Tell Me About Where You Grew Up
Used to for past habits and states + describing places. Maya tells the friends about Taipei: the night markets, the cafés near her university, and her grandmother's dumplings.
📖 Reading: Home, Far Away
One evening at Café Colibri, the conversation turns to home.
"I miss Taipei," says Maya quietly. "I grew up there. It's a completely different city to Toronto."
"Tell us about it," says Leo.
"It's big — about 2.5 million people — but it feels intimate. The streets are narrow and there's always something going on. I used to ride my scooter everywhere when I was a teenager."
"Did you used to live near the centre?" asks Priya.
"Yes, in Da'an District. Very green, lots of cafés and bookshops. I used to spend hours in one particular café near my university, just reading."
"Sounds like this place," says Leo with a smile.
"A little! But Taipei has night markets. Every neighbourhood has one. I used to go every Friday with my family. The food is incredible."
"Do you still go back often?" asks Omar.
"Once or twice a year. And every time I go back, something has changed. New buildings, new shops. But it still smells the same. And my grandmother still makes the same dumplings."
"Home is a feeling more than a place," says Priya softly.
"Exactly," says Maya. "And sometimes I feel it right here."
🔑 Vocabulary Box
Eight key words from this lesson.
| Word | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| intimate | Having a warm, friendly, private feeling | adj. — The city feels intimate despite its size. |
| scooter | A small, light motorcycle or motorized bicycle | n. — She used to ride her scooter everywhere. |
| night market | An outdoor market that opens in the evening, popular in Asia | n. — Taipei has amazing night markets. |
| dumpling | A small ball of dough cooked with a filling, common in Asian cuisine | n. — Her grandmother still makes dumplings. |
| nostalgia | A sentimental longing for the past | n. — The story has a feeling of nostalgia. |
| neighbourhood | An area of a city where people live | n. — Every neighbourhood has a night market. |
| incredible | Extremely good; amazing | adj. — The food at the night market is incredible. |
| softly | In a quiet, gentle voice | adv. — Priya speaks softly. |
📚 Key Verbs in This Lesson | |
to grow up | She grew up in Taipei. / Where did you grow up? |
used to + verb | She used to ride a scooter. / I used to go every Friday. |
to miss | I miss Taipei. / He misses his family. |
to smell (like) | It still smells the same. / Home smells like dumplings. |
📚 Grammar Focus
📚 Used To — Past Habits and States | |
Positive | I used to ride my scooter. / She used to go to night markets. |
Negative | I didn't use to like spicy food. / He didn't use to cook. |
Question | Did you use to live near the centre? (Note: no "d" in question form) |
Meaning | A habit or state that was true in the past but is not true now. |
Describing a Place
📚 Describing a Place | |
Size & population | It's a big city. / About 2.5 million people. |
Character & feel | It feels intimate / lively / quiet / fast-paced / relaxed. |
What it has | There are lots of cafés / parks / night markets / old buildings. |
What it's like now vs before | It used to be... / Now it's... / It has changed a lot. |
🎭 Dialogue: Where Did You Grow Up?
The friends ask Omar about Amman, Jordan. He describes a city of seven hills and walks past Roman ruins on the way to school.
Omar, you've never talked much about Jordan. Tell us!
Amman is incredible. It's a city of hills — literally built on seven hills.
Did you use to live in the city centre?
Yes, in a neighbourhood called Jabal Amman. Very old, very beautiful.
Do you miss it?
Every day. I used to walk to school past ancient Roman ruins. Completely normal to me then.
Roman ruins! I used to walk past a convenience store.
Ha! But your convenience store had good coffee, I'm sure.
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
How big is Taipei, according to Maya?
What did Maya used to do near her university?
What did Maya used to do every Friday?
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
Maya ___ a scooter around Taipei as a teenager. (used to + ride)
She ___ hours in a café near her university. (used to + spend)
Her family ___ to the night market every Friday. (used to + go)
🎭 Now It's Your Turn — Role Play
Practice with a partner. Use the dialogue as a model.
- Student A: Describe your hometown to your partner as if they've never heard of it.
- Student B: Ask at least 5 questions: What is it like? Did you use to…? What do you miss? How has it changed?
- Then swap. Each person should speak for at least 2 minutes.
- Use: used to / I miss / It feels / There are / It has changed…