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Views #197 | Low-Intermediate 4

The Commute

Todd gives his thoughts about taking the train to work every day.

Script
Vocab
Quiz

Todd

One of the things that I really like about Japan is Japan has a really good train system. I take the train to work every morning and I take the train home every night. I like the trains because on the trains I can do what I want to do. I can read a book, read the newspaper, listen to music, study Japanese. It's really nice. I see my time on the train as my free-time, to do things that I like to do.

Also, the train saves me a lot of money. In Japan it's quite common for companies to pay for their employees train ticket, so I don't have to pay for commuting to work. And because I get to take the train every day, I don't need a car so I don't have to, for example pay, for gas, car registration, car maintenance, things like that. Also, I don't have to waste time for parking. The worst thing about the trains is that they're very crowded - very, very crowded, and sometimes it's hard to get a seat so you have to stand for a long time, and sometimes it smells a bit, but overall I like the trains and I'm really, really fortunate that Japan has such a good system.

Learn vocabulary from the lesson!

One thing I like is that

One of the things that I like about Japan is (that)Japan has a good train system.

This pattern is often used to organize ideas or to list ideas. Notice the following:

One thing I love about working online is that I save money on work clothes.
Another thing that I love is that I don't need to commute to work.

what I want to

I can do what I want to do.

This noun clause - what I want to - is similar to indefinite pronouns like anything and something. The word 'what' and 'whatever' have the same meaning in these patterns. Notice the following:

You can eat what you want to.
You can do whatever you want to.

see

I see my time on the train as my free-time.

Here, the verb 'see' means 'think' or 'feel' to express an opinion. Notice the following:

I see the situation differently.
I don't see it as a big problem.

things like that

for gas, car registration, car maintenance, things like that.

Here, the phrase 'things like that' means 'et cetera' or 'and so on' because there might be other examples the speaker does not mention. Notice the following:

I am also losing small items: coins, keys, pencils, things like that.
I like buying footwear: shoes, sandals, boots things like that.

really, really / very, very

I'm really, really fortunate that Japan has such a good system.

In English, speakers often repeat words, such as 'really, really' or 'very, very', to add emphasis. Notice the following: