When we talk to someone we don’t know well or even someone we just met, we often ask them for their address. This is a way for us to get to know each other a little better and to be able to keep in touch. Asking and giving addresses is a very important skill to have, especially when we are making new friends or just getting to know people.

When we ask for someone’s address, we need to use certain words and expressions. For example, we might say, “Excuse me, could you tell me your address?” or “Can you give me your address, please?” It’s also important to use polite language when asking for someone’s address, as it can be considered personal information.

In addition to asking for addresses, we also need to know how to give our own address. We might say something like, “My address is 123 Main Street” or “I live at 456 Park Avenue“. It’s important to make sure we give our full address, including the street name, city, and zip code.

When giving or asking for an address, we often use prepositions like “in”, “on”, and “at”. For example, we might say “I live in New York City” or “My office is on Main Street“. These prepositions help us give more specific information about where we live or work.

Finally, it’s important to know some special vocabulary related to addresses. For example, we might need to know the words for “street“, “avenue“, “drive“, or “boulevard“. These words can be different in different countries, so it’s important to learn the right words for where you live.

Asking and giving addresses is an important skill to have when we are getting to know someone or making new friends. By using polite language, the right expressions, and special vocabulary, we can make sure that we always have the right information when we need it.

Asking & Giving Address

To ask for someone’s address, you can use the following expressions:

• Will you tell me where you live?
• May I know where you live?
• Where do you live?
• Can I have your address?
• Can I have your address please?
• Can I have your business card?
• In which city/district/state do you live?

You can use the following expressions to answer:

• I live in… (city)
• I am staying in…(city) (if someone is staying only temporarily)
• You can find me here.. *give name card*
• Well this is my business card..

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Example conversation between 2 businessmen:

Businessman 1: Excuse me, may I ask where your office is located?

Businessman 2: Of course, my office is on 5th Avenue.

Businessman 1: That’s great, thank you. And may I ask for your address as well?

Businessman 2: Sure, my office address is 123 5th Avenue, Suite 200.

Businessman 1: Thank you very much. I might need to drop by sometime soon.

Businessman 2: Not a problem, feel free to come by anytime. We’re always happy to have visitors.

Businessman 1: Great, I’ll make sure to do that. Have a good day.

Businessman 2: You too, take care.

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Example conversation between 2 students:

Student 1: Hey, what’s up?

Student 2: Not much, just studying for our exams. What’s up with you?

Student 1: Same here, just trying to get ahead. Hey, I was wondering if I could get your address?

Student 2: Of course, why do you need it?

Student 1: I wanted to send you a postcard from my vacation this summer.

Student 2: Oh, that sounds cool. My address is 123 Main Street, Apt. 4B.

Student 1: Perfect, thank you! Can I get your address too? I want to send you something too.

Student 2: Sure thing! My address is 456 Park Avenue, Apt. 6C.

Student 1: Great, thanks a lot. I’ll make sure to send you something special.

Student 2: No problem, I can’t wait to see what you send!

The use of prepositions in, at and on

If you observe the illustration conversation above, you will see a discrepancy when employing the prepositions in, on, and by. We are going to go over how to present locations using these three prepositions.

Use of in

The preposition ‘in’ is often used to point out the country, city or province you currently reside in.

The preposition “in” is commonly used in place phrases, meaning “inside” or “within”.

It is followed by noun phrases that indicate the location, which can be a specific or general geographic area.

For example, if one lives in Canada and Toronto, they can say ‘I live in Canada, Toronto’.

Similarly, they could just state ‘I live in Canada‘ if the city is not specified.

Use of on

The preposition “on” is used to describe a location along a street, while “in” refers to being in the middle of a street. On is typically used in place phrases, meaning “on top of” or “on the surface of” the location.

Examples include “on 79th Avenue” and “on Rodeo Drive“.

For specific street locations, “on” is used, like “on Pennsylvania Avenue“.

Use of at

The preposition “at” is frequently used in place phrases. It is used for exact addresses with a house or building number, as well as for general locations like a school, office building, or hotel which consist of specific locations like rooms or offices.

Example:

• I live at 123 Avenue Park, Queens, New York
  
• I live at 98 Oak Street, Yorkshire, UK.
• I live at Flat 12, 39 High Street, Brighton, Sussex. UK

Notes

Correct use of prepositions in exact addresses (those with house numbers or building numbers) is important. “In” should not be used in such cases.

Examples:

Incorrect: He lives in 238 Oak Road.

Incorrect: Alice’s office is in 383 Queen Street.

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Using “on” for general locations that have boundaries is incorrect.

Examples:

Incorrect: John lives on New York.

Incorrect: There is a small lake on the central park.

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It is incorrect to use the preposition “at” for addresses without house or building numbers.

Examples:

Incorrect: He lives at Oak Road

Incorrect: John’s office is at Queen Street

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Regional hierarchies

Regional hierarchies refer to the administrative divisions of a country, typically arranged in a pyramid structure, where the top tier is the largest and most general division, and the bottom tier is the smallest and most specific division.

Here are some common terms used in regional hierarchies:

• State/Province: The largest administrative division, typically governed by a governor or premier.
• District/County: A smaller division within a state or province, often governed by a district or county officer.
• City/Municipality: A political subdivision of a district or county, typically governed by a mayor.
• Neighborhood/Subdivision: A smaller geographical area within a city or municipality.

Note that the specific terms and definitions may vary from country to country and the hierarchical structure may also differ.