Comments

Hi Amy, Congratulations on your new house. I think you're lucky to have good neighbours around. By the way, my floor and ceiling aren't so thick so I sometimes hear my neighbours's noises. On the other hand my neighbourhood is very friendly. I've been living in this one since 2004. I remember that I made some friends but I put a lot from my side. I think that people may keep themselves to themselves in order not to bother you but if you start a chit chat then they change their mood. Exercise: 1) Would you mind telling me how often you had to work in the dairy? 2) Could you tell me how you spend your free time? 3) Could you tell me if you have ever been abroad? 4) Please, would you mind telling me what books you are reading at this moment? Waiting for your Granny's answers. xxx Cris

Hi Amy. Your house looks great. I wonder how the view from the upper window is. You are absolutly right. I feel that nowadays neighbour are not as friendly as they used to be in the past. Moreover, I can see that every day children use less time playing with their friends in the street and more time in their rooms with the TV and the playstation... Sad but true. Now I'll try your asignment: Could you tell me how often did you have to work in the dairy? Please, could you explain how do you spend your free time? May I ask you if you have been abroad? Would you mind telling me what books are you reading at the moment? Bye.

Hi Ami good to see your blog. Its nice that you are back to home. Seems like that you feel more relax and happy in your own home, I think every body feel at ease in their own home. You and little oslo looking great, firstly I saw your photo then I have notice your home. It is also looking good from out side I don’t know about inside. I want to see it from inside, is it possible? You are right social life is becoming less every where. I am worried about new generation how they will be isolated because day by day it’s becoming the part of life that every one busy with his own life. Because of the combine family system, we situation is not that much sever but we feel it that it’s changing. In past neighbors were like family member but now it is not like that. There are areas where people even don’t know who is living in their neighbors. Hope for the best we must try to keep alive the good tradition of our forefather’s and culture. Have nice time with your family and neighbors. bye

Yes, Amy, very unusual not only in England but in many other places, I assume. Like you, Amy, I really regret that societies are losing- or it is better to say that have lost- their sense of community. I remember a time when we used to get worried when we didn't see our neighbors for one or two days. At times now I happen to see none of mine for ages, because we do not come across each other when arriving or leaving the building.Social behavior needs mending otherwise we are going to lose in the long run...

Hi Dear Amy , Knowing about your new town was interesting . Would you mind telling us how you chose which city to stay in the UK ? From what you said , Frome sounds an interesting city , Also I have seen a program about Bath in the BBC TV and I 'm interested to know more about it , if it 's possible for you . And don't forget some photo from your house front view . Here are my today diet of new vocabulary : To spill the beans: Reveal a secret .Resurgence : revival . A green movement : some activities for saving endangered environment . long gone: some thing about long past time ago . To make do : Manage with some thing which is not really adequate .To keep themselves to themselves :or we can say : every man for himself ? Not much communicate with other people and being busy with their private life and not to care about others .The sense of community : How people deal and communicate with each others . Have a nice time and bye Xxx0 Pary

Here are my answers to Direct to indirect question translation 1) Could you please tell us how often you had to work in the dairy? 2) Would you mind telling us how you spend your free time? 3) Can you tell us if you have ever been aboard? 4) Could you please tell us what books you are reading at the moment? This exercise is really helped me for not only understanding the difference between direct and indirection questions but also trigger on how we should be polite while asking questions to others. I have a question for you on writing skill. I’m grateful if you could answer for this. I always find difficulties in starting a paragraph but once I started it becomes comfortable to continue thereon as I have smooth flow of thoughts. Could you please tell me how I can overcome this problem? Thinking where to start itself a dilemma that seems to be the hinder. Since you were in India for sometime and don’t want to pry but would you mind tell if you have ever tried of wearing saree while you were in India? Catch up on your next blog entry!. Ciao!

