‘It’s put the joy levels up’: the flood-prone London school with a climate-adapted playground
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EN: The suffix '-prone' is added to nouns to form adjectives meaning 'likely to suffer from' or 'tending to experience' something negative.
This area is accident-prone during the rainy season.
EN: The 'to-infinitive' (to + verb) is used here as an adverbial of purpose, explaining why the school got the new playground.
She saved money to buy a new laptop.
EN: In the UK, many older school buildings, especially in London, face infrastructure challenges due to climate change and urban density. 'Climate-adapted' spaces often refer to Sustainable Drainage Systems (SuDS) which use nature to manage rainwater, a growing trend in British urban planning.
EN: The Present Perfect Tense (has + past participle) is used here to describe a completed action that has a significant result in the present. It emphasizes the transformation that has occurred.
The city has built a new park to reduce air pollution.
EN: The phrasal verb 'transform A into B' means to completely change the appearance, form, or character of something into something else.
The artist transformed the old garage into a beautiful studio.
EN: In the UK, many older schools in cities like London face infrastructure challenges due to Victorian-era drainage systems and increasing extreme weather events. 'Climate-adapted' spaces are part of a growing movement to use 'Sustainable Drainage Systems' (SuDS) in urban planning.
EN: The phrase 'used to' is used to describe habits or states that existed in the past but no longer exist now. It is followed by the base form of the verb.
The students used to play on the old tarmac before the renovation.
EN: The phrasal verb 'suffer from' is used to indicate that someone is experiencing something unpleasant, such as a physical illness or a persistent problem like flooding.
Many urban areas suffer from air pollution.
EN: A 'Church of England school' is a state-funded school in England that has a formal link with the Church of England, often incorporating Christian values into its curriculum while following the national education standards.
EN: The conjunction 'because' is used to introduce a subordinate clause that provides the reason for the action or state described in the main clause.
The match was cancelled because it was raining heavily.
EN: The phrasal verb 'sit on' in this context means to be situated or located in a particular place or on a specific type of ground.
The old castle sits on a hill overlooking the village.
EN: London's geology is famous for 'London Clay,' which is impermeable and often leads to drainage issues in low-lying areas like Barnet, especially during heavy rainfall exacerbated by climate change.
EN: The modal verb 'would' is used here to describe a past habit or a repeated action in the past, similar to 'used to'.
Every summer, we would go to the beach for a week.
EN: The relative pronoun 'which' is used in a non-defining relative clause to refer back to the entire preceding clause ('Water would pool... and stay there...').
He passed the exam, which surprised everyone.
EN: Appositives are nouns or noun phrases that follow another noun to identify or explain it. Here, 'the school's headteacher' provides more information about 'Macci Dobie'.
Mr. Smith, my neighbor, is a doctor.
EN: Noun clauses starting with 'how' function as the object of a verb. In this sentence, 'how bad the situation was' is the object of the verb 'described'. Note that the word order follows a statement (Subject + Verb), not a question.
She explained how the machine works.
EN: In the UK, a 'headteacher' is the equivalent of a 'principal' in the US. The term is used for the person in charge of a primary or secondary school.
EN: The 'so + adjective + that' structure is used to express cause and effect, indicating that something is to such a degree that a particular result follows.
The music was so loud that I couldn't hear him speak.
EN: 'Had to' is the past tense of 'have to', used to express a necessity or obligation that existed in the past.
We had to cancel the picnic because of the rain.
EN: In the UK, 'collecting' children from school is a daily routine for parents of primary school pupils, as children of that age are usually not allowed to leave the school premises alone.
EN: The passive voice 'was forced to' indicates that the subject (the school) had no choice due to external circumstances. It is formed by 'be' + past participle.
The flight was forced to land early due to a technical issue.
EN: The conjunction 'because' introduces a subordinate clause that explains the reason for the action in the main clause.
The game was cancelled because it was raining heavily.
EN: In the UK, 'dismiss' is the formal term used when a school day ends and pupils are allowed to leave. 'Exits' refers to the various gates or doorways of the school grounds, which are often managed strictly for safety.
EN: The past participle 'named' is used here as a reduced relative clause (short for 'who was named') to modify the noun 'parent governor'. It functions like an adjective to provide more information about the person.
A boy named Jack found the lost wallet.
EN: The idiom 'take the lead' means to be the first to start doing something or to take control of a situation to guide others.
Our company decided to take the lead in reducing plastic waste.
EN: In the UK, a 'parent governor' is a parent elected to the school's governing body. They play a crucial role in decision-making and representing the interests of parents in school management, reflecting the high level of community involvement in British schools.
EN: The conjunction 'Because' is used to introduce a subordinate clause that provides the reason for the action in the main clause. In formal writing, when the 'Because' clause comes first, it is followed by a comma.
Because it was raining, we decided to stay home.
EN: The phrase 'be able to' is used to express ability or possibility, often implying that something was achieved despite challenges. In this sentence, 'was able to' indicates a successful outcome in the past.
After months of practice, she was able to run a marathon.
EN: In the UK, schools in high-risk environmental areas can apply for specific government grants for 'climate adaptation'. This reflects the UK government's increasing focus on urban resilience against climate change, especially in historic cities like London where drainage can be an issue.
EN: The phrase 'enlist the help of someone' means to ask for and get help or support from a person or organization, often for a specific project or cause.
The local council enlisted the help of volunteers to clean up the park.
EN: A relative clause starting with 'that' is used here as an adjective to provide more information about the noun 'charity'. This is a defining relative clause.
She works for a company that develops educational software.
