--- title: Adult life — a course of Mova's primary school, with trees and pragmatics description: The grown-up world explained to a child: jobs and shifts, finding work and losing it, where money comes from, rent and bills, banks, cards and apps, borrowing and debt, moving house, things that break and the chores that never end. The lessons follow one family through ordinary weeks, so that Mova l --- [Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/) [home](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [corpora](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/) / [school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/) / Adult life # Adult life The grown-up world explained to a child: jobs and shifts, finding work and losing it, where money comes from, rent and bills, banks, cards and apps, borrowing and debt, moving house, things that break and the chores that never end. The lessons follow one family through ordinary weeks, so that Mova learns the words, the plans and the worries of adult life as a child first hears them. The adult life course of Mova's primary school: 62 lessons, 1226 sentences, each sentence with its syntax tree and pragmatics. Licence: [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) (Mova corpus 0.4). - [1](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/1-a-day-at-a-grown-ups-job/) — A day at a grown-up's job — 18 sentences · Most grown-ups spend about a third of their weekdays at work, and a lot of what you hear at home is that wor… - [2](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/2-shifts-nights-and-other-ways-of-working/) — Shifts, nights and other ways of working — 17 sentences · Not every grown-up works nine to five in an office; many work shifts, nights, part-time, for themselves, or… - [3](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/3-finding-a-job-and-getting-on/) — Finding a job and getting on — 18 sentences · Getting a job is a bit like trying out for a team: you send in your details, you go for a try-out, and often… - [4](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/4-when-work-goes-wrong/) — When work goes wrong — 17 sentences · Sometimes work goes wrong: a firm cuts jobs, a factory closes, someone is sacked, workers go on strike, or a… - [5](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/5-where-money-comes-from/) — Where money comes from — 18 sentences · Most of a family's money comes from pay for work, either wages by the hour or a salary for the year, arrivin… - [6](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/6-paying-for-a-home-and-the-bills/) — Paying for a home and the bills — 19 sentences · Living in a home costs money every single month, even when nobody buys anything new. - [7](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/7-cards-banks-and-apps/) — Cards, banks and apps — 19 sentences · Most grown-ups keep their money in a bank account, and most of it is never seen as notes and coins. - [8](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/8-borrowing-and-debt/) — Borrowing and debt — 22 sentences · Debt is money that has been borrowed and is still owed. - [9](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/9-when-money-is-tight/) — When money is tight — 19 sentences · Every family has spells when money is tight: after a big bill, when work hours are cut, or when prices rise… - [10](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/10-moving-house-and-renting-a-home/) — Moving house and renting a home — 18 sentences · Families move house for many reasons: a new job, more room, a cheaper rent, or because a tenancy ends. - [11](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/11-when-things-break/) — When things break: boilers, plumbers and paint — 17 sentences · A home is like a big machine with lots of parts: pipes, wires, a boiler, walls, a roof and bins that need em… - [12](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/12-cars-chores-and-the-shopping-list/) — Cars, chores and the shopping list — 15 sentences · Running a home is hundreds of small jobs: washing, cooking, shopping, remembering what has run out, looking… - [13](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/13-dates-engagements-and-weddings/) — Dates, engagements and weddings — 14 sentences · Some couples get engaged, which is a promise to marry, then plan a wedding, and after it go away on a honeym… - [14](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/14-grown-ups-who-argue-and-make-up/) — Grown-ups who argue and make up — 16 sentences · Grown-ups who love each other still disagree, sometimes loudly, because two people sharing a home, money and… - [15](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/15-when-parents-separate/) — When parents separate — 17 sentences · Sometimes parents are so unhappy together for so long that they decide to stop living as a couple; this is c… - [16](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/16-new-partners-and-step-families/) — New partners and step-families — 22 sentences · After parents split up, or after a mum or dad has died, a grown-up may meet someone new and fall in love aga… - [17](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/17-gran-cousins-and-the-whole-family/) — Gran, cousins and the whole wide family — 16 sentences · Your family is bigger than the people in your house: grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and relatives by… - [18](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/18-were-having-a-baby/) — We're having a baby! — 20 sentences · When a woman is pregnant, a baby grows inside her womb for about nine months before it is born. - [19](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/19-a-new-baby-in-the-house/) — A new baby in the house — 18 sentences · A newborn baby changes a whole