B1 · Lesson 24

Travel, Holidays & Tourism

Пътуване и туризъм · Relative Clauses · Active & Passive · Tenses
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Vocabulary: Travel, Holidays & Tourism

Key words for this lesson. Click 🔊 to hear each word.
Transport & Getting There
departure/dɪˈpɑːtʃə/заминаване
arrival/əˈraɪvəl/пристигане
boarding pass/ˈbɔːdɪŋ pɑːs/бордна карта
check in/tʃɛk ɪn/регистрирам се
customs/ˈkʌstəmz/митница
ferry/ˈfɛri/ферибот
cruise/kruːz/круиз
transfer/ˈtrænsfɜː/трансфер; превод
Accommodation
resort/rɪˈzɔːt/курорт
hostel/ˈhɒstəl/хостел
reservation/ˌrɛzəˈveɪʃən/резервация
self-catering/sɛlf ˈkeɪtərɪŋ/самостоятелно хранене
all-inclusive/ɔːl ɪnˈkluːsɪv/всичко включено
Tourism & Sightseeing
itinerary/aɪˈtɪnərəri/маршрут; програма
excursion/ɪkˈskɜːʃən/екскурзия
souvenir/ˌsuːvəˈnɪə/сувенир
guided tour/ˈɡaɪdɪd tʊə/организирана обиколка
backpacker/ˈbækpækə/туристически пътешественик
travel agent/ˈtrævəl ˌeɪdʒənt/туристически агент
sightseeing/ˈsaɪtsiːɪŋ/разглеждане на забележителности
local cuisine/ˈləʊkəl kwɪˈziːn/местна кухня
Useful Adjectives
breathtaking/ˈbrɛθteɪkɪŋ/зашеметяващ
remote/rɪˈməʊt/отдалечен
crowded/ˈkraʊdɪd/пренаселен; претъпкан
off the beaten track/ɒf ðə ˈbiːtən træk/настрани от туристическите пътища

Grammar Lab: Relative Clauses

1. Defining vs Non-defining Relative Clauses

A defining relative clause tells us which person or thing we mean — it is essential to the meaning of the sentence. A non-defining relative clause adds extra information about something already identified — it is separated by commas and can be removed without changing the main meaning.

DefiningNon-defining
Commas?No commasCommas required
Can use that?YesNo — only who / which
Can omit pronoun?Yes, if objectNever
Removes without changing meaning?No — meaning changesYes — extra info only
ExampleThe hotel that we booked was beautiful.The Ritz, which we booked last year, was beautiful.
📝 Easy: Choose the correct relative pronoun.
1. The hotel ___ we stayed in was fully booked the following year.
2. My sister, ___ works as a tour guide, lives in Lisbon.
3. The flight ___ was delayed arrived three hours late.
4. Paris, ___ I visited last summer, is a beautiful city.
5. The travel agent ___ booked our trip was very helpful.
🎯 Hard: Write the sentence with or without commas as needed.
The Eiffel Tower which is in Paris attracts millions of visitors every year.
The suitcase that I packed was too heavy.
My passport which expires next month needs to be renewed.
The tourist who lost his wallet went to the police station.
Rome which I have always wanted to visit is on my bucket list.

2. Choosing the Right Pronoun: who / which / that

Use who (or that) for people. Use which (or that) for things, places, and animals. In defining clauses, that can replace both who and which. In non-defining clauses, that is never used.

who
People
The guide who led our tour…
which
Things / places / animals
The resort which we chose…
that
People or things (defining only)
The flight that was cancelled…
📝 Easy: Choose the correct pronoun.
1. The pilot ___ landed the plane was very experienced.
2. The hotel ___ we chose had a rooftop pool.
3. The tourists ___ arrived late missed the guided tour.
4. The map ___ she gave me was out of date.
5. The airline ___ lost my luggage offered me a refund.
🎯 Hard: Fill in who, which, or that.
1. She is the travel blogger ___ writes about budget trips to Asia.
2. The brochure ___ was on the desk had all the information we needed.
3. The family ___ we met on holiday have become close friends.
4. The ferry ___ connects the two islands runs twice a day.
5. He is the only person ___ has climbed that mountain in winter.

3. where / when / whose

Use where to refer to a place. Use when to refer to a time. Use whose to show possession (it replaces his/her/their/its).

where
Place
The beach where we got engaged…
when
Time
The summer when we went to Greece…
whose
Possession
The guide whose map we used…
📝 Easy: Choose where, when, or whose.
1. That is the hotel ___ we had our first holiday.
2. Do you remember the summer ___ we went to Greece?
3. The guide ___ map we were using was very detailed.
4. This is the resort ___ I spent two weeks last August.
5. The day ___ our flight was cancelled was very stressful.
🎯 Hard: Fill in where, when, or whose.
1. Bangkok is a city ___ street food is world-famous.
2. The summer ___ I backpacked across Europe was the best of my life.
3. The hostel ___ we stayed had a rooftop terrace.
4. The couple ___ luggage was lost complained to the airline.
5. July is the month ___ most tourists visit the island.

