When you need this

When the directions are for driving, people stop counting streets and start counting traffic lights. "Go through two lights and turn left at the third" is a very American way to give directions, because you can see a light from far away, and street signs are hard to read at speed.

The other landmark is a place where the road splits in two, like the letter Y. People call it a "fork" or a "Y." The verbs change here: you don't "turn" at a fork, you "stay" or "keep" left or right, or "bear" left, which means go gently to the left.

Phrases

the red, yellow and green lights at a crossing; people often say "the light"

where the traffic light is

count the lights; turn at number two

continue straight past it

a red sign where every car must stop

a crossing with a stop sign on every side; the first car to stop goes first

a place where one road splits into two

follow the left or right road at a fork

turn a little, following the curve

the lines on the road where people walk across

in most of the US you may turn right at a red light after stopping

the traffic light after this one

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Practice · 3 min

Say the line that fits. Situation on the left, one natural line on the right.

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Say it today

Use it once in a real conversation before tomorrow. Out loud counts, even to yourself.