#learning-english — Public Fediverse posts

#EnglishLanguage #EnglishTeacher #EnglishVocabulary #idioms #learningEnglish #vocabularyQuiz #weather

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER IMAGE CREDIT

Photo by Daniel Lerman via Unsplash.

#englishlanguage #englishteacher #englishvocabulary #idioms #learningenglish #vocabularyquiz

grammaticus @[email protected] · 2026-09-07 · 23:23 UTC

Weather idioms

Idiom is a linguistic term for a set phrase or expression with a figurative meaning. As a rule, it’s pretty difficult to guess the meaning of an idiom from the literal definitions of its individual words, which can make them a bit difficult to learn. If you’re an English language learner, you’ve probably encountered this problem: even when you know all the words within an idiom, translating them literally gets you nowhere, as the resulting translation usually doesn’t make any sense.

Rather than approaching idioms as a problem to be solved, try to see them as a kind of language shortcuts: they typically carry a lot of meaning beyond the literal words. Learning them is important, as they are broadly and commonly used by native speakers: you’ll often encounter them in both spoken and written language. Using them will make your speech sound more natural.

The topic of this post are weather idioms, i.e. idioms with meteorological terms as key words. As you’ll see, they are all used metaphorically to describe human moods and experiences; some may be rather logical, others not so! Also, be aware that there are hundreds of weather idioms in the English language, so this is just a very small sample of the most common ones.

As usual on this blog, at the end of this post you’ll find a link to a simple quiz where you can practice these same idioms a bit more. It might help you remember them more easily.

TO BE/FEEL UNDER THE WEATHER

I didn’t go to the party last night, I was feeling under the weather.

to feel slightly ill or sick (usually temporarily)

TO WEATHER THE STORM

Our company had a difficult year, but we managed to weather the storm.

to deal with a difficult situation without too much harm or damage

TO BE ON CLOUD NINE

I finally got my dream job, I’m on cloud nine!

to be extremely happy

A STORM IN A TEACUP

Do you remember that huge argument they had last week? It turned out be a storm in a teacup.

a small problem that is exaggerated and treated as if it were very serious

TO TAKE A RAIN CHECK

Thank you so much for the offer, but can I take a rain check?

to politely decline an offer or invitation for now, while remaining open to accepting it at a later time

TO STEAL [SOMEONE’S] THUNDER

Mark told everyone about his new job, but his sister stole his thunder by announcing her engagement.

to take attention away from another person; to take spotlight

TO RAIN ON [SOMEONE’S] PARADE

I’m in such good mood today, I won’t let anyone rain on my parade!

to spoil someone’s plans or good mood

TO PUT [SOMETHING] ON ICE

The manager has put the new project on ice due to lack of funding.

to postpone, to put on hold

TO BE SNOWED UNDER

I haven’t had any free time lately, I’ve been snowed under with work.

to be extremely busy and overwhelmed

TO BREAK THE ICE

People often use small talk to break the ice.

to say or do something to make people (often total strangers) feel more relaxed and comfortable

Now you can do the online quiz. And if you want to learn more weather idioms, have a look at the list of suggested resources below.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

#EnglishLanguage #EnglishTeacher #EnglishVocabulary #idioms #learningEnglish #vocabularyQuiz #weather

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER IMAGE CREDIT

Photo by Daniel Lerman via Unsplash.

#englishlanguage #englishteacher #englishvocabulary #idioms #learningenglish #vocabularyquiz

grammaticus @[email protected] · 2026-09-07 · 23:23 UTC

Weather idioms

Idiom is a linguistic term for a set phrase or expression with a figurative meaning. As a rule, it’s pretty difficult to guess the meaning of an idiom from the literal definitions of its individual words, which can make them a bit difficult to learn. If you’re an English language learner, you’ve probably encountered this problem: even when you know all the words within an idiom, translating them literally gets you nowhere, as the resulting translation usually doesn’t make any sense.

Rather than approaching idioms as a problem to be solved, try to see them as a kind of language shortcuts: they typically carry a lot of meaning beyond the literal words. Learning them is important, as they are broadly and commonly used by native speakers: you’ll often encounter them in both spoken and written language. Using them will make your speech sound more natural.

The topic of this post are weather idioms, i.e. idioms with meteorological terms as key words. As you’ll see, they are all used metaphorically to describe human moods and experiences; some may be rather logical, others not so! Also, be aware that there are hundreds of weather idioms in the English language, so this is just a very small sample of the most common ones.

As usual on this blog, at the end of this post you’ll find a link to a simple quiz where you can practice these same idioms a bit more. It might help you remember them more easily.

TO BE/FEEL UNDER THE WEATHER

I didn’t go to the party last night, I was feeling under the weather.

to feel slightly ill or sick (usually temporarily)

TO WEATHER THE STORM

Our company had a difficult year, but we managed to weather the storm.

to deal with a difficult situation without too much harm or damage

TO BE ON CLOUD NINE

I finally got my dream job, I’m on cloud nine!

to be extremely happy

A STORM IN A TEACUP

Do you remember that huge argument they had last week? It turned out be a storm in a teacup.

a small problem that is exaggerated and treated as if it were very serious

TO TAKE A RAIN CHECK

Thank you so much for the offer, but can I take a rain check?

to politely decline an offer or invitation for now, while remaining open to accepting it at a later time

TO STEAL [SOMEONE’S] THUNDER

Mark told everyone about his new job, but his sister stole his thunder by announcing her engagement.

to take attention away from another person; to take spotlight

TO RAIN ON [SOMEONE’S] PARADE

I’m in such good mood today, I won’t let anyone rain on my parade!

to spoil someone’s plans or good mood

TO PUT [SOMETHING] ON ICE

The manager has put the new project on ice due to lack of funding.

to postpone, to put on hold

TO BE SNOWED UNDER

I haven’t had any free time lately, I’ve been snowed under with work.

to be extremely busy and overwhelmed

TO BREAK THE ICE

People often use small talk to break the ice.

to say or do something to make people (often total strangers) feel more relaxed and comfortable

Now you can do the online quiz. And if you want to learn more weather idioms, have a look at the list of suggested resources below.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

#EnglishLanguage #EnglishTeacher #EnglishVocabulary #idioms #learningEnglish #vocabularyQuiz #weather

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER IMAGE CREDIT

Photo by Daniel Lerman via Unsplash.

