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DIY
DIY

Learn English meaning of DIY

Date: Jul 30 2019

Themes: Hobbies, How To

Grammar: Present Progressive Tense

Intro

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Say you have a problem with a door in your house. It doesn’t quite open how you want it to. Would you call a professional to come fix it, or would you try do-it-yourself (DIY)?

There are a lot of tutorials online that can help you solve household problems by yourself. All you need is a computer, some tools and a little initiative. After you fix something, you may realize that DIY can be really fun.

Amy and Kellie are talking about DIY. Find out what Amy needs to fix in today’s English lesson about home projects.

Dialog

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

Amy_L

Amy_L

Kellie

Kellie

Amy_L:  So, I’ve been on the Internet, looking at online tutorials, to learn how to do something that’s kind of weird.

Kellie:  Oh, really? Are you getting into DIY?

Amy_L:  How did you know? Yeah.

Kellie:  It’s just so trendy these days. Everybody wants to be an amateur craftsperson or something.

Amy_L:  What I’m doing isn’t that glamorous. I’m trying to figure out how to fix my toilet. It’s doing this weird thing. But I think it’s really great when you can learn a skill, then you can be self-reliant. And then have pride that you fixed something on your own.

Kellie:  I’m not very good at doing things myself. Plus, I don’t have the right tools. So, I always just call a professional to do it. But I think that’s cool that you’re taking the initiative to fix something yourself.

Amy_L:  Yeah, well if there’s anything that you ever need to get fixed, we can research it and figure out how to do it together.

Kellie:  Alright, well, let’s try!

 

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Discussion

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Amy has been looking at online tutorials to help her figure out how to fix her toilet. She likes to fix things by herself because it gives her pride. She tells Kellie that if she ever needs anything fixed, they can do it together.

Kellie thinks that DIY is very trendy these days, but she doesn’t like to do things by herself. She would rather have a professional fix things for her, because she doesn’t have many tools. However, she agrees that it would be fun for her and Amy to try some DIY together.

Do you like DIY? What have you made?

 

Comments

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diegorogu

diegorogu

Colombia

I like DIY because it gives me pride.  I look for tutorials online to figure out many things.  For example, I like to search videos on Youtube to fix things on my cellphone or my computer. 

10:29 PM Jul 30 2019 |

bluesky97

bluesky97

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Yes I like DIY.


I am not a craft person but Id like to take the initiative to fix things.


These days you can find many creativrs DIY videos on instagram.


These days it is trendy and sometimes I give it a try to make new things.


01:18 PM Jul 30 2019 |

GWTA

GWTASuper Member!

Germany

most of the things on my house and the motorcycle i do it myself

09:45 AM Jul 30 2019 |

1 person likes this

studentcro

studentcro

Germany

I used to repair electric “things” at home when I was in Croatia, or for example to connect electric stove by my own, that’s not a big deal. However here in Germany you are not allowed to do so by to law. You can do it but if there fire appear no matter if by accident and you don’t have a bill from a professional so that you can prove he did the connection it could be that insurance company won’t pay for the damage. That’s how I was advised by relocation agent. 


But I did change the termopasta between the processor and the cooler in my laptop – never did smth. like that before, watching a tutorial on YouTube and it was like two years ago. It stil working without overheating. And I am proud because of that. 


DIY is totally cool to do! Just make sure you’re not going to brake any law doing so. 


04:40 PM Jul 26 2015 |

1 person likes this

MouaD

MouaD

Morocco

I like DIY,but just when i have a time and initiative of course..but some things you should call to a professional..

01:42 PM Jul 26 2015 |

1 person likes this

mandzhi

mandzhi

Russian Federation

I liked DIY. I fixed a lot at my family house. Everytime when i visit my parents i fix something. Sometimes i look into the information and watch different tutorials, sometimes i know how to fix it.


I can do a lot of easy work, but i’m shure that if you want to do excellent, you should call a professional, because they have a good skill in it.

