Housework

Vocabulary Building
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KEEPING HOUSE: JOBS AT HOME


Every home needs regular work to stay clean, comfortable, and nice. After eating a meal, somebody has to wash the dishes in the kitchen sink using warm water and soap. In the living room and bedrooms, people vacuum the carpets with an electric machine to remove dirt.
In the kitchen, it is important to sweep the floor with a broom first. After that, you can mop the tiles with a bucket of soapy water so they shine. We also use a soft cloth to dust the shelves and television every week.

Clean clothes are very important, so families do the laundry using a washing machine. When the washing machine stops, we hang out the clothes in the garden or on a drying rack. When the shirts and dresses are dry, some people use a hot tool to iron them and make them smooth.
Every morning after waking up, it takes only two minutes to make the bed with the pillows and blanket. Children and adults also need to tidy up their rooms and put books or toys back in their place. When the kitchen bin is full, someone must take out the rubbish in a black plastic bag.

Meal times also bring many jobs at home. One person goes to the kitchen to cook breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Before eating, another family member can set the table with plates, forks, knives, and glasses. When the meal is finished, everyone can help to clear the table.
If a family has a dog or a cat, they must feed the pets every morning and evening. People who love flowers need to water the plants in the house or on the balcony. In houses with a big garden, somebody has to mow the lawn when the grass grows tall.

Once or twice a week, parents go to the supermarket to do the shopping and buy fresh food. A few times a year, we also clean the windows with spray and paper so the sun can shine in. Finally, when a chair or a lamp breaks, it is great if someone knows how to fix things with simple tools.

Questions:

1. What do people use to wash the dishes in the kitchen sink?
2. What do you do before you mop the kitchen tiles?
3. What do families do when the washing machine stops?
4. How long does it take to make the bed in the morning?
5. What do you put on the table when you set the table?
6. How often must a family feed the pets?
7. Why do people go to the supermarket once or twice a week?

True/False Statements:

1. People use a vacuum cleaner to wash dirty plates.
2. You use a soft cloth to dust the shelves and television.
3. Ironing makes shirts and trousers dirty.
4. You should take out the rubbish when the kitchen bin is full.
5. You set the table after everyone finishes eating.
6. People mow the lawn when the grass in the garden is tall.
7. You need tools to fix things when something breaks at home.

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Personal Questions

How often do you wash the dishes \| vacuum \| do the laundry \| cook \| tidy up \| take out the rubbish \| do the shopping?

• Example (wash the dishes): I wash the dishes almost every day after dinner. We do not have a dishwasher in our small kitchen. I use warm water and lemon soap to clean the plates and glasses. It usually takes about fifteen minutes. I like listening to the radio while I wash the dishes.

Which job at home do you like more: cooking \| doing the shopping \| ironing \| vacuuming \| watering the plants \| mowing the lawn \| feeding the pets?

• Example (cooking): I like cooking much more than ironing. Cooking is creative and you can eat delicious food at the end. I love making pasta, soup, and cakes for my family on weekends. Ironing is very boring and makes me feel hot and tired. That is why I never buy shirts that need ironing.

Do you know how to cook a meal \| use a washing machine \| iron a shirt \| mow the lawn \| fix things \| clean the windows \| bake a cake?

• Example (cook a meal): Yes, I know how to cook several simple meals. My mother taught me how to cook when I was a teenager. I can make chicken with rice, vegetable soup, and pancakes. I usually look at recipes on the internet when I want to try something new. Cooking at home is cheaper and healthier than eating in restaurants.

Who in your family usually cooks dinner \| does the laundry \| takes out the rubbish \| cleans the windows \| does the shopping \| mows the lawn \| washes the dishes?

• Example (cooks dinner): In my family, my mother usually cooks dinner during the week. She comes home from work at four o'clock and starts making food. On Saturdays and Sundays, my father likes to cook meat or fish for us. I often help them by cutting the vegetables and setting the table. Eating together in the evening is my favorite part of the day.

What is the worst job at home: cleaning the windows \| ironing \| taking out the rubbish \| mopping the floor \| washing the dishes \| dusting \| tidying up?

• Example (cleaning the windows): For me, the worst job at home is cleaning the windows. Our house has ten big windows and it takes hours to clean them all. My arms always hurt after rubbing the glass with paper. Also, it often starts raining the day after I clean them. I only do this job in spring and autumn.

