Module code: 2120
↑×📐 Positional language (foreground, top left corner, in the distance…) is the same on every image lesson — see Where things are at the end.
A Building That Breathes
This lesson uses a photograph of a contemporary airport terminal to develop precise architectural vocabulary and accurate descriptive writing. As you work through the tasks, you will learn the names of key building features, how to locate them clearly, and how to describe materials and finishes using the passive voice — skills you will bring together in a final extended description.
📚 Key Vocabulary
These terms all appear in the descriptions you are about to hear — study them before you listen.
facade — the front-facing exterior surface of a buildingroofline — the upper edge or silhouette of a roofcurtain wall — a non-structural glass outer wall of a buildinglouvre — angled horizontal blades that allow air to pass throughapron — the paved area in front of an airport terminalsoffit — the underside surface of a roof overhang or beambalustrade — a row of railings along a staircase or walkwaycladding — material fixed to the outside of a building as a finishcanopy — a roof-like projection that extends over an area belowglazing — glass used as a building material in windows or wallsrendered — coated with a smooth layer of plaster or cementairside — the restricted area of an airport beyond security
🎧 Listen and read
Before: Before you listen, read through the vocabulary list above and try to picture what each feature might look like on a large modern building.
While listening: As you listen, notice how the speaker moves through the building — from the roof downward — and pay attention to the words used to say where each feature is located.
After: After listening, check whether any of the features you identified match the vocabulary terms above, and note any words you did not expect.
💡 Press play, then scroll back up to the photo. If the photo is off-screen, a copy floats at the bottom — tap it to enlarge.
×🎧 1 · Short description
📖 1 · Short description — read along
In this picture, a large modern airport terminal extends across the full width of the frame. The building's most striking feature is its undulating metal roof, which rises and falls in a series of wave-like peaks across the entire roofline.
Below the roof, a floor-to-ceiling glass curtain wall runs along the upper storey, reflecting the blue sky and distant trees. A continuous band of louvred ventilation panels occupies the lower storey, set into a smooth white rendered masonry wall.
Angled structural columns of dark steel support the overhanging roof at irregular intervals, and an external glazed staircase projects outward from the left-centre of the facade. In the foreground, an expansive flat concrete apron is marked with red and white painted lines.
🎧 2 · Full description
📖 2 · Full description — read along
In this picture, a contemporary airport terminal building occupies the full width of the frame, photographed from the airside apron under bright midday sunlight.
The most dominant element is the sweeping undulating metal roof, clad in ribbed silver-grey panels that rise and fall across multiple wave-like peaks, projecting well beyond the facade as a deep canopy.
Beneath this overhanging roof, a warm honey-toned timber soffit is partially visible, providing a striking contrast with the cool metallic cladding above. The upper storey is enclosed almost entirely in reflective blue-green glass curtain walling, through which the surrounding landscape and sky are clearly reflected.
Below the glazing, a continuous band of horizontal louvre blades runs the full length of the lower storey, set against a smooth white rendered masonry base.
Dark grey raking steel columns are spaced at irregular intervals along the facade, angled outward to carry the weight of the roof overhang.
At the left-centre of the building, a glazed external staircase with open metal balustrades projects onto the apron, connecting ground level to an elevated walkway above.
In the foreground, the flat light-grey concrete apron stretches toward the camera, its surface marked with red and white painted guidance lines.
Scattered white cumulus clouds float above the roofline against a bright blue sky, and a low green tree line is visible in the far distance behind the building.
🎧 3 · The story behind the picture
📖 3 · The story behind the picture — read along
The terminal appears to be either newly completed or photographed during a quiet period between flights.
No passengers, ground crew, or aircraft are visible, which suggests this must be an early morning, a period of low traffic, or a deliberate choice to photograph the building without operational activity.
If the building is newly opened, ground crews and arriving aircraft will soon animate the apron; alternatively, the absence of activity may indicate that the photograph was taken specifically to document the architecture before the space was put to full use.
🧰 Your word bank
All the target words for this picture.
📚 Word bank
All the target words for this picture. Tap a word to hear it.
📝 Key Vocabulary Recap26 terms from this lesson
◆ undulate
To have a smooth, wave-like shape that rises and falls repeatedly, as seen in a curved roofline that mimics the form of rolling hills or waves.
Register: formal
Common collocations: undulating roofline, undulating surface, undulating form, undulate gently
Example: The roof panels undulate across the full length of the terminal, giving the building its distinctive wave-like profile.
Usage notes: Most commonly used as an adjective in the present participle form when describing architectural or landscape features. Can describe both movement and static shape. Often followed by ‘across’, ‘along’, or ‘over’.
Often confused with: corrugated, roofline, curve
◆ curtain wall
A lightweight, non-load-bearing outer skin of a building, typically made of glass and metal panels fixed to the structural frame, used extensively on modern airport terminals to maximise light and visual transparency.
Register: technical
Common collocations: glass curtain wall, curtain wall system, curtain wall facade, install a curtain wall
Example: The curtain wall facing the apron is made entirely of floor-to-ceiling glazing, flooding the departure lounge with natural light.
Usage notes: Specialist architectural term. Distinguished from ‘cladding’ in that it is a complete, engineered system of panels rather than a surface coating. Often confused with ‘curtain walling’, which refers to the system or material in general rather than a single wall element. The two terms are used almost interchangeably in practice.
Often confused with: curtain walling, cladding, glazing, facade
◆ louvre
An angled blade or slat set into a panel, screen, or window frame to allow air and diffused light to pass through while blocking direct sunlight, rain, and unwanted sightlines — a key component of passive cooling in the terminal’s design.
