Let's Learn English! Topic: Construction 👷🏾🔨🧰🚧 (Lesson Only)

also a TV show many years ago called Home Improvement. It was

buy tools. You can buy everything you need to do some

with a building and there's some people working there and

switches and tools as well. You can buy some of the things you

remodels on her house. So, I'm curious if Brent is in the

long and then they're like, okay, it'll be this much money

electrician is someone who knows a lot about how to

could say, oh, I need to go buy some wood but you could also

and then I go out and they put it in my van. So, a lumber yard

So, a contractor is someone who owns a construction business.

is a place where you can go to buy lumber. So, lumber of

the wheelbarrow. It allows humans to move a lot of heavy

need to do home improvements but not everything but they'll

home improvements. So, the most common store in Canada is

call them lumber yards. We don't call them wood yards.

this exact hammer somewhere. I should go find that as well.

up of a person putting a screw in with a hammer II. Didn't

they can get things from the ground up to the higher parts

construction site like I mentioned in Canada, often the

a lumber yard and then you might go to a hardware store. A

that's a remodel by the way. the remodel. I use it as a verb

I've never heard that. That that's don't remember that it's

of wood. And then you have what's called a drill. This is

and inches. So I might say, oh I need 12 by fours, eight feet

course is wood that you use to build things. Okay. So you

have most of it and usually every town has a hardware store

hardware store is simply a place where you can buy light

say I need to go buy some lumber and generally, we do

cement. Everything you need you can find at a home improvement

store like the Home Depot and then there's also something

called a lumber yard. If I need to buy wood, I usually go to a

you say in English, sorry, in Canada, we everything's in feet

lumber yard. A lumber yard. Is this a place is just a place

you need to do home improvements. If you need to do

Home Depot because it's far away but they have everything

stopped. We have a lot of stores that are called home

I'm not sure what happened there. My voice suddenly

where you can buy wood. You can buy nails and screws. You can

a renovation, you can buy windows and wood and bags of

popular in the United States as well. I don't often go to the

something called the Home Depot. I think this is very

improvement stores. A home improvement store is a place

wheelbarrow with stone. You could actually drive the

wheelbarrow. Probably one of the coolest inventions ever is

don't know enough about them to give you the definition. We

what's called a jackhammer. This is something you might

things. We have a lot of stores where you can go if you need

the cement doesn't get hard. Of course, there's always the dump

might be one of the coolest inventions ever. We also have

bulldozer is used to move dirt around. We talked about this in

hear in the city a lot. A jackhammer goes that's that's

uncle used to make cement in a wheelbarrow. Very cool. A

father mixed those elements by hand at first. Yes, my dad and

dig a hole but I have to say this is what we call it. In my

bucket. We call it an excavator. Some people call it

stuff very easily. Instead of carrying it a wheelbarrow makes

or a floor. It's just something that it's a machine that makes

wheelbarrow somewhere but you could never carry that much

to. Sorry,

my impression of a jackhammer but it vibrates up and down

very quickly and it's used when they have to remove part of a

build things on a construction site and then, of course,

our lesson about Earth a couple of weeks ago. It's a very

truck. A dump truck is a vehicle where you can put dirt

gravel. I see Judith in the chat saying cement mixer. My

part of Canada, a big machine with tracks and a big arm and a

the Canadian, it will be excavator. A machine used to

ready to go and these turn while they're driving so that

physics of leverage and having a wheel. So, if you called a

strong machine that can move dirt and soil. So, They can

stone yourself. It's a very cool invention. I think it

a digger but we would call it an excavator and then here's a

know the difference between cement and concrete. They are

might need a dump truck to take dirt away or to bring stone or

a lot of noise when it vibrates and it's good at removing

very similar but think we use the words interchangeably and I

or stone in the back and then it can dump and all of it falls

it a lot easier. It's it's just a cool invention based on the

crane is used to lift things off the ground and put it on

excavator in every lesson. If you learn one word with Bob,

on construction sites. A job site might have a crane so that

This is a small machine that you can use to make cement. So,

they put the part of the house on which is called the roof.

