Speaking · Free lesson
Give directions: go past it, then turn at it
A friend needs one clear route, not a long description of the neighborhood. Tell them what to pass and where to turn.
Professor Scott MendozaThe short answer
Go past the bakery means continue beyond it. Turn left at the bank means change direction when you reach the bank. Put these instructions in the order the person follows them: “Go past the bakery. Then turn left at the bank.”
A landmark can be something you pass or the place where you turn.
For this fictional walk, the bakery comes first. The bank is farther along the same street, at a corner. The route continues past the bakery and turns left at that bank. Go past does not tell the person to go inside. At connects the turn to its location; left or right gives its direction.
Keep the actions separate
Go past the bakery.
Turn left at the bank.
Go past the bakery. Then turn left at the bank.
Turn left at the bakery would change this route. A correct direction word attached to the wrong landmark can still send someone the wrong way.
Check action, place and order
Pass
Go past the bakery.
Turn
Turn left at the bank.
Connect
First, go past the bakery. Then turn left at the bank.
Try it now
Follow the stated route
Read all answers and explanations
The instruction is “Go past the bakery.” Which action matches?
Continue beyond the bakery.Past means beyond the place. Neither entering nor stopping inside is requested.
Go past the bakery, then turn left at the bank. Where do you turn?
At the bank.At the bank names the turning point. The bakery is the place you pass first.
A new route passes a pharmacy and turns RIGHT at a school. Which instruction keeps both details?
Go past the pharmacy. Turn right at the school.The last option keeps the pharmacy first, the school as the turning point, and right as the direction.
Put it into practice
Repair the route you say
Your friend must pass a hotel, then turn right at a park entrance. Correct the spoken instruction without changing either landmark.
Go past the park entrance. Then turn right at the hotel.
See a model answer
Go past the hotel. Then turn right at the park entrance.
Each action now stays attached to the correct landmark, in the correct order.
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
Does go past mean go into?
No. It means move beyond a place. Go into tells someone to enter.
Go past the store. / Go into the store.
Can I say turn right here instead?
Yes, if here is clear to the listener. When explaining a route from somewhere else, a named landmark usually gives more useful location information.
Turn right at the park entrance.
Take it into your day
Go past takes you beyond a place; turn at locates the change of direction.
Your next step · Available on Udemy
Build clearer everyday conversations.
The English Grammar and English Speaking Master Course includes a Directions section with sentence-building, vocabulary and conversation practice. It offers broader speaking foundations; this fictional route is an original free exercise.
Explore the course English Master Course: English Grammar and English Speaking