General meaning: A horizontal slat or blind set at an angle to allow airflow and light while providing shelter or privacy, used in windows, vents, and exterior screens.
Register: technical
Common collocations: louvre panel, louvre screen, angled louvre, louvre blade, louvre system
Example: Angled louvres along the upper facade deflect direct sunlight while still allowing warm air to escape through natural convection.
Usage notes: ‘Louvre’ is the standard British English spelling; ‘louver’ is preferred in American English. Both are acceptable. Can refer to a single slat or to the whole panel/screen containing multiple slats. Plural is most common in architectural contexts.
Often confused with: glazing, cladding, ventilation, soffit
◆ overhang
A section of a building — typically the roof or an upper floor — that projects outward beyond the wall or structural support directly below it, providing shade and weather protection to the facade and entrance areas beneath.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: deep overhang, roof overhang, wide overhang, overhang provides shade, canopy overhang
Example: The generous overhang at the terminal entrance shelters arriving passengers from both rain and direct afternoon sun.
Usage notes: Used as both a noun (a physical feature) and a verb (‘to overhang’, meaning to project beyond). In architectural contexts, the noun form is standard. Not to be confused with ‘canopy’, which is a separate, often freestanding structure rather than an extension of the main roof.
Often confused with: canopy, soffit, eave, balustrade
◆ corrugated
Shaped into a series of parallel ridges and grooves in a regular wave pattern, typically describing metal sheeting used in industrial or utilitarian building structures. In this terminal, corrugated metal may appear on service or airside elevations.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: corrugated metal, corrugated iron, corrugated sheeting, corrugated roof, corrugated panel
Example: The rear service elevation is clad in corrugated metal sheeting, a practical choice that contrasts with the polished glazing on the passenger-facing side.
Usage notes: Primarily used as a pre-nominal adjective before a noun. Most commonly collocates with ‘metal’, ‘iron’, ‘steel’, ‘cardboard’, and ‘sheeting’. The ridged profile adds structural strength without added weight. Do not confuse with ‘undulating’, which describes a gentler, larger-scale wave form in architecture.
Often confused with: undulate, cladding, rendered, masonry
◆ soffit
The underside surface of a roof overhang, arch, beam, or elevated walkway that is visible when looking upward from below, often finished in a contrasting material or colour in airport terminal design.
Register: technical
Common collocations: soffit panel, roof soffit, exposed soffit, finished soffit, underside soffit
Example: The soffit of the main entrance canopy is lined with warm timber cladding, creating a welcoming contrast to the structural steel above.
Usage notes: Specialist architectural term referring exclusively to a downward-facing surface. Not interchangeable with ‘ceiling’, which implies an interior horizontal surface. Most commonly encountered in descriptions of overhangs, arches, stairs, and bridges.
Often confused with: overhang, canopy, cladding, facade
◆ balustrade
A continuous safety barrier formed by a row of short vertical posts (balusters) topped by a rail, used along staircases, elevated walkways, and balconies in the terminal to prevent falls.
Register: formal
Common collocations: glass balustrade, stone balustrade, metal balustrade, balustrade rail, balustrade panel
Example: A sleek glass balustrade lines the upper level, maintaining unobstructed views across the terminal concourse while ensuring passenger safety.
Usage notes: More formal and architectural than ‘railing’ or ‘handrail’. Implies a complete system of balusters plus rail, rather than just the rail itself. Common in both historic and contemporary architecture. In modern terminals, glass panel balustrades have largely replaced traditional post-and-rail designs.
Often confused with: railing, bollard, elevated walkway, plinth
◆ cladding
A layer of one material fixed to the exterior surface of a building to protect the underlying structure from weather and to improve the building’s appearance, without bearing any structural load.
Register: technical
Common collocations: metal cladding, timber cladding, stone cladding, exterior cladding, cladding panel, install cladding
Example: The terminal’s airside elevation features aluminium cladding that reflects the sky, reducing solar heat absorption throughout the day.
Usage notes: Uncountable noun in most uses — say ‘the cladding’ not ‘a cladding’. Broader than ‘curtain walling’ (which is a specific glass-and-metal system) and ‘rendered’ (which refers to a plaster or cement surface coat). Can describe both the material and the process of applying it.
Often confused with: curtain wall, curtain walling, rendered, facade, glazing
◆ rendered
Coated with a smooth or textured layer of plaster or cement mortar applied directly to an exterior wall surface, giving a clean, uniform finish — used on masonry walls as an alternative to exposed brick or stone.
Register: technical
Common collocations: rendered wall, rendered finish, rendered surface, smooth render, coloured render
Example: The lower sections of the terminal facade are rendered in a pale grey finish that complements the glass and metal cladding above.
Usage notes: Used as an adjective to describe a completed wall finish (‘a rendered wall’) or as a verb in the construction process (‘the contractor rendered the walls’). The noun ‘render’ or ‘rendering’ refers to the material itself. Distinct from ‘cladding’, which involves attaching a separate layer rather than applying a wet coat.
Often confused with: cladding, masonry, facade, corrugated
◆ canopy
A projecting roof structure, often supported by columns or brackets, that extends outward from a building entrance to provide shelter for passengers and vehicles arriving at or departing from the terminal.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: entrance canopy, glass canopy, steel canopy, terminal canopy, canopy structure, under the canopy
Example: Taxis and buses pull up beneath the canopy at the terminal’s landside entrance, allowing passengers to unload in shelter.
Usage notes: In architectural contexts, distinguishable from ‘overhang’ in that a canopy is often a separate, purpose-built structure rather than an extension of the main roof. Also used in landscape and retail contexts (e.g. tree canopy, shop canopy). Not to be confused with an ‘awning’, which is typically retractable and fabric-based.