machinery, you might find something called a crane. A

think for my lessons from now on, I'll try to include an

extension ladder. So, let's go through what we call the trades

you're doing work or you might just use a step ladder or an

that's not normally how you do it. I thought it was kind of a

you don't pronounce the letter B. So, plumber, an electrician

want to use the word concrete as well but I don't actually

the roof trusses which are part of the roof are sometimes

the very top of a house or building in order to make sure

flat roofs on buildings but a roofer is someone who works on

up one side and then you can reach higher areas an extension

lot of work with cement and you don't want to make it yourself,

you might just call and a cement truck will come with it

there's an excavator. This is going to be the running joke. I

have what's called a cement truck. So, if you have to do a

out so often when often when you are building something, you

parts to it and you lean it against the building and then

cool material that we can build things out of called cement. I

you pour in some stones, some sand in a bag of cement, and a

on the building in Canada, even when they build houses, when

ladder is a ladder that can extend. There's usually two

tiles on the roof of a house or building or they might even put

it doesn't leak. That's their primary job is put shingles or

install all of the pipes in your house or in a building so,

making sure that the electricity is working So, an

who works with wood. Their primary tool is a hammer. A

is responsible for putting all of the wiring in a house and

roofer You might on job sites find certain kinds of

kind of work. Our roofer is someone who puts shingles or

top of a building. So, in the city, you will often see cranes

I'll pick you up. I'll take my work truck and then he'll take

brick layer or a block layer will be someone who does that

bricks or blocks so when something is small and a

little bit of water and when you are done, you have that

in our part of Canada. Trades are things like carpenter. A

there's nothing that's going to stop this person from falling

lifted up with a small cream. You might have a cement mixer.

might have their saws and things like that. We had new

things that are about this size that we call blocks. So, a

put in with a screwdriver and a nail is something you put in

sinks and they would make sure that the water is all working

install plugs and outlets and light switches and lights and

tiles or something on the roof so that when it rains, the

both words for this. This person is standing on a

reddish color, usually it's a brick but you can have bigger

he refers to it as his work truck. So, a work truck is any

water doesn't get in the house or the building. So, that is a

tools in the back. It might have a large toolbox in the

here. Our Welcome as a member, good to have you here. Thank

they do all of the wiring in a house. A brick layer will lay

for a sec. I'm going to switch chat to anyone. Here we go.

I've tested it. Let's move on. A toolbox is a box that you

keep tools in. They're not always red but they are quite

plumber is some who works with pipes. So, a plumber would

they would hook up things like taps and they would install

scaffold. So, in order to get up high in order to reach

use a nail or you might use a screw. A screw is something you

so usually it has a place to put ladders. It has a bunch of

funny picture. Let's see here but yes, a carpenter is someone

carpenter is pounding a screw in with a hammer. So, again,

carpenter is someone who works with wood. I think this

just say, where's the ladder? Can you go get the ladder? But

is something you would use if you need to get up high while

are many different kinds of trailers but many people who

could climb up and work at work up in the air. Now, I will say

off. So, this is very dangerous scaffolding but definitely this

properly. so, they are a plumber. Notice. you don't say

in Canada, this scaffolding would be illegal because

and then inside the trailer, it's like a little workshop.

step ladder is something that you open up and then you climb

he needed to cut a little piece of wood or anything like that.

truck. My friend, when we go somewhere, he might say, oh,

back as well. But definitely you would refer to it as a work

They might have a workbench, they might have tools, they

but if you are someone, let me just make a little change here

You might see scaffolding on job sites or a scaffold. We use

something, this person built some scaffolding so that they

you so much for becoming a member. So, this is a pickup

law is a contractor actually and he has a pickup truck but

you climb up. So, again, both of these are ladders. You could

this is what's called a step ladder and this is called an

did it had a trailer and then he could go in his trailer if

extension ladder. So, a little bit of a difference here. A

English. Hey, Gohan, welcome to the lesson. Good to have you

are construction workers or contractors will have a trailer

windows put in our house a few years ago and the person who

roads. It's good to be highly visible. We would say in

for the gas then I guess Let's see here a trailer. So, there

realize that til til this morning. Let me See here, you

the truck that he normally uses for work. Because his boss pays

a lot easier to see them. It's very dangerous working on the

truck that is used to do construction type work. Okay,

truck but we might just call it a work truck. So, my brother in

with a hammer by hitting it. I think I have a picture coming

on. They are required to wear a safety vest because it makes it

something that you have to hit in with a hammer. So, you might

when you see road work, the workers will have a safety vest

three of them are red. One is black but they are places where

might need to wear a safety vest. So, when I was a

pieces of wood together. You might use a nail and a nail is

is the color but I mean, I have four or five toolboxes. I think

construction worker, I didn't need to wear one but many times

you can keep your tools. Let me see here. You are putting

often red. Many people have red toolboxes. I don't know why red

are construction workers will have a toolbox. Now, if you fix

cars, you might have a toolbox as well if you're a mechanic

loud. I think I damaged my ears more going to rock concerts

when I was younger rather than on the farm. Many people who

where I like to wear hearing protection. If it's very, very

workers use look like this because when you pull the tape

get the picture exactly level. We would say in English, I

they work, you can use them safely but you would use a

might have to wear hearing protection. When I was a

word construction site and that's true but the shorter of

and then we have things called power saws which are used to

back in on construction sites. There's a little saying measure

pole. For Jennifer, we screwed a sign to the pole using a

skiing. So, safety goggles look a little bit like that and you

through the tools rather quickly. So, this is a hammer.