#weather #vocabularyquiz #learningenglish #idioms #englishvocabulary #englishteacher

grammaticus @[email protected] · 2026-09-07 · 23:23 UTC

Weather idioms

Idiom is a linguistic term for a set phrase or expression with a figurative meaning. As a rule, it’s pretty difficult to guess the meaning of an idiom from the literal definitions of its individual words, which can make them a bit difficult to learn. If you’re an English language learner, you’ve probably encountered this problem: even when you know all the words within an idiom, translating them literally gets you nowhere, as the resulting translation usually doesn’t make any sense.

Rather than approaching idioms as a problem to be solved, try to see them as a kind of language shortcuts: they typically carry a lot of meaning beyond the literal words. Learning them is important, as they are broadly and commonly used by native speakers: you’ll often encounter them in both spoken and written language. Using them will make your speech sound more natural.

The topic of this post are weather idioms, i.e. idioms with meteorological terms as key words. As you’ll see, they are all used metaphorically to describe human moods and experiences; some may be rather logical, others not so! Also, be aware that there are hundreds of weather idioms in the English language, so this is just a very small sample of the most common ones.

As usual on this blog, at the end of this post you’ll find a link to a simple quiz where you can practice these same idioms a bit more. It might help you remember them more easily.

TO BE/FEEL UNDER THE WEATHER

I didn’t go to the party last night, I was feeling under the weather.

to feel slightly ill or sick (usually temporarily)

TO WEATHER THE STORM

Our company had a difficult year, but we managed to weather the storm.

to deal with a difficult situation without too much harm or damage

TO BE ON CLOUD NINE

I finally got my dream job, I’m on cloud nine!

to be extremely happy

A STORM IN A TEACUP

Do you remember that huge argument they had last week? It turned out be a storm in a teacup.

a small problem that is exaggerated and treated as if it were very serious

TO TAKE A RAIN CHECK

Thank you so much for the offer, but can I take a rain check?

to politely decline an offer or invitation for now, while remaining open to accepting it at a later time

TO STEAL [SOMEONE’S] THUNDER

Mark told everyone about his new job, but his sister stole his thunder by announcing her engagement.

to take attention away from another person; to take spotlight

TO RAIN ON [SOMEONE’S] PARADE

I’m in such good mood today, I won’t let anyone rain on my parade!

to spoil someone’s plans or good mood

TO PUT [SOMETHING] ON ICE

The manager has put the new project on ice due to lack of funding.

to postpone, to put on hold

TO BE SNOWED UNDER

I haven’t had any free time lately, I’ve been snowed under with work.

to be extremely busy and overwhelmed

TO BREAK THE ICE

People often use small talk to break the ice.

to say or do something to make people (often total strangers) feel more relaxed and comfortable

Now you can do the online quiz. And if you want to learn more weather idioms, have a look at the list of suggested resources below.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

#EnglishLanguage #EnglishTeacher #EnglishVocabulary #idioms #learningEnglish #vocabularyQuiz #weather

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER IMAGE CREDIT

Photo by Daniel Lerman via Unsplash.

#englishlanguage #englishteacher #englishvocabulary #idioms #learningenglish #vocabularyquiz

grammaticus @[email protected] · 2026-07-28 · 10:04 UTC

Grammar dilemmas: “until” or “by”?

An interesting question came up in a recent conversation class with a student. It had to do with the use of the words “until” and “by”, both of which are translated the same in the student’s mother tongue.

At first glance, both do seem to refer to the same thing — a point up to which something lasts or when an action ends. Be careful, though: while similar, in English they are definitely not the same!

In this post I’ll briefly explain the difference, illustrating it with a few examples. As always, there‘s also an online grammar quiz waiting for you.

UNTIL

One of several uses of the word “until” is that of a preposition of time (it can also be a conjunction, but that’s a separate topic). It’s followed by a noun or a time reference:

Yesterday I had to work until 7pm.

I’ll be out of office until Tuesday.

In both sentences, the action continues up to a certain point and then stops.

EXTRA INFO

#1 You can shorten the word until to till or ‘til, but avoid this in formal writing as it sounds informal. Grammatically, however, they are all exactly the same.

#2 Until is not used to talk about quantity or distance.

For distance, use as far as: From my house I can see as far as the mountains.
For quantity, use up to: My fridge can store up to twenty cans of beer.

BY

“By” gives us the deadline by which (i.e. before) something needs to happen. The action doesn’t continue until that time — it just has to finish at any point by that time.

She usually arrives to work by 9am. (i.e. at some point before 9)

Please finish your homework by tomorrow. (i.e. at any point between now and the tomorrow’s lesson)

I think you’re ready now for a quick grammar quiz. If you have any further questions about this topic, do post them in the comments section below!

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

#EnglishGrammar #EnglishLesson #EnglishTeacher #EnglishVocabulary #grammarPractice #grammarQuiz #learningEnglish

#englishgrammar #englishlesson #englishteacher #englishvocabulary #grammarpractice #grammarquiz

hugo. @[email protected] · 2026-07-10 · 06:46 UTC

Latest on the #blog:

R. L. Stevenson's poem “Summer Sun” was first published in 1885, as part of his collection titled A Child’s Garden of Verses. In it, the poet personifies the Sun, presenting him as “the gardener of the World” — a kind presence that brings life, warmth, and gladness to all living things.

https://grammaticus.blog/2026/07/10/summer-sun-by-r-l-stevenson/

#learningenglish #englishliterature #englishteacher #poetry #summer

#blog #learningenglish #englishliterature #englishteacher #poetry #summer

hugo. @[email protected] · 2026-07-10 · 06:46 UTC

Latest on the #blog:

