Module code: 2095
↑×📐 Positional language (foreground, top left corner, in the distance…) is the same on every image lesson — see Where things are at the end.
What Can You See?
Look at the photograph. It shows workers and machines at an airport construction site. Listen to the descriptions, learn the key words, then do the tasks — each task helps you with the next one.
📚 Key Vocabulary
Learn these words before you listen.
runway — the long strip where planes take offasphalt paver — big machine that lays dark road surfacetandem roller — heavy machine that presses asphalt flatdump truck — large truck that carries and drops materialsexcavator — machine with a big arm that digs the groundtrench — a long, narrow hole dug in the groundtraffic cone — orange plastic marker that shows a danger areahard hat — strong plastic hat that protects your headhigh-visibility vest — bright vest so others can see you easilysurveying instrument — tool on a tripod used to measure landcontrol tower — tall building where airport staff watch planeshangar — large building where planes are kept
🎧 Listen and read
Before: Look at the key words above and try to say each one out loud.
While listening: Listen and notice which machines and people the speaker talks about.
After: Close the vocabulary list and write down three things you remember from the description.
💡 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, workers are building a new runway at an airport. A large yellow machine is laying dark asphalt on the left side of the strip. A heavy orange roller is moving along the surface and pressing the asphalt flat.
On the right side, workers are digging a trench and placing grey concrete rings in the ground. In the front of the picture, three workers in orange vests and white hard hats are standing near a white truck.
One worker is using a yellow instrument on a tripod. Orange traffic cones mark the edges of the work area. In the background, an airport control tower and large grey hangars are visible.
🎧 2 · Full description
📖 2 · Full description — read along
In this picture, a large airport runway is under construction on a clear, sunny day. The scene is very busy, with many workers and machines all working at the same time.
At the centre of the picture, a wide strip of new dark asphalt runs from the front of the image all the way to the back. On the left side of this strip, a big yellow-and-black paving machine is laying fresh asphalt.
A white dump truck is in front of the paving machine, delivering material to it. Behind the paving machine, a heavy orange tandem roller is moving slowly along the surface. It is pressing the asphalt down to make it flat and hard.
Further back, a second orange roller is doing the same job. On the right side of the runway, workers are installing underground pipes and drainage. A large yellow excavator is digging a long trench.
Next to the trench, there are several grey concrete rings sitting on the brown earth. Black conduit pipes are also lying in the trench area. In the foreground, three workers in orange high-visibility vests and white hard hats are standing near a white pickup truck.
The truck has the words 'Airport Construction' on its door. One worker is holding a tablet computer. Another worker is standing at a yellow surveying instrument on a tripod. Rows of orange traffic cones mark the edges of the construction zone on both sides.
In the background, an airport control tower stands tall on the left. Large grey aircraft hangars and an existing taxiway are also visible behind the work area.
🎧 3 · The story behind the picture
📖 3 · The story behind the picture — read along
Before this picture, workers must have prepared the ground carefully. They must have removed the old surface and levelled the earth. The concrete on the right side of the strip was probably poured first. Now, the team is laying the asphalt layer on top.
After this, the workers will probably add lines and markings to the runway. Then the new runway will be ready for aircraft to 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 Recap42 terms from this lesson
◆ runway
A long, hard strip at an airport where planes take off and land.
Register: technical
Common collocations: build a runway, runway construction, airport runway, lay a runway
Example: Workers are building a new runway at the airport.
Usage notes: Countable noun. Specific to airports — not used for roads or paths in general contexts.
Often confused with: taxiway, road, strip
◆ asphalt
A dark, hard material used to cover roads and runways.
Register: technical
Common collocations: lay asphalt, spread asphalt, hot asphalt, asphalt surface
Example: The paving machine spreads hot asphalt across the runway.
Usage notes: Uncountable noun — do not add 's'. Sometimes called 'tarmac' in British English, especially at airports.
Often confused with: tarmac, concrete, tar
◆ paving machine
A large machine that spreads and levels asphalt over a surface.
Register: technical
Common collocations: operate a paving machine, paving machine lays asphalt, large paving machine
Example: The paving machine moves slowly along the runway, laying a smooth surface.
Usage notes: Countable noun. Also called a 'paver' or 'asphalt paver' in some contexts.
Often confused with: tandem roller, dump truck, excavator
◆ tandem roller
A heavy machine with two large metal drums that presses asphalt flat.