4. Omitting the Relative Pronoun

The relative pronoun can be left out when it is the object of the relative clause. It cannot be omitted when it is the subject. This only applies to defining relative clauses.

✗ Cannot omit — pronoun is subject:
The guide who showed us around was excellent.
The airline which cancelled our flight refused to pay.
✓ Can omit — pronoun is object:
The hotel (that) we booked was beautiful.
The souvenir (that) I bought is in my bag.
📝 Easy: Can the relative pronoun be omitted? Choose Yes or No.
1. The guide who showed us around was excellent.
2. The hotel that we booked online was disappointing.
3. The airline which cancelled our flight refused to pay.
4. The souvenir that I bought you is in my bag.
5. The passenger who missed the ferry had to wait for hours.
🎯 Hard: Rewrite the sentence without the relative pronoun.
The restaurant that we visited last night was amazing.
The sunscreen that she bought was not strong enough.
The tour which we booked included breakfast.
The photos that he took were incredible.
The cabin that we rented overlooked the sea.

5. Prepositions in Relative Clauses

In informal English, a preposition often comes at the end of the relative clause. In formal English, the preposition comes before which / whom.

Informal (preposition at end):
The hotel that I stayed in had no Wi-Fi.
The guide that we complained about was replaced.
Formal (preposition + which/whom):
The hotel in which I stayed had no Wi-Fi.
The guide about whom we complained was replaced.
📝 Easy: Fill in the missing word to complete the formal relative clause.
1. This is the city. I was born in this city. → This is the city ___ which I was born.
2. That is the airline. We flew with that airline. → That is the airline ___ which we flew.
3. She is the guide. We complained about her. → She is the guide about ___ we complained.
4. That is the hostel. I stayed in that hostel. → That is the hostel ___ which I stayed.
5. This is the tour. We signed up for this tour. → This is the tour ___ which we signed up.
🎯 Hard: Write the two-word combination (preposition + which/whom) that completes the formal relative clause.
1. The island. We sailed to it. → The island ___ ___ we sailed.
2. The company. We booked through it. → The company ___ ___ we booked.
3. The tour guide. We relied on him. → The tour guide ___ ___ we relied.
4. The hotel. She was satisfied with it. → The hotel ___ ___ she was satisfied.
5. The travel agent. They complained to her. → The travel agent ___ ___ they complained.

Active to Passive Voice

Formula: Object → Subject · be (correct tense) · Past Participle · (by + agent, when relevant). When the subject is general (they, people), the by-phrase is usually omitted. ⚠ All exercises are marked strictly.
TenseActivePassive
Present Simpleguidesis / are guided
Past Simpleguidedwas / were guided
Present Perfecthas / have guidedhas / have been guided
willwill guidewill be guided
Present Continuousis / are guidingis / are being guided
Past Continuouswas / were guidingwas / were being guided
Modalmust / can / should guidemust / can / should be guided
📝 Exercise 1 — Present & Past Simple
1. Thousands of tourists visit the island every summer.
2. The hotel manager greeted all the guests personally.
3. A local company organises walking tours every weekend.
4. The airline cancelled three flights due to bad weather.
5. Guides lead the tours in four different languages.
6. The travel agency booked all our accommodation.
7. Staff clean the rooms twice a day.
8. The tour operator refunded our money.
9. The airport authority delayed all departures.
10. Local fishermen catch fresh seafood every morning.
📝 Exercise 2 — Present Perfect & will
1. They have renovated the old harbour.
2. The authorities have closed the beach for safety reasons.
3. The government will build a new terminal next year.
4. They have introduced new security checks at the border.
5. The airline will announce the new routes next month.
6. Volunteers have planted trees along the coastal path.
7. They will open a new visitor centre in spring.
8. The council has banned campfires on the beach.
9. They have awarded the hotel five stars.
10. The company will launch a new travel app next week.
🎯 Exercise 3 — Modals & Continuous Tenses
1. You must show your passport at the border.
2. You should book the tickets in advance.
3. They are currently restoring the ancient ruins.
4. The resort was offering a discount when we arrived.
5. Tourists can use the local bus service for free.
6. They might cancel the excursion due to rain.
7. The crew was loading the luggage when the storm started.
8. You must not bring food into the nature reserve.
9. Workers are repainting the lighthouse this week.
10. The guide could answer all our questions.