R. L. Stevenson's poem “Summer Sun” was first published in 1885, as part of his collection titled A Child’s Garden of Verses. In it, the poet personifies the Sun, presenting him as “the gardener of the World” — a kind presence that brings life, warmth, and gladness to all living things.

https://grammaticus.blog/2026/07/10/summer-sun-by-r-l-stevenson/

#learningenglish #englishliterature #englishteacher #poetry #summer

#blog #learningenglish #englishliterature #englishteacher #poetry #summer

hugo. @[email protected] · 2026-07-10 · 06:46 UTC

Latest on the #blog:

R. L. Stevenson's poem “Summer Sun” was first published in 1885, as part of his collection titled A Child’s Garden of Verses. In it, the poet personifies the Sun, presenting him as “the gardener of the World” — a kind presence that brings life, warmth, and gladness to all living things.

https://grammaticus.blog/2026/07/10/summer-sun-by-r-l-stevenson/

#learningenglish #englishliterature #englishteacher #poetry #summer

#blog #learningenglish #englishliterature #englishteacher #poetry #summer

hugo. @[email protected] · 2026-07-10 · 06:46 UTC

Latest on the #blog:

R. L. Stevenson's poem “Summer Sun” was first published in 1885, as part of his collection titled A Child’s Garden of Verses. In it, the poet personifies the Sun, presenting him as “the gardener of the World” — a kind presence that brings life, warmth, and gladness to all living things.

https://grammaticus.blog/2026/07/10/summer-sun-by-r-l-stevenson/

#learningenglish #englishliterature #englishteacher #poetry #summer

#summer #poetry #englishteacher #englishliterature #learningenglish #blog

hugo. @[email protected] · 2026-07-10 · 06:46 UTC

Latest on the #blog:

R. L. Stevenson's poem “Summer Sun” was first published in 1885, as part of his collection titled A Child’s Garden of Verses. In it, the poet personifies the Sun, presenting him as “the gardener of the World” — a kind presence that brings life, warmth, and gladness to all living things.

https://grammaticus.blog/2026/07/10/summer-sun-by-r-l-stevenson/

#learningenglish #englishliterature #englishteacher #poetry #summer

#blog #learningenglish #englishliterature #englishteacher #poetry #summer

grammaticus @[email protected] · 2026-07-10 · 06:15 UTC

“Summer Sun” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer whose adventurous imagination and recognisable style made him one of the most celebrated authors of the Victorian era. Still widely read, he is nowadays best known for classic works of literature such as Treasure Island (1883) and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886).

Robert Louis Stevenson

In this post, however, we’ll get acquainted with one of his poems: “Summer Sun” was first published in 1885, as part of his collection titled A Child’s Garden of Verses. In it, the poet personifies the Sun, presenting him as “the gardener of the World” — a kind presence that brings life, warmth, and gladness to all living things.

Below the poem you’ll find a vocabulary exercise and discussion points designed for English language learners. For more summer-related poetry posts, please click on the links at the bottom of the page.

Great is the sun, and wide he goes
Through empty heaven without repose;
And in the blue and glowing days
More thick than rain he showers his rays.

Though closer still the blinds we pull
To keep the shady parlour cool,
Yet he will find a chink or two
To slip his golden fingers through.

The dusty attic spider-clad,
He, through the keyhole, maketh glad;
And through the broken edge of tiles,
Into the laddered hay-loft smiles.

Meantime his golden face around
He bares to all the garden ground,
And sheds a warm and glittering look
Among the ivy's inmost nook.

Above the hills, along the blue,
Round the bright air with footing true,
To please the child, to paint the rose,
The gardener of the World, he goes.

VOCABULARY EXERCISE

Find the nouns in the poem with the following meaning:

a sitting room, a drawing room
a small, quiet space; a corner
a period of resting and relaxation
a small, narrow opening
a window covering used to control light and privacy

Click here for the answer key.

DISCUSSION POINTS

What kind of mood or feeling does the poem create? Is it energetic, calm, or something else?
In many cultures, the Sun is presented as a “he” — a masculine figure, while the Moon is often presented as a “she”. Why is that, do you think?
This poem is set in summer. How might the poet describe the winter sun?

MORE SUMMER-THEMED POEMS

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

#English #EnglishLiterature #EnglishVocabulary #learningEnglish #literature #poem #poetry #readingComprehension #readingSkills #RobertLouisStevenson #summer

#english #englishliterature #englishvocabulary #learningenglish #literature #poem

grammaticus @[email protected] · 2026-07-10 · 06:15 UTC

“Summer Sun” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer whose adventurous imagination and recognisable style made him one of the most celebrated authors of the Victorian era. Still widely read, he is nowadays best known for classic works of literature such as Treasure Island (1883) and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886).

Robert Louis Stevenson

In this post, however, we’ll get acquainted with one of his poems: “Summer Sun” was first published in 1885, as part of his collection titled A Child’s Garden of Verses. In it, the poet personifies the Sun, presenting him as “the gardener of the World” — a kind presence that brings life, warmth, and gladness to all living things.

Below the poem you’ll find a vocabulary exercise and discussion points designed for English language learners. For more summer-related poetry posts, please click on the links at the bottom of the page.

Great is the sun, and wide he goes
Through empty heaven without repose;
And in the blue and glowing days
More thick than rain he showers his rays.

Though closer still the blinds we pull
To keep the shady parlour cool,
Yet he will find a chink or two
To slip his golden fingers through.

The dusty attic spider-clad,
He, through the keyhole, maketh glad;
And through the broken edge of tiles,
Into the laddered hay-loft smiles.

Meantime his golden face around
He bares to all the garden ground,
And sheds a warm and glittering look
Among the ivy's inmost nook.

Above the hills, along the blue,
Round the bright air with footing true,
To please the child, to paint the rose,
The gardener of the World, he goes.

VOCABULARY EXERCISE

Find the nouns in the poem with the following meaning:

a sitting room, a drawing room
a small, quiet space; a corner
a period of resting and relaxation
a small, narrow opening
a window covering used to control light and privacy

Click here for the answer key.