Register: technical
Common collocations: tandem roller compacts asphalt, use a tandem roller, heavy tandem roller
Example: The tandem roller drives over the new asphalt to press it down flat.
Usage notes: Countable noun. Used after the paving machine — it compacts what the paver has laid. Different from a paving machine, which spreads the material.
Often confused with: paving machine, dump truck, excavator
◆ dump truck
A large truck that carries and drops loose materials such as asphalt or soil.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: dump truck delivers asphalt, load a dump truck, dump truck tips
Example: The dump truck delivers fresh asphalt to the paving machine.
Usage notes: Countable noun. Called a 'tipper truck' or 'tipper lorry' in British English.
Often confused with: paving machine, excavator, tandem roller
◆ excavator
A large machine with a long arm and a bucket that digs the ground.
Register: technical
Common collocations: excavator digs a trench, use an excavator, large excavator
Example: The excavator digs a deep trench for the drainage pipes.
Usage notes: Countable noun. Also called a 'digger' in informal British English or a 'backhoe' in American English.
Often confused with: dump truck, paving machine, tandem roller
◆ trench
A long, narrow hole in the ground for putting pipes or cables underground.
Register: technical
Common collocations: dig a trench, deep trench, trench for pipes, fill a trench
Example: Workers dig a trench to lay the drainage pipes under the runway.
Usage notes: Countable noun. Trenches are dug by an excavator on large sites. Also used in a military context, but here it refers to construction.
Often confused with: conduit, drainage ring, hole
◆ drainage ring
A round concrete piece used to build underground structures that carry water away.
Register: technical
Common collocations: install a drainage ring, concrete drainage ring, place drainage rings
Example: Workers lower a drainage ring into the trench to build the underground drain.
Usage notes: Countable noun. Several rings are stacked on top of each other to form a complete drainage structure.
Often confused with: conduit, trench, pipe
◆ conduit
A pipe or tube that carries electrical cables safely under the ground.
Register: technical
Common collocations: install a conduit, electrical conduit, conduit for cables, lay a conduit
Example: Electricians install a conduit under the runway to protect the airport's cables.
Usage notes: Countable noun. Unlike a drainage ring, a conduit carries wires or cables, not water.
Often confused with: drainage ring, trench, pipe
◆ high-visibility vest
A bright yellow or orange jacket that helps other people see a worker easily.
Register: technical
Common collocations: wear a high-visibility vest, bright high-visibility vest, orange high-visibility vest
Example: All workers on the runway site must wear a high-visibility vest.
Usage notes: Countable noun. Often shortened to 'hi-vis vest' or 'hi-vis jacket' in everyday site language.
Often confused with: hard hat, safety barrier, uniform
◆ hard hat
A strong plastic helmet that workers wear to protect their head from falling objects.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: wear a hard hat, yellow hard hat, safety hard hat
Example: Every worker on the site wears a hard hat for safety.
Usage notes: Countable noun. Also called a 'safety helmet'. Required safety equipment on all construction sites.
Often confused with: high-visibility vest, safety barrier, helmet
◆ surveying instrument
A device on a tripod that measures exact distances and angles on a building site.
Register: technical
Common collocations: use a surveying instrument, set up a surveying instrument, surveying instrument on a tripod
Example: The engineer looks through the surveying instrument to check that the runway is level.
Usage notes: Countable noun. Always used together with a tripod. The person who uses it is called a 'surveyor'.
Often confused with: tripod, camera, measuring tape
◆ tripod
A stand with three legs used to hold a surveying instrument or camera steady.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: set up a tripod, tripod holds the instrument, camera tripod
Example: The surveyor places the measuring device on a tripod to keep it steady.
Usage notes: Countable noun. Used in photography and construction. In this context, it supports a surveying instrument.
Often confused with: surveying instrument, stand, pole
◆ traffic cone
A bright orange plastic cone placed on the ground to warn people of danger or mark a boundary.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: place traffic cones, row of traffic cones, orange traffic cone
Example: Workers place traffic cones along the edge of the construction zone.
Usage notes: Countable noun. Temporary — placed and removed as needed. Smaller and lighter than a safety barrier.
Often confused with: safety barrier, warning sign, bollard
◆ safety barrier
A temporary fence or wall placed to keep people away from a dangerous work area.
Register: technical
Common collocations: install a safety barrier, temporary safety barrier, safety barrier around the site
Example: A safety barrier separates the active runway construction zone from the rest of the airport.
