Almshouses
WORKSHEET
Vocabulary
Almshouse
A house founded by a charity, offering accommodation to poor people.Medieval
Relating to the Middle Ages.Vulnerable
In need of special care, support, or protection because of age, disability, or risk of abuse or neglect.Affordable
Reasonably priced; not expensive.Charity
An organization set up to provide help and raise money for those in need.Residents
People who live somewhere permanently or on a long-term basis.Traditional
Existing in or as part of a tradition; long-established.Neighbourliness
The quality of being friendly and helpful to neighbours.Community
A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.Dignity
The state or quality of being worthy of honour or respect.
Grammar Points
Present Simple Tense
Used for facts and general statements (e.g., "Almshouses help elderly people avoid loneliness").Past Simple Tense
Used to talk about completed actions (e.g., "This ancient tradition... started in the 10th century").Present Continuous Tense
Used for actions happening now or around now (e.g., "The residents... can relax in a traditional style garden").Comparatives
Used to compare two things (e.g., "smaller home").Superlatives
Used to compare more than two things or show the extreme quality of one in a group (e.g., "biggest almshouses").Modals
Used to express ability, possibility, permission, or obligation (e.g., "can live", "can manage", "should be", "need to").Relative Clauses
Used to give additional information about a noun (e.g., "The charity that runs almshouses...").Passive Voice
Used to focus on the action rather than who is doing it (e.g., "This charity goes back to Henry the Eighth").
Activities
Activity 1
Vocabulary Matching
Instructions
Match the words from the left column with their correct definitions from the right column.
| Vocabulary | Definitions |
|---|---|
| 1. Almshouse | A. A person who lives somewhere permanently |
| 2. Charity | B. A house offering accommodation to poor people |
| 3. Residents | C. An organization set up to help those in need |
| 4. Affordable | D. Something that is reasonably priced |
| 5. Dignity | E. The quality of being worthy of honour or respect |
Activity 2
Sentence Construction
Instructions
Use the words provided below to form grammatically correct sentences. Ensure that you use the correct tense and structure.
• (affordable / almshouses / for / elderly /provide / homes / people)
• (can / with / almshouses / crisis / help / the / housing)
• (residents / garden / enjoy / can / the / traditional)
Activity 3
Role Play
Objective
To practice speaking about housing and community living in pairs.
Instructions: Work with a partner. One of you is a resident of an almshouse, and the other is a visitor. Ask and answer questions about living in the almshouse.
Useful phrases:
"What’s it like living in the almshouse?"
"How do you feel about having a garden/community space?"
"Do you think more almshouses should be built?"
Questions
What is an almshouse, and who typically lives there?
How do almshouses help address the housing crisis?
Why is the concept of 'dignity' important in the context of housing for the elderly?
TRANSCRIPT
Almshouses
NARRATOR:
Almshouses, known for their medieval design, are a common sight around England. These residential buildings were first built by charities in the 10th century to provide low-cost housing for the elderly and vulnerable. Hundreds of years later, this ancient tradition continues, but with a modern twist.
SOUNDBITE - Jude Leighton:
“So this is a typical one-bedroom flat.”
NARRATOR:
Appleby Blue almshouse in Southwark is a large building with 57 flats, that provides affordable housing for older people. The residents, all over 65 years old, can relax in a traditional style garden. When it rains, they have indoor activities to enjoy. Almshouses help elderly people avoid loneliness by providing affordable homes with staff to support them.
SOUNDBITE - Alimatu Sesay:
“Place that I was living before, it was difficult for me. I can't manage doing things, but living here I can manage doing my own.”
NARRATOR:
Building this modern almshouse cost £25 million. The United St Saviour's charity, with help from Southwark Council and a housing developer, made it possible.
SOUNDBITE - Jude Leighton:
“I'm able to create communities with a real sense of neighbourliness so that residents can support one another.”
NARRATOR:
This is one of the biggest almshouses in the country. The charity that runs almshouses believes they can help with the housing crisis.
SOUNDBITE - Nick Phillips:
“This charity goes back to Henry the Eighth. And yet here we are today in a fine example of community living still capturing the architectural features of a medieval almshouse.”
NARRATOR:
Almshouse flats allow residents to move into a smaller home for life, freeing up larger houses for the next generation. By blending historical traditions with modern needs, almshouses continue to provide a valuable housing solution, ensuring older adults can live with dignity, community, and support.