Often confused with: overhang, soffit, awning, structural column
◆ passive cooling
A design strategy for reducing interior temperatures using architectural features — such as louvres, overhangs, thermal mass, and natural ventilation — rather than mechanical air conditioning systems, central to the environmental ambitions of the terminal’s design.
Register: technical
Common collocations: passive cooling strategy, passive cooling system, passive cooling design, achieve passive cooling, passive cooling techniques
Example: The combination of louvres, high ceilings, and strategically placed openings enables passive cooling throughout the terminal’s departure hall.
Usage notes: Technical term from sustainable architecture and environmental building design. Often contrasted explicitly with ‘active’ or ‘mechanical’ cooling (air conditioning). May be modified by ‘natural’, ‘solar’, or ‘cross-ventilation’ strategies. Used as a compound noun — no hyphen needed.
Often confused with: ventilation, louvre, overhang, airside
◆ apron
The paved or surfaced area directly outside the terminal building — on the airside — where aircraft park, are loaded and unloaded, refuelled, and serviced by ground crews before departure.
Register: technical
Common collocations: airport apron, apron area, apron stand, aircraft on the apron, apron operations
Example: From the upper departure lounge, passengers have a clear view across the apron to the aircraft parked at the remote stands.
Usage notes: Aviation-specific technical term — this meaning is entirely unrelated to the everyday meaning of ‘apron’ as a protective garment worn when cooking. In aviation contexts, ‘apron’ and ‘ramp’ are near-synonyms, with ‘ramp’ more common in North American English.
Often confused with: airside, terminal, taxiway, ramp
◆ facade
The principal exterior face of the terminal building — most commonly the main landside or airside elevation — which is the primary architectural statement and the face most visible to passengers and the public.
Register: formal
Common collocations: terminal facade, glazed facade, main facade, facade design, facade treatment, south-facing facade
Example: The glazed facade facing the apron allows aircraft movements to be visible from the departure lounge, reinforcing the sense of arrival and departure.
Usage notes: Strictly, the ‘facade’ is the front face of a building, though in modern usage it is often applied to any prominent exterior elevation. Can also be used figuratively to mean a deceptive outward appearance (e.g. ‘a facade of normality’), though this figurative sense is absent in architectural contexts. The accent on the final ‘e’ (façade) is optional in English.
Often confused with: cladding, curtain wall, elevation, roofline
◆ raking
Set at a diagonal angle rather than standing vertically (90°) or lying horizontally (0°), used specifically in this terminal to describe structural columns that lean outward to support the overhanging roof.
Register: technical
Common collocations: raking column, raking support, raking strut, raking prop, raking angle
Example: A series of raking columns along the terminal’s departure forecourt lean outward at identical angles to carry the weight of the overhanging roof.
Usage notes: Primarily used as a pre-nominal adjective in construction and structural engineering. Most commonly collocates with ‘column’, ‘strut’, ‘prop’, and ‘support’. Distinguish from ‘inclined’, which is more general; ‘raking’ is the preferred technical term in structural contexts.
Often confused with: structural column, overhang, canopy, plinth
◆ bollard
A short, sturdy, upright post — typically made of steel, concrete, or stone — fixed into the ground at the terminal entrance to control vehicle access, protect pedestrians, and prevent impact damage to the building’s base.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: security bollard, steel bollard, retractable bollard, bollard post, row of bollards
Example: A row of steel bollards separates the drop-off lane from the pedestrian walkway in front of the terminal entrance.
Usage notes: In urban and airport contexts, bollards have an increasingly important security function (preventing vehicle attacks on crowded entrances). Retractable bollards allow authorised vehicles through when lowered. Do not confuse with ‘plinth’, which is a raised base for a structure, not a security barrier.
Often confused with: plinth, balustrade, structural column, cladding
◆ glazing
Glass panels used to fill openings in a building’s structure — windows, full-height walls, or roofs — or the collective term for all glass elements in a building, used extensively in the terminal to maximise natural light in the passenger areas.
Register: technical
Common collocations: double glazing, high-performance glazing, solar control glazing, full-height glazing, structural glazing, glazing system
Example: High-performance solar control glazing on the south-facing elevation reduces heat gain while maintaining panoramic views of the apron.
Usage notes: Uncountable noun when referring to glass surfaces collectively (‘the glazing on this facade’). Distinct from ‘curtain wall’ or ‘curtain walling’ — ‘glazing’ refers specifically to the glass component, while ‘curtain walling’ describes the whole panel-and-frame system.
Often confused with: curtain wall, curtain walling, louvre, facade, cladding
◆ terminal
The main passenger building at an airport where travellers check in, pass through security and passport control, and board or disembark from aircraft — the architectural and operational focus of the lesson.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: airport terminal, passenger terminal, terminal building, departure terminal, terminal design, terminal facade
Example: The terminal was designed to handle twelve million passengers annually while achieving high standards of natural ventilation and daylighting.
Usage notes: In aviation, ‘terminal’ always refers to the passenger building, not the runway or airfield. Large airports may have multiple terminals numbered or lettered. Can also refer to transport hubs for buses or ferries. As a general adjective, ‘terminal’ means ‘final’ or ‘fatal’, but this meaning is entirely separate in aviation contexts.
Often confused with: airside, apron, concourse, gate
◆ structural column
A vertical or angled load-bearing member — typically of steel or reinforced concrete — that transfers the weight of the roof or upper floors down to the foundations, forming the skeleton of the terminal building.