Usage notes: Countable noun. More solid and permanent than a traffic cone — used to block larger areas.
Often confused with: traffic cone, fence, wall
◆ control tower
A tall building at an airport where people direct the movements of aircraft.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: airport control tower, air traffic control tower, contact the control tower
Example: The control tower is visible in the background while workers build the new runway.
Usage notes: Countable noun. Specific to airports and some military bases. Provides important context that this is an airport construction scene.
Often confused with: hangar, terminal, tower
◆ hangar
A very large building at an airport where aircraft are stored or repaired.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: aircraft hangar, plane in a hangar, maintenance hangar
Example: Several large aircraft are kept inside the hangar near the runway.
Usage notes: Countable noun. Do not confuse with 'hanger', which is used for clothes. The spelling is a common learner error.
Often confused with: control tower, terminal, hanger
◆ taxiway
A paved path at an airport that aircraft use to move between the runway and the buildings.
Register: technical
Common collocations: airport taxiway, taxiway connects the runway, use the taxiway
Example: After landing, the plane moves slowly along the taxiway to reach the terminal.
Usage notes: Countable noun. Different from a runway — planes move slowly on a taxiway. Runways are used at high speed for takeoff and landing.
Often confused with: runway, road, terminal
◆ lay
To put or spread a material such as asphalt flat onto a surface.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: lay asphalt, lay pipes, lay cables, lay a surface
Example: The paving machine will lay a new layer of asphalt on the runway.
Usage notes: Transitive verb — always needs an object (you lay something). Common learner error: confusing with 'lie' (to be in a flat position). In construction, used for asphalt, pipes, cables, and foundations.
Often confused with: install, compact, lie
◆ compact
To press a material such as asphalt firmly together so it becomes hard and solid.
Register: technical
Common collocations: compact asphalt, compact soil, compact the surface, fully compacted
Example: The tandem roller drives back and forth to compact the asphalt on the runway.
Usage notes: Transitive verb — always needs an object (you compact something). Can also be an adjective meaning small and neat, but in this construction context it is always a verb.
Often confused with: lay, press, flatten
◆ install
To put a piece of equipment or system in the correct place so it is ready to use.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: install pipes, install a conduit, install a drainage system, install equipment
Example: Engineers install drainage rings and conduits under the new runway.
Usage notes: Transitive verb — always needs an object (you install something). Used for fixed systems and equipment, not for spreading materials like asphalt. Different from 'lay', which is used for flat surfaces or cables placed along the ground.
Often confused with: lay, fix, set up
◆ construction zone
An area where building or repair work is happening right now.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: enter a construction zone, active construction zone, construction zone safety, construction zone signs
Example: Workers must wear hard hats inside the construction zone.
Usage notes: Usually refers to a clearly marked area, often with signs or barriers. Learners sometimes confuse this with 'building site' — both are correct but this term is more common in American English and in aviation or road contexts.
Often confused with: building site, work area, hazard zone
◆ motor grader
A large machine with a long flat blade used to make the ground smooth and level.
Register: technical
Common collocations: operate a motor grader, motor grader blade, motor grader pass, motor grader operator
Example: The motor grader moved slowly across the site to level the surface.
Usage notes: A specific type of heavy machine. Often confused with a bulldozer, but a bulldozer pushes material away while this machine smooths and levels it using a long angled blade.
Often confused with: bulldozer, paver, excavator
◆ pickup truck
A small truck with an open flat area at the back, used to carry tools or equipment.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: drive a pickup truck, site pickup truck, pickup truck bed, park a pickup truck
Example: The supervisor arrived at the site in a pickup truck carrying safety equipment.
Usage notes: Common on construction sites for transporting workers, tools, and small loads. More common in American English; British English speakers may say 'pick-up' or 'ute'. Do not confuse with a van, which has an enclosed back section.
Often confused with: van, lorry, flatbed truck
◆ precast concrete
Concrete blocks or slabs made at a factory before they are brought to the building site.
Register: technical
Common collocations: precast concrete slabs, precast concrete panels, install precast concrete, precast concrete sections
Example: The team used precast concrete slabs to build the runway surface quickly.
Usage notes: The prefix 'pre-' means 'before', so this is concrete made before it arrives on site. Contrasts with concrete mixed and poured directly on site. Common in runway and road construction.
Often confused with: rigid pavement, asphalt, concrete slab
◆ paver
A large machine that spreads and flattens asphalt or concrete to make a road or runway surface.
