The Right Way to Go

The Right Way to Go — Give clear, ordered directions inside a large building using landmarks and precise movement phrases.

A Visitor at the Atrium

You are volunteering at a busy city library. A visitor has just come in through the main entrance and is looking for the conference room on the third floor. The building has several lifts, long corridors and a café that can serve as a useful landmark. Instead of giving a rushed list of turns, guide the visitor one step at a time. Name a landmark, say what to do next, and pause to check that the route makes sense. Clear directions are helpful; a friendly check-in makes them easier to follow.

Follow the Blue Signs

Make the Route Easy to Picture

Notice how the volunteer gives directions in manageable steps. “Take the lift beside the café” identifies both an action and a landmark. “When you come out of the lift” marks the point where the next instruction begins. Location phrases such as “at the end of the corridor” and “opposite the exhibition space” help the visitor picture the destination. The visitor then repeats the main steps; this is a natural way to check understanding. You can invite the visitor to do the same with “Let me check…” or ask, “Would you like me to point out the lift?”

A Polite Check-In

In many English-speaking public settings, opening with “Excuse me” and using a brief offer such as “Would you like me to point out the lift?” can make a request or offer sound considerate. There is no single rule for every person or place, but a calm tone and a genuine check that the visitor is following are usually more helpful than repeating the same directions louder.

Stress the Landmark

Choose, Build and Refine

Help a Visitor Find the Archive

Give Directions Your Way

Materiał przygotowany z pomocą AI.