of it or maybe it was a verb and we made a noun out of it

a job site, you will need to wear safety goggles or safety

spring inside. So, when you pull the tape measure out and

glasses. So, safety glasses actually look like glasses and

didn't need it but on some job sites, you need hearing

protection. The place where I worked wasn't loud and so I

twice cut once. What that means is if you need to cut a piece

of wood, it's a good idea. It's a good idea to measure twice.

power saw to cut wood. There's a few things that you need on a

cut a piece of wood longer if you accidentally cut it too

construction worker, I didn't have to wear hearing

to put screws in. I sometimes use my drill as well to do that

job site or construction site. By the way, I said, we use the

are a little bigger, little more like what you would wear

because your hand is getting sore, you can also use a drill

to put screws in. If you don't like using a screwdriver

think you're familiar with what a screwdriver is. I just used a

they protect your eyes from things hitting your eye Goggles

used to drill holes. So, a drill is used to drill again

So, you're absolutely sure and then cut once because you can't

cut wood a little bit dangerous but once you are aware of how

it's a long straight piece of material and it has little

protection sometimes. There, there are certain jobs I do

it is to just say job site. Okay, So often when you are on

wasn't afraid that my ears would be damaged and so I

measure things. Most tape measures that construction

measure out and let go, it automatically goes back in. In

you put pictures on the wall. Sometimes you use a level to

short. If you cut it too short, you have to use another piece

screwdriver. A tape measure is something that you use to

very often in English. We take a noun and we make a verb out

you measure something and you let go, it automatically goes

screwdriver the other day to mount something outside on a

level. You may have used a small level in your house when

a cordless drill. A drill is used for a couple things. It's

English, we would say it's spring loaded. Okay, There's a

but you use a drill to drill a hole. You can also use a drill

was getting ready for this lesson. And of course, we have

level. If the bubble is exactly in the middle, it makes it

I think I mentioned this in another lesson. I actually have

in the pouches of my tool belt. I actually, I actually couldn't

glass sections with a bubble in it and if the level is too

you want to use the level to create things that are

construction workers and it's a place where you can keep all of

my tape measure a pencil and I would keep nails in the front

and got it but I didn't. A tool belt is worn by people who are

It doesn't hurt because there is a piece of metal inside the

boots and basically, they're designed so that your feet

high, one way or the other, the bubble goes to the top and so

completely flat or level. So, you use a level to make things

things. You have things like hammers. I think I'll go

worker, I had a pair of work boots. I had a pair of safety

shoe to keep your feet safe. So, I still wear work boots on

and hard hats are nice when you when something falls on a

in as well. They're very heavy. It can be a little hard on your

call it a construction site. Generally, when you driving and

feet and knees to wear work boots but they do protect you

that we have both on there. By the way, a lot of our

have a steel toe and the bottom of the shoe is durable so that

and keep you safe. So, I have a tool belt. I should have went

world or even other parts of Canada but where I live The

wearing your hard hat, you don't get hurt and this

call it a construction zone. Construction zone ahead is a

the general term tools. So, tools, that's the word we use

work on the roads. They start working early in the spring and

was road work and we generally call so the place where they're

to refer to anything that we use as humans to build or fix

You have something called a level and what a level is is

job site. There might be more than one person with a white

find that either. I think it's in the barn somewhere. Bob. The

when they're fixing the road, we usually call it a

joking. Hard hats are very important on job sites on a

hat is a very durable hard hat. I don't know if you can hear my

Canadian failed at finding all his construction gear when he

person with the white hard hat is the most important person

hit me on the head but I had my hard hat on so I didn't get

hurt. Let's see here. Where am I at? work boots. So, these are

very common sign in Canada. so II couldn't find my hard hat.

they have a steel toe and the bottom has a steel plate in it

really a cool job to have now. I think Down the road there is

also called safety boots. Sometimes in Canada, they have

that way last summer, they were fixing the road as well. There

your tools. So, when I did construction, I had my hammer,

they work long hours and about 6 days a week for the whole

the farm by the way. They look more like running shoes but

morning. I see a crew out there working on the road when I went

construction site and lands on your head and when you're

centimeters or meters. We kind of use both but when you buy

happened to me once my cousin dropped his tape measure and it

hat hat and it might be different in other parts of the

a little green triangle on the side and that means that they

don't get hurt if you drop a piece of wood on your steel

architect. If you are an architect, you dream up new

ahead, reduce your speed. So, generally, just kind of to

It has been so many years since I've worn a hard hat. that II.