Register: technical
Common collocations: asphalt paver, operate a paver, paver machine, paver lays surface
Example: The paver moved slowly along the runway, spreading hot asphalt behind it.
Usage notes: Refers specifically to the machine, not the person who paves. Do not confuse with the verb 'pave', which is the action. Also note that 'paver' can sometimes mean a flat stone used in gardens, but in this context it always means the machine.
Often confused with: pave, motor grader, compactor
◆ compaction
The process of pressing soil or asphalt tightly together to make it harder and stronger.
Register: technical
Common collocations: soil compaction, asphalt compaction, compaction process, compaction test, compaction equipment
Example: Good compaction is essential to stop the runway surface from cracking later.
Usage notes: This is the noun form. The related verb is 'compact' and the machine that does it is often called a 'roller' or 'compactor'. Learners sometimes spell this as 'compaction' — this is the only correct form. Do not confuse with 'compression', which is used more in engineering or physics.
Often confused with: compression, grading, paving
◆ pave
To cover a surface with asphalt or concrete to make a hard, flat road or runway.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: pave a road, pave a runway, pave the surface, newly paved
Example: Workers will pave the new runway section before the end of the week.
Usage notes: Often used in passive form: 'the road was paved'. Do not confuse with the noun 'paver' (the machine) or 'pavement' (the finished surface). The phrase 'pave the way' is a common idiom meaning to prepare for something, but this is a different use.
Often confused with: paver, grade, lay
◆ rigid pavement
A road or runway surface made from concrete slabs that do not bend under heavy weight.
Register: technical
Common collocations: rigid pavement construction, rigid pavement design, rigid pavement surface, lay rigid pavement
Example: Airports often use rigid pavement because it can handle the weight of large aircraft.
Usage notes: Always contrasted with 'flexible pavement' in construction contexts. The word 'rigid' here means stiff and hard, not flexible. Both terms are used in runway construction and the difference is important for understanding site inspection reports.
Often confused with: flexible pavement, precast concrete, asphalt
◆ flexible pavement
A road or runway surface made from asphalt layers that bend slightly when heavy vehicles drive over them.
Register: technical
Common collocations: flexible pavement design, flexible pavement layers, flexible pavement construction, lay flexible pavement
Example: The team chose flexible pavement for the taxiway because it is faster to repair.
Usage notes: Always contrasted with 'rigid pavement'. The word 'flexible' here means it can bend slightly — it does NOT mean it can be changed easily. Both types are common in airport and road construction.
Often confused with: rigid pavement, asphalt, compaction
◆ excavate
To dig out earth or rock from the ground using machines or tools.
Register: technical
Common collocations: excavate the ground, excavate a trench, excavate a site, excavate soil
Example: Workers need to excavate the soft soil before they can lay the foundation.
Usage notes: More formal and technical than 'dig'. Often used in construction reports and site inspections. The related noun is 'excavation' and the machine used is an 'excavator'. Do not confuse with 'grade', which means to level — this term means to remove material.
Often confused with: grade, dig, remove
◆ grade
To make a surface of soil or gravel smooth and level using a machine.
Register: technical
Common collocations: grade the surface, grade the soil, grade a road, grading equipment, rough grading
Example: The crew will grade the surface before the paving machine arrives.
Usage notes: In construction, this specifically means to level or slope a surface — it does not mean to give a score or rating (that is a different meaning of the same word). The machine used is called a 'motor grader'. Do not confuse with 'excavate', which means to dig out material.
Often confused with: excavate, pave, level
◆ PPE
Safety clothing and equipment — such as hard hats, vests, and gloves — that workers must wear on a building site.
Register: technical
Common collocations: wear PPE, PPE requirements, correct PPE, PPE compliance, PPE inspection
Example: All workers on the runway site must wear the correct PPE at all times.
Usage notes: An abbreviation — always written in capital letters. The full form is 'Personal Protective Equipment'. In speech, say each letter: P-P-E. It is an uncountable noun, so do not say 'a PPE' — say 'PPE' or 'PPE equipment'.
Often confused with: safety equipment, uniform, hazard
◆ hazard
Something on a work site that could hurt or injure a person.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: identify a hazard, report a hazard, site hazard, potential hazard, hazard warning
Example: The open trench near the road was a serious hazard for workers on foot.
Usage notes: Common in health and safety language. Slightly more formal than 'danger'. A hazard is a possible source of harm — it may or may not cause an injury. Do not confuse with 'risk', which is the chance that a hazard will actually cause harm.
