Coach Nick Nurse Misses Work for Family Funeral

May 5, 2026, 21:57
USSports

Introduction

Nick Nurse is the coach of the Philadelphia 76ers. He did not come to work on Tuesday because his brother died.

Main Body

His brother, Steve Nurse, died last Wednesday. He was 62 years old. Coach Nurse went to Iowa for the funeral. The New York Knicks are playing very well. They won three games by many points. This is a new record for the NBA. Mike Brown is the coach of the New York Knicks. He sent a kind message to Coach Nurse and his family.

Conclusion

Coach Nurse will return to work for the game on Wednesday evening.

Learning

🕒 The 'Past vs. Future' Switch

Look at how the story moves through time. For a beginner, the most important thing is knowing which word tells you when something happened.

1. The Past (Already happened) In the text, we see words that tell us the action is finished:

  • did not come → (Negative past)
  • died → (Finished action)
  • won → (Past version of 'win')
  • sent → (Past version of 'send')

2. The Future (Will happen) When the story looks forward, it uses one simple magic word:

  • Will

Example: "Coach Nurse will return to work."

💡 Quick Pattern Guide

TimeSignal WordExample from Text
PastLast / Yesterday"died last Wednesday"
FutureWill"will return"

Pro Tip: If you see 'will', don't change the verb. Just say: Will + Action.

Vocabulary Learning

coach
a person who trains or directs athletes
Example:The coach gave us a pep talk before the game.
work
a job or task that you do for money or a purpose
Example:She has to go to work every day.
brother
a male sibling
Example:My brother lives in Chicago.
died
to stop living
Example:The old tree died after the storm.
funeral
a ceremony to remember someone who has died
Example:We attended the funeral for my aunt.
play
to engage in an activity for enjoyment
Example:The children love to play in the park.
win
to be successful or to beat others
Example:We will win the game if we practice.
game
an activity with rules that people do for fun or competition
Example:The basketball game was exciting.
record
a written or printed account of something
Example:He set a new record in the race.
message
a piece of information sent to someone
Example:I left a message on his voicemail.
kind
friendly and helpful
Example:She gave me a kind smile.
new
not old; recently made or discovered
Example:I bought a new book.
return
to go back to a place or state
Example:She will return to the office tomorrow.
evening
the time after the sun goes down, before night
Example:We will meet in the evening.
family
people related by blood or marriage
Example:My family is very supportive.