Matthijs de Ligt starts training on grass again

Apr 24, 2026, 15:04
A2

Matthijs de Ligt starts training on grass again

Introduction

Matthijs de Ligt is a defender for Manchester United. He hurt his back in November. Now he is training on grass again. But he cannot play in the next game against Brentford.

Main Body

De Ligt got hurt on 30 November. He played against Crystal Palace. He has not played since then. Now he trains outside. He does light exercises. Doctors watch him. He wrote on social media: 'Working hard, getting closer.' The coach said the injury is hard to fix. He did not know when de Ligt can play again. De Ligt did gym exercises before. Now he is on grass. Other players: Martinez cannot play next game. Maguire can play again. Yoro maybe can play. Dorgu is also getting better.

Conclusion

We do not know when de Ligt will play again. But training on grass is a good sign. Manchester United plays Brentford without him. But Maguire is back to help the team.

Vocabulary Learning

defender (n.)
player who stops goals / a player in sports who tries to stop the other team from scoring後衛
Example:Matthijs de Ligt is a defender for Manchester United.
hurt (v.)
injure / to cause pain or injury to someone弄傷；傷害
Example:He hurt his back in November.
injury (n.)
damage / harm done to a person's body受傷；損傷
Example:The coach said the injury is hard to fix.
sign (n.)
indication / something that shows that something is true or will happen跡象；徵兆
Example:Training on grass is a good sign.
training (n.)
practice / the activity of learning or practicing skills, especially for sports訓練；練習
Example:Now he is training on grass again.

Sentence Learning

He hurt his back in November.
Time Marker: The phrase "in November" tells us when the action happened.時間標記: 短語「在十一月」告訴我們動作發生的時間。
Now he is training on grass again.
Time Marker and Prepositional Phrase: "Now" shows the present time. "On grass" tells us where he is training.時間標記和介詞短語：「現在」表示當前的時間。「在草地上」告訴我們他在哪裡訓練。
But he cannot play in the next game against Brentford.
Connector and Prepositional Phrase: "But" connects two ideas, showing contrast. "In the next game against Brentford" gives context about the game.連接詞和介詞短語：「但是」連接兩個想法，表示對比。「在下一場對陣布倫特福德的比賽中」提供了關於比賽的背景。
De Ligt got hurt on 30 November.
Time Marker: "On 30 November" specifies the exact date of the injury.時間標記：「在11月30日」具體說明了受傷的日期。
He wrote on social media: ''Working hard, getting closer.''
Prepositional Phrase: "On social media" tells us where he wrote the message.介詞短語：「在社交媒體上」告訴我們他在哪裡寫了這條信息。
B2

Manchester United Defender Matthijs de Ligt Starts On-Field Recovery After Long Back Injury

Introduction

Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt has started individual training on grass as part of his recovery from a back injury that has kept him from playing since late November. The Dutch centre-back has not played under new head coach Michael Carrick and remains unavailable for the upcoming Premier League match against Brentford.

Main Body

De Ligt suffered the injury during a 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace on 30 November and has not been in matchday squads since then. His recovery has progressed to outdoor work at the club's Carrington training base, where he was seen doing light individual exercises under the supervision of medical staff. The defender posted images of his session on social media with the caption 'Working hard, getting closer', showing his focus on returning to full fitness. Carrick earlier acknowledged that the injury was complex, describing it as 'difficult' and saying he was not sure whether de Ligt would play again before the end of the season. The head coach noted that the player was following a special treatment plan involving gym-based exercises and had not yet started training on grass at that time. In the latest update, Carrick has not given a specific date for de Ligt's return to competitive matches. Furthermore, the club provided updates on several other players. Lisandro Martinez will miss the Brentford match because of suspension, while Harry Maguire will return after serving a two-game ban. Leny Yoro, who missed the previous win over Chelsea with a minor injury, is being evaluated and might be available, though Carrick stated that his participation is not yet certain. Patrick Dorgu is continuing his recovery from a hamstring problem and is making progress to return to team training. Carrick said the overall injury situation is stable, with only small injuries and minor problems coming from the Chelsea match.

