Transportation

97 conversation questions and prompts

By Larry PittsPublished September 30, 2026

Choose a question and answer from your own experience. Give a reason or example when you can.

Use the level groups as a guide when choosing prompts for your students.

Beginner (A1)

12 questions

Where do you like to walk?
Do you like to talk during taxi or rideshare trips? Why or why not?
Do you say hello to the bus driver when you get on?
Do you ever use a paper map? When?
Do you usually get a seat when you use public transportation?
Is there a bus you take often? Where does it go?
Do you like walking alone or with someone? Why?
Do you ever ride a bike? Where do you go?
How do you feel after a long walk?
When do you use a taxi?
Do you like to sit near the front or the back of a bus?
Do you like an open window when you ride in a car?

Elementary (A2)

27 questions

Is it easy to get home after dark? Why or why not?
Tell me about a trip that took longer than you thought it would.
When it rains, do you travel the same way?
What do you carry when you have to walk far?
Tell me about a walk you enjoyed.
If you miss a bus or train, what do you do next?
How do you pay for a bus ride?
Is it more enjoyable to walk in the morning or at night? Why?
When you take public transportation, do you like to sit by a window? Why or why not?
Do you talk to people while you wait for a ride? Why or why not?
If a passenger leaves something on a bus seat, what do you do?
If a bus looks crowded, do you get on or wait for the next one? Why?
When someone gives you a ride, do you offer to pay for gas?
How do you keep your bag out of the way on a crowded ride?
Where would you stop to rest during a long walk?
What do you say when you know you will be late?
Do you feel calm or nervous when you wait for a ride? Why?
Tell me about a ride that felt far too crowded.
What bothers you most on a long ride?
Are you walking more this year than last year? Why?
Does reading in a taxi or bus make you feel sick?
Do you like to listen to something on a ride, or do you like quiet?
What do you do if you get off at the wrong stop?
How do you pass a group of people on a narrow sidewalk?
If you ride a bike at night, what do you take with you?
When you get off, do you thank the driver?
What do you do if your bus pass does not work?

Intermediate (B1)

36 questions

Which trip takes the most time in a normal week?
When do you choose to walk instead of waiting for a ride?
How would you choose an exit at a train station you don't know?
Which regular trip leaves you most tired?
Tell me about a trip you take often. What do you notice on the way?
When is a cheaper trip worth the extra time?
When does a short trip feel long?
Tell me about a time you lost your ticket and had to explain why you didn't have a ticket.
Do you remember your first trip somewhere on your own? What was it like?
What would you do if you missed the last train or bus?
When would you choose a taxi over a bus or train?
Has the way you get around changed since you were a child? How?
How can you tell when a bike route is safe enough to use?
When you are lost, which helps you more: a street name or a landmark?
As a passenger, do you relax or watch the road?
Is there a route you avoid at certain times? Why?
Do you ever take a longer way because it feels safer? Why?
Do you ask for directions right away, or do you try to find the way yourself first? Why?
Does a crowded ride change the time you leave?
Would you rather go somewhere alone or with someone else? Does it depend on the trip?
Which trip would you make more often if it took less time?
Does walking with someone change how fast you go? In what way?
What makes a meeting place easy to find?
Is there a shortcut you use often?
What helps you relax on the way somewhere?
When is it okay to ask a driver to wait for you?
A passenger is playing music or video with sound on the train or bus. Would you speak to them or move away?
What makes a sidewalk hard to use when you are pulling a suitcase?
What makes a walk feel too far?
Have you ever tried a different route just for a change? What was different?
What makes a bus ride feel comfortable to you?
Where would you stand on a crowded bus or train, and why?
When someone starts talking to you during a ride, what makes you want to keep talking?
When would you ask another passenger for a seat?
When would you book a ride ahead of time instead of trying to get one when you leave?
Tell me about a brief but strange or funny talk you had with someone during a ride.

Upper Intermediate (B2)

16 questions

If someone's bag is on the last empty seat, would you ask them to move it? Why?
What do you notice about how drivers treat people waiting to cross?
If your plans might change, would you pay more for a ticket you could use later? Why?
What has made you move to another seat on a bus?
A taxi costs more than you expected. What do you do?
When is asking someone for a ride harder than paying for one?
Have you turned down plans because getting back would be difficult?
Two people meet on a narrow path, one on foot and one on a bike. How should they pass?
How do you make plans when neither person knows exactly when they will arrive?
What do you do when a passenger wants to talk and you want some quiet?
What makes a crowded trip easier to handle?
Tell me about a time you missed an important announcement that seriously affected your travel plans.
Do you ever choose a route because you enjoy the view? What do you see?
How much does a steep hill or a long walk from a stop affect your route?
Describe a trip that felt easier the second time. What helped?
If your household has one car, how would you decide who uses it first?

Advanced (C1)

6 questions

When is it fair to ask another person to drive you regularly?
Has your sense of a reasonable travel time changed? What influenced it?
A free ride means you must leave before an event ends. Would you take it? Why?
What do you learn about a neighborhood by walking through it that you miss from a taxi?
Should a ride-share driver be allowed to change the pickup point if it makes boarding safer but adds a long walk?
What can a map app miss about how hard a trip will be?