Rise of the student commuters: weighing the costs of living at home or in halls
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EN: The phrase 'a growing number of + plural countable noun' functions as a plural subject, meaning that the following verb takes a plural form (e.g., 'have decided'). 'Growing' acts as a participle adjective modifying 'number'.
A growing number of people prefer working remotely.
EN: The conjunction 'while' introduces an adverbial clause of time, meaning 'during the time that' or 'at the same time as'. The present simple tense ('study') is used here to indicate an ongoing habitual state or routine.
He listened to music while he cleaned his room.
EN: Traditionally in the United Kingdom, going to university meant moving away from home and living in student halls or shared rented houses, which was seen as a key rite of passage into adulthood. However, rising living costs and rent prices have led to a noticeable cultural shift, where staying with parents ('commuter students') is becoming increasingly common.
EN: An appositive noun phrase (here: 'the university admissions service') is placed directly beside another noun ('Ucas') to rename, describe, or provide additional identifying information about it, typically set off by commas.
Dr. Miller, the head of the science department, announced the new research grant.
EN: The verb 'apply' is frequently followed by a full infinitive ('to study') to express the intended purpose or action being requested, forming the pattern 'apply to do something'.
Thousands of international candidates applied to join the exchange program.
EN: UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service) is the centralized organization through which almost all undergraduate applications in the UK are processed. Traditionally, British university culture strongly favors moving away from home to live in student dormitories or shared flats. The phrase 'study from home' highlights a major cultural shift where rising living costs are forcing more students to become 'commuter students'.
EN: Comparative structures with measurements: when stating the degree or extent of comparison, place the measurement (e.g., 'eight percent', 'two inches') directly before the comparative adjective (e.g., 'higher than').
Sales this quarter are ten percent lower than last quarter.
EN: Non-defining relative clauses with 'when': after a noun referring to a specific time or period (like 'the previous year'), a comma followed by 'when' adds extra descriptive information without restricting the identity of that time period.
He graduated in 2020, when the pandemic disrupted traditional ceremonies.
EN: In British higher education, moving away from home to live in university halls of residence (dorms) has traditionally been seen as a rite of passage. Reporting statistics on commuter students highlights a major cultural shift driven by modern economic pressures.
EN: The sentence uses the Present Perfect Passive ('have been identified'). This structure is formed by 'have/has + been + past participle' and is used to describe actions that have occurred in the past and remain relevant now, focusing on the receiver of the action rather than the doer.
Several potential solutions have been proposed by the committee.
EN: The pattern 'identify [something] as [something]' means to recognize or categorize something as a specific role or cause. In the passive voice, it becomes '[something] is identified as [something]'.
Lack of sleep has been identified as a major cause of stress.
EN: In the UK, university culture has traditionally emphasized moving away from home and living in student halls or shared rented housing. However, the recent 'cost of living crisis' in Britain has made rent and maintenance costs significantly higher, pushing a record number of students to commute from their family homes instead.
EN: An appositive is a noun or noun phrase placed next to another noun to rename or describe it. Here, 'a second-year business student' is set off by commas and provides additional information about the subject 'Lucy Brazier'.
David, an experienced graphic designer, helped us redesign the company website.
EN: The conjunction 'because' introduces an adverbial clause of reason ('because she lives near the campus'), explaining why the action in the main clause ('commutes to the University of Essex') occurs.
Mark walks to work because his apartment is very close to the office.
EN: Traditionally in the UK, university students move away from home to live in university halls of residence or shared student housing. However, rising living costs have led to an increase in 'commuter students' who continue living with family and travel to campus daily.
EN: The gerund 'commuting' functions as the subject of the noun clause ('commuting was an easy decision'). Gerunds (verb + -ing) act as nouns and always take singular verbs.
Cooking at home saves a lot of money.
EN: The conjunction 'after' introduces an adverbial time clause ('after she compared...'), explaining when the realization or decision took place relative to the action of comparison.
He chose this course after he spoke to several graduates.
EN: In British English, 'student halls' (short for 'halls of residence') refers to university-provided student dormitories. Living in halls during the first year is a quintessential UK university tradition, making the choice to commute a notable shift in student lifestyle.
EN: A defining relative clause starting with 'that' modifies the noun phrase 'overnight rooms'. It provides essential information identifying what kind of rooms are offered.
The hotel provides free shuttle buses that run every thirty minutes.
EN: Passive voice with a modal verb follows the structure 'modal (can) + be + past participle (booked)'. It focuses on the action being possible rather than specifying who performs it.
Tickets can be purchased online before the event.
EN: In the UK, many universities that traditionally emphasized full-time, on-campus residency are introducing flexible, low-cost short-stay accommodation for 'commuter students' (students who live at home to save on high rent). Thirty-five pounds per night is considered very economical compared to standard commercial hotel rates in Britain.
EN: The present perfect tense ('has used') connects a past action or experience with the present. Here, it indicates that Brazier has had the experience of using the service up to the present moment.
He has visited the campus library several times this semester.
EN: A non-defining relative clause introduced by 'which' (preceded by a comma) can refer back to an entire previous clause or situation, rather than just a single preceding noun. The parenthetical phrase 'she says' is embedded within it.
The train was delayed for an hour, which was quite frustrating.
EN: In the UK, university life has traditionally revolved around moving away from home into student halls or shared flats. With the rise of commuter students, some universities now provide low-cost 'overnight rooms' or flexible guest accommodation so students can still participate in evening social life or avoid early morning travel on exam days.
EN: The present continuous tense ('are now adapting') is used here to describe an ongoing trend or gradual change happening around the present moment.