DISCUSSION POINTS

What kind of mood or feeling does the poem create? Is it energetic, calm, or something else?
In many cultures, the Sun is presented as a “he” — a masculine figure, while the Moon is often presented as a “she”. Why is that, do you think?
This poem is set in summer. How might the poet describe the winter sun?

MORE SUMMER-THEMED POEMS

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

#English #EnglishLiterature #EnglishVocabulary #learningEnglish #literature #poem #poetry #readingComprehension #readingSkills #RobertLouisStevenson #summer

#english #englishliterature #englishvocabulary #learningenglish #literature #poem

grammaticus @[email protected] · 2026-07-10 · 06:15 UTC

“Summer Sun” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer whose adventurous imagination and recognisable style made him one of the most celebrated authors of the Victorian era. Still widely read, he is nowadays best known for classic works of literature such as Treasure Island (1883) and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886).

Robert Louis Stevenson

In this post, however, we’ll get acquainted with one of his poems: “Summer Sun” was first published in 1885, as part of his collection titled A Child’s Garden of Verses. In it, the poet personifies the Sun, presenting him as “the gardener of the World” — a kind presence that brings life, warmth, and gladness to all living things.

Below the poem you’ll find a vocabulary exercise and discussion points designed for English language learners. For more summer-related poetry posts, please click on the links at the bottom of the page.

Great is the sun, and wide he goes
Through empty heaven without repose;
And in the blue and glowing days
More thick than rain he showers his rays.

Though closer still the blinds we pull
To keep the shady parlour cool,
Yet he will find a chink or two
To slip his golden fingers through.

The dusty attic spider-clad,
He, through the keyhole, maketh glad;
And through the broken edge of tiles,
Into the laddered hay-loft smiles.

Meantime his golden face around
He bares to all the garden ground,
And sheds a warm and glittering look
Among the ivy's inmost nook.

Above the hills, along the blue,
Round the bright air with footing true,
To please the child, to paint the rose,
The gardener of the World, he goes.

VOCABULARY EXERCISE

Find the nouns in the poem with the following meaning:

a sitting room, a drawing room
a small, quiet space; a corner
a period of resting and relaxation
a small, narrow opening
a window covering used to control light and privacy

Click here for the answer key.

DISCUSSION POINTS

What kind of mood or feeling does the poem create? Is it energetic, calm, or something else?
In many cultures, the Sun is presented as a “he” — a masculine figure, while the Moon is often presented as a “she”. Why is that, do you think?
This poem is set in summer. How might the poet describe the winter sun?

MORE SUMMER-THEMED POEMS

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

#English #EnglishLiterature #EnglishVocabulary #learningEnglish #literature #poem #poetry #readingComprehension #readingSkills #RobertLouisStevenson #summer

#english #englishliterature #englishvocabulary #learningenglish #literature #poem

grammaticus @[email protected] · 2026-07-10 · 06:15 UTC

“Summer Sun” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer whose adventurous imagination and recognisable style made him one of the most celebrated authors of the Victorian era. Still widely read, he is nowadays best known for classic works of literature such as Treasure Island (1883) and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886).

Robert Louis Stevenson

In this post, however, we’ll get acquainted with one of his poems: “Summer Sun” was first published in 1885, as part of his collection titled A Child’s Garden of Verses. In it, the poet personifies the Sun, presenting him as “the gardener of the World” — a kind presence that brings life, warmth, and gladness to all living things.

Below the poem you’ll find a vocabulary exercise and discussion points designed for English language learners. For more summer-related poetry posts, please click on the links at the bottom of the page.

Great is the sun, and wide he goes
Through empty heaven without repose;
And in the blue and glowing days
More thick than rain he showers his rays.

Though closer still the blinds we pull
To keep the shady parlour cool,
Yet he will find a chink or two
To slip his golden fingers through.

The dusty attic spider-clad,
He, through the keyhole, maketh glad;
And through the broken edge of tiles,
Into the laddered hay-loft smiles.

Meantime his golden face around
He bares to all the garden ground,
And sheds a warm and glittering look
Among the ivy's inmost nook.

Above the hills, along the blue,
Round the bright air with footing true,
To please the child, to paint the rose,
The gardener of the World, he goes.

VOCABULARY EXERCISE

Find the nouns in the poem with the following meaning:

a sitting room, a drawing room
a small, quiet space; a corner
a period of resting and relaxation
a small, narrow opening
a window covering used to control light and privacy

Click here for the answer key.

DISCUSSION POINTS

What kind of mood or feeling does the poem create? Is it energetic, calm, or something else?
In many cultures, the Sun is presented as a “he” — a masculine figure, while the Moon is often presented as a “she”. Why is that, do you think?
This poem is set in summer. How might the poet describe the winter sun?

MORE SUMMER-THEMED POEMS

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

#English #EnglishLiterature #EnglishVocabulary #learningEnglish #literature #poem #poetry #readingComprehension #readingSkills #RobertLouisStevenson #summer

#summer #robertlouisstevenson #readingskills #readingcomprehension #poetry #poem

grammaticus @[email protected] · 2026-07-10 · 06:15 UTC

“Summer Sun” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–1894) was a Scottish novelist, poet, and travel writer whose adventurous imagination and recognisable style made him one of the most celebrated authors of the Victorian era. Still widely read, he is nowadays best known for classic works of literature such as Treasure Island (1883) and Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886).

Robert Louis Stevenson

In this post, however, we’ll get acquainted with one of his poems: “Summer Sun” was first published in 1885, as part of his collection titled A Child’s Garden of Verses. In it, the poet personifies the Sun, presenting him as “the gardener of the World” — a kind presence that brings life, warmth, and gladness to all living things.

Below the poem you’ll find a vocabulary exercise and discussion points designed for English language learners. For more summer-related poetry posts, please click on the links at the bottom of the page.

Great is the sun, and wide he goes
Through empty heaven without repose;
And in the blue and glowing days
More thick than rain he showers his rays.

Though closer still the blinds we pull
To keep the shady parlour cool,
Yet he will find a chink or two
To slip his golden fingers through.