Cloze Text: A Dream Holiday

Task: Select the correct word or phrase in each gap. The gaps test relative pronouns, passive forms, reported speech, and tenses — all in a travel context.

Report the Sentences

Task: Rewrite each sentence in full reported speech. Use the reporting verb given in brackets. ⚠ Capitals, commas, and full stops are checked.
📝 Exercise 1 — Statements
1. "The resort has a private beach." (he / tell me)
2. "We are staying in a five-star hotel." (she / say)
3. "I booked the tickets online." (he / say)
4. "The flight will depart at six." (she / tell me)
5. "We have never been to Japan." (they / say)
6. "The tour guide speaks excellent Spanish." (she / mention)
7. "I am going to hire a car." (he / say)
8. "The museum closes at five." (she / tell me)
9. "We were watching the sunset when it started to rain." (he / say)
10. "I can speak a little Thai." (she / tell him)
🎯 Exercise 2 — Questions
1. "Are you travelling alone?" (she / ask me)
2. "Where did you stay?" (he / ask her)
3. "Have you visited the old town?" (she / ask me)
4. "What time does the tour start?" (he / ask)
5. "Can you recommend a good restaurant?" (she / ask him)
6. "Why are the flights so expensive?" (he / ask)
7. "Did you enjoy the cruise?" (she / ask me)
8. "When will the next ferry leave?" (he / ask)
9. "How long have you been travelling?" (she / ask him)
10. "Is the hotel close to the beach?" (he / ask)
🎯 Exercise 3 — Mixed: Statements, Questions & Modals
1. "You must show your passport at check-in." (the officer / tell us)
2. "The excursion may be cancelled." (she / warn us)
3. "I can arrange a private transfer." (he / say)
4. "We should book the tickets early." (the agent / tell us)
5. "I have already packed my bags." (she / say)
6. "Did anyone take a photo of the accident?" (he / ask)
7. "The hotel does not allow pets." (she / tell me)
8. "We will arrive before midnight." (they / promise)
9. "I was looking forward to the trip." (he / say)
10. "Where is the nearest taxi rank?" (she / ask)

Tense Writing: Choose the Correct Tense

Task: Put the verb in brackets into the correct tense. Write only the verb form. ⚠ Marked strictly.
📝 Exercise 1 — Present Tenses
1. I ___ (travel) to five countries so far this year.
2. They ___ (wait) at the airport for three hours already.
3. Look! The pilot ___ (board) the plane.
4. I ___ (visit) Japan twice — it is an amazing country.
5. The cruise ship ___ (sail) across the Mediterranean at the moment.
6. We ___ (stay) at this resort every summer for the past ten years.
7. He ___ (lose) his boarding pass. Now he cannot get on the plane.
8. How long ___ you ___ (wait) for your luggage?
9. The travel agent ___ (call) me right now about my booking.
10. Passengers ___ (queue) at the gate right now — the flight is about to board.
📝 Exercise 2 — Past Tenses
1. By the time we reached the airport, the plane ___ (take off) already.
2. We ___ (explore) the old town when it started to rain.
3. I ___ (never / visit) such a beautiful island before that trip.
4. She ___ (pack) her suitcase for two hours before she finally finished.
5. The tour guide ___ (leave) the group and they got lost.
6. They ___ (sunbathe) on the beach when the storm arrived.
7. By the time we checked in, the hotel ___ (give) our room to someone else.
8. I ___ (try) local street food for the first time when I was in Bangkok.
9. She ___ (wait) at the gate for an hour when the announcement came.
10. They ___ (not book) the hotel in advance, so there was no room available.
🎯 Exercise 3 — Future Tenses & Mixed
1. Look at those clouds! It ___ (rain). Let's go inside.
2. Our flight ___ (depart) at 09:15 tomorrow morning.
3. By the time the tour ends, we ___ (visit) ten countries.
4. I ___ (meet) my travel partner at the station tomorrow at noon. It is already arranged.
5. I promise I ___ (send) you a postcard from every city I visit.
6. By the time we arrive at the hotel, they ___ (prepare) our room.
7. She ___ (study) travel and tourism at university next year.
8. The new high-speed train ___ (open) to passengers next spring.
9. I ___ (not / forget) this holiday for the rest of my life.
10. At this time tomorrow, we ___ (sit) on a beach in Sardinia.

Key Word Transformation (KWT)

B1 Exam Skill: Complete the second sentence so it has the same meaning as the first sentence(s), using the KEY WORD given. Do not change the key word. Continue from the start given. ⚠ Capitals, commas, and full stops are checked exactly as on the exam.