Gulmohar Park
Hi Yumi and everyone…
I’m sure we all know that dreaded feeling on a Sunday Yumi… you can also call it the ‘Monday Morning Blues’ and it can start anytime from Sunday morning onwards :-( Having just had a nice long holiday I’m not suffering from it too much yet, luckily. We’ve got lots of lovely public holidays over the next couple of months as well so that should help a bit.
Today I thought I’d tell you a little bit about where I live in Delhi. The residential parts of the city are often referred to as ‘colonies’. We live in a colony called Gulmohar Park. It’s named after the beautiful, shady Gulmohar tree which produces striking red flowers in the Spring – I think it’s English name is the ‘flame tree’.
We live in a three storey building in a typical arrangement where our landlord lives on the ground floor and rents out the flats above him. I think originally houses like this one were occupied by a single joint or extended family, with the parents in one flat and then their sons and their families in the other. In fact, our landlord is trying to get his son to get married and then move into our flat when we leave next year. He doesn’t seem very keen on the idea though. Some of my students live in joint families of up to 15 people but these days it seems to be getting less and less popular.
Near our house are some beautiful parks, full of different kinds of trees. People are often surprised when I tell them that parts of Delhi are really quite green. It’s one of my favourite things about the city.
About two minutes walk from my house is a little market where you can buy everything you need. There are two small beauty parlours, several grocery shops, a vegetable shop, a milk shop and two drycleaners. Oh and a stationery shop. You wouldn’t know it was all there just by looking at the outside of the building. It’s so handy having everything so close by.
Here is a photo of me, Ed and my Mum when my parents visited two years ago in a park near our house – see! It’s really green! (Can you see how pregnant I was?! It was about a week before Louie was born).
How about you tell us a bit about your neighbourhood, Yumi? You’ve done very well on the articles homework, Yumi, as have many of our readers. Out of 20 you got just 5 wrong which is fab considering how difficult they are.
Here are the answers (the ones in bold are wrong – explanations below):
Over here we’ve just had *1* *the* nice relaxing day off work to celebrate India’s 60th Independence Day. In Delhi it is celebrated every year by *2* *an* event at *3**the* Red Fort which is *4**the* huge old fort in *5**the* north of the city. *6**The* new president *7* (*a* woman – hurrah!) did *8**na* speech although I haven’t yet heard what she said because we don’t have *9**a* TV. There is also usually *10**the* commemoration at *11**the/a* monument called ‘India Gate’ near *12**the* eternal flame which burns all day and all night to remember *13**the* soldiers who have died while fighting for *14**na* India. All *15**the* shops and markets all over *16**the* city are closed, which is very rare. There is also *17**a* big tradition of *18**the* kite-flying on independence day – people fly *19**na* kites while standing on their (flat!) roofs and try to knock each other’s kites out of *20**the* sky! It’s all very good-natured though.
*1* this should be ‘a’ because hopefully there are lots of nice relaxing days off work, not just one!
*4* here again, it’s not clear that it’s the only old fort in the north of the city, so we would use ‘a’
*8* in this pattern, subject + verb + countable noun you need an article, here ‘a’ because she’ll probably be doing lots of speeches
*10* here also we would expect there to be more than one commemoration at the eternal flame, so it should be ‘a’
*11* actually you didn’t get this one wrong, but it is possible to use either ‘the’ or ‘a’ in this case
*18* here ‘kite-flying’ is a verb used like a noun so we don’t use an article.
Okay, now for today’s homework… a bit more work on prepositions as this seems to be another of your weak spots Yumi (there aren’t very many!) I recommend that when you learn a new verb and write it down in your vocabulary book, you should write down any prepositions that commonly go with it. Try to think about ‘chunks’ of language rather than just individual words.
Have a look at this list of verbs used in the short sentences here and see if you can tell me what prepositions normally go with them… you might spot some review questions in there!
I was very impressed **** him.
It looked very familiar **** me.
I am quite familiar **** his work.
It varies **** country to country.
It varies **** countries.
I think you should speak **** him about it.
Have a go – answers next time :-) Meanwhile, take care…
Amy
Vocabulary for you!
