Weather — Unit 15, Beginner English

Weather adjectives and verbs, temperature, seasons, forecasts, and What's the weather like?

Beginner CEFR A0–A1 2 reading passages

Reading: Four Seasons

There are four seasons in my country: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Each season has different weather. I like spring best. In spring, the weather is warm and sunny. The flowers start to grow. It sometimes rains, but the rain is light. The temperature is about 15 to 20 degrees.

Summer is very hot. The temperature is often 30 degrees or more. The sun shines every day. It doesn't rain much in summer. People go to the beach and swim in the sea. Autumn is cool and windy. The leaves on the trees change colour. They become yellow, orange, and red. It often rains in autumn. Winter is very cold. The temperature is often below zero. It snows in winter. The snow is beautiful. Children make snowmen and play in the snow. I don't like winter because it is too cold. My favourite season is spring because the weather is perfect. It is not too hot and not too cold.

The weather is not always the same every year. Last summer was very dry. It did not rain for six weeks and the grass in the park turned brown. Farmers were worried about their crops.

Last winter was different. In January the temperature was minus eight degrees and the roads were icy. Buses did not run for two days and my school closed. My little brother was very happy.

We sometimes have storms in autumn. Two years ago there was a big thunderstorm at night. I saw the lightning and I heard the thunder. My sister was scared, so she slept in my room.

My favourite weather is a warm day with sunny spells and a light wind. After rain, we sometimes see a rainbow over the hills. My grandmother says a rainbow means good luck.

Vocabulary from this unit

Asking about the weather
QuestionAnswer
What's the weather like?It's sunny. / It's raining.
What's it like outside?It's cold and windy.
Is it raining?No, it's cloudy.
Weather adjectives
WordPronunciationMeaningExample
sunny/ˈsʌni/with a lot of sunIt's a sunny day today.
cloudy/ˈklaʊdi/with many cloudsThe sky is cloudy.
rainy/ˈreɪni/with rainIt's a rainy day.
windy/ˈwɪndi/with a lot of windIt's very windy outside.
snowy/ˈsnəʊi/with snowIt's snowy in the mountains.
foggy/ˈfɒɡi/with thick cloud at ground levelIt's foggy this morning.
icy/ˈaɪsi/covered with iceThe roads are icy.
dry/draɪ/without rainThe summer is very dry.
wet/wet/with rainIt's wet outside.
hot/hɒt/very warmIt's hot in summer.
warm/wɔːm/not cold, not hotIt's warm today.
cool/kuːl/a little coldIt's cool in the evening.
cold/kəʊld/not warmIt's cold in winter.
freezing/ˈfriːzɪŋ/very, very coldIt's freezing outside!
Weather verbs
VerbPronunciationMeaningExample
rain/reɪn/water falls from the skyIt's raining again.
snow/snəʊ/white snow fallsIt often snows in winter.
shine/ʃaɪn/the sun gives lightThe sun is shining.
blow/bləʊ/the wind movesThe wind is blowing.
pour/pɔːr/rain heavilyIt's pouring with rain.

4 more vocabulary sections in the full unit.

This is the free sample from this unit. The full unit adds 1 more reading passage, comprehension questions with an answer key, the listening exercises, flashcards for the vocabulary above, and a speaking task — with your progress tracked so the next unit unlocks when you are ready for it.

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Common questions

What level is this unit?

Beginner — roughly CEFR A0–A1. If you are not sure of your level, the course places you with a short diagnostic before you start rather than making you guess.

Do I need to pay to use this?

The reading passage and vocabulary on this page are free to read. The rest of the unit — the remaining passages, the exercises, the listening, the answer key and the progress tracking — is part of the paid General English course.

Is this British or American English?

British English spelling and vocabulary, which is what most learners in Azerbaijan are taught and what IELTS expects, though both are accepted in the exam.