New here? This is lesson 231 of a free 240-lesson English course.
Back home and here in English
Ana and Tasha walk along the Chicago lakefront after work. Tasha asks about home, and Ana answers without keeping score.
Chicago feels normal now, but some habits are still unclear. Home is still home.
By the end, you'll compare life back home with life here in a fair way. Neither place has to win.
You'll say what felt strange at first, what feels normal now, and what you like best.
By the end of this lesson
Compare life back home with life here in a fair way.
- Where I'm from, it's a bit different.Life in my home country is not the same.
- At first I wasn't used to it.In the beginning this felt strange to me.
- I'm used to it now.This feels normal for me at this time.
- What I like best here is the people.The best part of this place is the people.
- There are still things I don't quite get.Some habits here are still unclear to me.
- Each place has its own good points.Both homes are good, in different ways.
Scene — the lake keeps no score
Ana and Tasha walk along the Chicago lakefront after work. The sky is cold, with water on one side and a stone wall on the other.
Tasha grew up in Milwaukee, not far. Ana still does not name her home country. Neither of them wants a winner.
The lake is wide and gray, and the diner is not in this scene.
Learn — home and here
Six lines help you compare home and Chicago in a fair way.
You'll say what felt strange at first, and what feels normal now.
Where I'm from, it's a bit different.
Life in my home country is not the same.
When to use it: Say this when you start a fair talk about home and here.
Where I'm from is one piece for your home country, without naming it.
At first I wasn't used to it.
In the beginning this felt strange to me.
When to use it: Say this when a new place or habit felt strange in the beginning.
Used to here means a habit feels normal, and wasn't used to means that habit still felt new.
Say it: Used has an s sound here, not a z sound.
I'm used to it now.
This feels normal for me at this time.
When to use it: Say this when a new habit now feels normal.
I'm used to it is one piece, and it does not mean you did this in the past.
Say it: The stress is on used, not on to.
What I like best here is the people.
The best part of this place is the people.
When to use it: Use this to name the thing you like most about this place.
Best here points to this place, not to home.
There are still things I don't quite get.
Some habits here are still unclear to me.
When to use it: Say this when some local habits are still unclear.
Don't quite get means you still do not fully understand.
Each place has its own good points.
Both homes are good, in different ways.
When to use it: End a comparison so neither place is the winner.
Own good points means each place is good in its own way.
Story — neither place wins
Watch Ana and Tasha on the lakefront. They compare home and Chicago, and neither place wins.
The highlighted words are the lines you just learned.
- The wind comes off the water. Ana pulls her cardigan closed.
TashaIs life different where you're from?She asks if life at home is not the same as here.
AnaWhere I'm from, it's a bit different.Life in my home country is not the same.- TashaWhat was it like?How did that feel or seem?
- AnaAt first I wasn't used to it.In the beginning this felt strange to me.
- TashaThe winters, you mean? Or the whole city?She asks if Ana means the cold months or Chicago as a whole.
- AnaThe winters, yeah. And the L. I'm used to it now.She names the cold and the train, then says they feel normal now.
- TashaI still complain every February. Milwaukee was the same.Tasha still complains in late winter, and her hometown was like that too.
- AnaWhat I like best here is the people.The best part of this place is the people.
- They stop by the stone wall and look at the lake.
- TashaThey're about the same back home, I think. Warm, a little loud.She says people at home are not so different: warm and a little loud.
- AnaThere are still things I don't quite get.Some habits here are still unclear to me.
- TashaLike the jukebox story? Danny still thinks B7 will play any day now.She names the silent jukebox story as one unclear thing.
- AnaWell, that. And some small habits, you know.She agrees, and she also means everyday habits.
- TashaWould you pick one place, if you had to?She asks Ana to choose a winner.
- AnaEach place has its own good points.Both homes are good, in different ways.
- TashaSo neither one wins. I like that.She is happy that neither place is the winner.
- AnaYeah. Home is home. Here is here.She agrees that both places can stay good.
Practice — fair comparison
Ten quick exercises wait here. You'll listen, pick, match, fill a gap, and build a line.
They stay small, so the round moves fast.
0 of 10 done
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
Match the pairs
English
Where I'm from, it's a bit different.Drop the Simple English hereWhat I like best here is the people.Drop the Simple English hereEach place has its own good points.Drop the Simple English hereSimple English
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
At first I wasn't used to it.
Swap the word
Swap the word
Chicago felt strange in the beginning. Tell Tasha it feels normal at this time.
I'm used to it ____.
What do you say?
What do you say?
A friend on the lakefront asks what you like most about Chicago.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Both homes are good, in different ways.
Each place has its ____ good points.
Build the line
Build the line
Some habits here are still unclear to me.
.
Tap the words in order.
Pick the reply
Tasha says:
Pick the reply
I went to Milwaukee last month.
She visited that city in the last month.
And you reply with:
What do you say?
What do you say?
You meet a new neighbor on the lakefront path. You want to know their home country.
True or false?
True or false?
This line picks one place as better.
Say it — say it back
Now you're Ana on the lakefront path. When it's your turn, tap the microphone and speak the line.
Tap play first if you want to hear the line. Your recording stays on your device.
- TashaIs life different where you're from?She asks if life at home is not the same as here.
- Ana (you)Tell her your home country is not the same as this place.
Tell her your home country is not the same as this place.
Where I'm from, it's a bit different.
Life in my home country is not the same.
0 of 6 said
Recap — what you can say now
| English | Simple English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| Where I'm from, it's a bit different. | Life in my home country is not the same. | |
| At first I wasn't used to it. | In the beginning this felt strange to me. | |
| I'm used to it now. | This feels normal for me at this time. | |
| What I like best here is the people. | The best part of this place is the people. | |
| There are still things I don't quite get. | Some habits here are still unclear to me. | |
| Each place has its own good points. | Both homes are good, in different ways. |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
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A quick round with the Yak Cards each day keeps your fair comparisons ready.
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