19 Types of Houses and Homes in English

19 Types of Houses and Homes in English (with Meanings & Examples)

Everyone has a different idea of a perfect home. Some people dream of a quiet cottage in the countryside. Others imagine a modern penthouse in the city centre. And many of us live somewhere in between. 19 Types of Houses and Homes in English

If you are learning English, it is useful to know the different words for types of houses and homes, especially for:

• Describing where you live
• Talking about moving house
• Writing essays and speaking in exams (B1–B2, Cambridge)
• Everyday conversations about homes and lifestyle

In this lesson, you’ll learn 19 common types of houses and homes in English, with clear meanings and natural example sentences.

Houses and traditional homes

Detached house

Meaning: a house that is not connected to any other building.

After years of living in a flat, they bought a detached house with a large garden.

Semi-detached house

Meaning: a house that shares one wall with another house.

They live in a cosy semi-detached house in a quiet neighbourhood.

Terraced house

Meaning: a house in a row of houses, sharing walls on both sides.

He grew up in a small terraced house near the city centre.

End-of-terrace house

Meaning: the house at the end of a row of terraced houses.

They were lucky to find an end-of-terrace house with extra windows and more light.

Cottage

Meaning: a small house, often in the countryside.

They rented a charming cottage for a peaceful weekend away.

Bungalow

Meaning: a house with only one floor.

His grandparents live in a bungalow because it’s easier to move around.

Villa

Meaning: a large, often luxurious house, usually in warm countries or near the sea.

They stayed in a beautiful villa overlooking the sea.

Mansion

Meaning: a very large and impressive house.

The old mansion stood at the end of a long, tree-lined drive.

Flats and apartments

In British English, we usually say flat. In American English, people usually say apartment.

Flat / Aparment

Meaning: a home that is part of a larger building.

She rents a small flat near her office.

Studio flat

Meaning: a small flat where the living room and bedroom are the same room.

He lives in a studio flat to save money.

Bedsit

Meaning: a one-room home, usually with a shared bathroom or kitchen.

When she was a student, she lived in a tiny bedsit.

Maisonette

Meaning: a flat on two floors with its own entrance.

They bought a maisonette with a small garden.

Duplex

Meaning: a home divided into two separate living spaces (or sometimes a two-floor flat).

They live in a modern duplex in the city.

Penthouse

Meaning: a luxury flat on the top floor of a building.

The penthouse has an amazing view of the whole city.

Modern and urban homes

Townhouse

Meaning: a tall house in a city that shares walls with other houses.

They moved into a new townhouse in a recently built area.

Alternative and holiday homes

Houseboat

Meaning: a boat that people live in.

They live on a houseboat on the river.

Caravan

Meaning: a mobile home that can be moved by car.

We spent our holiday in a caravan near the lake.

Static caravan

Meaning: a caravan that stays in one place.

They have a static caravan by the sea for summer weekends.

Chalet

Meaning: a small house in a holiday area or in the mountains.

Every winter they stay in a chalet near the ski slopes.

Special types of homes

Barn conversion

Meaning: a barn that has been turned into a modern home.

Their barn conversion combines modern design with old wooden beams.

Learn phrasal verbs for moving house here

Learn adjectives to describe a town here

Types of houses in English

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