Talking About the Weather (Novice-Intermediate)

Practice on Your Own

• Make a list of weather conditions, such as sunny, cloudy, windy, etc. Write the names of a few cities or regions that are associated with each weather condition: Miami is sunny; London is cloudy; Seattle is rainy.
• Write down questions asking about the weather: How is the weather today? How was the weather yesterday? Was it sunny yesterday? Is it windy today? Practice asking and answering these questions out loud as well.
  • Pay attention to how each type of weather is expressed in the language you are learning. Are there equivalents for each English adjective or verb in the target language, or are there other ways to express the same idea? For instance, in English people say “it is windy” while in another language people might say “it winds” or “there is wind” instead of using an adjective like “windy.”
• Write down expressions that qualify weather, such as warm, cold, cool, hot, etc. Write down questions that someone would answer using these types of expressions: Is it cold today? Yes, it is snowy; it is cold. Also practice these out loud.

Practice in Conversation Session

• Be prepared to be asked about the weather in your hometown. Where are you from? How is the weather? How is the weather in the winter, summer, spring, and fall?
• Ask your conversation partner and classmates where they are from and what the weather is like in their hometown during each season.
• Be prepared to be asked about your weather preferences. Which is better, a snowy day or a rainy day? Do you like cold weather or warm weather?