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John Millen

My four-year-old nephew, Jim, loves to kick a football. I think he is going to grow into a great  football player. At first, I did not like him and my sister living with us, but now their being part of the family is growing on me.

My sister and her son have been living with us since her divorce. During the five years she was married, she had grown away from her family, but now we are close again.

I hated the idea of having a young kid in the flat, but now it's great. Mum says Jim will grow into a football fanatic, just like me. I have bought him a Manchester United kid's football kit. It's a bit big for him, but he will grow into it. He loves wearing it.

I remember my first kid's football kit. I was really upset when I grew out of it and couldn't wear it any more. That was Manchester United as well.

It's sad when a brother and sister grow away from each other like me and my sister had done. Her husband didn't like me and mum and dad, so after her marriage, my sister never came back to visit. I'm so pleased she dumped him and moved back here.

Jim is playing football downstairs now. Mum always said that I would grow out of loving football as I got older and discovered girls! How wrong she was! My girlfriend loves football as well, so I have the best of both worlds. Life could not be better.

John Millen

YOUR TURN

1. TO GROW INTO - means to develop slowly to become something. It also means to get bigger and fit larger clothes.

My brother has grown into a very handsome young man.

That sweater is too big for you but you will grow into it.

2. TO GROW AWAY FROM - means to  grow slowly apart  from someone or something.

I have grown away from my parents since I went to university.

3. TO GROW OUT OF - means to lose interest in something as you become older and  more mature. It also means to get too big for the clothes that you have (as you get older).

My sister has grown out of her craze for  boy bands.

We will have to buy you some more jeans. You have grown out of those Levi's.

4. TO GROW ON - means to slowly like something or someone more and more

My sister's boyfriend has some odd habits,  but he is growing on me.

TASK 1

Put INTO / AWAY FROM / OUT OF or ON into the gaps in these sentences.

1. Those jeans are much too long for you but you will grow ....... them.

2. I've grown ........ my brother since we had that dreadful row.

3. I will have to buy Simon a new winter coat. He's grown ....... his old one.

4. When will you grow ...... your childish behaviour?

5. Our new boss is very different from the old one, but he is growing ...... me.

6. My kid brother is growing ...... a really badly behaved little boy.

TASK 2

Correct the second sentence of these pairs.

1. We will buy the large T-shirt. You will grow away from it.

2. It's a shame. Why have you grown out of your parents?

3. I'm getting used to her. She is growing into me.

4. I am really pleased. My brother is growing on a very hard-working student.

5. I'm worried. It's about time you grew into biting your fingernails.

Answers

Task 1. into / away from / out of / out of / on / into

Task 2

1. You will grow into it.

2. Why have you grown away from your parents?

3. She is growing on me.

4. My brother is growing into a very hard-working student.

5. It's about time you grew out of biting your fingernails.

Young Post's language exercises won't kill you. Thomas and Mandie survived.

Thomas Li, 16,

St Joseph's College

Task 1 is difficult. In sentence 2 of Task 1, the  phrase 'dreadful row'  is difficult. Also, it seems the passage does not have many examples of phrases using the word  'grow'.  For example, the phrase  'grow on' is only used once  in the passage.

Mandie Ho, 17,

TWGHs Mrs Wu York Yu Memorial College

I don't agree with you, Thomas. I thought  the passage was well written. The 'grow' phrases are used appropriately, which is more important than how many times a phrase is used. I think  too many phrases would be   confusing  and would prevent us from understanding how a phrase should be  used.



A future football star