Often confused with: risk, danger, observation
◆ compliance
Following the rules and safety requirements that workers must meet on a building site.
Register: formal
Common collocations: safety compliance, PPE compliance, compliance check, in compliance, compliance issues
Example: The inspector checked the site for compliance with all safety rules.
Usage notes: An uncountable noun — do not say 'a compliance'. The related adjective is 'compliant' and the related verb is 'comply with'. Often used in formal reports and inspections. Opposite: 'non-compliance'.
Often confused with: observation, monitoring, regulation
◆ adequate
Good enough for what is needed — not perfect, but meeting the basic standard.
Register: formal
Common collocations: adequate PPE, adequate safety, adequate separation, adequate lighting, adequate protection
Example: The inspector noted that the edge protection was not adequate for the depth of the trench.
Usage notes: Often used in inspection reports to say something just meets — or does not meet — a minimum standard. It is slightly formal and neutral in tone. Not the same as 'good' or 'excellent' — it means just enough.
Often confused with: sufficient, appropriate, satisfactory
◆ observation
Something an inspector notices and records during a site visit, especially a safety concern.
Register: formal
Common collocations: site observation, safety observation, record an observation, inspection observation, observation report
Example: The inspector wrote three observations in her report after visiting the runway site.
Usage notes: In everyday English, 'observation' means watching something carefully. In inspection and construction contexts, it specifically means a written finding or note. Do not confuse with 'monitoring', which is ongoing watching over time — an observation is a single recorded finding.
Often confused with: monitoring, hazard, compliance
◆ in progress
Started but not finished yet — the work is still happening right now.
Register: neutral
Common collocations: work in progress, construction in progress, currently in progress, project in progress
Example: The paving work is in progress and should be finished by Friday.
Usage notes: Always used after a noun or verb 'to be' — never before a noun. Say 'the work is in progress', not 'the in progress work'. A common abbreviation in reports is 'WIP' (work in progress).
Often confused with: ongoing, incomplete, requires attention
◆ requires attention
Something that needs to be checked, fixed, or dealt with — it is a problem that should not be ignored.
Register: formal
Common collocations: area requires attention, item requires attention, immediately requires attention, safety issue requires attention
Example: The inspector noted that the edge protection requires attention before work continues.
Usage notes: A fixed phrase used in formal inspection and site reports. It signals a problem without using very strong language. Stronger language would be 'must be fixed immediately'. Contrast with 'in progress', which means work is happening — this phrase means work HAS NOT started but SHOULD.
Often confused with: in progress, hazard, observation
◆ edge protection
A fence or barrier placed along the edge of a trench or high surface to stop people from falling in.
Register: technical
Common collocations: install edge protection, adequate edge protection, edge protection barrier, edge protection missing, edge protection required
Example: Workers installed edge protection around the open trench to prevent accidents.
Usage notes: A compound noun used in health and safety and construction contexts. Always treated as an uncountable noun in inspection language — do not say 'an edge protection'. Say 'edge protection is required' or 'install edge protection'.
Often confused with: barrier, separation, PPE
◆ separation
A gap or barrier that keeps two areas apart so that vehicles and workers do not mix in a dangerous way.
Register: technical
Common collocations: site separation, separation barrier, separation zone, adequate separation, maintain separation
Example: There was no clear separation between the area where machines were working and the area where workers were walking.
Usage notes: In construction and site safety, this specifically means keeping different work areas or groups apart. It is an uncountable noun in most site safety contexts. Do not confuse with 'edge protection', which is specifically for the edge of a drop or trench — separation refers to dividing two active areas.
Often confused with: edge protection, barrier, zone
◆ monitoring
Watching something carefully over a period of time to check that it stays safe or correct.
Register: formal
Common collocations: site monitoring, safety monitoring, continuous monitoring, monitoring process, monitoring report
Example: Regular monitoring of the construction zone helps to catch safety problems early.
Usage notes: Can be used as a noun ('monitoring is essential') or as the -ing form of the verb 'monitor'. As a noun, it is uncountable — do not say 'a monitoring'. Different from 'observation', which is a single recorded finding — this term describes an ongoing, repeated activity.
Often confused with: observation, inspection, compliance
✍️ First look
Look at the photograph now. Write what you can see in your own words — do not use any help. You will look at this again at the end and see how much your writing has improved.
