The zero-bills home: how one family is beating the energy price hikes
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EN: The preposition 'by' is commonly used after verbs of increase or decrease (such as increase, decrease, rise, drop) to express the margin or extent of change.
House prices in the area increased by ten percent over the last year.
EN: The present continuous tense ('are now paying') is used here to describe a current, ongoing situation or trend that has developed recently, especially combined with the adverb 'now'.
Many consumers are now choosing electric vehicles instead of petrol cars.
EN: In the UK, household energy costs are closely regulated by Ofgem (the energy regulator), which updates an 'Energy Price Cap' periodically. Consequently, news reports frequently discuss percentage increases in energy bills, as domestic heating and electricity expenses are a major component of the British cost of living.
EN: The verb 'predict' is followed by a that-clause acting as a noun clause (direct object) to report what is foreseen. The modal auxiliary 'could' expresses possibility rather than certainty.
Economists predicted that inflation could slow down later this year.
EN: The preposition 'by' is used with verbs of increase or decrease (e.g., rise, increase, drop) to specify the margin or amount of change.
Housing prices increased by five percent within two months.
EN: In the UK, household energy costs are heavily influenced by the energy price cap set by Ofgem (the energy regulator), which is reviewed quarterly (January, April, July, October). Predicted price hikes in January often cause concern because winter is the peak season for household heating.
EN: The Present Perfect tense ('has found') is formed using 'has/have' + past participle. It is used here to describe an action that happened recently or in the unspecified past, and whose result is directly relevant to the current situation.
Scientists have found a potential solution to clean ocean plastics.
EN: The pattern 'a way to + verb' uses an infinitive ('to avoid') as an adjective to modify the noun 'way', describing what kind of method or opportunity is being referred to.
She is looking for a way to improve her public speaking skills.
EN: Milton Keynes is a prominent 'new town' in Buckinghamshire, England, built in the late 1960s. Known for its grid road system and modern urban planning, it is often a testing ground for innovative infrastructure, eco-friendly homes, and modern technological trials in the UK.
EN: Compound adjectives formed by a number and a singular noun (e.g., 'four-bedroom') function as pre-nominal modifiers. Even though the number is plural, the noun remains singular because it acts as part of the adjective hyphenated compound.
They decided to rent a three-story apartment near the station.
EN: Prepositional phrases with 'with' denote accompaniment or association. In this sentence, 'with her husband and three young children' modifies the verb 'lives', showing who shares the living space.
David lives in an old cottage with his grandparents.
EN: In the UK housing market, residential properties are predominantly categorized and marketed by the number of bedrooms (e.g., 'a three-bedroom semi-detached house', 'a four-bedroom detached') rather than by total floor area (square meters/feet), which gives an immediate sense of the home's scale and suitability for a family.
EN: The pattern 'be careful about + noun/clause' is used to express taking care or being cautious regarding a specific matter. Here, it is followed by a wh-clause ('how much energy they used') acting as the preposition's object.
You should be careful about what you share on social media.
EN: The embedded question 'how much energy they used' functions as a noun clause. Unlike direct questions, embedded wh-clauses follow statement word order (Question word/phrase + Subject + Verb) rather than inverted order.
I don't know how much money he spent on that car.
EN: In the UK, household energy costs and winter fuel poverty have been major public concerns following significant increases in the energy price cap. Families frequently take strict measures—such as lowering thermostats, using hot-water bottles, and limiting appliance use—to keep winter heating bills affordable.
EN: The infinitive of purpose ('to + verb') is used to express why an action is done. Here, 'to stay warm' indicates the reason for filling hot-water bottles and using blankets.
She wore a thick coat to keep warm in the snow.
EN: The pattern 'spend [money/time] on [something]' is used to describe expending resources on a specific item or activity. 'Heating' here functions as a gerund/noun.
They decided not to spend extra money on eating out.
EN: In the UK, 'hot-water bottles' (rubber containers filled with hot water and encased in fleece or knitted covers) are a traditional, cost-effective way to warm beds during cold winter nights. With soaring energy tariffs, many British households have relied on such personal heating methods rather than turning on central heating.
EN: The present perfect tense ('have changed') is used here to describe an action or event that occurred at an unspecified time in the recent past and has strong relevance or consequences in the present.
Technology has changed the way we communicate with each other.
