In this session, you need to give your opinion on different ways of commuting (car, public transport, bike, walking, car-sharing, working from home), agree and disagree, and argue with reasons and consequences.
To give consequences, we use the first conditional: If more people cycle, there will be less traffic.
In 2017, among people in work who travel to their workplace in France:
| Means of transport | Share |
|---|---|
| Car | 74 % |
| Public transport | 16 % |
| Walking | 6 % |
| Bike | 2 % |
For journeys shorter than 5 kilometres, the car is still used for 60 % of journeys between home and work.
Source: INSEE Première n°1835, January 2021.
In the first one, Jack leaves his car at home. In the second, Londoners walk, jog and cycle to work.
Watch: Top Tips for Better Journeys to Work: Active Travel (51 seconds), Transport for London channel
| Word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| car-sharing / carpooling | travelling with other people in one car | Car-sharing saves money. |
| public transport | buses, trains, trams and the metro | I prefer public transport. |
| to cycle | to ride a bike | More and more people cycle to work. |
| a cycle lane / a cycleway | a part of the road for bikes | There is a new cycleway near my school. |
| to hire a bike | to pay to use a bike for a short time | You can hire a bike in London. |
| traffic congestion / a traffic jam | too many cars on the road | He was stuck in a traffic jam. |
| air quality / pollution | how clean or dirty the air is | Cars reduce air quality. |
| to work from home / remote work | to do your job at home with a computer | My sister works from home on Fridays. |
| healthy / healthier | good for your body | Cycling is healthier than driving. |
| to save time / money | to use less time / money | Car-sharing saves money. |
| an advantage / a drawback | a good point / a bad point | The main drawback is the rain. |
| to reduce | to make smaller | We need to reduce traffic. |
Quick check. Correct: If more people will take the bus, there is less traffic.
Sort the sentences into two columns.
Advantages: 1, 3, 5, 7. Drawbacks: 2, 4, 6.
Use document A.
Watch: Top Tips for Better Journeys to Work: Active Travel (51 seconds), Transport for London channel
Read the statements to your partner. Your partner agrees or disagrees and gives a reason.
Model: I don't agree, because some people live far from their workplace. That's true, but in the countryside there are not many buses, so car-sharing is a good solution.
For each job, say if it is possible to work from home, and why.
Possible answers: 1, 3, 4 and 6: no, because you need to be with the customers, the patients or the equipment. 2 and 5: yes, sometimes, because you can work on a computer.
In groups, choose one option: car, public transport, bike, car-sharing, working from home. Prepare three arguments with First of all, Moreover, Finally and one consequence with If.... Present them in one minute, then answer one objection.
Model (bike): First of all, cycling is healthy. Moreover, it's cheap: you don't pay for fuel or parking. Finally, it doesn't pollute. If more people cycle, the air will be cleaner. Objection: it's dangerous. Answer: that's true on some roads, but there are more and more cycle lanes.
Write an opinion paragraph of 120 words: Should companies pay their employees to cycle to work? Use On the one hand... on the other hand..., However, If..., should. Use one figure from document A.
On the one hand, companies should help employees who cycle, because cycling reduces traffic and pollution, and cyclists are often healthier. In France, only 2 % of workers cycle to work, so there is a lot of room for progress. If companies pay a little money, more people will try. On the other hand, cycling is not possible for everybody: some employees live far away, and some jobs start very early. However, I think that a small payment is a good idea, together with safe cycle lanes and showers at work.