The dusty attic spider-clad,
He, through the keyhole, maketh glad;
And through the broken edge of tiles,
Into the laddered hay-loft smiles.

Meantime his golden face around
He bares to all the garden ground,
And sheds a warm and glittering look
Among the ivy's inmost nook.

Above the hills, along the blue,
Round the bright air with footing true,
To please the child, to paint the rose,
The gardener of the World, he goes.

VOCABULARY EXERCISE

Find the nouns in the poem with the following meaning:

a sitting room, a drawing room
a small, quiet space; a corner
a period of resting and relaxation
a small, narrow opening
a window covering used to control light and privacy

Click here for the answer key.

DISCUSSION POINTS

What kind of mood or feeling does the poem create? Is it energetic, calm, or something else?
In many cultures, the Sun is presented as a “he” — a masculine figure, while the Moon is often presented as a “she”. Why is that, do you think?
This poem is set in summer. How might the poet describe the winter sun?

MORE SUMMER-THEMED POEMS

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

#English #EnglishLiterature #EnglishVocabulary #learningEnglish #literature #poem #poetry #readingComprehension #readingSkills #RobertLouisStevenson #summer

#english #englishliterature #englishvocabulary #learningenglish #literature #poem

Jes - Lamia Escura 📜 🎲 🌒 @[email protected] · 2026-07-07 · 17:14 UTC

Prazas dispoñibles para xogar unha aventura practicando inglés:

Beatrice, the daughter of Carlile, languishes in her bed. Nobody knows what is wasting her away. Can you measure up?

You can play TTRPGs and practice English!

#lodelrol #learningenglish #ttrpg #ttrpgs

Jes - Lamia Escura 📜 🎲 🌒 @[email protected] · 2026-07-07 · 17:14 UTC

Prazas dispoñibles para xogar unha aventura practicando inglés:

Beatrice, the daughter of Carlile, languishes in her bed. Nobody knows what is wasting her away. Can you measure up?

You can play TTRPGs and practice English!

#lodelrol #learningenglish #ttrpg #ttrpgs

Jes - Lamia Escura 📜 🎲 🌒 @[email protected] · 2026-07-07 · 17:14 UTC

Prazas dispoñibles para xogar unha aventura practicando inglés:

Beatrice, the daughter of Carlile, languishes in her bed. Nobody knows what is wasting her away. Can you measure up?

You can play TTRPGs and practice English!

#ttrpgs #ttrpg #learningenglish #lodelrol

Jes - Lamia Escura 📜 🎲 🌒 @[email protected] · 2026-07-07 · 17:14 UTC

Prazas dispoñibles para xogar unha aventura practicando inglés:

Beatrice, the daughter of Carlile, languishes in her bed. Nobody knows what is wasting her away. Can you measure up?

#englishteacher #learningenglish #americanliterature #shortstory #nature #naturewriting

You can play TTRPGs and practice English!

#lodelrol #learningenglish #ttrpg #ttrpgs

hugo. @[email protected] · 2026-07-01 · 11:49 UTC

I’m happy to present another title in the Grammaticus Free Library series. This time it's “Squirrel”, a charming story written by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman.

The PDF comes with vocabulary notes and a grammar exercise on non-standard, dialectal forms used by the author - all of which are explained in the accompanying blog post.

To get your copy, go to https://grammaticus.blog/2026/07/01/free-ebook-squirrel/

hugo. @[email protected] · 2026-07-01 · 11:49 UTC

I’m happy to present another title in the Grammaticus Free Library series. This time it's “Squirrel”, a charming story written by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman.

The PDF comes with vocabulary notes and a grammar exercise on non-standard, dialectal forms used by the author - all of which are explained in the accompanying blog post.

To get your copy, go to https://grammaticus.blog/2026/07/01/free-ebook-squirrel/

#englishteacher #learningenglish #americanliterature #shortstory #nature #naturewriting

hugo. @[email protected] · 2026-07-01 · 11:49 UTC

I’m happy to present another title in the Grammaticus Free Library series. This time it's “Squirrel”, a charming story written by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman.

The PDF comes with vocabulary notes and a grammar exercise on non-standard, dialectal forms used by the author - all of which are explained in the accompanying blog post.

To get your copy, go to https://grammaticus.blog/2026/07/01/free-ebook-squirrel/

#englishteacher #learningenglish #americanliterature #shortstory #nature #naturewriting

hugo. @[email protected] · 2026-07-01 · 11:49 UTC

I’m happy to present another title in the Grammaticus Free Library series. This time it's “Squirrel”, a charming story written by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman.

The PDF comes with vocabulary notes and a grammar exercise on non-standard, dialectal forms used by the author - all of which are explained in the accompanying blog post.

To get your copy, go to https://grammaticus.blog/2026/07/01/free-ebook-squirrel/

#englishteacher #learningenglish #americanliterature #shortstory #nature #naturewriting

#naturewriting #nature #shortstory #americanliterature #learningenglish #englishteacher

hugo. @[email protected] · 2026-07-01 · 11:49 UTC

I’m happy to present another title in the Grammaticus Free Library series. This time it's “Squirrel”, a charming story written by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman.

The PDF comes with vocabulary notes and a grammar exercise on non-standard, dialectal forms used by the author - all of which are explained in the accompanying blog post.

To get your copy, go to https://grammaticus.blog/2026/07/01/free-ebook-squirrel/

#englishteacher #learningenglish #americanliterature #shortstory #nature #naturewriting

grammaticus @[email protected] · 2026-07-01 · 11:31 UTC

Free ebook: “Squirrel” by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman

I’m happy to present another title in the Grammaticus Free Library series: “Squirrel” by Mary E. Wilkins Freeman.

Mary E. Wilkins Freeman (1852–1930) was a prominent American writer whose finely crafted short stories set in rural New England explored themes of domestic duty and women’s struggles, while also commenting on the natural world and our intimate connection with the animal and plant life. She is still remembered as one of the leading voices of American realism of the late 19th century.