Conclusion

At present, de Ligt's return date is still unknown, but his move to outdoor training shows a positive step in his recovery. Manchester United will face Brentford without him, although the return of Harry Maguire from suspension gives some defensive strength.

Vocabulary Learning

acknowledged (v.)
to accept that something is true承認；確認
Example:Carrick earlier acknowledged that the injury was complex.
complex (adj.)
difficult to understand or deal with複雜的
Example:Carrick earlier acknowledged that the injury was complex.
evaluated (v.)
to judge the value or condition of something評估；評價
Example:Leny Yoro, who missed the previous win over Chelsea with a minor injury, is being evaluated and might be available.
supervision (n.)
the act of watching someone to make sure they do something correctly監督；監管
Example:He was seen doing light individual exercises under the supervision of medical staff.
suspension (n.)
a punishment in which a player is not allowed to play for a period停賽；暫停
Example:Lisandro Martinez will miss the Brentford match because of suspension.

Sentence Learning

Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt has started individual training on grass as part of his recovery from a back injury that has kept him from playing since late November.
Relative clause: 'that has kept him from playing' modifies 'back injury'. This structure adds detail without starting a new sentence, improving clarity.關係從句：'that has kept him from playing' 修飾 'back injury'。此結構無需另起新句即可添加細節，提高清晰度。
His recovery has progressed to outdoor work at the club's Carrington training base, where he was seen doing light individual exercises under the supervision of medical staff.
Passive voice ('was seen') focuses on the action rather than the observer. Also, relative clause 'where he was seen' provides location context.被動語態（'was seen'）強調動作而非觀察者。此外，關係從句 'where he was seen' 提供地點背景。
Furthermore, the club provided updates on several other players.
Linking word 'Furthermore' signals additional information, helping to organize ideas in a sequence.連接詞 'Furthermore' 表示附加信息，有助於按順序組織想法。
Leny Yoro, who missed the previous win over Chelsea with a minor injury, is being evaluated and might be available, though Carrick stated that his participation is not yet certain.
Relative clause 'who missed' describes Leny Yoro. Passive voice 'is being evaluated' emphasizes the process. Linking word 'though' introduces a contrast.關係從句 'who missed' 描述 Leny Yoro。被動語態 'is being evaluated' 強調過程。連接詞 'though' 引入對比。
Manchester United will face Brentford without him, although the return of Harry Maguire from suspension gives some defensive strength.
Linking word 'although' shows contrast between two facts: missing de Ligt but gaining Maguire. It helps express a balanced view.連接詞 'although' 顯示兩個事實之間的對比：缺少迪歷特但獲得馬奎爾。它有助於表達平衡的觀點。
C2

Manchester United Defender Matthijs de Ligt Commences On-Field Rehabilitation Following Prolonged Back Injury

Introduction

Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt has initiated individual training on grass as part of his recovery from a back injury that has kept him out of action since late November. The Dutch centre-back has not featured under new head coach Michael Carrick and remains unavailable for the upcoming Premier League fixture against Brentford.

Main Body

De Ligt sustained the injury during a 2-1 victory at Crystal Palace on 30 November and has been absent from matchday squads ever since. His rehabilitation has progressed to outdoor work at the club's Carrington training base, where he was observed performing light individual drills under the supervision of medical staff. The defender posted images of his session on social media with the caption 'Working hard, getting closer', indicating his focus on returning to full fitness. Carrick had previously acknowledged the complexity of the injury, describing it as 'proving difficult' and expressing uncertainty about whether de Ligt would feature again before the end of the season. The head coach noted that the player was undergoing a distinct treatment regimen involving gym-based exercises and had not yet reached the stage of grass training at that time. As of the latest update, Carrick has not disclosed a specific timeline for de Ligt's return to competitive action. In addition to de Ligt's situation, the club provided updates on several other players. Lisandro Martinez will miss the Brentford match due to suspension, while Harry Maguire is set to return after serving a two-game ban. Leny Yoro, who missed the previous win over Chelsea with a minor knock, is being assessed and may be available, though Carrick stated that his participation is not yet confirmed. Patrick Dorgu continues his rehabilitation from a hamstring issue and is making progress toward rejoining team training. Carrick described the overall injury situation as stable, with only minor knocks and niggles emerging from the Chelsea match.

