English for Everyday Living

English for Everyday Living

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In the Bathroom

The bathroom is the room where people get rid of bodily waste, shower or bathe, wash their hands, shave, comb or brush their hair, apply cosmetics and brush their teeth. Many homes in the United States have only one bathroom which is shared by all members of the family. Other homes have two or more bathrooms, with the additional rooms being used by children or guests.

Common expressions used to go to the bathroom:

I'm going to the bathroom.
I have to go to the bathroom.
I'm going to the rest room.
I need to powder my nose. (female)
I need to freshen up. (female)
I have to fix my hair (fix my make-up). (female)
May I use your bathroom (restroom)?

Where is the ladies' room?
Where is the men's room?
I'm going to the ladies' room.
I'm going to the men's room.
Do you need to use the bathroom (restroom)?
Where are the restrooms?
I'd like to wash my hands.
May I go to the lavatory?

Common expressions used in the bathroom:

I'm going to take a bath (shower).
I'm going to brush my teeth.
I'm going to floss my teeth.
I have to (need to) shave.
I should shave.
He shaved before work.
She shaves her legs every other day.
Sally bathes before bed.
Sally takes a bath before bed.
She took a bath last night, also.
She bathed last night, also.
You should dry off after a shower.
Dry yourself off with a towel.
Towel yourself off.
The children played and splashed in the tub.
He lathered himself, then rinsed off the soap.
He shampooed his hair.
She curled and set her hair.
Put the plug in the drain and fill the tub.
Mike pulled the plug in the sink so the water would drain out.

I need to take a shower (bath).
I have to brush my teeth (floss my teeth).
I'm going to fix my make-up (fix my hair).
I need to trim my hair (my beard).
I should wash my hair.
I should set (brush) (spray) (comb) my hair.
Use the hair drier (blower) to dry your hair.
I'm going to blow-dry my hair.
I blow-dried my hair before my date.
I showered before fixing my hair.
I took a shower before going out.
I took a shower after playing tennis.
Sam soaked in the tub.
He scrubbed his face with a washcloth.
She lathered her face with a beauty bar.
She washed their feet.
She washed behind their ears.
They brushed their teeth carefully.
Judy rinsed her mouth with mouth wash.
George flossed his teeth every night.
Hang the towel on the towel rack.

Personal bathroom activities:

There are many terms used to name waste eliminating activities and products, but most of these terms are not considered polite or proper to use in general conversation. If you are in a situation that requires you to name one of these activities or products, the following terms, in order of preference, can be used.

First choice:

solid waste = feces. The act is called defecation. The verb is defecate (I had to defecate. Jim defecated every morning.)
liquid waste = urine. The act is called urination. The verb is urinate . (Babies urinate often. Bob urinated twice during the long trip.)

Second choice:

solid waste = number 2. (Virginia had to do number 2 before we left home. The baby did number 2 in his diaper.)
liquid waste = number 1. (Billy had to do number 1 every time we went to the store.)

Third choice (to be used among friends or family): If you really want to know, ask us in an email. We do not want to offend our readers any more than we already have. lessons@say-it-in-english.com

Exercise A: Write a meaning for each verb that has something to do with a bathroom. Then write a sentence for each verb. You may use any form of the verb. (example: rinse, rinses, rinsed, rinsing. "Martha was rinsing her hands.") You may print this lesson from the web page or order it free via e-mail.

Verbs relating to bathroom activities:

VERB	MEANING	USE IT IN A SENTENCE
rinse,-s,-d, rinsing, -d
set,-s, set, setting, set
bathe, -s, -d, bathing, bathed
dry, dries, dried, drying, dried
shower,-s,-ed,-ing, -ed
floss,-es,-ed, -ing, -ed
scrub, -s, scrubbed, scrubbing, scrubbed
splash,-es,-ed,-ing, -ed
wash,-es,-ed, -ing, -ed
brush, -es, -ed, -ing, -ed
shampoo, -s, -ed, -ing, -ed
towel,-s,-ed, -ing, -ed
soak, -s,-ed, -ing, -ed
blow, -s, blew, blowing, blown
wipe,-s, -d, wiping, -d
comb,-s,-ed, -ing, -ed
flush, -es, -ed, -ing, -ed

Exercise B: In the space after each noun, write a meaning that has something to do with a bathroom. Use your dictionaries.

Nouns related to a bathroom:

sink		drain
medicine chest		bath tub
spigot		shower
faucet		commode
mirror		toilet
tap		toilet seat
plug		toilet paper
toothpaste		wash cloth
tooth brush		towel
dental floss		tank
mouthwash		soap
conditioner		shampoo
comb		hair brush
water		hair drier
cosmetics		plunger
bath powder		curling iron
bath towel		hair spray
hand towel		bandages

Exercise C: Fill the blanks in the sentences below with nouns from the list above. There may be more that one correct answer for some of the blanks.

1. Before going to the dentist, Mrs. Jones cleaned between her teeth with ____________, then brushed them with _____________ and rinsed her mouth with _______________.

2. Tommy's mother told him to wash his hair with ____________ and dry it with a ____________.

3. Mary turned the ______________ to run _______________ into the ______________ .

4. When she was finished washing her hands, she pulled the ______________ and dried her hands on a _____________.

5. Andrew looked at himself in the ____________ as he dried his hair with a ______________.

6. Nancy sat on the _________________ as she washed her face with __________ and ___________ and a _________________.

7. Henry cleaned the ____________, ____________ and curtain after he took a shower.

8. Many people keep a spare roll of ______________ on top of the ___________ at the back of the _______________.

9. Aspirin and _____________ are stored in the _________________.

10. After bathing, many women use _____________ to feel dry and _____________ to make themselves look nice.

Answers:

1. floss (dental floss), toothpaste, mouthwash

2. shampoo, towel

3. faucet (tap, spigot), water, bathtub (sink)

4. plug, towel (hand towel)

5. mirror, hair drier

6. commode (toilet seat), soap, water, wash cloth

7. tub (bathtub), shower

8. toilet paper, tank, toilet

9. bandages, medicine chest (medicine cabinet)

10. bath powder, cosmetics

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