Did you have to make your bed \| tidy up your room \| wash the dishes \| feed the pets \| set the table \| sweep the floor \| take out the rubbish when you were a child?

• Example (make your bed): Yes, I had to make my bed every morning before going to school. My parents were strict about keeping my bedroom neat and clean. At first, I hated doing it because I was sleepy in the morning. Later, it became an easy habit and took only one minute. Today, I still make my bed every single morning.

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One-Minute Talking Points

Washing the Dishes

1. What is washing the dishes? (cleaning plates, water and soap)
2. How often do you do it?
3. Hand washing versus dishwasher?
4. Who does it in your house?
5. What is difficult to wash?
6. How to make it less boring?
7. Do you wash dishes immediately?
8. Kitchen jobs you prefer?

Vacuuming

1. What is vacuuming? (cleaning carpets, electric machine)
2. How often do people vacuum?
3. Do you have a vacuum cleaner?
4. Robot vacuums versus normal ones?
5. Good things about vacuuming?
6. Problems with loud noise?
7. Carpet versus wood floors?
8. Do you enjoy vacuuming?

Cooking

1. What is cooking? (preparing food, stove and oven)
2. Can you cook well?
3. How often do you cook?
4. Favorite dishes to make?
5. Benefits of home cooking?
6. Problems with cooking every day?
7. Cooking alone or with family?
8. Dish you want to learn?

Doing the Laundry

1. What is doing the laundry? (washing clothes, washing machine)
2. How often do you wash clothes?
3. Separating white and colored clothes?
4. Drying clothes outside vs. inside?
5. How washing machines help us?
6. Mistakes when washing clothes?
7. Who does the laundry at home?
8. Laundry in the past without machines?

Ironing

1. What is ironing? (hot tool, making clothes smooth)
2. Do you often iron clothes?
3. What clothes need ironing?
4. Why do people hate ironing?
5. Watching TV while ironing?
6. Dangers of a hot iron?
7. Buying clothes that don't need ironing?
8. Is ironing important today?

Tidying Up

1. What is tidying up? (putting things in their place)
2. Are you a tidy person?
3. How often do you tidy up?
4. Tidying up before guests come?
5. Benefits of a tidy room?
6. Living with a messy person?
7. Teaching children to tidy up?
8. Room that gets messy fastest?

Doing the Shopping

1. What is doing the shopping? (buying food, supermarket)
2. How often do you go shopping?
3. Do you write a shopping list?
4. Big supermarkets versus small shops?
5. Online food shopping?
6. Problems with crowded shops?
7. Who carries the heavy bags?
8. Do you like food shopping?

Feeding the Pets

1. What is feeding the pets? (giving food and water, animals)
2. Do you have any pets?
3. What do dogs and cats eat?
4. How often do pets eat?
5. Other jobs with pets?
6. Why pets are good for children?
7. Who feeds the pets on holiday?
8. Best pet for a small flat?

Mowing the Lawn

1. What is mowing the lawn? (cutting grass, garden machine)
2. Do you have a garden?
3. How often does grass need cutting?
4. Best weather for garden work?
5. Benefits of a nice garden?
6. Problems with noisy machines?
7. Other jobs in the garden?
8. Garden versus balcony?

Fixing Things

1. What is fixing things? (repairing broken items, tools)
2. Are you good at fixing things?
3. Tools every home needs?
4. Things that often break at home?
5. Fixing it yourself vs. calling a professional?
6. Saving money by fixing things?
7. Learning from internet videos?
8. Last thing that broke in your home?

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Children should help with housework every day

Linkers: It's true, but..., I agree because..., I don't agree..., On the other hand..., For example…

For

• Children learn important life skills for when they become adults \- keywords: learn, future, independent
• Parents are tired after work and need help from the family \- keywords: tired, help, teamwork
• Doing jobs at home teaches children to respect their things and keep them clean \- keywords: respect, clean, careful
• Housework is much faster when everyone in the family works together \- keywords: fast, together, family
• Simple jobs like making the bed or feeding pets are easy for young children \- keywords: easy, bed, pets

Against

• Children already have too much schoolwork and homework every afternoon \- keywords: school, homework, busy
• Kids need free time to play, do sports, and meet their friends \- keywords: play, friends, childhood
• Some housework uses dangerous machines or hot water and is not safe \- keywords: dangerous, hot, accident
• Children often do the job badly and parents have to do it again \- keywords: slow, messy, again
• Children are only young once and will have to work their whole adult lives \- keywords: young, relax, later

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