A Woman Leaves a Strict Religious Group

May 16, 2026, 11:29
USSociety

Introduction

Janet Z lived in a special religious group in Utah. She tells us about her life and the rules of the group.

Main Body

Janet was born in 1994. She lived in one big house with her father, four mothers, and 44 brothers and sisters. The father had all the power. The women had to obey the men and had fewer rights. Janet learned at home. Her teachers taught her school lessons and religious rules. The group told her she must marry a man who already had other wives. She was not allowed to choose her own partner. In 2014, Janet left the group. She talked to other women and learned they were sad in these marriages. She moved to Salt Lake City to start a new life. Now, her mother and some sisters also left the group, but most of her brothers stayed.

Conclusion

Janet now lives in St George, Utah. She is free from the group.

Learning

🕰ī¸ Moving from 'Now' to 'Then'

Look at how the story changes. It uses two different ways to talk about time. This is the secret to A2 English: knowing when something is finished and when it is still true.

The Finished Past (Past Simple) These words describe things that happened and ended.

  • born →\rightarrow happened in 1994.
  • lived →\rightarrow she is not in that house now.
  • left →\rightarrow she walked away in 2014.
  • talked →\rightarrow the conversation is over.

The Current Fact (Present Simple) These words describe her life today.

  • lives →\rightarrow her current home is St George.
  • is →\rightarrow her current state is "free."

Quick Pattern Guide:

  • To talk about the past: Add -ed to most words (e.g., learn →\rightarrow learned).
  • To talk about a person's current habit: Add -s to the action (e.g., Janet lives).

Spot the Difference:

  • "She lived in one big house" (Past/Finished)
  • "Janet now lives in St George" (Present/True now)

Vocabulary Learning

woman
An adult female human.
Example:The woman walked into the room.
leaves
Leaves the place or group.
Example:She leaves the group to start a new life.
group
A number of people gathered together.
Example:The group meets every Sunday.
lived
Resided or stayed in a place.
Example:She lived in a big house with her family.
house
A building for people to live in.
Example:They moved into a new house.
father
A male parent.
Example:The father had all the power.
obey
Follow orders or rules.
Example:The women had to obey the men.
learned
Gained knowledge or skill.
Example:She learned at home from her teachers.
marry
To enter into a marriage.
Example:She was told she must marry a man.
left
Went away from a place or group.
Example:In 2014, Janet left the group.