English: Sightseeing & Tourism

Level: B1. Sightseeing in another country means two things in English: knowing the words for what you are visiting, and asking for information politely. This lesson gives you the tourist vocabulary, the polite question patterns, and the phrases for buying tickets — so you can plan a day out and handle the ticket desk with confidence.

By the end of this page you can…

…name the main tourist words, ask for information at a visitor centre, check opening times and prices, and buy the right ticket for yourself or your group.

Tourist vocabulary

Start with the words you will see on signs and hear from guides. An attraction or a sight is any place worth visiting; a famous building or monument is a landmark. You might visit a museum, an art gallery, a castle, a cathedral, or a viewpoint (a high spot with a good view).

The activity of visiting these places is sightseeing: We spent the morning sightseeing. A tourist is the visitor; a guide is the person who explains things; a tour is the organised visit. The plan for your day or trip is your itinerary, and a small gift you buy to remember a place is a souvenir.

Asking for information politely

At a B1 level, the key upgrade is the indirect question. Instead of the direct Where is the museum?, you soften it:

• Could you tell me where the museum is?
• Do you know what time it opens?

Notice the word order. In an indirect question the subject and verb go back to normal statement order (where the museum is, not where is the museum), and you drop do/does from the inner question. This small change makes you sound noticeably more polite and fluent.

Checking times and prices

Two questions solve most planning problems. For time, ask What time does it open? and What time do you close? For money, ask How much is a ticket? or Is there an entry fee? Some places are free (no charge); others ask for a donation (you give what you want).

Buying tickets

At the ticket desk or box office, say how many and what type you need. Tickets come in types: an adult ticket, a child ticket, and a concession (a cheaper ticket for students, children or older visitors). A combined or combo ticket covers several sights; a family ticket covers two adults and some children.

• Two adults and one child, please.
• Could I have a student ticket? Here’s my student card.
• Is there a discount for seniors?

Booking online in advance often lets you skip the queue (BrE) or the line (AmE). If a place is popular, you may need to book a time slot.

A short conversation

Tourist: Excuse me, could you tell me where the castle is? Assistant: Of course. It’s a ten-minute walk up the hill, on your right. Tourist: Thank you. Do you know what time it closes? Assistant: At five, but the last entry is four thirty. Tourist: And how much is a ticket? Assistant: Twelve for adults, eight with a student card. There’s also a guided tour at two.

Usage notes

• sightseeing is one word and has no plural: We went sightseeing (not sightseeings). The verb pair is go sightseeing.
• trip vs travel vs journey: a trip is the whole visit, travel is the general activity, and a journey is the act of getting from A to B.
• ticket vs entry: you buy a ticket; the money itself is the entry fee or admission. Both are common on signs.
• queue (BrE) / line (AmE): join the queue and wait in line mean the same thing; use whichever you like, but stay consistent.

Example sentences

Press play and say each line out loud — these are the exact phrases you will use on a day of sightseeing.

1. We spent the whole day sightseeing.
   Go sightseeing is the natural verb pair.
2. The old town has a lot of attractions.
   Attraction = a place worth visiting.
3. That tower is the city's most famous landmark.
   Landmark = a famous, recognisable place.
4. Could you tell me where the museum is?
   A polite indirect question.
5. Do you know what time it opens?
   Normal word order after the question word.
6. What time do you close?
   Checking the closing time before you go.
7. Is there an entry fee?
   Asking whether you have to pay.
8. How much is a ticket?
   The core price question.
9. Two adults and one child, please.
   Saying how many tickets and what type.
10. Could I have a student ticket?
    Asking for a concession ticket.
11. Is there a discount for seniors?
    Checking for a cheaper rate.
12. Does the ticket include the guided tour?
    Checking what the ticket covers.
13. Where can I buy tickets?
    Finding the box office.
14. I booked the tickets in advance online.
    Booking ahead to save time.
15. Can we skip the queue with these tickets?
    Asking about the fast entry.
16. Is there an audio guide in English?
    Asking for a recorded commentary.
17. What time is the next guided tour?
    Asking about tour times.
18. I'd like to buy a souvenir for my family.
    A souvenir is a gift to remember a place.
19. Could you recommend a good viewpoint?
    Asking for advice on the best view.
20. Here's our itinerary for tomorrow.
    Itinerary = the plan for your trip.