Dreaded
Residential
Shady
Striking
Storey
A flat
To be keen on an idea
Handy
Fab
Comments
Hi Amy, I would like to ask a question to you regarding the structure of the below sentence! Here is your sentence! "Near our house are some beautiful parks, full of different kinds of trees." in this sentence; the subject of the sentence "Near our house" is it or not?. if so the verb "to be" sould be is, isn't it! due to singular subjecet. but you use "are" which is used for plural subject. in brief, I am not able to understand the sentences which are in this structure . could you please explain on the proper usage of this kind of sentences. here is my answers related to prepositions; I was very impressed by him. It looked very familiar to me. I am quite familiar with his work. It varies from country to country. It varies with countries. I think you should speak with/to him about it. I hope all of the prepositions are correct!!!! love sevinç
Just to say I am back again. I’ve just arrived from North Ireland where I spent the whole last week with friends. I will try to read, asap, all the blogs I missed (between the 11th and today)
Dear Amy Good evening, I like to ask you the difference about single, nucleus, joint and extended family system. What is the difference between single family and nucleus families? Similarly what is the difference between joint family and extended family? Today also I have done homework here. Dreaded- to feel extremely anxious or frightened about something that is going to happen or that might happen Residential- has only private houses, not offices and factories. Shady- sheltered from direct light from the sun Striking- unusually attractive Storey- a level of a building A flat -a set of rooms for living in, especially on one floor of a building To be keen on an idea –eager, interested Handy -near Fab- fabulous, remarkable I was very impressed with him. It looked very familiar to me. I am quite familiar with his work. It varies from country to country. It varies between countries. I think you should speak with him about it.
Hi Amy!!! You really look beautiful pregnant:-). Besides, your neighbourhood seems to be very cozy. And the park, the park is so beautiful. Oh I want to have a picnic at the park this weekend :-). I had a go in the today´s homework: 1-by; 2-to; 3-with; 4-from; 5-between; 6-to. I hope hear from you soon. Best wishes, Ana Paula.
Amy I would like to ask something about the entry before your previous one indeed. In that entry, you wrote a sentence "we even have a name for something that doesn’t exist!" when you were talking about the usage of article. I would like to know if we should put "even" in front of, or after, the verb in a sentence? I know it may sound stupid to you, but i'm always confused by that. When I was writing a sentence without using "have", I put "even" after the verb, like "He is ready, even eager to go.". But when I was writing it using "have", I tended to use "even" before "have". Does it depend on our(the sentence's) meaning or something else? Or is there a rule? I'm loooking forward to reading your reply soon. Thanks a lot for that. I enjoy reading your blog very much and I've learnt a lot from it :) Thank you! love Kay xxx
Hi Amy!me again!:)and here's my answers go. 1) by 2) to 3) with 4) from 5) with 6) to
Hi Amy, You are a wonderful teacher. I think that you write a lot of blogs, which is fine with me. Anyway, here are my answers: 1. I was impressed WITH him. (Could I used here 'BY' as well?) 2. It looked very familiar TO me. 3. I am quite familiar WITH his work. 4. It varies FROM country to country. 5. It varies BETWEEN countries. 6. I think you should speak TO him about it.(mainly US- with) I have one more question for you. It is not about grammar. Have you heard of the TOEFL test? (I guess yes.) So, you know that the TOEFL is an American test and I/we learn real English that is used in the UK. So, as you already know, there are some small differences between American and UK English. I must do this test because I am planning to do my Master's in English. Would it be wrong if I used UK English on this test (spellings, grammar)? Sanja
Hello! Here are my answers to teacher's questions: I was very impressed by him. It looked very familiar to me. I am quite familiar of his work. It varies from country to country. It varies on countries. I think you should speak to him about it. Diema
Hi Amy, You mentioned that some of your students live in joint families. Do you have joint family system in the United Kingdom? Some of our readers might have known about this. Joint family is a family in which grand parents, parents, their children, grand children and in-laws are living under one roof. This system is slowly disappearing from the Indian society. I would like to know whether this kind of system exists other parts of the world. We had annual church festival last week. The priest who gave sermon chooses the topic love and relationship between and children and parents with special reference to broken families. He described how human beings had lived as a gang in the river bed and the forest in the beginning, then they formed group and lived as a community. Later they started to live in a joint family and now as a family. He analyzed what is the real situation in a family at present. There is a lack of understanding between parents and children; there is a deep gap between husband and wife often ends in a separation. This makes lot of problems in the family. In contrast people said, love, compassion, understanding, and sharing was more visible in the joint family system. Life here is wonderful. Isn’t it? But plus and minus were there also. I have one friend who is living in one of the metros. Both he and his wife is working in a soft ware company and earning handful of money. The company is providing a wonderful and spacious apartment. His aged father is alive and mother died few years ago. He wanted to look after his father in his custody. He doesn’t have brothers. In Indian custom usually the sons look after their parents. He rented small house in the same apartment for his father and giving food through the servant maid. Can’t he accommodate his father in his own house? Is it a social change?
