写真で英語の文法と単語うを習う # 8 - Goodbye winter

Welcome to the Make Sense blog. What we're going to do here is learn English vocab through photos, taken by myself in the beginning, or with submissions from you beautiful people out there.

I will explain the photo, then break down my explanation in English and Japanese. If you have any questions, please ask. I have also included the phonetics to help pronunciation.

Here we go....

This very, very, very small house is on a hill a stone's throw from my house. As you can see, the snow is melting away, leaving the brown, lifeless looking foliage behind. It looks brown and lifeless as it have been under snow for the last three months or so. I got back from New Zealand two weeks ago, and the snow has been melting more rapidly every day. I am always glad when spring comes around, as I haven't had a bbq for a long time, and I haven't been for a good run outside for just as long.

Unfortunately the window between being able to run outside to train, and the Toya Marathon in May is always too short, leaving me not fit enough to crack the four hour mark. 

単語

stone's throw (/stəʊnz/ /θrəʊ/), noun: a short distance
日本語：目と鼻の先



foliage (/ˈfəʊlɪɪdʒ/), noun: plant leaves collectively
 日本語：葉 (lots of them)

rapidly(/ˈrapɪdli/), adverb: very quickly; at a great rate
 日本語： 急速に

window (/ˈwɪndəʊ/), adjective:  an interval or opportunity for action
日本語：? could't find a decent one. Any suggestions?

crack (/krak/) noun: (a chance to attack or compete with someone/something)
日本語：切れる

文法 

has/hasn't, have/haven't = 現在完了形 = the present perfect tense

have been under　(現在完了形)

This is the present perfect. A situation which began in the past has continued, and still continues at the time of speaking.

The foliage found itself under snow at sometime in the past (around December) and has remained so through the period up to, and including now. (大切ポイント)

has been melting　(建材完了進行形)

This is the present perfect continuous. A continous action began in the past,  and has continued continuing until the present. (大切ポイント)

 haven't had a bbq (現在完了形　(ひてい)

This is the present perfect in the negative. A situation which didn't  began in the past hasn't continued, and still hasn't happened at the time of speaking.

 haven't been for a good run

(現在完了形　(ひてい)

 This is the present perfect in the negative. A situation which didn't  began in the past hasn't continued, and still hasn't happened at the time of speaking.

Have a look at Education First's take on present perfect here.