Landmarks
/ˈlændˌmɑrkz/
nounB1plural
Definition
Landmarks are special places, buildings, or objects that stand out and are easy to see or remember. People use landmarks to find directions or to describe where something is. They can be natural, like a big mountain, or made by people, like a famous statue or building.
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See It in Action
Important or famous places or objects used for navigation or recognition
- •The Statue of Liberty is a famous landmark in the United States.
- •We used the church as a landmark to find the restaurant.
- •Mountains can serve as natural landmarks for hikers.
Events or moments that are important in history or personal life (less common meaning)
- •The signing of the peace treaty was a landmark event in history.
- •Graduating from university was a landmark moment in her life.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "landmarks" like "places" (A1 word), but these are special or important places that help you know where you are.
- ✓Picture a big tall tower or a unique statue in a city that you can see from far away.
- ✓It's the feeling of recognizing a famous building and knowing you are close to your destination.
- ✓Sounds like "LAND-marks" → imagine marks or signs on the land that guide you.
- ✓Think of the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Statue of Liberty in New York as famous landmarks.
- ✓NOT like "normal buildings" (just any building), landmarks are well-known and easy to recognize.
- ✓NOT like "maps" (which show places), landmarks are actual places or objects you can see.
- ✓NOT like "signs" (which are written directions), landmarks are physical things in the environment.
Try Other Words
- •Monument: a building or statue made to remember a person or event (Use when the landmark is made to honor something)
- •Marker: something that shows a position or boundary (Use for small objects showing location)
- •Feature: a natural or man-made part of a landscape (Use when talking about parts of land or city that stand out)
- •Icon: a symbol or famous object representing a place or idea (Use when the landmark is very well known and symbolic)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "land" + "mark" → a mark or sign on the land
- •Etymology: From Old English "land" meaning ground or territory, and "mark" meaning sign or boundary
- •Historical development: Originally meant a physical sign or boundary on land, now means any important or recognizable place or object
- •Modern usage: Used for famous buildings, natural features, or important places that help people identify locations or remember history
Reflect & Connect
•What landmarks do you know in your city or country, and why are they important?
•How do landmarks help people who are lost or visiting a new place?
Fill in the blanks
1.We used the tall church as a landmark because it was easy to ___ from far away.
2.Natural landmarks like mountains help hikers ___ their path in the forest.
3.The city has many landmarks, but the old castle is the most ___ one.
4.Unlike small signs, landmarks are usually ___ objects or places.
5.When traveling, people often take photos of famous landmarks to ___ their visit.
6.A landmark event in history is one that changes the ___ in an important way.
7.Tourists rely on landmarks to ___ where they are and where to go next.