Hello Amy :-) Is the picture taken in Delhi? It looks like it was very cool on the day the picture was taken. I notice that you use a very strange sentense: 'How about you tell us a bit...'. In all the dictionaries I have a gerund is always used after the phrase 'How about...'. Shouldn't it be 'How about you telling us a bit...'. I'm very curious.
Thanks AMY I was very glad by reading your comment despite you didn’t answer my question completely specially about my writing because I wrote many sentence to help you do. You know ,I sometimes think that my writing method is crude or impolite . Any way really thanks what about your son I really like him and some times look his pic that I saved before and laugh I like children specially if they aren’t mine I am bachelor now and in my country its very late for guy like me to remain alone in this age . lately I bought a receiver and watch bbc world to increase my listening skill .(of course) surely I watch other channels but unfortunately the hortbird’s channels are French do you now use of the receiver is banned and indexed as illegal manner (I really like gorge Orwell’s book like 1986 please don’t let cat out of the bag about it) . AMY do you work in bbc and teaching is one of your work in bbc ? are there any such coarse like that ,in Iran? Excuse me again (you are would be very kind ) I have some question - how we indicate the early time of a time?for example how can I say “I want to go London in early days of the week” I mean I want to go Monday or Tuesdays or in the least probability on Wednesday .or when I intend to say “ I want to go to London in the last days of the next week” I mean I want to go Thursday or another days after Thursday or when we want to say about earlier days of the month or in contrast say about latest days of the month. I hope you could touch it on in Persian we say “اوايل " and "اواخر"but what’s the common phrase to express that? - another question that obsess my mind how you express the various aspects of the issue ? for example ? Are you thinking you are prosperous in your life? Well in some aspect I am not but in another - I really wonder if you could say your opinion about my english skill and writing - Last question ,how I can compensate your favor?
Dear Amy, It is so nice to read your little note to me!I feel closer as if we were real friends, not virtual ones.And besides it shows your interest in what we write. Well, it´s even greater to hear that you have Gulmohar tree in India. This is a beautiful, leafy tropical or subtropical flowering plant that here in Brazil it is known by the name Flamboyant Tree. However, I read that it is also called Peacock Flower, Flame of the Forest, and Flame Tree in other countries.I had a close look at the beautiful photo you sent but could not spot any flame trees there! It would be great if you could send a photo just to confirm if we are talking about the same tree. In fact, this is my favourite tree. I was brought up playing with my brother and sister under the shade of a charming leafy flame tree that spread widely in front of the farmhouse giving to it a unique charm.It was also in its branches that I became an expert tree climber, although my favourite one for a good climb was a mango tree, my parrot´s habitat during the day!My dad used to hide our easter eggs in this flame tree as well. Good old days!!Here in Mato Grosso where I live, after I got married, the popular tree is the yellow Ipê, which is the symbol of Brazil. It´s a pity that Louie is too small to climb trees, otherwise he would have savoured what it like to climb flame trees!He would probably have his first attempts in British trees.Tell him to look for the Birch tree, a tree from which my surname, Birchall, originates. The area you live in sounds picturesque ! India fascinates me.And if I were an English native speaker, like you, I´d do exactly what you are doing now. In fact, I´d be a world trotter, teaching English everywhere! Well, just to finish I´d like to say that there is so much I´d love to know,such as if you get in touch with the locals, if English is their second language, if you learnt to speak their local language. In a nutshell, I´d love to hear more about your daily life in Delhi such as your work, types of entertainment and the culture of its people! I´ll be looking forward to hearing from your tales, Love, Monica
Good evening Amy. My answers: with/to/to/from/among/to. I'll check them tomorrow. Bye
Hello Amy! I'm glad to know a bit about where you live in Delhi. It is that Gulmohar Park is named after the Gulmohar tree because there are lots of that kind of trees there, isn't it? If so, how splendidly it will cover the place when the spring comes! Amy, you said the landlord is trying to have his son get married then move into your flat when you leave next year. Where will you be? Will you move to another colony or head back to England? Wow! that's a green and relaxing park! And I can imagine how pregnant you are now through the photo of your pregnancy of Louie. You looked healthy! Now here goes the answer to your homework: 1/ I was impressed *by* him. 2/ It looked very familiar *to* me. 3/ I am quite familiar *with* his work. 4/ It varies *from* country to country. 5/ It varies *between* countries. 6/ I think you should speak *to/with* him about it. Bye bye, best regards, Myen.