Hello Amy, how are you doing? Your house seemed pretty cozy to me. I loved the photo. I'd like to live in a house like that. Could you describe the inside of the house to us? I got very curious. I guess it must be very beautiful. I live in a big house, but it's very old and it already shows the signs of time. It's got a lot of problems. And to fix an old house can be even more expensive than building a new one, for the problems never end. As I live in the countryside, the nearest neighbor house is about 500m from mine. It's good to keep our privacy, but it's too lonesome sometimes, especially at night. Let me give my answers to the exercises: The articles: 1-the 2-the 3-a 4-the 5-the The indirect questions: 1)Could you tell me how often you worked in the dairy? 2)I'd like to know how you spend your free time? 3)Tell me if you`ve ever been abroad? 4)Would you mind telling me what books you're reading at the moment? Amy, it's always nice talking to you. I'm trying to keep my 5 a day diet. I hope I can. Best wishes, see you.

Hi Amy, It is great to know that you are back home, in England! The last time I wrote to you, you were in India,if I can trust my memory! Let me also spill the beans...I´ve already been to Bath and loved it, but I do not remember driving past Frome. From your description though it seems to be an interesting thriving and cultural place.Mato Grosso, where I live in Brazil, has also been enjoying a lot of resurgence over the last decades.In fact, it is the state which has had the highest growth lately.When I first moved here, 23 years ago, it was a tiny town but that is long gone... the pace of the city is really hectic compared to the past, although, luckly, we can still find a sense of community here! The locals are really warm and hospitable.Like you, I also have friendly and pleasant neighbours who I can even count on in difficult occasions!Speaking of green movements, we, here in Brazil, are also very concerned about the preservation and health of our planet. There has been a lot of campaign against the burns and deforastation. As for the exercises proposed here are my solutions: Would you mind telling me... how often you had to work in the dairy? how you spend your free time? if you´d ever been abroad? what books you are reading at the moment? Love, Monica PS Nice picture of your back yard! Your baby looks gorgeous!God bless you.

Hi Amy, so your place is Frome (from) near the city of Bath (bath). Yes, I am sure you are in England. I just typed ‘city of bath’ in yahoo and searched. Now I know why you said that you would try and do a post about Bath another day. I leave it up to you to reveal it with a nice blog with pictures. These are my answers to the given task. Could you tell me how often you had to work in the dairy? Please could you explain how you spend your free time? Would you mind telling me whether you have been abroad? Can you tell me what books you are reading at the moment? Bye for now

Dear Amy, Me, Monica, again. This idea of community sense reminds me of a touching American film I saw yesterday on tv.It´s about a pregnat girl who was abandoned by her partner at the Wall-Mart department store. Well, to cut a long story short, she ended up giving birth in the store and the community helped her raise the baby!A good lesson for those who just keep themselves to themselves! And I guess the world is still full of examples like this. The media should look for them, instead of emphasising the sad and mean stories! Love, Monica

Hello Amy,congratulations to your new home. I absolutely agree with you, having friendly and helpful neighbours is like a gift. My homework: 1. Could you tell me how often you had to work in the diary? 2. It would be nice to know how you spend your free time. Could you tell me something about? 3. Please, could you tell us if you has ever been abroad? 4. Would you mind telling us about the books you are reading at the moment? All the best, Felicitas

Hi Amy - I would like to be a neighbour of yours,we could chat a lot,couldn't we? Frome seems a nice town, could you tell me why you chose it to live in? When I was a child my family lived in an old building and we had many neighbours. There was a huge courtyard where in Summer we used to play together while our mothers knitted,sewed, chat and kept an eye on us. Often women co-operated to make tomato sauce, jam and canned vegetables to store for Winter. They were always ready to give a hand if someone was in need. Since I got married I have been living in a flat. With my neighbours I have formal and polite relations, sometimes we have a little chat but anything else. My daughters never played in the courtyard. Homework: 1) Can you tell us how often you had to work in the diary? 2)Please, could you explain how you spend your free time? 3) Can you tell me if you have ever been abroad? 4) Would you mind telling me what books you are reading at the moment?Definitions: to spill the beans=to tell a secret; resurgence=a new increase of interest or popularity; a green movement=a movement to safeguard the environment; to be long gone=many years ago; to make do=to content; to manage with sth that is not really satisfactory;to keep themselves to themselves=to refuse social relations; the sense of community=caring and friendly feeling. Cheerio