Many companies are adapting to hybrid working models this year.
EN: The infinitive of purpose ('to meet...') explains why the action is taking place, answering 'for what purpose?'. The phrase 'meet the needs of' is a common collocation meaning to satisfy requirements.
The school updated its library to meet the needs of modern learners.
EN: Traditionally in the UK, university students left home to live in halls of residence or rented shared houses as an essential rite of passage. Due to soaring rent and cost of living pressures, 'commuter students' (students who live with their parents and travel to campus) have become a prominent and growing demographic, prompting universities to adapt class schedules and facilities.
EN: An appositive phrase is a noun or noun phrase that immediately follows another noun to rename or describe it. Here, 'the chief executive of Universities UK' is set off by commas to explain who 'Vivienne Stern' is.
Mr. Davis, the principal of the high school, gave an inspiring speech.
EN: A noun clause introduced by 'that' functions as the direct object of a reporting verb such as 'says', 'believes', or 'thinks'. It expresses what was stated.
The report suggests that online education is becoming more popular.
EN: Universities UK (UUK) is the collective advocacy organisation representing over 140 universities across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Traditionally in the UK, going to university meant moving away from home and living in halls of residence; this cultural norm is shifting due to rising living costs, leading more students to commute.
EN: The sentence uses a noun clause introduced by 'that' as the direct object of the reporting verb 'explains'. Inside this clause, another clause modifies 'resources' using a relative clause ('that are designed...').
He mentioned that the company provides training sessions that are tailored for beginners.
EN: The relative pronoun 'who' introduces a defining relative clause ('who have longer journeys or other responsibilities') modifying the noun 'students'.
The library offers quiet areas for students who need to concentrate on exam preparation.
EN: In British higher education, 'timetables' refers to academic class schedules. Traditionally, UK undergraduate degrees expect students to live on campus or in nearby private rented housing. With rising living costs, UK universities are shifting toward supporting 'commuter students' through condensed block teaching (e.g., all lectures on two fixed days a week) rather than spreading classes thinly across five days.
EN: The sentence uses the present perfect passive voice ('have been reorganised'). It is formed with 'have/has + been + past participle' and is used to describe an action completed in the past that has a direct relevance or result in the present, while focusing on the receiver of the action rather than the doer.
The library schedule has been changed to support working students.
EN: 'So that' is a subordinating conjunction used to indicate purpose or result ('in order that'). It is usually followed by a clause containing a subject and a modal verb or present/past tense verb.
We moved closer to the station so that we could save time on our commute.
EN: In the UK, traditional university culture heavily emphasized living away from home in student halls ('halls of residence'). However, due to the sharp rise in living costs, 'commuter students' (students who travel daily from their family home) have become much more common, prompting universities to adapt course timetables (e.g., consolidating lectures into fewer days).
EN: Non-defining relative clauses use commas to give extra, non-essential information about a noun. The relative pronoun 'who' refers to people and cannot be replaced by 'that' in non-defining clauses.
David, who recently joined our team, has won an international award.
EN: The present perfect continuous tense (has/have been + verb-ing) indicates an action that started in the past and is still continuing into the present, often accompanied by 'for' or 'since' to show duration.
She has been working on this research project for six months.
EN: The National Union of Students (NUS) is a confederation of student unions in the United Kingdom, representing several million students. Its leadership often comments publicly on government educational policy, tuition fees, and student living costs.
EN: The conjunction 'that' introduces a noun clause functioning as the direct object of the verb 'believes'. In spoken English, 'that' is often optional, but in formal or written English it is commonly retained.
He believes that regular exercise improves mental health.
EN: The idiom 'play a role (in something)' means to be an involved factor or to have an effect on a situation. Here it is used in the present perfect tense ('have played a role') to describe an ongoing or relevant influence.
Diet and sleep have also played a role in his recovery.
EN: Traditionally, UK university students almost universally left home to live in halls or private rentals, making 'moving away' a key rite of passage. Campbell's comment highlights a significant cultural shift where living at home is no longer seen merely as an economic compromise, but also as a normal personal and lifestyle choice.
EN: The structure 'the idea of + V-ing' uses a gerund phrase after the preposition 'of' to define or explain the specific content of the noun 'idea'.
The idea of working from home appeals to many employees.
EN: The passive pattern 'be seen as + adjective/noun' means 'to be regarded or considered as something'. The adverb 'no longer' modifies the verb phrase to indicate that a past state has ceased.
Owning a car is no longer seen as a necessity in the city.
EN: Historically in the UK, going to university was considered a rite of passage that involved moving away from home and living independently in halls of residence. Rising living and accommodation costs have shifted this cultural expectation, making commuting and living with parents increasingly common and normalized.
EN: The conjunction 'as' is used here to indicate a proportional change or simultaneous progression, meaning 'in proportion to the way in which' or 'while'. It connects the adverbial clause of progression ('As commuting becomes more common') to the main clause.
As technology advances, remote work is becoming more accessible.
EN: The structure 'how + subject + verb' acts as a noun clause functioning as the direct object of the verb 'change'. Here, 'how they deliver education' means 'the way in which they deliver education'.
The manager explained how we should handle customer complaints.
EN: In the UK, the traditional university experience has historically involved moving away from home to live in student halls or shared housing. However, rising living costs have fueled the rise of 'commuter students' who stay at home, prompting universities to modernize schedules and digital learning.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
only a short time before something happens, without much advance warning
to satisfy the requirements or demands of someone or something
to have an active part in an event, process, or situation; to be an influencing factor
a college or university student who lives off-campus and travels to classes rather than living in student housing
the stress or difficulty caused by not having enough money or facing high expenses