Nelson Mandela: The Long Walk Begins
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EN: The Passive Voice (be + past participle) is used here because the subject 'a boy' receives the action of birth rather than performing it. In English, we always say someone 'was born' using the past tense of 'to be'.
She was born in a small town in Italy.
EN: Prepositional Phrases of Time and Place: 'In 1918' (time) and 'in a small village' (place) provide context. When both appear, the specific location usually follows the time or vice versa depending on emphasis.
In 2010, they moved to a new house.
EN: The sentence introduces the birth of Nelson Mandela. South Africa in 1918 was under British colonial rule, and the mention of a 'small village' (specifically Mvezo) highlights his humble beginnings before becoming a global icon for justice.
EN: Appositive: A noun or noun phrase (Rolihlahla) placed next to another noun (His birth name) to identify or explain it. It is usually set off by commas.
My best friend, Sarah, is a talented musician.
EN: Present Tense for Facts: The simple present tense 'means' is used here because the definition of a name is a permanent fact or general truth.
The word 'aloha' means both hello and goodbye.
EN: Xhosa is one of the official languages of South Africa, known for its distinctive 'click' sounds. In many African cultures, names carry significant meaning and are often chosen to reflect the circumstances of birth or the parents' hopes.
EN: The sentence uses a 'Ditransitive Verb' (give), which takes two objects: an indirect object (him) and a direct object (the English name 'Nelson'). The pattern is: Subject + Verb + Indirect Object (person) + Direct Object (thing).
My friend sent me a beautiful postcard from Japan.
EN: The prepositional phrase 'at his school' acts as an adjective modifying the noun 'teacher', specifying which teacher is being discussed.
The woman in the red dress is my aunt.
EN: In colonial South Africa, it was a common practice for teachers to give African students English names because African names were often considered difficult for colonial authorities to pronounce. Mandela's birth name, Rolihlahla, means 'pulling the branch of a tree' or colloquially 'troublemaker'.
EN: The structure 'the first/second/last + noun + to-infinitive' is used to specify a person's order or rank in performing an action. The infinitive 'to attend' acts as an adjective modifying 'the first'.
She was the last person to leave the office.
EN: The preposition 'under' is used here to describe being subject to a particular system, law, or regime.
The country flourished under the new leadership.
EN: The 'colonial system' refers to the period when South Africa was under British and Dutch influence, which eventually led to the formal system of apartheid. Education for Black South Africans during this time was often limited and designed to reinforce colonial structures.
EN: The sentence uses the Past Simple tense ('moved', 'studied') to describe completed actions in the past. The conjunction 'and' connects two independent clauses that share the same subject ('Mandela').
She moved to London and worked as a designer.
EN: The phrase 'to become' is an infinitive of purpose, explaining 'why' the action of studying was performed.
He practiced hard to win the race.
EN: Johannesburg is the largest city in South Africa and was a central hub for the anti-apartheid movement. For a Black South African like Mandela, moving there to study law was a significant step toward challenging the systemic inequality of the time.
EN: Compound Subject: When two or more nouns or pronouns are joined by 'and', they form a compound subject. In this sentence, 'He and Oliver Tambo' acts as a single plural unit that performs the action.
Sarah and her brother visited the museum yesterday.
EN: Ordinal Adjectives with Nouns: The word 'first' is an ordinal number used as an adjective to specify the position of the 'law firm' in a sequence. It is typically preceded by the definite article 'the'.
This is the first time I have traveled abroad.
EN: In the context of apartheid-era South Africa, the establishment of a Black law firm was a revolutionary act. It provided legal representation for Black citizens who were systematically oppressed by the legal system itself.
EN: The sentence uses a compound object structure where the verb 'saw' is followed by a noun phrase ('the injustice of apartheid') and a noun clause ('how it humiliated Black people'). This allows the speaker to connect a concrete observation with a descriptive process.
She realized the importance of the task and how it would help the community.
EN: The word 'how' functions as a subordinating conjunction to introduce an indirect question or noun clause, explaining the manner or extent of an action within the main sentence.
I don't understand how the machine works.
EN: 'Apartheid' was a system of institutionalized racial segregation that existed in South Africa from 1948 until the early 1990s. The word means 'apartness' in Afrikaans. Understanding this context is crucial to grasping the emotional weight of Mandela's struggle.
EN: The phrase 'dedicate something to doing something' uses 'to' as a preposition, which means it must be followed by a noun or a gerund (V-ing). It indicates committing resources or effort to a specific cause.
She dedicated her career to improving public education.
EN: The preposition 'against' is used here to indicate opposition or resistance to a system or force.
The citizens protested against the new tax law.
EN: Apartheid was a system of institutionalized racial segregation that existed in South Africa from 1948 until the early 1990s. The term 'segregation' refers to the forced separation of different racial groups in daily life.
EN: The 'to-infinitive' (to + base verb) is used here as an adverbial of purpose to explain 'why' the action in the main clause was performed.
She studied hard to pass the entrance exam.
EN: Apposition: The phrase 'or ANC' is an appositive, providing an alternative name or clarification for the preceding noun phrase 'the African National Congress'.