Register: technical
Common collocations: steel structural column, raking structural column, exposed structural column, structural column spacing, structural column base
Example: The exposed structural columns in the departure hall are painted white to echo the shape of tree trunks supporting a canopy of leaves.
Usage notes: The adjective ‘structural’ distinguishes these from purely decorative columns. In this terminal context, the columns are often ‘raking’ (angled). Distinct from ‘plinth’, which is the base on which a column stands. Do not confuse with ‘bollard’, which is a low ground-level post with no load-bearing function.
Often confused with: raking, plinth, bollard, balustrade
◆ ventilation
The controlled supply of fresh air to the interior of the terminal building and the removal of stale or warm air, achieved in this design primarily through passive means — louvres, high-level openings, and natural air movement — rather than mechanical systems.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: natural ventilation, cross ventilation, ventilation system, ventilation strategy, ventilation openings, mechanical ventilation
Example: High-level openings in the roof work alongside the louvre panels to promote natural ventilation throughout the terminal’s main hall.
Usage notes: Uncountable noun. Collocates strongly with ‘natural’, ‘mechanical’, ‘cross’, and ‘passive’. Distinguish from ‘passive cooling’, which is the broader design strategy — ‘ventilation’ is one tool within that strategy. The adjective form is ‘ventilated’ (e.g. ‘a well-ventilated space’).
Often confused with: passive cooling, louvre, airside, glazing
◆ masonry
Construction built from individual units of brick, stone, or concrete block, bonded together with mortar — used in the terminal’s solid, non-glazed wall sections to provide thermal mass and structural support.
Register: formal
Common collocations: masonry wall, exposed masonry, masonry construction, masonry structure, load-bearing masonry
Example: The solid masonry base of the terminal provides thermal stability, helping to moderate internal temperatures throughout the day.
Usage notes: Uncountable noun in most uses. Covers brick, stone, and blockwork collectively. Distinct from ‘rendered’ — rendered walls are masonry with a surface coating applied. In passive cooling design, masonry is valued for its thermal mass (ability to absorb heat slowly).
Often confused with: rendered, cladding, corrugated, plinth
◆ cumulus
A type of cloud with a distinctive rounded, heaped shape and a flat base, typically white and well-defined against a blue sky — visible above the terminal in the image and associated with fair, settled weather conditions.
Register: technical
Common collocations: cumulus cloud, white cumulus, cumulus formation, fair-weather cumulus, towering cumulus
Example: A bank of cumulus clouds behind the terminal echoes the building’s undulating roofline, the natural forms mirroring the architectural ones.
Usage notes: From Latin, meaning ‘heap’ or ‘pile’. The plural in Latin is ‘cumuli’, though ‘cumulus clouds’ is acceptable in general English. Fair-weather cumulus is benign; ‘cumulonimbus’ is the storm cloud variant. Useful vocabulary for describing the atmospheric context visible in the image.
Often confused with: roofline, cumulonimbus, cirrus, stratus
◆ roofline
The silhouette or outline formed by the uppermost edge of a building’s roof when seen from the outside, which in this terminal is a distinctive undulating curve that defines the building’s visual identity.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: undulating roofline, curved roofline, distinctive roofline, roofline profile, broken roofline
Example: The terminal’s roofline rises and falls in a series of smooth curves that deliberately recall the forms of the surrounding landscape.
Usage notes: Compound noun written as one word. Refers specifically to the visible outline of the roof, not the roof surface itself. Important in urban planning and heritage contexts where ‘roofline’ or ‘skyline’ must be preserved. Compare with ‘silhouette’, which is a broader term for any object’s outline.
Often confused with: facade, soffit, overhang, cumulus
◆ airside
The restricted zone of an airport beyond the security screening or passport control checkpoint, accessible only to departing passengers with valid boarding passes and to authorised airport and airline staff.
Register: technical
Common collocations: airside zone, airside facilities, airside access, airside elevation, landside and airside
Example: The airside facade of the terminal faces directly onto the apron, offering unobstructed views of aircraft operations from the departure lounge.
Usage notes: Paired with ‘landside’, which is the publicly accessible part of the terminal before security. Both terms are used adjectivally (‘the airside facade’) or as nouns (‘passengers move from landside to airside’). Written as one word without a hyphen.
Often confused with: terminal, apron, landside, facade
◆ curtain walling
The engineered system of lightweight, non-load-bearing glass and metal panels fixed to a building’s structural frame to form the exterior envelope — used interchangeably with ‘curtain wall’ in architectural descriptions, but emphasising the system as a whole rather than a single wall element.
Register: technical
Common collocations: curtain walling system, structural curtain walling, unitised curtain walling, curtain walling installation, glass curtain walling
Example: The passenger-facing elevation is entirely clad in curtain walling, its aluminium-framed glass panels spanning from floor to ceiling between each structural column.
Usage notes: Used as an uncountable mass noun referring to the system or material (‘install curtain walling’), whereas ‘curtain wall’ refers to a specific wall element (‘the curtain wall on the north elevation’). The distinction is subtle and the terms are often used interchangeably in practice.
Often confused with: curtain wall, glazing, cladding, facade
◆ elevated walkway
A raised, enclosed or open passage that connects two sections of the terminal building at a level above the ground floor, allowing passengers to move between areas without crossing ground-level vehicle or aircraft routes.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: elevated walkway bridge, glazed elevated walkway, elevated walkway level, covered elevated walkway
Example: An elevated walkway connects the check-in hall to the satellite pier, giving passengers views across the apron as they walk to their gate.
Usage notes: Compound noun — write as two words without a hyphen. Synonymous with ‘aerial walkway’ and ‘sky bridge’ in some contexts. The key distinguishing feature is that it operates above the ground plane. Fitted with balustrades or glazed panels for safety.