head. My head's hard enough. I don't need a hard hat. No, I'm

construction zone. So, when you're driving in Canada, you

because computers are really cool and it's really, it's

thumbnail, I tried to find my hard hat. I couldn't find it.

toed boots. That's what we also call them on your work boots.

system. The person who makes a blueprint is called an

person with the white hard hat is the person in charge of that

and it wrecks parts of the road. It destroys parts of the

nails can't go through it. So, when I was a construction

measurements in the contraction industry are in imperial. We

year to fix parts of the road. You can see here, he's cutting

April. road work begins everywhere. Winter wrecks roads

don't know where it is. It's in our garage somewhere but a hard

became known as a blueprint. Interesting thing in Canada,

a part of the road out probably to put a new piece in. So,

So, last night when I was going to take a picture for the

you build a new house, you will have a blueprint. Now, the

when water gets into the road and freezes the water expands

but there weren't really a lot of computers back then. It was

building something like a house we call a construction site but

clarify again, a house. If a house is being built, we would

road. So in Canada, we often have road crews, people who

might see a sign that says road work ahead or construction zone

they're fixing the road or building the road. We would

I was young again, I might consider becoming an architect

definitely lots of road work. In fact, there's road work down

the road from me right now. when I go for my walk every

wood in Canada, it's always it's usually eight feet long or

blueprint is a piece of paper and it has the plan for what

live close to our friends in the US and we want to make sure

Definitely, if you put an addition on your house or if

instructions so that someone can build that someday. I

have a blueprint kind of showing what you want to build.

thought briefly about becoming an architect when I was younger

build in your mind and then you create blueprints as

road work in Canada around the end of March. beginning of

ten feet long or twelve feet long. We don't use the metric

all done by hand like how this person is doing it. I think if

you want to build. Even if you do a renovation, you'll usually

have both units of measurement on our blueprints because we

our blueprints have both inches and centimeters on them. We

build our houses in Canada using inches and feet, not

not blue any Most blueprints are printed in black ink but a

long time ago, the ink on a blueprint was blue and so it

lines on a blueprint used to be blue a long time ago. They're

if you want to know what that machine is, it's an excavator.

Renovations are expensive. By the way. we did a renovation in

than we expected. It was definitely a little bit pricey

the back of our house. A few ago and it was a lot more money

existing building but everything is in such bad

way. I'm going to make one lesson all about excavators

chat. If you can let me know whether he uses that as a verb

Also, it can be used for demolition when you build a new

shape. They decide that it's just it's it's not worth

close to 35 years old, they might think, you know what? I

and a noun as well. We also have the the word home

house, you usually have what's called a blueprint. So, a

noun, she's doing a remodel. My sister has actually done a few

and there's another word remodel so, sometimes people

say that in Canada, we would use remodel as a verb and as a

renovating or remodeling. It's it's just worth being destroyed

if that's if you could say that. So, they will have

their kitchen and a fresh coat of paint and you might say that

demolition is the best thing to do. Here's an excavator by the

the walls and they'll redo the bathroom so it looks brand new.

someone come in to demolish it. They will decide that

that are called home improvement stores. There was

when someone wants to do some construction, they have an

improvement and you'll see La that there's actually stores

means he has a small house and because he needs more room, he

they might put new kitchen cabinets in new cupboards in

is adding an extra couple rooms. I think two rooms and a

someday just for mowed eggs so he can so he can laugh but yes,

very, very funny. So, when you demolish something when you do

with this guy is here. He can help me here. So, I would say

So they'll take the toilet out. They'll take the sink out.

We put up some new curtains. You can't see them but

renovation but it might be more just the look of things. So,

They'll take the bathtub out. They'll remove everything from

your house that improve it. So, putting putting a fresh coat of

a demolition, it means that you destroy what's there. Sometimes

will remodel part of their house and this is similar to a

think it's time to do a reno. It's time to do a renovation.

painted this room. We did a little a few home improvements.

improvements. home improvements are anything that you do to

basically, anytime you improve your house, you call it a home

could also say my sister is doing a remodel and we would

site So, a couple of interesting words here in

this, my sister is going to remodel her kitchen and then I

paint on in a room in this room here. Jen and my one of my kids

Canada, if you go on a construction site, if you visit

room is ten or twenty or 30 years old and if it's getting

you could definitely use both. There's a lot of people on that

American renovation shows, they often use the word reno. So,

everything and you make everything new again. So,

dizzy. Those are the names of his pieces of equipment.