house. - [20](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/20-the-doctor-and-the-chemist/) — Going to the doctor and the chemist — 21 sentences · When grown-ups are ill, they usually see the GP, the family doctor at the local surgery. - [21](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/21-hospitals-operations-and-serious-illness/) — Hospitals, operations and serious illness — 18 sentences · When someone in the family is ill or hurt, grown-ups use special hospital words that can sound frightening,… - [22](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/22-sore-backs-glasses-and-feeling-low/) — Sore backs, glasses and feeling low — 21 sentences · As grown-ups get older, their bodies need more looking after: backs ache, eyes struggle with small print, ea… - [23](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/23-when-grandma-and-grandad-need-more-help/) — When Grandma and Grandad need more help — 17 sentences · As people grow very old, their bodies and sometimes their minds get weaker, and they need more help with eve… - [24](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/24-when-someone-dies/) — When someone dies — 20 sentences · Every living thing dies one day. - [25](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/25-funerals-and-remembering/) — Funerals and remembering — 18 sentences · A funeral is a ceremony where family and friends say goodbye to someone who has died. - [26](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/26-what-people-leave-behind/) — What people leave behind — 16 sentences · When someone dies, their love and memories stay, but so do their things: money, a house, a car, a ring, a dr… - [27](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/27-coffee-tea-wine-and-the-pub/) — Coffee, tea, wine and the pub — 19 sentences · Many grown-ups drink things that change how they feel: coffee and tea wake them up, and alcohol, in wine, be… - [28](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/28-smoking-vaping-and-betting/) — Smoking, vaping and betting: habits that are hard to stop — 19 sentences · Some habits hook people: they give a quick good feeling, then the body or mind wants that feeling again and… - [29](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/29-screens-diets-sofas-and-late-nights/) — Screens, diets, sofas and late nights — 18 sentences · Grown-ups make rules for children about screens, food and sleep, and then often break the same rules themsel… - [30](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/30-police-courts-and-prison/) — Police, courts and prison — 17 sentences · Every country has laws, rules everyone must follow, and people whose job is to keep them: the police catch a… - [31](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/31-votes-parties-and-the-people-in-charge/) — Votes, parties and the people in charge — 18 sentences · In a democracy the grown-ups choose who runs the country and the town. - [32](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/32-bad-news-protests-and-helping-others/) — Bad news, protests and helping others — 21 sentences · The news shows the most urgent and often the worst things happening anywhere in the world, so it can feel as… - [33](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/33-neighbours-the-council-rules-and-fairness/) — Neighbours, the council, rules and fairness — 22 sentences · Living close to other people means sharing streets, walls, parking spaces and rules. - [34](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/34-when-grown-ups-are-tired-or-worried/) — When grown-ups are tired or worried — 21 sentences · Grown-ups get tired and worried too, even when they look as if they are coping with everything. - [35](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/35-closed-doors-whispers-and-secrets/) — Closed doors, whispers and secrets — 15 sentences · Sometimes grown-ups close a door, lower their voices or spell out words so children won't understand. - [36](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/36-big-feelings-in-big-people/) — Big feelings in big people — 21 sentences · Grown-ups have all the same feelings children have: anger, sadness, fear, loneliness, jealousy, embarrassmen… - [37](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/37-sorry-white-lies-and-because-i-said-so/) — Sorry, white lies and «because I said so» — 18 sentences · Grown-ups have a set of everyday phrases that do not always mean exactly what the words say: "We'll see", "B… - [38](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/38-looking-after-yourself-and-a-home/) — Looking after yourself and a home — 19 sentences · When you grow up and leave home, nobody else cooks, cleans, washes your clothes, pays the bills or sends you… - [39](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/39-money-work-and-the-big-choices/) — Money, work and the big choices — 19 sentences · Growing up brings big choices: how to look after money, what work to do, which exams and courses to take, wh… - [40](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/40-being-a-good-grown-up/) — Being a good grown-up — 15 sentences · Being a grown-up is not only paying bills and going to work; it is also about what kind of person you are wh… - [41](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/41-our-street-who-parked-where-and-who-won-what/) — Our street: who parked where and who won what — 28 sentences · Every street has its news: who parked where, whose dog barked, who has a new car. - [42](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/42-our-street-feuds-newcomers-and-stories-that-grow/) — Our street: feuds, newcomers and stories that grow — 21 sentences · A story passed from person to person is like a snowball rolling downhill: it picks up bits on the