Often confused with: balustrade, canopy, terminal, overhang
◆ plinth
A raised base or platform — often of stone or concrete — on which a structural column, statue, or other architectural feature sits, giving it additional height and a formal visual grounding.
Register: formal
Common collocations: column plinth, stone plinth, concrete plinth, plinth base, raised plinth, plinth level
Example: Each structural column in the departure hall rises from a polished concrete plinth that visually anchors it to the floor.
Usage notes: Architectural term with a specific meaning: the very base element of a column or pedestal. Do not confuse with ‘bollard’, which is a free-standing post for vehicle control, or with ‘balustrade’, which is a railing system. In a broader sense, ‘plinth’ can refer to any raised base platform in a building or landscape.
Often confused with: bollard, structural column, balustrade, masonry
✍️ First look
Before any teaching, write what you can see in the photograph in your own words — do not worry about technical terms at this point. You will return to this description at the end and see how much more precisely you can write.
Task 1 · First ImpressionsVocabulary
Look at the picture. In no more than 80 words, describe what you can see. Write in the present tense and use your own words. Do not worry about technical vocabulary at this stage — just describe the main things you notice.
Language focus: general description
0 words / ~80 target
1Saying Where Things Are→ Task 2
Step 1 · Saying Where Things Are
🔧 Grammar — prepositional phrases of position
To do this task, you need two things: the precise name of each feature, and a prepositional phrase that tells the reader exactly where it sits. A prepositional phrase of position answers the question ‘where?’ — it uses words such as above, below, along, in front of, or between. Use a different preposition in each sentence so your writing stays varied. Notice how the preposition changes the relationship: ‘above the curtain wall’ tells us the roof is higher; ‘along the facade’ tells us something runs the full length. Avoid repeating ‘at the top of’ for every sentence — the fuel lines give you a wide range of options. Open the ‘Where things are’ and ‘Objects’ toggles for the full list of place phrases and feature names before you write.
Feature name + preposition/prepositional phrase + reference point
- The louvred ventilation panels run in a continuous band below the glass curtain wall along the lower storey.
- Angled structural columns are spaced at intervals along the length of the facade, raking outward to support the roof.
- The expansive aircraft apron stretches in front of the terminal building, filling the foreground.
⚠️ Watch out: The staircase is in front the terminal facade. → The staircase projects in front of the terminal facade. — ‘in front of’ is a fixed prepositional phrase and always needs ‘of’
🧰 Open the ‘Where things are’ toggle for a full list of place phrases, and the ‘Objects’ toggle for precise feature names and collocations.
→ Now write your six sentences, using a different preposition or prepositional phrase in each one.
📍 Where things are
- The terminal building extends across the full width of the image in the middle ground.
- The undulating metal roof sits above the glass curtain wall, projecting outward beyond the facade.
- The glass curtain wall is set behind the angled structural columns that line the facade.
- The louvred ventilation panels run in a continuous band below the glass curtain wall along the lower storey.
- The external staircase projects in front of the terminal facade, connecting the apron to the upper level.
- The elevated walkway spans between the top of the staircase and the upper-level entrance of the terminal.
- The expansive aircraft apron stretches in front of the terminal building, filling the foreground.
- Red and white painted markings are visible on the concrete apron surface in the foreground.
- The warm timber soffit is visible within the underside of the overhanging roof structure.
- Angled structural columns are spaced at intervals along the length of the facade, raking outward to support the roof.
- A low green tree line is visible behind the terminal building in the far distance.
- A tall floodlight mast stands to the left of the terminal building, visible above the roofline.
- Scattered cumulus clouds float above the roofline against a bright blue sky.
- Yellow bollards are positioned along the base of the terminal facade on the right side.
- The white rendered masonry wall is visible beneath the louvred panels at the base of the lower storey.
- A small ground service vehicle is parked at the far left of the apron near the terminal.
- Multiple wave-like roof peaks rise and fall across the full span of the roofline.
🔎 What you can see
| Object | Where | Describing words |
|---|---|---|
| terminal building | centre and full width of the image, middle ground | two-storey, modern, large-scale |
| undulating metal roof | top of the terminal building, spanning the full width | wave-like, ribbed, silver-grey |
| glass curtain wall | upper storey of the terminal, running the full width | floor-to-ceiling, reflective, blue-green tinted |
| louvred ventilation panels | lower storey of the terminal, running the full length of the facade | horizontal, grey, repeated |
| angled structural columns | spaced at intervals along the facade, supporting the roof overhang | dark grey, steel, angled |
| external staircase | left-centre of the building facade, projecting outward onto the apron | glazed, metal-framed, double-flight |
| metal balustrade | along the staircase and elevated walkway | steel, silver, open-railing |
| elevated walkway | connecting the staircase to the upper-level entrance of the terminal | cantilevered, enclosed, glazed sides |
| aircraft apron | foreground and extending to the base of the building | flat, light grey, concrete |
| painted apron markings | foreground apron surface, visible as red and white lines | red, white, linear |
| white rendered masonry wall | lower storey of the terminal, between and below the louvre panels | white, smooth, rendered |
| wooden ceiling soffit | visible beneath the roof overhang, behind the upper glazing | warm-toned, timber, linear-boarded |
| ground service vehicle | far left of the apron, near the terminal | small, dark, ground-level |
| floodlight mast | upper left of the image, beyond the terminal | tall, dark steel, twin-arm |
| sky | upper portion of the image, above the roofline | bright blue, clear with scattered cloud |
| cumulus clouds | upper right and upper centre of the image | white, billowing, scattered |
| tree line | far background, behind the terminal building | green, low, distant |
| bollards | along the base of the terminal facade on the right side | yellow, short, upright |
Task 2 · What Is It and Where Is It?Vocabulary
Look at the photograph carefully. Identify at least six distinct architectural or structural features of the building and its surroundings. For each one, write a sentence that names the feature precisely and states where it is located in relation to other parts of the building or scene. Use a different preposition or prepositional phrase in each sentence. Aim for 80–100 words in total.