Hi Amy - I would like to be a neighbour of yours,we could chat a lot,couldn't we? Frome seems a nice town, could you tell me why you chose it to live in? When I was a child my family lived in an old building and we had many neighbours. There was a huge courtyard where in Summer we used to play together while our mothers knitted,sewed, chat and kept an eye on us. Often women co-operated to make tomato sauce, jam and canned vegetables to store for Winter. They were always ready to give a hand if someone was in need. Since I got married I have been living in a flat. With my neighbours I have formal and polite relations, sometimes we have a little chat but anything else. My daughters never played in the courtyard. Homework: 1) Can you tell us how often you had to work in the diary? 2)Please, could you explain how you spend your free time? 3) Can you tell me if you have ever been abroad? 4) Would you mind telling me what books you are reading at the moment?Definitions: to spill the beans=to tell a secret; resurgence=a new increase of interest or popularity; a green movement=a movement to safeguard the environment; to be long gone=many years ago; to make do=to content; to manage with sth that is not really satisfactory;to keep themselves to themselves=to refuse social relations; the sense of community=caring and friendly feeling. Cheerio

Hi Amy Your Photo is very nice and your chicky monkey is very cute. I've sent two comments before but not come up. You told before why. May be because of spam but I didn't understand why It happened. I use same computer.I like your writings which make me motivate to learn or study much more. Both of the blogs give a chance to read English as well write. I read with big interest. I wait it to be changed. Thank you very much. I've been regular reader for few months. It is part of my daily routine. Come to your writings and my opinions about them. People living in a big city are very busy, life is very hard and there is no time to establsih relationships with neighbours on the contrary rural area. Generally the relationships among the neighbours is limited with greetings. When I was a child the relationships was stronger than it is.The women didnt use to work, They spent time in their house, for that reason, neighbours used to visit eachother and do something together, Shared things was much more so the relationship was stronger. Socialization. used to build up between them. We have now many opportunities to be social. I think the life style forces us to behave like this.Neighbours are very important traditionally in Turkiye. There is an expression which is describing its importance, "Before buying a house buy a neighbour" It explains how important the neighbours are.Come to the words: 1.speaking about something which is not spoken before 2.growing, nice changes 3.activity related to protecting the enviroment from dangerous things 4.past 5.It is this I am able to do, maybe I will do better 5.not showing concerns to other people, the most important thing is the private life.6.opposite individualism By for now. :))

Dear Amy, After a long time you reveal your secret (spill the beans) and let us know where you are living and compromise (make do) with the situation and enjoying pace of life. Green movement and environmental consciousness not only weaving industry in that city but also pioneer cement factory (Himal cement factory) of Nepal is long gone (made a history). Friendliness and understanding between local people (the sense of community) is somewhat still alive in rural community but in city most people started to keep themselves to themselves. Since large number of people migrated from different parts of country, it is very difficult to find out what they are nature and means of living. Resurgence of traditional things could be both positive and negative at a time depending on pace of life of community. Indirect questions from direct questions: 1) Would you mind to tell us how often you had to work in the dairy? 2) It will be pleasure to know if you tell us your way of managing free time nowadays. 3) I am eager to know that have you ever been abroad. 4) It is kind of you if you tell us which books you are reading at the moment.