Quick recap before you practise.

Practice

Practice

Sightseeing and tourism practice

Try each one, then press Check. No sign-up, nothing is sent anywhere — it all runs in your browser.

1 Which is the polite, correct indirect question?

Could you tell me where is the museum? Could you tell me where the museum is? Could you tell me where does the museum? Could you tell me the museum where is?

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Could you tell me where the museum is? — In an indirect question the subject and verb go in normal order: where the museum is.

2 Ask the price: '____ much is a ticket?' (one word)

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Hint: the question word for amount

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How — How much is a ticket? is the core price question.

3 Complete the time question: 'What time ____ the museum open?' (one word)

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Hint: the helper verb for he/she/it questions

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does — Questions with a singular subject need does: What time does the museum open?

4 A 'concession' ticket is…

a free ticket for everyone a cheaper ticket for students, children or older visitors a ticket for the whole family a ticket that includes a meal

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a cheaper ticket for students, children or older visitors — A concession is a reduced-price ticket for certain groups.

5 Put the words in order to ask what a ticket covers.

the guided tourDoesincludethe ticket

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Does the ticket include the guided tour — Yes/no question order: Does the ticket include the guided tour?

6 Match each tourist word to its meaning.

• landmark Match for landmark — choose — a gift to remember a placefamous recognisable placethe entry feethe plan for your trip
• admission Match for admission — choose — a gift to remember a placefamous recognisable placethe entry feethe plan for your trip
• itinerary Match for itinerary — choose — a gift to remember a placefamous recognisable placethe entry feethe plan for your trip
• souvenir Match for souvenir — choose — a gift to remember a placefamous recognisable placethe entry feethe plan for your trip

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• landmark → famous recognisable place
• admission → the entry fee
• itinerary → the plan for your trip
• souvenir → a gift to remember a place

These are the core sightseeing words you will meet on signs and tickets.

How to say it

A few sightseeing words trip up English learners — copy the sounds, not the spelling.

• museum has the stress in the middle and ends in a soft sound: myoo-ZEE-um, three beats.
• tour rhymes with poor for many speakers — toor — not tower.
• itinerary has four beats with the stress on the second: eye-TIN-er-uh-ree.
• souvenir stresses the last part: soo-vuh-NEER.

Quiz

Check yourself

Sightseeing and tourism quiz

8 questions · pick an answer and you'll see straight away if it's right.

0/8 0 answered

1. 1Choose the most polite, correct question.

   A Where is the information centre, tell me? B Could you tell me where the information centre is? C Could you tell me where is the information centre? D You tell me the information centre?
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   Could you tell me where the information centre is? — An indirect question keeps statement order: where the information centre is.

2. 2Which word means a famous, easily recognised building or place?

   A souvenir B itinerary C landmark D admission
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   landmark — A landmark is a famous, recognisable place.

3. 3You want the cheaper rate as a student. You ask for a…

   A combined ticket B concession ticket C family ticket D single ticket
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   concession ticket — A concession is a reduced ticket for students, children or older visitors.

4. 4Complete: 'What time ___ you close?'

   A do B does C is D are
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   do — With you, use do: What time do you close?

5. 5Which sentence is correct?

   A How much the ticket? B How much is the ticket? C How much does the ticket? D How much are the ticket?
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   How much is the ticket? — A singular ticket takes is: How much is the ticket?

6. 6An 'audio guide' is…

   A a person who walks with you B a recorded commentary you listen to alone C a free map D the ticket desk
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   a recorded commentary you listen to alone — An audio guide is a recording; a guided tour has a live guide.

7. 7What does 'book in advance' mean?

   A pay at the door B reserve before you arrive C read a book first D ask for a refund
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   reserve before you arrive — To book in advance is to reserve ahead of time, often to skip the queue.

8. 8Which is the natural verb pair for visiting sights?

   A make sightseeing B do sightseeing C go sightseeing D take sightseeing
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   go sightseeing — The fixed pair is go sightseeing.

Recap cheat-sheet

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