Language focus: naming architectural features and prepositions of place
0 words / ~90 target
2Describing Materials with the Passive→ Task 3
Step 2 · Describing Materials with the Passive
🔧 Grammar — present simple passive
To do this task, you need the present simple passive. Use it when you want to focus on the material or finish rather than on who applied it. The form is: is/are + past participle + in/with/by. For materials, the most common patterns are ‘is clad in’ (for an outer covering), ‘is enclosed in’ (for a surrounding material), ‘is finished in’ (for a surface treatment), and ‘is supported by’ (for a structural element). After the passive, add a precise colour and material description — this is where the fuel data is most useful. Avoid writing ‘is made with’ when ‘is clad in’ or ‘is finished in’ is more accurate for a surface or facing. Open the ‘Materials’ toggle for the full list of colours, textures, and collocations before you write.
Subject + is/are + past participle (clad in / enclosed in / finished in / supported by) + colour + material
- The upper storey is enclosed almost entirely in reflective blue-green glass curtain walling.
- The lower storey wall is finished in smooth white rendered masonry.
- The undulating roof is clad in ribbed silver-grey metal panels that rise and fall across multiple peaks.
⚠️ Watch out: The roof is clad with ribbed silver-grey panels. → The roof is clad in ribbed silver-grey panels. — ‘clad in’ is the fixed collocation — ‘clad with’ is not standard in architectural description
🧰 Open the ‘Materials’ toggle for colour terms, texture words, and passive collocations for each visible surface.
→ Now write your paragraph, using the passive at least four times and including a precise colour and material detail in each sentence.
🧱 Colours and materials
Ready-made phrases
ribbed silver-grey metal roof panelsreflective blue-green glass curtain wallinggrey slatted metal louvre bladesdark grey painted steel columnssmooth white rendered masonry basewarm honey-toned timber ceiling liningflat light-grey concrete apronshort yellow safety bollardsred and white painted apron guidance lines
| Object | Colour | Material | Texture |
|---|---|---|---|
| undulating roof | silver-grey | ribbed or corrugated metal (steel or aluminium) | ridged, corrugated |
| glass curtain wall | blue-green (reflective) | glass | smooth, reflective |
| louvred ventilation panels | mid-grey | metal (aluminium likely) | slatted, angled blades |
| structural columns | dark grey | steel | smooth, painted |
| lower storey wall | white | rendered masonry or concrete | smooth, flat |
| timber soffit | warm honey-brown | timber (wood boarding) | linear-boarded, smooth |
| aircraft apron | light grey | concrete | flat, jointed slabs |
| bollards | yellow | metal or plastic | smooth |
| apron markings | red and white | painted surface marking | flat |
Task 3 · Materials and FinishesGrammar
Focus on the materials, colours, and surface finishes visible in the photograph. Write a short paragraph of 80–100 words describing how different parts of the building are constructed or finished. Use the present simple passive (for example: 'The roof is clad in…', 'The wall is finished in…', 'The columns are made of…') at least four times. Try to include precise colour and material descriptions in each passive sentence.
Language focus: present simple passive for describing materials and finishes
0 words / ~90 target
🏁 Put It All Together
You have now practised naming and locating architectural features precisely, and describing materials and finishes using the present simple passive. Your final description should bring both skills together in a single fluent paragraph that moves through the image in a logical order.
- ☐ Use precise architectural terms: facade, roofline, curtain wall, louvre, apron, elevated walkway, structural column, balustrade, cladding, rendered, glazing, masonry, canopy, soffit
- ☐ Place each feature clearly using a varied range of prepositional phrases
- ☐ Describe materials and finishes using the present simple passive at least four times
- ☐ Write in a connected paragraph — avoid listing items one by one
Task 4 · The Full PictureGrammar
Now describe the photograph again in 160–200 words. Use what you have learnt: the precise names for architectural features, the prepositions of place, and the passive structures for describing materials and finishes. Try to move through the image in a logical order — for example, from the roof down to the apron, or from the most striking feature outward. Do not list items; write a connected, fluent description.
Language focus: architectural vocabulary, prepositions of place, and present simple passive
0 words / ~180 target
💬 Discussion
• The terminal uses louvres and a deep canopy overhang instead of mechanical air conditioning — do you think this approach is practical in the climate where you live, and why?
• The facade combines reflective glazing, rendered masonry, and ribbed metal cladding — which of these materials do you find most visually striking, and what effect does it create?
• Airports are often designed to impress arriving passengers — does the roofline and overall facade of this terminal achieve that effect in your opinion?
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Explore Membership Benefits📐 Where things are — positional language for images
📝 Key Vocabulary Recap25 terms from this lesson
◆ the top
The highest part of an image.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: at the top, the top of the image, the top of the frame, along the top
Example: There are clouds at the top of the painting.
Usage notes: Always used with ‘at’ or ‘along’ when describing position: ‘at the top of the picture.’ Not used with ‘in’ in this context.
Often confused with: the upper half, the top left corner, the top right corner, the foreground
◆ the bottom
The lowest part of an image.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: at the bottom, the bottom of the image, the bottom of the frame, along the bottom
Example: You can see a river at the bottom of the photograph.