Task 1 · First LookVocabulary
Look at the picture. In no more than 40 words, describe what you can see.
Language focus: plain description
0 words / ~40 target
1Naming Machines and Equipment→ Task 2
Step 1 · Naming Machines and Equipment
📚 Vocabulary
To do this task, you need the name of each thing and one describing word. Put the describing word before the name. This is the pattern: a [describing word] [name]. The describing word can be a colour, a size, or another quality. Look at the picture for clues. For example, the paving machine is yellow and black, and it is large. The rollers are orange and heavy. The truck is white and large. Open the ‘Objects’ list for more names and describing words. Then write your eight items.
a + [describing word] + [noun]
- a large yellow-and-black asphalt paver
- a heavy orange tandem roller
- a white dump truck
⚠️ Watch out: a paver yellow large → a large yellow paver — the describing word always comes before the noun in English
🧰 Open the 'Objects' toggle to see a full list of machines and equipment names.
→ Now look at the picture and write your list of eight things.
🔎 What you can see
| Object | Where | Describing words |
|---|---|---|
| runway | centre of image, extending from foreground to background | newly paved, wide, dark grey-black |
| asphalt paver | left-centre foreground, on the runway surface | yellow and black, large, tracked |
| dump truck ×2 | one immediately left of paver in foreground; one visible further back | white, large, open bed |
| tandem roller ×2 | one in left-centre middle ground; one further back on runway | orange, heavy, drum roller |
| pickup truck | foreground centre, behind group of workers | white, full-size, amber light bar on roof |
| worker ×8 | distributed across foreground and middle ground on both sides of runway | orange high-visibility vest, white hard hat |
| surveying instrument | foreground centre, mounted on tripod near pickup truck | yellow, optical, tripod-mounted |
| tripod | foreground centre, supporting surveying instrument | yellow, three-legged, adjustable |
| traffic cone ×30 | scattered along both sides of runway and across construction zones | orange, plastic, standard size |
| concrete drainage ring ×8 | right foreground and right middle ground, arranged in groups on disturbed earth | grey, precast concrete, cylindrical |
| excavator ×2 | right side, middle ground and far right | yellow, CAT brand, tracked |
| motor grader | far right middle ground | yellow, large, blade visible |
Showing the 12 most important of 22 objects.
Task 2 · Name the Machines and EquipmentVocabulary
Look at the picture. Write a list of eight things you can see. Write the name of each thing and one word to describe it. Use this pattern: 'a [describing word] [thing]'. For example: 'a large machine'. Do not use a word more than once.
Language focus: construction site nouns
0 items
2Describing Colours and Materials→ Task 3
Step 2 · Describing Colours and Materials
📚 Vocabulary
To do this task, you need colour words and material words. A colour word says what colour something is. A material word says what it is made of. Use this pattern: The [thing] is [colour] and it is made of [material]. Look at the picture carefully. The tandem roller is orange and it is made of steel. The traffic cones are orange and they are made of plastic. The drainage rings are grey and they are made of concrete. Open the ‘Materials’ and ‘Palette’ lists for more colour and material words. Then choose four things and write your sentences.
The [thing] is [colour] + and it is made of [material].
- The tandem roller is orange and it is made of steel.
- The traffic cones are orange and they are made of plastic.
- The drainage rings are grey and they are made of concrete.
⚠️ Watch out: The hard hats are made of white plastic. → The hard hats are white and they are made of plastic. — say the colour first, then say the material in a second part
🧰 Open the 'Materials' and 'Palette' toggles to find colour and material words.
→ Now choose four things from the list and write your four sentences.
🧱 Colours and materials
Ready-made phrases
freshly compacted dark asphalt surfacepale grey rigid concrete pavementheavy orange steel compaction rollerlarge yellow-and-black tracked paving machinebright orange plastic traffic conesrough grey precast concrete drainage ringsbundled black flexible conduitloose tan-brown excavated soilwhite full-size construction pickup truckbright orange high-visibility safety vestswhite plastic hard hatsorange and white interlocking plastic safety barriersclear pale blue sky
🎨 Language palette
A large-scale airport runway is under active construction, with multiple types of heavy machinery and crews working simultaneously on paving, compaction, and underground infrastructure installation.