Her short story “Squirrel” tells of a devoted pair of squirrels who claim ownership of an English walnut tree, quietly harvesting its nuts each year while the elderly farmer and his wife remain puzzled by the tree’s seemingly perpetual barrenness.

Apart from the customary vocabulary notes, this ebook contains a simple exercise on some of the dialectal grammar forms used by the author and which may sound confusing to English language learners. The answer key with relevant explanations can be found at the bottom of this post, under Grammar Explainer.

To download your free PDF copy, please click on the link below:

CLICK HERE FOR FREE DOWNLOAD

GRAMMAR EXPLAINER

At the end of the PDF file, there’s an exercise drawing the readers’ attention to some of the non-standard, dialectal grammar forms used in the story. And here’s a brief explainer on those key features:

“Seems as if them nuts must drop off that tree and be picked up,” said the Farmer, “but there ain’t no boys.”

Standard English: “It seems as if those nuts must have dropped off that tree and been picked up,” said the Farmer, “but there aren’t any boys.”

Seems < It seems…

“It” is often omitted at the beginning of a sentence in spoken English, for various reasons. Here we have an example of omission in impersonal statements introduced by verbs such as “seem” and “look.”

Looks nice!

Seems good to me.

them < those

In many dialects, such as Appalachian English and African American Vernacular English, “them” is regularly used as a demonstrative instead of “those.”

Them boys are crazy!

I don’t know him well, he’s one of them people.

must drop off… be picked up < must have dropped off… have been picked up

Tenses and structures requiring the Past Participle are often formed irregularly in spoken language. Here we have the auxiliary verb “have” completely ommitted, and then bare infinitives used after the modal verb “must.” You’ll notice the inconsistent use of past tense forms, too (it’s there in “picked” but not in “drop”).

ain’t no < aren’t any

“Ain’t” is a commonly used informal contraction replacing various negative forms of the auxiliary verbs:

That ain’t true. = That isn’t true.

I ain’t got no money. = I haven’t got / I don’t have any money.

It goes with “no” rather than “any”, forming a double negative (which is otherwise avoided in standard English).

“What d’ye think?” he said. “It was them Squirrels that have stole all them English walnuts.”

Standard English: “What do you think?” he said. “It was those Squirrels that have stolen all those English walnuts.”

d’ye < do you

“Ye” is still used in a number of dialects as the informal plural form of “you.” Here it’s further contracted with “do.”

them < those

Same as in the previous quote.

have stole < have stolen

Another example of irregular formation of a tense formed using the Past Participle (in this case, the Present Perfect Simple tense).

“Be you the thief?” he asked.

Standard English: “Are you the thief?” he asked.

be < are

Also typical of Appalachian, as well as African American Vernacular English and other dialects, here we have the use of “be” instead of “is” or “are” in the present tenses (both Present Simple and Present Continuous).

Be he ready? = Is he ready?

I be going now. = I am going now.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the short story, and that these irregular grammar forms weren’t too confusing. They just go to show that there’s a lot more going on in the English grammar apart from what is taught in formal classes!

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

Mathew Schwartz auf Unsplash

#AmericanLiterature #dialects #ebook #EnglishGrammar #EnglishLiterature #EnglishTeacher #EnglishVocabulary #freeDownload #freebie #grammar #learningEnglish #natureWriting #readingComprehension #readingSkills #shortStory

#americanliterature #dialects #ebook #englishgrammar #englishliterature #englishteacher

Hiroko Yamaguchi @[email protected] · 2026-06-15 · 02:38 UTC

(Review)
I couldn't pronounce the "R" sound in words like "Really" properly, which messed up the rhythm. It was a mess.

I wanted to pronounce "But" more softly and casually, but I couldn't do it.

The long sentences at the end were tough.

I'm generally bothered by the Japanese-style vowels and intonation.

#LearningEnglish #EnglishPractice #BlindAcupuncturist

#learningenglish #englishpractice #blindacupuncturist

Hiroko Yamaguchi @[email protected] · 2026-06-15 · 02:38 UTC

(Review)
I couldn't pronounce the "R" sound in words like "Really" properly, which messed up the rhythm. It was a mess.

I wanted to pronounce "But" more softly and casually, but I couldn't do it.

The long sentences at the end were tough.

I'm generally bothered by the Japanese-style vowels and intonation.

#LearningEnglish #EnglishPractice #BlindAcupuncturist

#learningenglish #englishpractice #blindacupuncturist

Hiroko Yamaguchi @[email protected] · 2026-06-15 · 02:38 UTC

(Review)
I couldn't pronounce the "R" sound in words like "Really" properly, which messed up the rhythm. It was a mess.

I wanted to pronounce "But" more softly and casually, but I couldn't do it.

The long sentences at the end were tough.

I'm generally bothered by the Japanese-style vowels and intonation.

#LearningEnglish #EnglishPractice #BlindAcupuncturist

#learningenglish #englishpractice #blindacupuncturist

Hiroko Yamaguchi @[email protected] · 2026-06-15 · 02:38 UTC

(Review)
I couldn't pronounce the "R" sound in words like "Really" properly, which messed up the rhythm. It was a mess.

I wanted to pronounce "But" more softly and casually, but I couldn't do it.

The long sentences at the end were tough.

I'm generally bothered by the Japanese-style vowels and intonation.

#LearningEnglish #EnglishPractice #BlindAcupuncturist

#blindacupuncturist #englishpractice #learningenglish

Hiroko Yamaguchi @[email protected] · 2026-06-15 · 02:00 UTC

I really want to connect with the world.
My goal is to connect with the world.
I wanna build connections globally.
But I am struggling to improve my ENglish.
So, I am starting a project that I post simple English messages little by little and read them in my voice.

#EnglishPractice #LearningEnglish #Blindacupuncturist

#englishpractice #learningenglish #blindacupuncturist

Hiroko Yamaguchi @[email protected] · 2026-06-15 · 02:00 UTC

I really want to connect with the world.
My goal is to connect with the world.
I wanna build connections globally.
But I am struggling to improve my ENglish.
So, I am starting a project that I post simple English messages little by little and read them in my voice.