way. - [43](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/43-our-street-when-a-guess-becomes-a-reputation/) — Our street: when a guess becomes a reputation — 25 sentences · A reputation is what people think you are like. - [44](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/44-the-royal-family-in-the-news-a-wedding-a-move-to-america-an-interview-and-a-book/) — The royal family in the news: a wedding, a move to America, an interview and a book — 23 sentences · The British royal family is the most gossiped-about family in the world. - [45](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/45-the-royal-family-in-the-news-a-queens-death-a-coronation-titles-lost-and-illnesses-announced/) — The royal family in the news: a queen's death, a coronation, titles lost and illnesses announced — 23 sentences · When a famous person is ill, people online rush to guess. - [46](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/46-tabloids-sources-close-to-and-the-photo/) — Tabloids, «sources close to» and the photo that tells a story — 20 sentences · Grown-ups love a bit of celebrity gossip: the magazine by the shop till, the app on the phone, the clip ever… - [47](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/47-viral-rumours-cancellations-fakes-and-apologies/) — Viral rumours, cancellations, fakes and apologies — 21 sentences · Some stories about famous people race round the internet in an hour; the correction, if it ever comes, crawl… - [48](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/48-famous-people-are-people/) — Famous people are people: privacy, scams and kind stories — 23 sentences · Famous people are not characters in a game; they get ill, grieve, have families, have bad days and read what… - [49](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/49-how-to-handle-gossip/) — How to handle gossip: is it true, is it kind, would I say it to their face — 20 sentences · Gossip is not only about famous people; most of it is about the people right next to you, in the lunch queue… - [50](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/50-rumours-about-classmates-and-secrets/) — Rumours about classmates and what to do with a secret — 22 sentences · Knowing about gossip is one thing; knowing what to do when it lands on you is the grown-up part. - [51](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/51-scary-news-wars-disasters-and-how-to-talk-about-them/) — Scary news: wars, disasters and how to talk about them — 22 sentences · The news on TV, the radio and phones shows real things: wars, earthquakes, floods, fires and accidents. - [52](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/52-elections-crime-the-weather-breaking-news-and-news-vs-opinion/) — Elections, crime, the weather, breaking news and news vs opinion — 23 sentences · Not all news is the same kind of thing. - [53](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/53-breakfast-and-chat-shows-celebrity-gossip-on-the-sofa/) — Breakfast and chat shows: celebrity gossip on the sofa — 21 sentences · Breakfast shows and chat shows feel like friends chatting on a comfy sofa, but they are a job: the presenter… - [54](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/54-reality-tv-what-is-staged-and-what-is-real/) — Reality TV: what is staged and what is real — 21 sentences · Reality TV is real people in made-up situations, filmed for weeks and cut down into dramatic episodes. - [55](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/55-favourite-films-and-series-spoilers-binge-watching-streaming-and-adverts/) — Favourite films and series: spoilers, binge-watching, streaming and adverts — 23 sentences · Films and series are one of the great joys of family life: favourite films watched ten times, movie nights,… - [56](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/56-scary-films-nightmares-and-sad-endings/) — Scary films, nightmares and sad endings — 23 sentences · Films are made to make us feel things: scared, sad, excited, happy. - [57](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/57-age-ratings-and-why-they-exist/) — Age ratings in the UK, the USA, Australia and Canada, and why they exist — 24 sentences · Every film shown in a cinema or sold on a disc gets an age rating: a short label that says who it is suitabl… - [58](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/58-landing-on-an-18-film-by-accident/) — Landing on an 18 film by accident: how it happens and how it feels — 21 sentences · Sometimes a child sees a few seconds or minutes of a film made for adults without meaning to. - [59](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/59-the-parents-walk-in-how-good-parents-react/) — The parents walk in: how good parents react — 25 sentences · When a parent finds out that a child has seen part of an adult film, the first second can be a shock for the… - [60](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/60-next-time-switch-off-tell-and-parental-controls/) — Next time: switch off, tell a grown-up, and parental controls — 24 sentences · The best way to handle an accident with an adult film is to know what you will do before it ever happens. - [61](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/61-olympiad-what-is-really-going-on/) — Olympiad: what is really going on ★★★ — 21 sentences · This olympiad lesson mixes the whole course into puzzles about reading grown-up life: what the words really… - [62](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/adult-life/62-olympiad-plans-in-order-and-money-sums/) — Olympiad: plans in order and money sums ★★★ — 19 sentences · This last olympiad lesson mixes the grown-up plans and the money of the whole course into puzzles: what must… - next →: [AI](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/ai/) - ↑ back to [the school](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/)