A2 · Elementary · Community · 140 words · ~2 min read

🌱 Volunteering at the Community Garden

Language focus: Present Simple & imperatives · routines

Before you read

This story is about a routine, so it lives in the present simple — but the team leader switches to imperatives the moment she gives instructions. Notice the change of gear, and how please keeps the instructions friendly.

Every Saturday, Daniel volunteers at a community garden in his neighbourhood. Local people of all ages come together to grow vegetables and flowers.

This morning, the team leader gives everyone a task. “Please water the tomatoes, and dig up the weeds near the fence,” she says.

Daniel enjoys the fresh air and the friendly chat. New volunteers join in easily, and everyone shares the tools and useful tips.

At the end, they tidy up the shed and share a pot of tea. The garden looks neat, green and full of life.

The garden has been running for six years, and it has become the friendliest place in the street. More than forty families have joined since it opened.

In the autumn they are going to plant fruit trees. If enough volunteers turn up, they will build a greenhouse next spring.

Key vocabulary (8 words)

volunteernoun: A person who works without pay to help others.
communitynoun: The group of people who live in one area.
weedsnoun: Wild plants that grow where they are not wanted.
soilnoun: The earth in which plants grow.
toolsnoun: Objects you use with your hands to do a job.
harvestnoun: The crops that are gathered when they are ready.
neighbourhoodnoun: The area around where you live.
shednoun: A small building used for storing tools.

Phrasal verbs in this story

dig up — To dig up means to remove something from the soil.
join in — To join in means to take part in an activity with others.
tidy up — To tidy up means to make a place neat.

The grammar in this story

Present simple for a weekly routine

“Every Saturday, Daniel volunteers…” “Local people come together…” “Daniel enjoys the fresh air.” The present simple is the tense of repeated events, and the time expression every Saturday confirms it. Note the -s on volunteers and enjoys but not on come, because people is plural.

Imperatives for the tasks

“Please water the tomatoes, and dig up the weeds.” No subject, base verb, and please at the front to soften it. In a workplace or a volunteer group this is completely normal English — the bare imperative is efficient rather than rude.

Present perfect for the project’s history

“The garden has been running for six years.” “More than forty families have joined since it opened.” Both sentences link the past to the present state of the garden, and both use the for / since pair you met in the doctor’s story.

dig up, join in, tidy up

Dig up = remove from the ground. Join in = start participating with others. Tidy up = make a place neat. Join in is intransitive — you cannot join in something directly; you say join in the conversation or simply join in.

Phrases you can reuse today

I volunteer every Saturday.: Present simple plus a frequency expression at the end.
Please water the tomatoes.: A friendly imperative — please at the front.
Do join in!: Do before an imperative makes it warmly encouraging.
Let’s tidy up before we go.: Tidy up = clean and organise.

Comprehension quiz

When does Daniel volunteer?
- Every Saturday
- Every night
- Once a year
Show answer
Every Saturday
Where does he volunteer?
- A community garden
- A hospital
- A school
Show answer
A community garden
What does he water?
- The tomatoes
- The car
- The floor
Show answer
The tomatoes
He ___ the weeds near the fence.
- paints
- digs up
- waters
Show answer
digs up
New volunteers ___ easily.
- join in
- give up
- run out
Show answer
join in
“Tidy up” means to…
- make a place neat
- make a mess
- leave quickly
Show answer
make a place neat

Now use it yourself

Reading builds recognition; writing your own sentences is what turns it into something you can actually say. Three short tasks:

Describe something you do every week in four present simple sentences.
Write three imperative instructions you would give a new volunteer.
Is there a community project near you? What has it achieved?