#EnglishPractice #LearningEnglish #Blindacupuncturist

#englishpractice #learningenglish #blindacupuncturist

Hiroko Yamaguchi @[email protected] · 2026-06-15 · 02:00 UTC

I really want to connect with the world.
My goal is to connect with the world.
I wanna build connections globally.
But I am struggling to improve my ENglish.
So, I am starting a project that I post simple English messages little by little and read them in my voice.

#EnglishPractice #LearningEnglish #Blindacupuncturist

#englishpractice #learningenglish #blindacupuncturist

Hiroko Yamaguchi @[email protected] · 2026-06-15 · 02:00 UTC

I really want to connect with the world.
My goal is to connect with the world.
I wanna build connections globally.
But I am struggling to improve my ENglish.
So, I am starting a project that I post simple English messages little by little and read them in my voice.

#EnglishPractice #LearningEnglish #Blindacupuncturist

#blindacupuncturist #learningenglish #englishpractice

Hiroko Yamaguchi @[email protected] · 2026-06-15 · 02:00 UTC

I really want to connect with the world.
My goal is to connect with the world.
I wanna build connections globally.
But I am struggling to improve my ENglish.
So, I am starting a project that I post simple English messages little by little and read them in my voice.

#EnglishPractice #LearningEnglish #Blindacupuncturist

#englishpractice #learningenglish #blindacupuncturist

penguen @[email protected] · 2026-06-05 · 09:00 UTC

Crash refers to a sudden, violent collision or the act of falling or breaking down. For example, "The car lost control and had a crash with the tree." It's a word that can describe everything from vehicles to computer failures! 🇬🇧 #WordOfTheDay #Vocabulary #LearningEnglish #LanguageLovers #EnglishLanguage #Crash

#wordoftheday #vocabulary #learningenglish #languagelovers #englishlanguage #crash

Begrepen.be @[email protected] · 2026-05-21 · 07:52 UTC

Every language has its own pitfalls. In this video we explored the common mistakes native Dutch speakers make when learning English. How many of these do you recognise?
https://youtu.be/chjr-zS2ZqM?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=fedica-videos-NL
#learningenglish #begrepen #onderwijs #education #EFL

#learningenglish #begrepen #onderwijs #education #efl

エミリーの英会話スタディ @[email protected] · 2026-03-30 · 09:22 UTC

【英語初心者】ネイティブキャンプやってみた/初回レッスンに苦戦/Japanese /Native Camp English conversation【オンライン英会話】

https://www.emilyenglishstudy.com/%e3%80%90%e8%8b%b1%e8%aa%9e%e5%88%9d%e5%bf%83%e8%80%85%e3%80%91%e3%83%8d%e3%82%a4%e3%83%86%e3%82%a3%e3%83%96%e3%82%ad%e3%83%a3%e3%83%b3%e3%83%97%e3%82%84%e3%81%a3%e3%81%a6%e3%81%bf%e3%81%9f-%e5%88%9d/?feed_id=5482&_unique_id=69ca40bc395ba&Mastodon

#Cambly #learningEnglish #Nativecamp #NativeCamp #オススメ #オンライン英会話 #ネイティブキャンプ #やってみた #初回レッスン #初心者 #効果 #失敗 #英語初心者 #英語勉強法 #英語学習法 #英語...

#cambly #learningenglish #nativecamp #オススメ #オンライン英会話 #ネイティブキャンプ

hugo. @[email protected] · 2026-03-21 · 09:58 UTC

It's the spring equinox and the time for another quarterly ebook. This time it's a short story by Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941).

"Departure" is about a young man leaving his small hometown to begin a new life in a big city. As he sets off, thoughts about the familiar people and places fill him with melancholy.

It’s a bittersweet story that I hope you will enjoy! As always, there are vocabulary explanations in the footnotes.

Visit the Grammaticus website today to get you free PDF: https://grammaticus.blog/2026/03/21/free-ebook-departure-by-sherwood-anderson

#literature #shortstory #reading #americanliterature #englishteacher #learningenglish #books #ebooks

#literature #shortstory #reading #americanliterature #englishteacher #learningenglish

hugo. @[email protected] · 2026-03-21 · 09:58 UTC

It's the spring equinox and the time for another quarterly ebook. This time it's a short story by Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941).

"Departure" is about a young man leaving his small hometown to begin a new life in a big city. As he sets off, thoughts about the familiar people and places fill him with melancholy.

It’s a bittersweet story that I hope you will enjoy! As always, there are vocabulary explanations in the footnotes.

Visit the Grammaticus website today to get you free PDF: https://grammaticus.blog/2026/03/21/free-ebook-departure-by-sherwood-anderson

#literature #shortstory #reading #americanliterature #englishteacher #learningenglish #books #ebooks

#literature #shortstory #reading #americanliterature #englishteacher #learningenglish

hugo. @[email protected] · 2026-03-21 · 09:58 UTC

It's the spring equinox and the time for another quarterly ebook. This time it's a short story by Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941).

"Departure" is about a young man leaving his small hometown to begin a new life in a big city. As he sets off, thoughts about the familiar people and places fill him with melancholy.

It’s a bittersweet story that I hope you will enjoy! As always, there are vocabulary explanations in the footnotes.

Visit the Grammaticus website today to get you free PDF: https://grammaticus.blog/2026/03/21/free-ebook-departure-by-sherwood-anderson

#literature #shortstory #reading #americanliterature #englishteacher #learningenglish #books #ebooks

#literature #shortstory #reading #americanliterature #englishteacher #learningenglish

hugo. @[email protected] · 2026-03-21 · 09:58 UTC

It's the spring equinox and the time for another quarterly ebook. This time it's a short story by Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941).

"Departure" is about a young man leaving his small hometown to begin a new life in a big city. As he sets off, thoughts about the familiar people and places fill him with melancholy.

It’s a bittersweet story that I hope you will enjoy! As always, there are vocabulary explanations in the footnotes.