Usage notes: Always used with ‘at’ or ‘along’ when describing position: ‘at the bottom of the picture.’ Similar to ‘the lower half’ but refers to the edge area, not fifty percent of the image.
Often confused with: the lower half, the bottom left corner, the bottom right corner, the foreground
◆ the left
The left side of an image, as the viewer sees it.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: on the left, to the left, on the left side, on the left of the image
Example: There is a tree on the left of the painting.
Usage notes: Used with ‘on’ or ‘to’ for position: ‘on the left’, ‘to the left of the subject.’ The viewer’s left, not the subject’s left — important when describing portraits.
Often confused with: the left half, the top left corner, the bottom left corner, the right
◆ the right
The right side of an image, as the viewer sees it.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: on the right, to the right, on the right side, on the right of the image
Example: A woman is standing on the right of the photo.
Usage notes: Used with ‘on’ or ‘to’ for position: ‘on the right’, ‘to the right of the subject.’ Always the viewer’s right, not the subject’s.
Often confused with: the right half, the top right corner, the bottom right corner, the left
◆ the centre
The middle area of an image, with equal space around it on all sides.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: in the centre, at the centre, in the centre of the image, dead centre, off-centre
Example: The main subject is placed in the centre of the photograph.
Usage notes: Used with ‘in’ for position: ‘in the centre of the picture.’ British spelling is ‘centre’; American spelling is ‘center.’ Related terms ‘dead centre’ (exactly in the middle) and ‘off-centre’ (not quite in the middle) are built from this word.
Often confused with: dead centre, off-centre, the middle ground, the frame
◆ the top left corner
The corner of an image where the top edge and the left edge meet.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: in the top left corner, at the top left corner, in the top left corner of the image
Example: There is a small bird in the top left corner of the painting.
Usage notes: Used with ‘in’ for position: ‘in the top left corner.’ One of four corners of an image; the others are top right, bottom left, bottom right.
Often confused with: the top right corner, the bottom left corner, the top, the left
◆ the top right corner
The corner of an image where the top edge and the right edge meet.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: in the top right corner, at the top right corner, in the top right corner of the image
Example: The sun appears in the top right corner of the landscape.
Usage notes: Used with ‘in’ for position: ‘in the top right corner.’ One of four corners of an image.
Often confused with: the top left corner, the bottom right corner, the top, the right
◆ the bottom left corner
The corner of an image where the bottom edge and the left edge meet.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: in the bottom left corner, at the bottom left corner, in the bottom left corner of the image
Example: The artist signed the painting in the bottom left corner.
Usage notes: Used with ‘in’ for position: ‘in the bottom left corner.’ One of four corners of an image.
Often confused with: the bottom right corner, the top left corner, the bottom, the left
◆ the bottom right corner
The corner of an image where the bottom edge and the right edge meet.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: in the bottom right corner, at the bottom right corner, in the bottom right corner of the image
Example: A small boat is visible in the bottom right corner of the photo.
Usage notes: Used with ‘in’ for position: ‘in the bottom right corner.’ One of four corners of an image.
Often confused with: the bottom left corner, the top right corner, the bottom, the right
◆ the edge of the frame
The very outer limit of a picture — the line where the image ends.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: at the edge of the frame, near the edge of the frame, cut off at the edge of the frame
Example: Part of the building is cut off at the edge of the frame.
Usage notes: Used with ‘at’ or ‘near’: ‘at the edge of the frame.’ Often used when an object is only partly visible because it reaches the boundary of the image. Similar to ‘the frame’ but more specific — it refers to the line itself, not the whole border area.
Often confused with: the frame, cropped, the foreground, the background
◆ the foreground
The part of an image that looks closest to you, at the front.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: in the foreground, in the immediate foreground, in the far foreground
Example: There are some large rocks in the foreground of the landscape photo.
Usage notes: Used with ‘in’: ‘in the foreground.’ Objects here appear large and clear. The opposite is ‘the background.’ Between these two is ‘the middle ground.’
Often confused with: the background, the middle ground, the distance, the bottom
◆ the middle ground
The area between the front and back of an image — the middle layer of depth.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: in the middle ground, in the midground
Example: A group of people can be seen in the middle ground of the painting.
Usage notes: Used with ‘in’: ‘in the middle ground.’ This is one of three depth layers in an image: foreground (front), middle ground (middle), background (back). Less commonly used than the other two, but important for describing paintings and landscapes.
Often confused with: the foreground, the background, the centre, the distance
◆ the background
The part of an image that looks furthest away, at the back.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: in the background, in the far background, fade into the background, blurred background
Example: There are mountains in the background of the photograph.
Usage notes: Used with ‘in’: ‘in the background.’ Objects here appear small and less clear. The opposite is ‘the foreground.’ Do not confuse with ‘the distance’ — the background is the rear area of the whole image; the distance refers specifically to the area that looks very far away.
Often confused with: the foreground, the middle ground, the distance, the horizon
◆ the distance
The area in an image that looks very far away from the viewer.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: in the distance, far in the distance, visible in the distance
Example: You can see a small village in the distance in the painting.
Usage notes: Always used with ‘in’: ‘in the distance.’ Similar to ‘the background’ but focuses on how far away something looks, not just where it sits in the image. Often used with the verb ‘see’ or ‘make out’: ‘you can see X in the distance.’
Often confused with: the background, the horizon, the middle ground, the foreground
◆ the horizon
The line in an image where the land or sea appears to meet the sky.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: on the horizon, at the horizon, the horizon line, just above the horizon, below the horizon
Example: A ship is visible on the horizon in this seascape painting.
