Return to the Say-It-In-English Entry Page.

Return to English for Everyday Living

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.

Joe is taking a shower. George is shaving with shaving cream and a safety razor.
Now he is brushing his teeth. Mrs. Martino is weighing herself.
Grace is brushing her hair. Her friend is drying or toweling her hair.

page break

 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?

page break

 
Most people clean their teeth with a tooth brush and a tube of tooth paste Bathroom scales show how much you weigh when you stand on them.
Many women use an electric curling iron to put curls or waves in their hair.  You can use a bathtub to wash your whole body.  This is an old-fashioned tub.
A hair drier blows hot air onto your hair to dry it more quickly. Typical bathroom with tub, toilet, sink, etc.

page break

 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.

page break

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.)

page break

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.") 

Verbs relating to bathroom activities: 

VERB MEANING USE IT IN A SENTENCE
 rinse,-rinses, rinsed, rinsing, rinsed    
 set, sets, set, setting, set    
 bathe, -bathes, bathed, bathing, bathed    
 dry, dries, dried, drying, dried    
 shower, showers, showered, showering, showered    
 floss, flosses, flossed, flossing, flossed    
 scrub, scrubs, scrubbed, scrubbing, scrubbed    
 splash, splashes, splashed, splashing, splashed    
 wash,washes,washed, washing, washed    
 brush, brushes, brushed, brushing, -brushed    
 shampoo, shampoos, shampooed, shampooing, shampooed    
 towel, towels, toweled, toweling, toweled    
 soak, soaks, soaked, soaking, soaked    
 blow, blows, blew, blowing, blown    
 wipe, wipes, wiped, wiping, wiped    
 comb, combs, combed, combing, combed    
flush, flushes, flushed, flushing, flushed    

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.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

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

  Favorite songs from the 1950's to the 1980's - links to videos, lyrics, bios of musicians.

� 2000-2017  Montoursville, PA  17754 

Return to the top of the page.