The things you must name
runwayasphalt pavertandem rollerworkerconstruction zonetrench
Useful supporting words
dump truckpickup truckexcavatordrainage ringconduittraffic conesurveying instrumenttripodsafety barrierconcrete pavement
Describing words — Colour
dark grey-blackorangewhiteyellowtan-brownpale greypale blue
Describing words — Size and shape
widelonglargeheavycylindricalrectangularopen
Describing words — Texture and material
freshly compactedroughsmoothlooseprecastflexible
Saying where things are
along the centre of the frameon both sides of the runwayin the foregroundextending toward the backgroundto the right of the paved surface
What things are doing
pavescompactsrollsexcavatesstandsoperatesholdsextendsrunsconvergeslaysdigs
Words that go together
lay asphaltcompact the surfacepave a runwayoperate heavy machineryinstall drainagedig a trenchmark a boundaryfreshly laid asphaltprecast concrete ringhigh-visibility vestairport construction sitesurveying instrument on tripodtandem roller compactsdump truck delivers materialopen trench runs parallel
Task 3 · Colours and MaterialsVocabulary
Look at the picture. Choose four things from the list below. For each one, write one sentence. Say what colour it is and what it is made of. Use this pattern: 'The [thing] is [colour] and it is made of [material].'
Things to choose from:
• the tandem roller
• the traffic cones
• the drainage rings
• the workers' vests
• the hard hats
• the conduit pipes
Things to choose from:
• the tandem roller
• the traffic cones
• the drainage rings
• the workers' vests
• the hard hats
• the conduit pipes
- The tandem roller is ___ and it is made of ___.
- The traffic cones are ___ and they are made of ___.
- The drainage rings are ___ and they are made of ___.
- The workers' vests are ___ and they are made of ___.
- The hard hats are ___ and they are made of ___.
- The conduit pipes are ___ and they are made of ___.
Language focus: colour and material adjectives
0 words / ~48 target
3Saying Where Things Are→ Task 4
Step 3 · Saying Where Things Are
🔧 Grammar — there is / there are
To do this task, you need ‘There is’ and ‘There are’ plus a place phrase. Use ‘There is’ for one thing. Use ‘There are’ for more than one thing. Then add a place phrase to say where. Look at the picture. The control tower is at the back on the left. The pickup truck is in the front of the picture. The surveying instrument is beside the pickup truck. Open the ‘Where things are’ and ‘Objects’ toggles for more place phrases and names. Then write your five sentences, each with a different place phrase.
There is + a/an + [noun] + [place phrase]. · There are + [noun] + [place phrase].
- There is an airport control tower in the upper left background.
- There is a white pickup truck in the foreground.
- There are orange traffic cones along both sides of the runway.
⚠️ Watch out: There is traffic cones on the runway. → There are traffic cones on the runway. — 'traffic cones' is plural, so use 'There are', not 'There is'
🧰 Open the 'Where things are' toggle to find useful place phrases like 'in front of', 'behind', and 'to the right of'.
→ Now look at the picture and write your five sentences about where things are.
📍 Where things are
- The runway strip runs through the centre of the image from bottom to top.
- The asphalt paver sits on the left edge of the freshly paved surface in the left-centre foreground.
- A white dump truck is positioned in front of the asphalt paver, feeding material into it.
- The first tandem roller moves behind the paving train, compacting the newly laid asphalt.
- A second tandem roller operates further along the runway toward the background.
- The white pickup truck is parked in the foreground centre, just beyond the group of workers.
- Three or four workers stand in front of the pickup truck in the immediate foreground.
- The surveying instrument on its tripod stands beside the pickup truck in the foreground.
- An open trench runs to the right of the paved runway surface, parallel to it.
- Concrete drainage rings are arranged alongside the trench in the right foreground and middle ground.
- Bundled black conduit is laid within the trench area in the right foreground.
- A CAT excavator is positioned at the edge of the trench on the far right of the frame.
- A motor grader operates beyond the excavator, further back on the right side.
- Orange and white safety barriers are placed along the left foreground edge of the construction zone.
- The airport control tower stands in the upper left background, clearly above the terminal buildings.
- Large aircraft hangars are visible behind and to the right of the control tower in the background.
- An existing taxiway lies between the active construction zone and the terminal buildings in the background.
- Disturbed, excavated earth extends on both sides of the paved runway strip throughout the middle ground.