Hi Amy! Your terraced house looks really nice! Where did you use to live before you came here (Frome)? It’s great to know that you’ve got excellent neighbours. Well, it’s quite disappointing to see that the sense of community is disappearing in Britain. However, not only in Britain but also all over the world and even in India (especially in those metropolitan areas). We(my parents and two siblings) moved in to new house four years ago, which is in the outskirts of Burdwan. Before that we used to live in my Grandfather’s house (with my Uncle, and it’s a three-storey house and more than 50 years old!) which is at the centre of Burdwan. Yes, like you our neighbours are also nice and helpful. If I come late our neighbour politely ask, ‘why am I late’, ‘am I alright’ ‘Is everything ok’ etc. As you know, it’s expected (at least in Asia) from your neighbours. As India’s economy booming (but, is our poverty decreasing?). More and more Indians are living in cities. As I mentioned earlier that, India’s social structure is changing and very rapidly! Anyway, straight down to our homework:- 1. to tell people secret information. 2. a new increase of activity or interest in a particular subject or idea which had been forgotten for some time. 3. aims to improve or protect the natural environment. 4. in the past. 5. to manage to live without things that you would like to have. 6. to not talk to other people very much. 7. the feeling of sharing things and belonging to a group in the place where you live. Indirect sentences:- 1. Could you tell me please how often you had to work in the dairy? 2. Would you mind telling me how you spend your free time? 3. Could you tell me please whether you have ever been aboard? 4. Please could you explain what books you are reading at the moment? Well, thank you so much for continuously writing and sharing these fascinating blogs with us. Oslo looks so cute as usual :-) Please convey my regards to Oslo, Louie, Ed, your parents and Granny :-) With kind regards, Pritam.

This blog is really great. It gives us a chance to have a real english teacher, who can give us some small but usefull English lessons. I think that to learn some english words everyday would help you improve a lot. Thank you for your lessons in direct and indirect questions, for i almost forgot these concepts. About this blog, can I ask whether your blog would always relate to an english lessons, like an english class. And if i have any question, I can have your answer from here? Thank you very much.

Hi,Amy First of all I love to say “hello” to a so cute and chubby Oslo. He looks so healthy. His face reminds me of my son’s infant face.Has he got good appetite and does he sleep through nights? Secondly, I think you and I are lucky to have such wonderful and kind neighbours. In my street people love to stop and chat away whenever they meet each other. The other day I read the death of a pensioner who had been found in his home. He had no family and lived alone and he was dead two years ago. Nobody in his street was not interested in or gave him a single attention for two years. I used to live a close-knit community and luckily I live in a wonderful area so when I read the article I felt dreadful and so sad. I don’t have your homework but I will try later. See you!

Hi Amy, I am really happy to know that you are living in a wonderful place with art galleries and several theatres marking architectural building. What was the reason the weaving industry is no more in your town. In your town alone there are many places this community does no longer exist. There may be many reasons for that. Modernization of the textile industry may be one of the reasons. Weavers who are continuing this business also suffer a lot to survive in many places. I agree with you that the sense of community is almost disappeared in the cities and Metros. Even most of the people who are living in the apartment’s dose not know what is happening to the neighbors who are living in the next door. What is the meaning of having a meeting of the residence once in a month? There are few exceptions. But in general People purposely want to keep themselves to themselves. What is the necessity of knowing or relating with others? This is not position actually in the rural areas. I had an experience in living in city and now I am living in village. Though lots of category of people living in villages I could find the sense of belonging in the villages.

Hi Amy, im posting my comment v late but i hope it will get appeared. Its good to see the part of your home. I think Frome doesn't have much population as its a small town, isn't it?. Now as you've asked about our neigbours i remember a saying good neighbours are the blessings of God. We are lucky to have nice and cooperative neighbours. But in some areas the situation is quite different and people dont bother about their neighbours because they think its a sign of high class family. Well, i think we cant change everyone. Anyways, im happy to see that you haven't posted the answers of direct and indirect speech in your latest post, now i still have a chance to do it. Here is my HW. How often did you have to work in the dairy? = Can you tell me, how often you worked in a diary?. 2) How do you spend your free time? = Could you please tell me, how you spend your free time?. 3) Have you ever been abroad? = Would you mind telling me, you ever been abroad?. 4) What books are you reading at the moment? = Can you tell me what books you are reading at the moment?. Hope i've written all the answers correctly. Bye for now.