Hello Amy. How are you today? I hope you are all fine ; ED, Louie, the future comer and yourself. I always enjoy your meaty blogs and pithy comments. Even with your vegetarian regimen, your blogs are meaty! They are really fascinating. I'm very interested in the vegetarian regimen, but don't fret yourself about the recipe I asked for, I'll find the required food when I'll decide to effectively submit to this diet. However, there's one thing I'd like you to care about; my English. Please tell me about my mistakes even if I'm not the student blogger. I know that you have loads of work and other fish to fry, but I do hope that you would help me with my mistakes. Excuse me Amy for having suggested an answer to Yumi's sentence;" Now I'm done for this week". Please do tell me what do you think about it? Now, here's my homework: 1) Prepositions: - I was very impressed by him. - It looked very familiar to me. - I am quite familiar with his work. - It varies from country to country. - It varies between coutries. _ I think you should speak to him about it. 2) Vocabulary: - Dreaded: fearful. - Residential: containing only houses. - Shady: providing shade from the sun. - Sriking: very attractive. - Storey: a building with rooms at the same level.( Here a three storey building). - Flat: apartment. - Keen to the idea: very interested in the idea. - Handy: useful and convenient. Fab: fabulous; marvellous. Kind regards and best wishes. Ahmed
hi amy, Nice to meet you again. Some days ago, I was too busy to to be on line and do your homework. my writing is so bad and I 'm very disappointed at myself. Can you recommend me the way to practise writing frequently but I don't feel bored? can you tell me the differences among "ask, recommend, require, request.., and the case to use it?Is it too much?hiiii. thanks
Hello Amy, I loved your description of the place you live. It seems very calm and cozy. Why did you say your landlord's son is not very keen on the idea of coming to live with his father? I loved the photo you posted. I love parks like that. Well, I hope to keep hearing from you and learning more and more. Bye for now.
How have you been up to ? Teacher Amy,I am glade to talk with you again. First of all, I would like to answer your assignment ahead of talking another thing. Okey,let's starting with the first sentence. I was very impressed with him. It looked very familiar with me. I am quite familiar with his work. It varies from country to country. It varies over countries. I think you should speak with him about it. Turning back to conversation ,today is very rain-soaked and the sky seem like over cloud as I see. Really I love the rain is falling because when I got up in the morning, I feel like refresh and relax with load of energy. After I was recharge the batteries , I could have done pile of work in time and coped with task immediately as well. Moreover I hope some of assignments that I sent to you will correct in any choice. Anyway the photo that you pose in this site is pretty green and have not too much people in the park.Like to talk to you. See you around,Wisarut ..
Dear Amy lighfoot I really loved the way you have written your blog and would love to join you, but I don't have any Idea how If you please could direct me I will be grateful. By the way my name is Yasser , I am a student of the English language at Delhi in India, I have done three courses from the institution of British council, Delhi. I have had asked the teacher who used to Teach in the level B1-2 that how to improve my language he said "there are many website for learning English," and given this website and here I am . thank you Yasser
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