🔎 What you can see
| Object | Where | Describing words |
|---|---|---|
| runway | centre of image, extending from foreground to background | newly paved, wide, dark grey-black |
| asphalt paver | left-centre foreground, on the runway surface | yellow and black, large, tracked |
| dump truck ×2 | one immediately left of paver in foreground; one visible further back | white, large, open bed |
| tandem roller ×2 | one in left-centre middle ground; one further back on runway | orange, heavy, drum roller |
| pickup truck | foreground centre, behind group of workers | white, full-size, amber light bar on roof |
| worker ×8 | distributed across foreground and middle ground on both sides of runway | orange high-visibility vest, white hard hat |
| surveying instrument | foreground centre, mounted on tripod near pickup truck | yellow, optical, tripod-mounted |
| tripod | foreground centre, supporting surveying instrument | yellow, three-legged, adjustable |
| traffic cone ×30 | scattered along both sides of runway and across construction zones | orange, plastic, standard size |
| concrete drainage ring ×8 | right foreground and right middle ground, arranged in groups on disturbed earth | grey, precast concrete, cylindrical |
| excavator ×2 | right side, middle ground and far right | yellow, CAT brand, tracked |
| motor grader | far right middle ground | yellow, large, blade visible |
Showing the 12 most important of 22 objects.
Task 4 · Where Are the Things?Grammar
Look at the picture. Write five sentences about where things are. Use 'There is' or 'There are' to start each sentence. Then say where the thing is. Use a different place word or phrase in each sentence. You can use words like: in front of, behind, on, to the right of, in the background.
Language focus: there is / there are + prepositions of place
0 words / ~55 target
4Describing Actions Right Now→ Task 5
Step 4 · Describing Actions Right Now
🔧 Grammar — present continuous
To do this task, you need the present continuous tense. Use this to say what is happening right now. The pattern is: [person or machine] + is/are + [verb]-ing. Use ‘is’ for one person or machine. Use ‘are’ for more than one. Look at the picture. The asphalt paver is laying fresh asphalt. The tandem roller is pressing the surface flat. A worker is standing at the surveying instrument. Open the ‘People’ toggle for more action words. Then write your five sentences.
[Person or machine] + is/are + [verb]-ing + [object or place].
- The asphalt paver is laying fresh asphalt on the runway.
- The tandem roller is compacting the surface.
- A worker is standing at the surveying instrument near the pickup truck.
⚠️ Watch out: The excavator dig a trench. → The excavator is digging a trench. — for actions happening right now, use 'is/are' and add '-ing' to the verb
🧰 Open the 'People' toggle to find action verbs like 'laying', 'digging', and 'standing'.
→ Now look at the picture and write five sentences about what people and machines are doing.
🧍 Who is doing what
- A worker in an orange vest and white hard hat stands in the foreground left, holding and looking at a tablet computer.
- A second worker in matching hi-vis vest and hard hat stands facing the pickup truck in the foreground group.
- A worker in an orange vest stands at the tripod-mounted surveying instrument in the foreground centre.
- At least one worker in an orange vest is visible standing on or immediately beside the operating asphalt paver.
- A worker in an orange vest stands in the right middle ground near the concrete drainage rings and open trench.
- A worker in an orange vest is visible standing near the heavy equipment on the far right side of the image.
Task 5 · What Are They Doing?Grammar
Look at the picture. Write five sentences about what the people and machines are doing right now. Use the present continuous tense. Use this pattern: '[Person or machine] is/are [verb]-ing [something].' Write about at least two different people and at least two different machines.
Language focus: present continuous for ongoing actions
0 words / ~55 target
🏁 Put It All Together
In the tasks above, you practised naming machines, describing colours and materials, saying where things are, and describing actions. Now use all of this in one longer description. Your final writing should show everything you have learned.
- ☐ Name the machines and equipment precisely, with a describing word for each.
- ☐ Include a colour and a material for at least two things.
- ☐ Use 'There is' or 'There are' with a place phrase for at least two things.
- ☐ Use the present continuous to describe at least two actions happening right now.
Task 6 · Describe the Picture — Full DescriptionVocabulary
Now describe the picture again. Write 80–120 words. Use the words, colour phrases, and sentence patterns you practised in the tasks above. Write about: the machines and equipment, the colours and materials, where things are, and what people and machines are doing.
Language focus: construction site nouns, colour and material phrases, there is/are, present continuous
0 words / ~100 target
💬 Discussion
• Have you ever seen a runway or a big construction site? What machines did you see?
• Workers in the picture wear a hard hat and a high-visibility vest. Do you wear special clothes at work or school? Why?
• The excavator is digging a trench near the runway. What do you think is the most important machine on a construction site?
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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