City Nouns, Adjectives and Synonyms
City Collocations (Very Useful)
| condominium/apartment complex | an apartment building or group of houses in which each flat/apartment/house is owned by the person living in it but the shared areas are owned by everyone together |
| Urbanisation | the process in which towns, streets, factories, etc. are built where there was once countryside |
| Mass transportation systems/public transportation systems | the system of buses, trains, etc. provided by the government or by companies, which people use to travel from one place to another |
| Traffic jams/congestion | a long line of vehicles on a road that cannot move or that can only move very slowly |
| Rush hour | the time, usually twice a day, when the roads are full of traffic and trains are crowded because people are travelling to or from work |
| Dangerous levels of air pollution | Air quality above the level which is safe for humans |
| Smog | a form of air pollution that is or looks like a mixture of smoke and fog, especially in cities |
| Convenient/local amenities | a feature that makes a place pleasant, comfortable or easy to live in |
| Prestigious educational facilities | High quality colleges and universities |
| Advanced medical care | Modern hospitals with cutting-edge treatment options |
| Varied entertainment options.lively bars/restaurants | Many different ways to spend free time, movie theatres, restaurants etc |
| Ample/Wonderful job opportunities | Lots of good job options |
| Economies of scale | Cheaper products caused by producing more of them. These savings can be passed on to customers. |
| Diverse population | People who are different from each other |
| Higher crime and poverty rates | More criminals and poor people. |
| Inequality of wealth | A big difference between the richest and poorest members of a city |
| Overcrowding | the situation when there are too many people or things in one place |
| Transport hubs | The central point that links all transport options in a city or country |
| Takeaway food delivery options | Food delivered to your door or available to collect from the restaurant |
| On-demand transportation options such as Uber or Lyft | Taxi services operated by regular people (not official taxi drivers) |
| Chain stores | a group of shops/stores or hotels owned by the same company |
| Fashionable boutiques/upmarket shops | High-end shops often selling designer clothes or items from independent labels. |
| Sprawling city | a city that has grown over time and which covers a wide area |
| High-rise flats | Multi-story |
| inner-city | the central part of a city where people live and where conditions are often poor |
| in the suburbs | the outer area of large towns and cities where people live |
| Places of interest/tourist attraction/tourist hotspots | buildings that have a particular interest for visitors |
| Residential area | an area where people live |
| Faster pace of life | High speed of living in cities |
Exercise 1
Write two paragraphs with the advantages and disadvantages of living in your city/local city.
Exercise 2
Think about 2 or 3 cities that you have visited/lived in and decide whether your advantages or disadvantages would apply to them too.
Exercise 3
Use the two links at the top of this document and create a list of high-level verbs and adjectives to go with the word city.