EN: The adverb 'dramatically' modifies the verb phrase 'have changed', indicating that the change is sudden, striking, and substantial in scale.
Prices dropped dramatically after the holiday season.
EN: In British news reporting, family case studies (referred to as 'the [Surname] family') are commonly used to humanize broader economic issues, such as the UK cost-of-living and energy crisis.
EN: The passive voice is formed using 'be + past participle' (was upgraded / was installed). It is used when the focus is on the recipient of the action or the result, rather than who performed it.
The old school building was completely renovated last year.
EN: A defining relative clause begins with the relative pronoun 'that' (or 'which') to give essential information identifying a noun ('a large battery that was installed...'). Here, 'that' acts as the subject of the relative clause.
He bought a laptop that was manufactured in Japan.
EN: In the UK, rising fossil-fuel energy costs have led to government and private initiatives supporting 'green retrofitting'. Combining rooftop solar panels, heat pumps (replacing traditional gas boilers), and home batteries allows households to generate, store, and consume self-sustaining clean energy.
EN: The passive voice in the past simple ('were' + past participle 'added') is used when the action is more important than who performed it, or when the agent is unknown or obvious from context.
Several solar panels were installed on the roof yesterday.
EN: The adverb 'also' is placed between the auxiliary verb ('were') and the main verb ('added') in passive constructions, meaning 'in addition' or 'too'.
A new battery was also connected to the system.
EN: In the UK, most homes rely on wet central heating systems using hot-water radiators fixed to walls. When upgrading to heat pumps (which run at lower water temperatures than traditional gas boilers), larger or additional radiators are often installed to ensure rooms stay sufficiently warm.
EN: The phrasal verb 'turn [something] into [something]' means to transform or change someone or something into a different state, form, or role. It is often used with the present perfect tense ('has turned into') to show a completed change that impacts the present.
The community has turned the abandoned lot into a vibrant park.
EN: The phrase 'something like' is used as an informal qualifier meaning 'approximately', 'similar to', or 'resembling'. It softens the comparison when something is not literally that object but functions very much like it.
The new portable gadget looks something like a small smartphone.
EN: In the UK, many houses are old, poorly insulated, and rely on gas heating, making them vulnerable to surging energy tariffs. 'Retrofitting'—installing modern green energy tech such as solar panels, air-source heat pumps, and home storage batteries into existing properties—has become a central strategy for UK homeowners trying to achieve energy independence and achieve 'net zero' living.
EN: The verb 'allow' commonly follows the pattern 'allow + object + to-infinitive', meaning to give permission or make it possible for someone/something to do an action.
Smart home technology allows us to monitor our power usage remotely.
EN: The phrase 'one's own' (here 'its own') is used to emphasize that something belongs exclusively to or is done directly by the subject, rather than relying on external sources.
The greenhouse grows its own vegetables all year round.
EN: In the UK, the rising cost of living and energy crisis has led many homeowners to invest in 'retrofitting'—adding modern green tech like solar PV panels, heat pumps, and home storage batteries to existing older houses to reach net-zero energy bills.
EN: A restrictive relative clause introduced by 'that' is used here to define and specify the noun 'excess energy'. In this clause, 'that' functions as the direct object of the verb 'produces'.
The electricity that the solar panels generate is completely free.
EN: The passive voice pattern 'is + past participle' (is sent) is used when the focus is on what happens to the energy rather than who or what sends it.
Surplus power is fed back into the national supply system.
EN: In the UK and many European countries, households with solar panels can sell surplus electricity back to the National Grid under schemes like the Smart Export Guarantee (SEG). This process helps balance the wider energy system and allows homeowners to earn credits or offset costs.
EN: "Because of" is a compound preposition followed by a noun phrase (e.g., "this system"), expressing a reason or cause. Unlike the conjunction "because", it cannot be directly followed by a subject-verb clause.
Because of the heavy snow, the flight was delayed.
EN: The relative pronoun "which" introduces a restrictive relative clause that modifies the antecedent "tariff". Here, "which" functions as the subject of the verb "guarantees".
She signed a contract which guarantees a fixed interest rate.
EN: In the UK energy market, a "tariff" refers to the specific pricing plan or contract for gas and electricity (e.g., fixed tariff, standard variable tariff). British suppliers like Octopus Energy frequently introduce innovative green tariffs tied to home renewable technologies such as solar and heat pumps.
