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Curfews
Curfews

Learn English in this curfews English lesson

Date: Jun 12 2018

Themes: Family, Time

Grammar: Simple Past Tense

Intro

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When teenagers live with their parents, there are likely times they want to be out with their friends at night. Parties, prom, sports games… there’s always something to do! Parents want to teach teenagers how to be responsible, though, so they sometimes give them a curfew. Giving teenagers a set time to be home allows them to have fun with their friends but hopefully avoid spending too much time too late with troublemakers.

It’s reasonable for parents to give their children a curfew, especially if teenagers have friends who are a bad influence. Usually, if teenagers keep the curfew and communicate with their parents, mom and dad are likely to let them stay out late once and awhile.

Did Gary and Brian have curfews? Find out in this English lesson about growing up.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Gary

Gary

Brian

Brian

Gary:  Hey, Brian. When you were in high school, did you have a curfew?

Brian:  No, I didn’t. My parents really trusted me.

Gary:  My mom was really reasonable, and she did give me a curfew, so I had to be home at a certain time. But if I had to break that curfew, all I had to do was call.

Brian:  Oh, so she wasn’t like, “It’s my way or the highway.”

Gary:  No, no, no, no. Thankfully, all my friends were really good. They were really nice. They were trustworthy. I didn’t have any real troublemakers in my group of friends.

Brian:  Yeah, my parents weren’t very strict. As long as I told them where I was, then I’d tell them when I was coming home, and they were fine with it. I did have some friends who were more of a bad influence, so they would just let me know maybe I shouldn’t be out that late. But they didn’t have a set time.

Gary:  Did that ever make you have a curfew? Because of the troublemakers?

Brian:  Sometimes if I was out with them, they’d say, “Maybe you should just make it home for dinner,” and then I’d be back a little bit earlier.

Gary:  I think it’s a good thing to have a curfew, depending on the person.

Brian:  Yeah.

Gary:  It sounds like I may have needed one, and sounds like you didn’t need one.

 

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Discussion

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Gary and Brian are talking about their high school curfews. Brian said his parents trusted him, so they didn’t give him a set time to be home. He did have some troublemakers in his group of friends, though, so his parents did sometimes ask him to come home in time for dinner.

Gary’s mom did give him a curfew. It wasn’t because she didn’t think Gary was responsible. In fact, Gary’s group of friends were all really nice people. Gary’s mom didn’t worry about him getting into trouble, and she let him stay out late if he needed to. All he had to do was call.

Do you think teenagers should have a curfew? Did you have to be home at a certain time growing up?

 

Comments

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diegorogu

diegorogu

Colombia

I believe that when parents set a time for their children to be back home, is because they really care about them.  I didn’t know the word carfew existed.  Thank you English Baby!

12:54 AM Jul 07 2018 |

GWTA

GWTASuper Member!

Germany

Of course, young people should have a curfew, I also had, but have seldom kept myself from it. 

10:56 AM Jun 12 2018 |

sunny_ling88

China

When I was in high school my parents give me a curfew, because I am a gril they thought that is dangerous stay out late.

07:16 AM May 30 2014 |

sara1998

sara1998

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I believe that teenagers should be controled by their parents and have some rules but parents shouldn’t be too strict!both,being too lenient and being too strict may have some undesirable effects on teenagers because they’re emotional!

02:12 PM May 28 2014 |

aLShaima

aLShaima

Oman

nowadays , i’m not against setting curfews , never ever . idk , but maybe due to the terrible events that keep on encountering youths . i never have had curfews and that’s depends on the way i was thinking in which my parents used to deal with me through , up till now NO CURFEWS

07:45 PM May 25 2014 |

Mehdi23

Mehdi23

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I have never had curfew but i think its vey important that who you spend your time with. nobody can pretend that he can protect himself in a group of troublemamkers and its better that avoid them and choose good friends.

06:40 AM May 25 2014 |

2 people like this

Ali Sadeghi

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I am 23 years old but I have curfew and I like it very much.I think it’s necessary for every one to be responsible and disciplined.

08:58 PM May 24 2014 |

tmmuzym

China

I would like to stay at home rather than go out. My personality decide that, maybe.

10:44 AM May 24 2014 |

1 person likes this

hatamian

hatamian

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

When I was a teenager I had to keep roles for instance I couldn’t  come home late and my parents had to know my close friends although I was annoyed by their behavior like this I complained to them but now I admire their act. Teenagers behave different toward each other .  The personalities  vary in teenagers , some of them usually breaks curfew and that’ll have bad influence on them after sometime ,they prefer to be with friends at free times and It sounds like being nature to teenager and they behave like a rebel. they think their idea is reasonable even they tend to smoke or hubble bubble and make friends with a trouble maker.   