Conclusion

At present, de Ligt's return date remains unspecified, but his progression to outdoor training indicates a positive step in his rehabilitation. Manchester United will face Brentford without him, though the return of Harry Maguire from suspension offers some defensive reinforcement.

Vocabulary Learning

niggle (n.)
a minor pain, complaint, or problem小毛病；輕微不適
Example:Despite some niggles, the team's overall fitness level is good.
prolonged (adj.)
lasting for a long time or longer than usual長期的；持續很久的
Example:The player's prolonged absence from the team has been a concern for the coaching staff.
regimen (n.)
a prescribed course of medical treatment, diet, or exercise療程；養生法
Example:The doctor recommended a strict regimen of physiotherapy and rest.
rehabilitation (n.)
the process of restoring someone to health or normal life through training and therapy康復；復健
Example:He is undergoing intensive rehabilitation to recover from his knee surgery.
reinforcement (n.)
additional personnel or equipment sent to support a military or other operation; here, additional support增援；加強
Example:The return of the defender provides much-needed reinforcement to the backline.

Sentence Learning

His rehabilitation has progressed to outdoor work at the club's Carrington training base, where he was observed performing light individual drills under the supervision of medical staff.
Passive Voice and Non-restrictive Relative Clause: The sentence employs the passive voice ('was observed') to shift focus to the subject's action, while the non-restrictive relative clause introduced by 'where' adds descriptive detail about the location and context.被動語態與非限制性關係從句：句子使用被動語態（'was observed'）將焦點轉移到主語的行動上，而由'where'引導的非限制性關係從句則增添了關於地點和背景的描述性細節。
The defender posted images of his session on social media with the caption 'Working hard, getting closer', indicating his focus on returning to full fitness.
Participial Phrase: The present participial phrase 'indicating his focus on returning to full fitness' functions as an adverbial modifier, providing additional information about the main clause and showing the purpose or result of the action.分詞短語：現在分詞短語'indicating his focus on returning to full fitness'用作狀語修飾語，為主句提供附加信息，表明動作的目的或結果。
Carrick had previously acknowledged the complexity of the injury, describing it as 'proving difficult' and expressing uncertainty about whether de Ligt would feature again before the end of the season.
Participial Phrases and Embedded Question: The sentence uses two coordinated participial phrases ('describing...' and 'expressing...') to elaborate on the verb 'acknowledged', and includes an embedded question ('whether de Ligt would feature again') within the second phrase, adding syntactic complexity.分詞短語與嵌入式疑問句：句子使用兩個並列的分詞短語（'describing...'和'expressing...'）來詳述動詞'acknowledged'，並在第二個短語中包含一個嵌入式疑問句（'whether de Ligt would feature again'），增加了句法複雜性。
Leny Yoro, who missed the previous win over Chelsea with a minor knock, is being assessed and may be available, though Carrick stated that his participation is not yet confirmed.
Non-restrictive Relative Clause and Concessive Clause: The sentence features a non-restrictive relative clause ('who missed...') providing background information, and a concessive clause introduced by 'though' that contrasts with the main clause, demonstrating complex clause coordination.非限制性關係從句與讓步從句：句子包含一個非限制性關係從句（'who missed...'）提供背景信息，以及一個由'though'引導的讓步從句，與主句形成對比，展示了複雜的從句協調。
Carrick described the overall injury situation as stable, with only minor knocks and niggles emerging from the Chelsea match.
Participial Phrase as Postmodifier: The participial phrase 'emerging from the Chelsea match' postmodifies the noun phrase 'minor knocks and niggles', functioning as a reduced relative clause and adding concise descriptive detail.分詞短語作後置修飾語：分詞短語'emerging from the Chelsea match'後置修飾名詞短語'minor knocks and niggles'，相當於簡化關係從句，增加了簡潔的描述性細節。