Usage notes: Used with ‘on’ or ‘at’: ‘on the horizon.’ Most common in outdoor scenes — landscapes, seascapes, and cityscapes. Closely related to ‘the skyline’, but they are different: the horizon is always a flat line between sky and earth or water; a skyline includes the shapes of buildings or hills seen against the sky.
Often confused with: the skyline, the background, the distance, the vanishing point
◆ the upper half
The top fifty percent of an image.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: in the upper half, the upper half of the image, fills the upper half, dominates the upper half
Example: The sky fills the upper half of the landscape painting.
Usage notes: Used with ‘in’: ‘in the upper half of the image.’ Describes exactly fifty percent of the picture from the middle upwards. Similar to ‘the top’, but ‘the top’ refers to the area near the top edge, while this phrase refers to the entire upper section.
Often confused with: the top, the lower half, the background, the foreground
◆ the lower half
The bottom fifty percent of an image.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: in the lower half, the lower half of the image, fills the lower half, dominates the lower half
Example: The water covers the lower half of the photograph.
Usage notes: Used with ‘in’: ‘in the lower half of the image.’ Describes exactly fifty percent of the picture from the middle downwards. Similar to ‘the bottom’, but ‘the bottom’ refers to the area near the bottom edge, while this phrase refers to the entire lower section.
Often confused with: the bottom, the upper half, the foreground, the background
◆ the left half
The left fifty percent of an image, as seen by the viewer.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: in the left half, the left half of the image, fills the left half, dominates the left half
Example: The main figure takes up the left half of the portrait.
Usage notes: Used with ‘in’: ‘in the left half of the image.’ Describes exactly fifty percent of the picture from the centre to the left edge. More precise than ‘the left’, which refers to the general left area rather than exactly half.
Often confused with: the left, the right half, the top left corner, the bottom left corner
◆ the right half
The right fifty percent of an image, as seen by the viewer.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: in the right half, the right half of the image, fills the right half, dominates the right half
Example: The open doorway is in the right half of the painting.
Usage notes: Used with ‘in’: ‘in the right half of the image.’ Describes exactly fifty percent of the picture from the centre to the right edge. More precise than ‘the right’, which refers to the general right area rather than exactly half.
Often confused with: the right, the left half, the top right corner, the bottom right corner
◆ off-centre
Not in the middle of an image — placed to one side.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: slightly off-centre, positioned off-centre, placed off-centre
Example: The subject is slightly off-centre, which makes the photo more interesting.
Usage notes: Used as an adjective after a verb: ‘the subject is off-centre.’ The opposite is ‘dead centre.’ A small but important difference: ‘off-centre’ means not quite in the middle; ‘dead centre’ means exactly in the middle.
Often confused with: dead centre, the centre, the left, the right
◆ dead centre
Positioned exactly in the middle of an image, with equal space on all sides.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: placed dead centre, positioned dead centre, sits dead centre
Example: The tower is placed dead centre in this photograph.
Usage notes: The word ‘dead’ here means ‘exactly’ or ‘perfectly’ — it makes the meaning stronger. Used as an adverb-adjective pair after a verb. The opposite is ‘off-centre’. Do not confuse with ‘the centre’, which is a noun naming the middle area; this phrase describes being perfectly positioned there.
Often confused with: off-centre, the centre, the middle ground, the frame
◆ cropped
Describes an image that has had its edges cut to show only part of the original.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: tightly cropped, heavily cropped, closely cropped, cropped image, cropped photo
Example: The figure on the right is cropped — you can only see half of her body.
Usage notes: Used as an adjective: ‘the image is cropped’, or ‘a cropped photo.’ It can also be used as a verb: ‘the photographer cropped the image.’ Often used when part of a subject is cut off at the edge of the frame.
Often confused with: the edge of the frame, the frame, off-centre, the foreground
◆ the vanishing point
The point in an image where lines that are parallel appear to meet, making the scene look deep and far away.
Register: technical
Common collocations: at the vanishing point, the vanishing point is on the horizon, converge at the vanishing point, single vanishing point
Example: The road in the painting leads the eye to the vanishing point in the distance.
Usage notes: Used with ‘at’: ‘at the vanishing point.’ Common in art and photography discussions. Often found on or near the horizon line in outdoor scenes. A technical term from art and perspective drawing, but useful for describing paintings and photographs.
Often confused with: the horizon, the distance, the background, the centre
◆ the skyline
The shape made by buildings, hills, or trees seen against the sky in an image.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: the city skyline, a dramatic skyline, on the skyline, silhouetted against the skyline, the skyline of
Example: The city skyline is visible in the background of the photograph.
Usage notes: Used with ‘on’ or ‘against’: ‘on the skyline’, ‘against the skyline.’ Similar to ‘the horizon’ but different in an important way — the horizon is a flat line between sky and earth or water; a skyline has a jagged or uneven outline created by buildings, trees, or hills. A skyline can only exist where there are objects rising above the ground level.
Often confused with: the horizon, the background, the distance, the upper half
◆ the frame
The total area of an image — everything that is visible in the picture.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: within the frame, fill the frame, inside the frame, outside the frame, enter the frame, leave the frame
Example: The tree fills almost the entire frame of the photograph.
Usage notes: Used with ‘within’, ‘inside’, or ‘fill’: ‘within the frame’, ‘fill the frame.’ Similar to ‘the edge of the frame’ but different — ‘the frame’ refers to the whole visible area of the image, while ‘the edge of the frame’ refers specifically to the outer boundary line where the image ends.
Often confused with: the edge of the frame, cropped, the foreground, the centre