EN: The 'There is / There are' structure is an existential construction used to state that something exists. Here, 'There' acts as an expletive (dummy) subject, followed by the singular linking verb 'is' because the logical subject 'one condition' is singular.
There is a strict rule that all visitors must observe.
EN: A relative clause (adjective clause) introduced by the relative pronoun 'that' modifies the noun 'condition'. In this clause, 'that' functions as the direct object of the transitive verb 'follow' ('the family must follow [the condition]').
This is a policy that every employee should understand.
EN: The structure 'need + to-infinitive' expresses an obligation or necessity. 'Stay within' acts as a phrasal verb meaning to remain below a particular threshold or limit.
Drivers must stay within the speed limit in residential areas.
EN: Past participle phrase as a post-modifier: 'set by the energy company' is a reduced relative clause (short for 'which is set by...') that modifies the noun phrase 'a fair usage limit'.
The rules established by the school apply to everyone.
EN: In the UK energy and telecoms sectors, a 'fair usage limit' (or 'fair usage policy', FUP) is a common clause. Even on 'unlimited' or 'zero-bill' promotional tariffs, suppliers prevent excessive consumption or commercial misuse by capping free usage at reasonable domestic levels.
EN: "As long as" is a subordinating conjunction used to introduce a condition, meaning "only if" or "on the condition that". Like other conditional clauses (first conditional pattern), the clause introduced by "as long as" uses the present simple tense ("do") to refer to the future, while the main clause uses "will/will not" + base verb.
As long as you return the book tomorrow, you can borrow it.
EN: "Will not be billed" is a future passive construction (will + not + be + past participle). The verb "bill" means to charge someone for goods or services. Here, the subjects ("they") receive the action of being charged, so the passive voice is used.
You will not be charged any extra fees for this service.
EN: In the UK, heating and electricity bills are major concerns during winter due to cold temperatures and energy price volatility. Innovative green-energy programs (such as zero-bill guarantees via solar, batteries, and heat pumps) allow families to fix or eliminate home energy costs, provided they adhere to fair usage policies.
EN: The phrasal verb 'look forward to' means to anticipate something with pleasure. In this construction, 'to' is a preposition, not an infinitive marker, which means it must be followed by a noun, pronoun, or gerund (-ing form).
We are looking forward to meeting you next week.
EN: In indirect speech or reported statements, the conjunction 'that' introducing a noun clause can often be omitted after reporting verbs like 'say', 'think', or 'believe'. Here, 'Naylor says [that] she is...'.
He says he will arrive on time.
EN: In the UK, winter energy bills are a major topic of concern due to cold temperatures and high heating costs. While many families dread winter utility spikes, families with retrofitted energy-efficient homes often look forward to staying warm comfortably without financial stress.
EN: The adjective phrase 'careful with' followed by a noun means taking care not to waste, damage, or misuse something. Adverbs of degree like 'fairly' or frequency like 'always' are placed before the adjective/verb to modify intensity and frequency.
He has always been fairly careful with his monthly budget.
EN: In reported speech with direct quotation, the reporting clause (subject + verb, e.g., 'she explains') often appears after the quoted statement. A comma separates the direct quote from the reporting clause.
"The project will finish on time," the manager confirmed.
EN: In British English, 'fairly' is a common downtoner used to soften a statement, meaning 'moderately' or 'quite'. Being 'careful with energy' or heating is a very common topic of discussion among British households due to historically high utility tariffs and older, less energy-efficient housing stock.
EN: The combination 'only ever' is used as an emphatic adverbial phrase to mean 'never at any time other than' or 'strictly limited to'. It emphasizes that an action or state never exceeded a particular limit in the past.
He only ever drinks water with his meals.
EN: The non-defining relative clause introduced by ', which' refers back to the entire preceding clause ('heat the house before the children come home from school') rather than just a single noun, functioning as a sentential relative clause.
She passed her driving test on the first try, which surprised everyone.
EN: In the UK, 18°C (around 64°F) is commonly cited by the NHS and energy advisors as the minimum recommended room temperature for healthy adults during winter. Setting heating strictly to 18°C reflects stringent budget-conscious behavior often prompted by the UK energy crisis.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
Energy from a source that is not depleted when used, such as wind or solar power.
An interconnected network for delivering electricity from producers to consumers.
To feel excited or pleased about something that is going to happen.
Provided that; only if.