and as a noun and I'm wondering if Brett from American English

built is usually called a construction site. Okay, In

sometimes people will look at their bathroom and maybe their

they'll say, oh, we're doing a reno. So, a renovation is when

be, not always but if you go to a place where they are building

someone builds on an existing house or adds to an existing

could say this, my brother in law is putting an addition on

house. That's why we say addition. So, for instance, I

some It's generally called a construction site. So, when I

he's going to build an apartment building and rent out

So, if I wanted to build a new house, I would call a

English when you say someone is building an addition, an

awesome. I don't need a new one. I would call a contractor

and they would tell me how much money it would cost and then

was younger, I worked at many construction sites. Notice I

used at and on. you could use both with this. Sorry about the

addition is an extra room or a couple of extra rooms that

the Canadian was younger when he was in college and

he's on the construction site. I think I would more us at but

things that are being made that are new. The person or the most

construction site is a somewhat dangerous place for people to

bathroom. He's putting an addition on his house. We also

have the word renovation which if you watch any of the

a new house, which I'm not going to do. my house is

Anyways, I'll move on. Now, The place where something is being

construction worker. Construction work is considered

term is construction worker. My uncle was a construction

you take an existing part of your house and you remove

in Canada. when you go to a construction site, the person

Construction almost always refers to things that are being

construction site. He's going to meet me at the construction

hard hat and work boots and other safety gear. A

spring, summer, and fall and there's a lot less construction

his house. He is building an addition on his house. So, that

bridge or a road or an overpass or they're building a highway

leads me to my next slide. I'm not sure what it's like in your

we're talking about Construction and generally for

you have young children who are learning English or if you

to watch Bob the Builder. He is definitely a construction

prepositions in English. He's at the construction site or

yourself are a beginner, Bob the builder is a great cartoon

country In Canada, there is a lot of construction during the

kind of a mad race to get things done before the winter

build. We use the verb to build to talk about the things that

was a construction worker and the person who owns a business

a little too cold in the winter. We generally see things

they would build a house for me I'm not sure if you are

but I can't really remember it. Bob the builder. Can he fix it?

familiar with the cartoon Bob the Builder but my kids when

construction industry would be the term construction worker.

worker. My cousin is a construction worker. When Bob

university or university during the summer. I was a

Yes. Yes. Can. Yes, that's how it goes. I think Scoop much and

a construction site, you have to make sure that you wear a

one of the best paying jobs for students during the summer.

part of the world. In Canada, it seems like there's always

construction. So, we use the word construction to talk about

they beep. I'm sure they do that in your country as well

built out outside. So, you can see in this picture, they are

to build a new road. They're going to build a house That man

Now, there are specific names for every type of construction

worker and he definitely builds things. I would sing the song

is going to build an apartment building. He's a rich man and

under construction during the spring, summer, and fall. It's

So, I, if I did need to build something, if I wanted to build

but I thought I should do a lesson on construction. I

It's very hard work but it pays well. So, when I was younger, I

contractor. You can see guy has a white hard hat on generally

wearing the white hat is the boss. That person is in charge.

in the winter. It does still happen but usually in the

worker and I'll talk about those later but the general

we would just say that they make them in the factory.

they were young, really liked watching Bob the Builder. If

that does construction is usually called a contractor.

the apartments. So, we use the verb to build quite a lot when

under construction or drive slowly road ahead is under

protection on the farm. Jen and I actually wear hearing

are under construction. Okay, so you would say they're going

common term when you talk about someone who works in the

comes and I wanted to talk a little bit about the verb to

building a house. That house is under construction and that

or an apartment building or a skyscraper or a house, we call

construction. So, in part of the world. I think because it's

summer, especially we see a lot of signs like this that say

refer to this as construction. I was laughing because as I was

construction happening. People around the world like to build

in a factory. Okay. So, if a factory makes ovens or stoves,

road. They're doing a little bit of road work down the road.

to talk about construction. I'm not sure what it's like in your

thought I should talk about all of the words and phrases that

anything that is being Okay, so, if someone is building a

it construction. We don't use this to talk about things made

we use in English when we talk about the world of

starting, lesson. I could hear a truck backing up down the

Hello and welcome to this English lesson where I'm going

The road is under construction and when trucks back up here,

have been building things for a long time and generally, we

things. We like to build houses. We like to build

apartment buildings. We like to build roads and bridges. People