EN: The organization 'Trees for Cities' is a real UK-based charity. In urban planning, 'green spaces' are increasingly seen as essential infrastructure for climate resilience, not just for aesthetics.
EN: The verb 'help' can be followed by an object and then either a bare infinitive (verb without 'to') or a 'to-infinitive'. Both 'help schools adapt' and 'help schools to adapt' are grammatically correct, though the bare infinitive is more common in modern English.
The teacher helps the students understand the lesson.
EN: The verb 'adapt' is often followed by the preposition 'to' to indicate the thing or situation one is adjusting to. It is an intransitive use here, meaning 'to change behavior or ideas to deal with a new situation'.
It takes time to adapt to a new environment.
EN: The 'climate crisis' is a term increasingly used by media and environmental organizations instead of 'climate change' to emphasize the urgency and severity of the global environmental situation.
EN: Appositives are nouns or noun phrases that follow another noun to provide additional information or identification. In this sentence, 'a landscape architect at Trees for Cities' identifies who Alfie Davies is.
Mr. Smith, my favorite teacher, is retiring next month.
EN: The past tense of the irregular verb 'lead' is 'led'. It is used here to describe a completed action in the past.
She led the team to victory in last year's competition.
EN: Trees for Cities is a real UK-based charity that focuses on improving lives by planting trees in cities. In the UK, many schools are historically linked to the Church of England, which is why 'St John's Church of England school' includes a religious reference in its name, though they serve the general community.
EN: The sentence uses a 'that-clause' as a noun clause to function as the direct object of the verb 'explained'. This structure is commonly used to report what someone said or thought.
She said that the project was a success.
EN: The phrase 'had to' is the past tense of 'have to', indicating a necessity or obligation that existed in the past.
We had to leave early because of the rain.
EN: In the context of urban planning and school design in the UK, 'functional' often implies a balance between safety, durability, and the specific developmental needs of children, especially in climate-resilient projects led by charities like Trees for Cities.
EN: The phrase 'take something away from someone' is a phrasal verb meaning to remove something or deprive someone of something.
The teacher took the phone away from the student.
EN: The relative clause 'they can use' modifies the pronoun 'something'. In English, the relative pronoun 'that' or 'which' is often omitted when it functions as the object of the clause.
This is the book I bought yesterday.
EN: In urban planning and school design, there is a strong emphasis on 'functional play'. This means that every element of a playground, even environmental features like rain gardens, should serve a purpose for the children's development and enjoyment.
EN: The First Conditional is used to talk about things which might happen in the future. It uses 'if' + present simple, followed by 'will' + base verb to show the likely result.
If it rains tomorrow, we will stay at home.
EN: The phrasal verb 'look after' means to take care of or be responsible for something or someone.
Please look after my plants while I am on holiday.
EN: In educational design, there is a strong belief that 'ownership' leads to better maintenance. If students feel a space belongs to them and is useful, they are more likely to respect and care for it, reducing vandalism or neglect.
EN: The phrase 'with [something] in mind' is an idiomatic prepositional phrase used to indicate that a specific thought or purpose is being considered while performing an action.
With the deadline in mind, she worked late into the night.
EN: The word 'that' introduces a relative clause (adjective clause) to provide more information about the noun 'stepping logs'. In this case, 'that' acts as the subject of the clause.
I bought a book that explains how to garden.
EN: A 'rain garden' is an environmentally friendly landscaping feature designed to manage stormwater runoff. It uses native plants and soil to soak up rain, preventing flooding in urban areas like London.
EN: The verb 'enjoy' is followed by a gerund (verb + -ing) when expressing an activity that someone likes doing.
The students enjoy playing football after school.
EN: A relative clause starting with 'that' is used here to provide more information about the noun 'soil beds'. The verbs 'contain' and 'help' both refer back to the soil beds.
I bought a book that explains history and provides maps.
EN: Rain gardens are a sustainable drainage system (SuDS) increasingly used in UK urban planning to manage surface water and prevent flooding in cities like London, which face challenges from heavy rainfall and non-porous surfaces.
EN: Present Perfect Passive: Formed using 'has/have + been + past participle'. It describes an action that started in the past and has a result in the present, focusing on the person or thing receiving the action.
The new library has been opened by the principal.
EN: The Passive Voice with 'by': In passive sentences, the 'agent' (the person or thing performing the action) is introduced using the preposition 'by'.
The cake was eaten by the dog.
EN: In British English, 'school community' refers not just to the students and teachers, but also to parents, governors, and local residents who are involved with the school's environment and activities.
EN: The sentence uses 'said' followed by an omitted 'that' to introduce a noun clause (reported speech). The present perfect tense 'have put' indicates that the action started in the past and has a result in the present.
The teacher said the students have finished their homework.
EN: The phrasal verb 'put something up' means to increase the level or amount of something.
The store has put the prices up this month.
EN: In British English, 'headteacher' is the standard term for the person in charge of a school, whereas in American English, 'principal' is more commonly used.
EN: The conjunction 'while' is used here to express two actions happening simultaneously. When followed by a present participle (-ing), it often implies that the subject of the main clause is performing both actions.
She listened to music while doing her homework.
EN: The 'that' clause functions as a noun clause serving as the direct object of the verb 'shows'. It introduces a complete statement or fact that is being demonstrated.
Research shows that regular exercise improves mental health.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
A garden designed to absorb and filter rainwater runoff from hard surfaces.
To take a position of leadership or control in a project or activity.
Modified or designed to withstand the effects of climate change.
To take care of or be responsible for something or someone.
Land that is at or near sea level and often prone to flooding.