Visit the Grammaticus website today to get you free PDF: https://grammaticus.blog/2026/03/21/free-ebook-departure-by-sherwood-anderson

#literature #shortstory #reading #americanliterature #englishteacher #learningenglish #books #ebooks

#ebooks #books #learningenglish #englishteacher #americanliterature #reading

hugo. @[email protected] · 2026-03-21 · 09:58 UTC

It's the spring equinox and the time for another quarterly ebook. This time it's a short story by Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941).

"Departure" is about a young man leaving his small hometown to begin a new life in a big city. As he sets off, thoughts about the familiar people and places fill him with melancholy.

It’s a bittersweet story that I hope you will enjoy! As always, there are vocabulary explanations in the footnotes.

Visit the Grammaticus website today to get you free PDF: https://grammaticus.blog/2026/03/21/free-ebook-departure-by-sherwood-anderson

#literature #shortstory #reading #americanliterature #englishteacher #learningenglish #books #ebooks

#literature #shortstory #reading #americanliterature #englishteacher #learningenglish

grammaticus @[email protected] · 2026-03-21 · 08:00 UTC

Free ebook: “Departure” by Sherwood Anderson

Dear all,

It’s the spring equinox and the time for another quarterly ebook. This time it’s a short story by Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941), American novelist and short story writer best known for his book ” Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life.”

Departure comes from that same collection of stories. It’s about a young man leaving his small hometown to begin a new life in a big city. As he’s leaving, thoughts about the familiar people and places fill him with melancholy. It’s a bittersweet story that I hope you will enjoy!

To get your PDF copy with vocabulary notes, please click on the link below:

If you’d like to access more ebooks, visit the English Library section of this website.

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the box below. You can also subscribe to my free monthly Newsletter and get a regular recap with additional content.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

#AmericanLiterature #ebook #English #EnglishLiterature #EnglishVocabulary #freeDownload #freebie #learningEnglish #literature #readingComprehension #readingSkills #shortStory

#americanliterature #ebook #english #englishliterature #englishvocabulary #freedownload

grammaticus @[email protected] · 2026-03-21 · 08:00 UTC

Free ebook: “Departure” by Sherwood Anderson

Dear all,

It’s the spring equinox and the time for another quarterly ebook. This time it’s a short story by Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941), American novelist and short story writer best known for his book ” Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life.”

Departure comes from that same collection of stories. It’s about a young man leaving his small hometown to begin a new life in a big city. As he’s leaving, thoughts about the familiar people and places fill him with melancholy. It’s a bittersweet story that I hope you will enjoy!

To get your PDF copy with vocabulary notes, please click on the link below:

If you’d like to access more ebooks, visit the English Library section of this website.

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the box below. You can also subscribe to my free monthly Newsletter and get a regular recap with additional content.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

#AmericanLiterature #ebook #English #EnglishLiterature #EnglishVocabulary #freeDownload #freebie #learningEnglish #literature #readingComprehension #readingSkills #shortStory

#americanliterature #ebook #english #englishliterature #englishvocabulary #freedownload

grammaticus @[email protected] · 2026-03-21 · 08:00 UTC

Free ebook: “Departure” by Sherwood Anderson

Dear all,

It’s the spring equinox and the time for another quarterly ebook. This time it’s a short story by Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941), American novelist and short story writer best known for his book ” Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life.”

Departure comes from that same collection of stories. It’s about a young man leaving his small hometown to begin a new life in a big city. As he sets off, thoughts about the familiar people and places fill him with melancholy. It’s a bittersweet story that I hope you will enjoy!

To get your PDF copy with vocabulary notes, please click on the link below:

If you’d like to access more ebooks, visit the English Library section of this website.

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the subscribe box below.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

#AmericanLiterature #ebook #English #EnglishLiterature #EnglishVocabulary #freeDownload #freebie #learningEnglish #literature #readingComprehension #readingSkills #shortStory

#americanliterature #ebook #english #englishliterature #englishvocabulary #freedownload

grammaticus @[email protected] · 2026-03-21 · 08:00 UTC

Free ebook: “Departure” by Sherwood Anderson

Dear all,

It’s the spring equinox and the time for another quarterly ebook. This time it’s a short story by Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941), American novelist and short story writer best known for his book ” Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life.”

Departure comes from that same collection of stories. It’s about a young man leaving his small hometown to begin a new life in a big city. As he’s leaving, thoughts about the familiar people and places fill him with melancholy. It’s a bittersweet story that I hope you will enjoy!

To get your PDF copy with vocabulary notes, please click on the link below:

If you’d like to access more ebooks, visit the English Library section of this website.

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the box below. You can also subscribe to my free monthly Newsletter and get a regular recap with additional content.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT

#AmericanLiterature #ebook #English #EnglishLiterature #EnglishVocabulary #freeDownload #freebie #learningEnglish #literature #readingComprehension #readingSkills #shortStory

#shortstory #readingskills #readingcomprehension #literature #learningenglish #freebie

grammaticus @[email protected] · 2026-03-21 · 08:00 UTC

Free ebook: “Departure” by Sherwood Anderson

Dear all,

It’s the spring equinox and the time for another quarterly ebook. This time it’s a short story by Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941), American novelist and short story writer best known for his book ” Winesburg, Ohio: A Group of Tales of Ohio Small Town Life.”

Departure comes from that same collection of stories. It’s about a young man leaving his small hometown to begin a new life in a big city. As he’s leaving, thoughts about the familiar people and places fill him with melancholy. It’s a bittersweet story that I hope you will enjoy!

To get your PDF copy with vocabulary notes, please click on the link below:

If you’d like to access more ebooks, visit the English Library section of this website.

NOTES

I’m a freelance language tutor (English, Latin, Classical Greek), researcher, and a literary scholar currently based in Belgrade, Serbia.

If you wish to receive new content from my blog – as soon as it’s published – please enter your email address in the box below. You can also subscribe to my free monthly Newsletter and get a regular recap with additional content.

To support my work, you can send me a donation via PayPal. It would be greatly appreciated!

COVER PHOTO CREDIT