My brother, a talented musician, lives in London.
EN: The African National Congress (ANC) is South Africa's governing political party and was the primary organization that fought against apartheid. Mandela's involvement in the ANC was a pivotal turning point in his life and the nation's history.
EN: The sentence uses the Past Simple tense ('organized') to describe completed actions in the past. It also features a compound object ('protests and demonstrations') connected by the coordinating conjunction 'and'.
She coordinated meetings and workshops for the new project.
EN: The preposition 'against' is used here to indicate opposition or resistance to a specific system or set of rules (apartheid laws).
The citizens voted against the new tax law.
EN: 'Apartheid' is an Afrikaans word meaning 'separateness'. It refers to the institutionalized system of racial segregation and discrimination in South Africa from 1948 until the early 1990s. Mandela's peaceful protests were a key part of the anti-apartheid movement.
EN: Adverbial Clause of Time: The sentence begins with a dependent clause introduced by 'When', which sets the temporal context for the main action. In B2 level English, this is often used to show a cause-and-effect relationship or a sequence of events.
When the negotiations broke down, the workers decided to strike.
EN: Phrasal Verb 'Turn to': This means to start doing or using something, especially something bad or difficult, because you are in a bad situation. It is followed by a noun or a gerund.
He turned to crime after losing his job.
EN: In the context of the South African anti-apartheid struggle, 'sabotage' refers to a specific strategic shift by the ANC. After decades of non-violent protest were met with state violence (like the Sharpeville Massacre), Mandela and others felt that symbolic attacks on infrastructure (not people) were the only way to force the government to negotiate.
EN: The verb 'avoid' is followed by a gerund (verb-ing) to indicate the action that is being prevented or escaped. It cannot be followed by an infinitive (to + verb).
You should avoid driving during the rush hour to save time.
EN: The coordinating conjunction 'but' is used to connect two independent clauses that show a contrast or an unexpected result.
The weather was cold, but we decided to go for a walk anyway.
EN: The ANC (African National Congress) was the primary organization fighting against apartheid. This sentence reflects the strategic shift from non-violence to 'armed struggle' (sabotage), while emphasizing their initial intent to minimize human casualties, distinguishing their actions from terrorism.
EN: Passive Voice (be + past participle): Used when the focus is on the recipient of the action rather than the doer. Here, 'was sentenced' emphasizes the legal judgment imposed on Mandela.
The suspect was arrested by the police last night.
EN: Prepositional Phrase of Reason (for + noun phrase): The preposition 'for' is used to indicate the reason or cause for a punishment or reward.
He was famous for his bravery during the war.
EN: The 'resistance' refers to the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. Mandela's sentencing in 1964 occurred during the Rivonia Trial, a pivotal moment in history that eventually led to the end of racial segregation in the country.
EN: The preposition 'for' is used to indicate a duration of time, showing how long an action or state lasts. It is often followed by a specific time period.
She lived in London for five years before moving to Paris.
EN: The past simple tense of the verb 'to be' (was/were) is used here to describe a state or identity that existed in the past and is now finished.
He was a famous musician in the 1980s.
EN: Robben Island is a historic site in South Africa where political prisoners, including Nelson Mandela, were held during the apartheid era. The number 46664 became a global symbol for Mandela; it signifies he was the 466th prisoner arrived in 1964.
EN: The structure 'spend + time + V-ing' is used to indicate how someone uses their time. The gerund (V-ing) functions as a complement to describe the activity performed during that period.
She spent the entire afternoon reading a novel by the window.
EN: Prepositional phrases (e.g., 'in a harsh quarry', 'under the South African sun') act as adverbials of place and condition, providing specific details about where and how the action occurred.
They worked hard under the heavy rain to finish the project.
EN: The 'harsh quarry' refers to the lime quarry on Robben Island where Mandela and other political prisoners were forced to perform hard labor. The reflection of the sun on the white lime caused permanent damage to Mandela's eyesight, a symbol of the physical toll of his long imprisonment.
EN: The 'so + adjective + that' structure is used to express cause and effect. It indicates that a quality (small) is so extreme that it results in a specific consequence.
The music was so loud that I couldn't hear what she was saying.
EN: The phrase 'by + gerund (-ing)' is used to describe the method or means by which an action is performed.
You can improve your English by practicing every day.
EN: This sentence describes the harsh conditions Nelson Mandela faced during his 18-year imprisonment on Robben Island. The small size of the cell (about 2.4m x 2.1m) became a symbol of the physical constraints of apartheid, contrasted with Mandela's mental resilience.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
To oppose or use effort to stop something bad from happening.
To start to do or use something, especially because other things have failed.
To be given a punishment of staying in prison for the rest of one's life.
To extend one's body or limbs to their full length.
A business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law.
Public meetings or marches at which people show that they are protesting against or supporting something.
A legal sentence that requires a person to remain in prison for the rest of their natural life.
An organized underground movement fighting against an occupying power or an oppressive government.
A small room in a prison where a prisoner is locked up.