In the last week my grandfather passed away at the age of 86.
My sister’s dog was put to sleep.
And as I write this, the Pope is being laid to rest.
Death, then, has marked this week.
When many pass on, it often brings great sadness.
Although my grandfather is no longer with us, I believe we should celebrate a life well lived.
He was a remarkably well travelled man. Visiting countries such as The Gambia and Sri Lanka decades ago.
He was an engineer by trade, a father to two, a grandfather to five and a great-grandad to two more.
When people give me their condolences, I thank them and simply say, “he had a good innings.”
It’s an expression that we use when someone has lived a long, full life.
In the sport of cricket, your innings is your turn to bat — your chance to make runs before you’re out.
(I doubt you understood the sentence above - so make sure to watch the video at the bottom for a quick explanation.)
But my granddad did exactly that.
He travelled the world, built a family, and lived well for 86 years.
Not everyone gets that chance.
Here’s hoping you all have a good innings.
My grandad was a keen gardener and loved spending time outside
This week’s three tips:
SOMETHING TO AVOID 🫣
🤦🏻♀️ “He died with 86 years”
It’s natural for Spanish speakers to say with because of “con 86 años.”
✅ “He died at the age of 86”
In English we always use the preposition at for age when talking about death or milestones. We could also say:
He died at 86.
He passed away at the age of 86
SOMETHING TO SOUND CONFIDENT 🧐
👔 Business expressions
“Eyebrows were raised”
Use this when something causes suspicion or surprise — especially when something doesn’t seem quite believable.
Virginia Giuffre’s supposed suicide raised more than a few eyebrows on the internet this week — just like Prince Andrew’s £12 million payout to her once did.
SOMETHING TO WATCH 👀
Cricket explained in 2 minutes:
The longer Netflix version:
NEXT STEP ➡️
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The Crystal Clear English Team
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