Exercise 5A, page 4 - English File Studetn's book, pre-intermediate, Oxford

Five point seven.

One.

I spend much less time that is, going to real shops than in the past because now I get so much online. I buy most of my food online, everything except fresh things like um, meat or fruit and vegetables. Um, I get books from Amazon. I buy a lot of clothes online, and it's so quick. You don't have to go there. You don't spend as long looking for what you want. It's just much, much quicker. I definitely prefer it.

Two.

One of the things that has changed for me is It takes me much longer now because I cycle. A few years ago I drove, I took the car. But then I decided to cycle. Not always because I enjoy it, but uh, because I know it's healthier. It takes me about half an hour to get to work now. Actually, when the weather's good, I really enjoy it. But when it's raining or just cold and horrible, I get up and I think, oh no.

Three.

I definitely spend a lot more time now than I did before. I think because uh, about a year ago I started living with my boyfriend. When I lived alone in the evening I was tired and I just got a takeaway or made something really quickly, or just had some bread and cheese or whatever was in the fridge. Whatever was easier. But when you have someone else in the house, you feel more like cooking. And also my boyfriend's a vegetarian, so it's a bit more complicated to do something very quick. So before I spent about twenty minutes a day, and now I spend about an hour. But I'm quite happy with that. I enjoy it.

Four.

I probably spend about the same amount of time as I did three years ago. I'm a freelance writer now and three years ago I had an office job, so I was doing, you know, thirty-five hours a week. Now some weeks I probably work about fifty hours and others twenty hours. But on average I think it's about the same.

Five.

I definitely spend less time because two years ago we moved to the country from the city. And most of our friends are in the city and they're quite a long way away from us now. Um, sometimes they come and spend the weekend with us or we go and spend the weekend with them. But on average, I definitely spend less time with them.

One.

I spend much less time shopping, that is, going to real shops, than in the past, because now I get so much online. I buy most of my food online, everything except fresh things like, um, meat or fruit and vegetables. Um, I get books from Amazon. I buy a lot of clothes online, and it's so quick. You don't have to go there, you don't spend as long looking for what you want. It's just much, much quicker. I definitely prefer it.

Two.

One of the things that has changed for me is getting to work. It takes me much longer now because I cycle. A few years ago I drove, I took the car. But then I decided to cycle, not always because I enjoy it, but, uh, because I know it's healthier. It takes me about half an hour to get to work now. Actually, when the weather's good, I really enjoy it. But when it's raining or just cold and horrible, I get up and I think, oh no.

Three.

I definitely spend a lot more time cooking now than I did before. I think because, uh, about a year ago I started living with my boyfriend. When I lived alone, in the evening I was tired and I'd just got a takeaway or made something really quickly, or just had some bread and cheese or whatever was in the fridge, whatever was easier. But when you have someone else in the house, you feel more like cooking. And also my boyfriend's a vegetarian, so it's a bit more complicated to do something very quick. So before, I spent about twenty minutes a day, and now I spend about an hour. But I'm quite happy with that. I enjoy it.

Four.

I probably spend about the same amount of time working as I did three years ago. I'm a freelance writer now and, um, three years ago I had an office job, so I was doing, you know, thirty-five hours a week. Now, some weeks I probably work about fifty hours and others twenty hours, but on average, I think it's about the same.

Five.

I definitely spend less time seeing friends, because two years ago we moved to the countryside from the city, and most of our friends are in the city, and they're quite a long way away from us now. Um, sometimes they come and spend the weekend with us, or we go and spend the weekend with them, but on average, I definitely spend less time with them.