorrect, is it? However, is it unnatural? Say you ask someone for directions and they reply in the present simple - what will you think about it / them?

If I use the "will be" form, will it better to say the "final sentence" in the present simple? Example:

Take the first right into Maple Street. Continue until you come to a cathedral. Take a right at the cathedral. You will be in High Street. Ahead of you will be a large car park. The bank is next to the car park on the left.

Nona the brit · Answer

Yes it's fine to use either tense and people will often mix them up in that way.

Giving directions

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