09:33 AM May 24 2014 |

mrn90

mrn90Super Member!

Azerbaijan

I think  teenagers should have a curfew because they can be influenced by troublemakers very easily. Parents should have a control over their children but not too much. Sometimes they might allow them to be free in certain times to learn to be responsible.

06:45 AM May 24 2014 |

kia87

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Ihad curfew in whole my live ! beacuse I live in Islamic republic of Iran !

03:05 AM May 24 2014 |

1 person likes this

S&W

S&W

China

I got very strict curfew during teenage time.Not only the curfew ,I also have to tell my parents who i hang out with and where do we go.How long would we take,I even got dress limitation.If i didn’t come home on time ,then i wasn’t allow to go out next time.


At least ,Have a curfew for teenagers isn’t a bad thing,However don’t too strict ,make it more resonable ,give more free time for teenagers would be better.For me curfew forced me to use time efficiently.

01:52 AM May 24 2014 |

hattomi

hattomi

Yemen

thanx bro *_^

08:01 PM May 23 2014 |

1 person likes this

phn_uk

phn_uk

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

hey hattomi, the you described the whole story was like watching a movie. It’s fantastic. I really liked it. I was imagining it while reading. great work.

05:06 PM May 23 2014 |

2 people like this

hattomi

hattomi

Yemen

;p

03:18 PM May 23 2014 |

1 person likes this

hattomi

hattomi

Yemen

hahahah .. you know I was I night person.  while the rest of the whole poeple were sleeping, I was with my group friends awake. doing the usual things but in the unusual time ,you know like watching movies, chatting in history,playing football sometimes,studying, you know such these things  .  of course any parents in the world would get sick of a situation like that ,, so yeah they were punishing me,  you know like not giving me money, they weren’t paying the net bill (which means no internet access) ,,I was careless about such punishments like these . til a day when my father wanted to put an end to all of this ,I remember in that day he told me this “listen son you want to live like a bat SO do it, BUT the door of this house is ganna be closed at 12:00 AM ,IF you come before this specific time then welcome to my familly,IF not then find you another place to sleep”  he said this to me and went silently to his room . I told my self “OMG I’ve just got a curfew, this not cool . but I don’t think he’s ganna do that ” . So I went to have fun with my friends at that day and as usual I got home at the midnight, and the door was locked , I Knocked, and no one was answering . I went disappointedly up the stairway to the rooftop of my house . it was a cold night, SO I gathered every piece of clothes I found there and covered my self with imagining that I’m one of the miserables of this world . AND SIMPLY I SLEPT .              TO BE CONTINUED….....

03:17 PM May 23 2014 |

Seiyf_khawas

Turkey

Why Curfews ? 


there are alot of reasons for it and Parents are right to want it from their children ..


Fear..Responsibility..Discipline..Affection..


once upon time,ı was a teenager and ı lived this curfews too much ..it wasnt a choice for me, it was an obligatory . 


in that time, Families werent soft as in today..rules were strict and sharp ..and we didnt have any discuss on it..


anyway, boys are luckier than girls ,they have more freedom in according to girls..

11:18 AM May 23 2014 |

Mr. Learner

Peru

Well, I think setting a curfew for teenagers is an important thing .. because it is not about troublemakers only, it is about being a responsible person and not getting used to waste your time. It also helps the teenager to be a systemic person. I think even if all my friends were good and nice people, I should have a curfew.
This is my opinion :) 

10:01 AM May 23 2014 |

phn_uk

phn_uk

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I didn’t have any particular curfew beause I wouldn’t stay out that late and If I was going to be late I just called my parents and told them. Sometimes we get angry at them for giving curfews and set times but we can’t realize and understand the reason until we become mother and father. At that time we do understand it as we would have our own kids and would get worried if they stay out late at night especilly with troublemakers. It’s been a tough situation these days and it’s undeniable that parents are more strict becaus they love their children and they do care about them. 

09:57 AM May 23 2014 |

Djana

Djana

Algeria

I have a curfew now and then ,and i souldn’t be late at home ,from school to the house ,and if i do ,my parents will not panish me but they’ll just scold me ,and i know that they do hat cuz they love me and care about me and just afraid about me,So i rarly get out without askin them or be late

09:25 AM May 23 2014 |

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