“My home is my castle.”
An English saying
“A house is not a home.”
An English saying
“My home is my castle” means we can do what we want when we are at home. Our home is our place, and we can be free to do what we like there. “A house is not a home” is another English saying. It means that a house is just a physical construction, but a home is not just a building. It is a place full of memories and love.
HOME vs. HOUSE
So, a home is a place where you or your whole family live. It can also be a place where you feel good and safe. You belong there (= you feel happy and comfortable there):
Is Brian at home? – No, he is at school.
I am not ready to leave home now. (to leave home is to stop living with your family)
I want to call home and tell my mom that I’m OK.
I like to stay at home and read books.
A house is a building:
I want to buy a house.
Where is your house? – At the end of the street.
This house is big.
The house has its own swimming pool.
Both home and house have some other meanings. For example:
My grandfather lives in an old people’s home. (= a place where people who need special care live)
Don’t yell. You will wake the whole house up. (= the people who live in a house)
The opera house is very beautiful. (= a theater for operas)
I’M HOME vs. I’M AT HOME
We say “I’m home” when we walk through the door to tell people in the house/apartment that we have arrived. We say “I’m at home” when somebody asks us, “Where are you?”
USEFUL PHRASES
- Feel at home: I feel at home in my new job. (= I feel comfortable, happy and confident in my new job.)
- A home away from home (American English) / a home from home (British English): This town is like a home away from home. I am very happy and comfortable here.
- Make yourself at home (you say it to your guests so that they feel welcome and relaxed in your house/apartment)
- The home of something: Italy is the home of good food. (= you usually find good food in Italy)
HOUSES
A. Ranch /rɑːntʃ/ house
1. driveway
2. garage /ɡəˈrɑːʒ/
3. TV antenna /ænˈtenə/
4. roof
5. deck
B. Colonial-style house
6. porch
7. window
8. shutter
9. chimney /ˈtʃɪmni/
HOMEWORK vs. HOUSEWORK
Homework is work that teachers give students to do at home:
I do homework in my room.
When I finish my homework, I can watch TV.
Housework is the work that you do to keep your house clean + washing, ironing, cooking, etc. Housework means the same as household chores (the household is your home and all about looking after it; chores are tasks such as cleaning, washing, and ironing that you regularly do at home):
I hate housework.
I always do housework on Saturdays.
In many houses men and women share household chores.
What household chores do you like?
HOUSEHOLD CHORES/HOUSEWORK:
- make the bed
- change the sheets
- do the laundry /ˈlɔːndri/
- sweep the floor
- fold the clothes
- pay the bills
- vacuum /ˈvækjuːm/ the carpet
- dust
- polish the furniture /ˈfɜːnɪtʃə/
- clean the sink
- scrub the toilet
- mop the floor
- empty the wastebasket
- shake out the rug
- weed the garden
- wash the car
- mow /məʊ/ the lawn /lɔːn/ /grass
- water the lawn
- take out/put out the trash
- rake the leaves
- do/wash the dishes
- do the cooking / cook
- dry the dishes
- put away the dishes
Materials used: “The New Oxford Picture Dictionary” by E.C. Parnwell, “The Heinle Picture Dictionary”
Enguroo Online English School 