Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[learner12]

Hello, teachers!!

http://www.yourfamily.org.uk/family-life/big-families/we-love-being-in-a-big-family

(The First Paragraph)
Amanda, 36, and her husband, Adam, 32, have six children: Victor, 15, Xavier, 12, Sophia, 10, Phoebe, 7, Quentin, 6, and Chloe, 3
�I�m the eldest of five and loved growing up in a big family. I originally wanted ten children, but we�ve definitely stopped at six! My mum (*1)had a big gap after her fourth child, (*2)so she had her fifth (*3)when I had my first. Sharing that experience made having my first baby such a joy that I really wanted more.

(*1)
What do you mean by "had a big gap"? Didn't My mum have a baby for a long time?

(*2)
What do you mean by "so"? Does "so" mean "therefore"? I cannot understand the relationships between the left sentence(=My mum had a big gap after her fourth child) and right sentence(=she had her fifth when I had my first).

(*3)
Does "when" mean "after"?

Thank you in advance.

[pugachevV]

Had a big gap etc... means that her mother waited many years before she had her fifth child.

So means therefore, or [b ]because of this[/b]. or for that reason, or consequently.

My Mum had a big gap after her fourth child, so she had her fifth when I had my first

Because my mother waited many years to have her fifth child she gave birth to it (the fifth child) at the same time as I was giving birth to my first child.

When , used like this, means at the same time as

[learner12]

Dear pugachevV:

Thank you for your logical explanation.

Have a nice day!!