01:27 PM Jul 26 2015 |

loly1234

Saudi Arabia

it’s so nice to do whatever you want by yourself, it makes life so easy and make you so strong , no need for anyone to help , and give you the chance to be super man/women ;)

11:27 AM Jul 26 2015 |

1 person likes this

armand76

armand76

Poland

Some things can be made only by professionals.

09:43 AM Jul 26 2015 |

1 person likes this

majiaoqin

majiaoqin

China

I like DIY and I always learn something from the computer. I think it’s funny.


 

11:44 PM Jul 24 2015 |

john

johnSuper Member!

United States

I really like DIY projects. DIY for life! 

10:35 PM Jul 24 2015 |

katooja 1 4 all

South Africa

DIY .. it is the best chance to learn your by your self by your own tools , it;s saving money , improve your skills and makes you the super hero of your stuff



try DIY and keef safe <3


06:51 PM Jul 24 2015 |

jennhoney_06

Colombia

I haven’t tried much DIY methods to get my things fixed but I think I’ll start doing more of that to save some money. Colombians love DIY activities, they have a lot of initiative and creativity.

06:18 PM Jul 24 2015 |

Wuthering

United States

I’ve saved a lot of money by watching DIY on youtube . 

03:08 PM Jul 24 2015 |

Shoba

Shoba

Sri Lanka



Thank you, dear Julito, for your comment. 


As you may already know unemployment is very high in some parts of India. Here, social welfare activists advise the people with reasonable income to help those in need in every possible way. 



01:41 PM Jul 24 2015 |

Seiyf_khawas

Turkey

Do it yourself comes from Lack of money usually ( coz in today ,repairs are very expensive ) other reason is many people like do somethings theirselves , its a different hobby..to create new things with your taste,abilities..


also ı like DIY and ı do it for years . 

julito1

julito1

Argentina

Except electronics I can fix almost everything in my home. I make a living repairing domestic fixtures, gas range, faucet leaks, toilets and the like , I am capable of doing some simple carpentry and painting, I also can change a light bulb, Jejeje.. I like what our Dear Shoba said about her  father, his is capable of doing himself many odd jobs at home , still he gives the opportunity to local artisans in need of work and a little money to buy food for themselves and their family.

NavidArash

NavidArash

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

My deceased father was such a kind of a DIY man, He was such a frugal man who hated to spend some dough to hire someone to fix things at home, after messing up many stuffs and home appliances by his DIY he eventually became a pro in this field and sometimes he forced me to give him a hand with his stuffs and as a child I found it so boring to do an adult job but I should showed some respect to the authority and we rolled up our sleeves and engaged in working like dogs and just in middle of the work he used to proudly say “Hey my son look, we just broke the back of the job now and in no time we are finished” and I asked him “All of these works really broke my back, let my go dad, I wanna go and watch my favorite cartoon on TV” and in this time I usually got a slap on the back of my neck then he shouted angrily “OK, go you little spoiled brat, your mom brought you up like this, go and watch your sh*t, I’ll finish it all by my myself”


 

08:09 AM Jul 24 2015 |

Mehdi23

Mehdi23

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i have never fixed anything with tutorials but i solve most of my pc problems with internet tutorials and its really easy and trendy.


i feel im professional now

07:53 AM Jul 24 2015 |

s11211s

s11211s

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I don’t know I like DIY or not! But I hate to wait to come a professional to fix things, given that most of them are not doing their jobs properly.
So I have to fix and do most of my work by myself! DIY most of the time could be interesting, but the problem is If you want to fix anything you need a lot off tools, on one hand, paying a lot of money to by them; on the other hand, space to keep and classify them is not easy!



However, I have to do them, last night I have to repair a water pump, I have fixed a lot of things like refrigerator, TV, computer, blender, printer, fan, car, etc and I sometimes need to do plumbing, welding, painting and masonry. Now I think I hate DIY!

07:35 AM Jul 24 2015 |

Shoba

Shoba

Sri Lanka



I’m all fingers and thumbs when it comes to fixing things around the house. But since my husband is a great DIYer I don’t worry that much about it. 


In my hometown unemployed youth go from door to door asking for handyman jobs to make a living. Some of them are really skilled and my father gives them a chance even though he is a good handyman himself. 



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