HOW TO SAY IT

BOOK I

CEFR B1

Intermediate

Practise English by describing this image

warm up

Answer the questions below. Listen to some model answers. Read the transcript.

Why does the weather affect our moods so much? Does it affect yours?

TRANSCRIPT

I’ve always found it fascinating how much the weather can change my mood. On a bright, sunny morning I feel so much more motivated and creative. But when it’s grey and dull for days, I really notice my energy dropping. I think it’s partly biological — something about sunlight and the way our brains work. Personally, I need at least a bit of sunshine to feel like myself. A long spell of bad weather honestly makes everything feel harder.

The Earth offers a variety of different climate zones. Which one do you prefer and why?

TRANSCRIPT

I grew up in Sweden, so I’m used to long, cold winters and short summers. But if I could choose, I think I’d prefer a Mediterranean climate — warm and dry in summer, mild in winter. Not scorching, just pleasant. What I really struggle with is muggy, humid weather. I’d rather have a crisp, cold morning than a sticky afternoon where you can’t breathe. I think the climate you grow up in shapes what feels comfortable to you.

Do you believe people will learn to accurately forecast or even control the weather in the future?

TRANSCRIPT

Forecasting has already improved enormously — a five-day outlook today is more accurate than a one-day forecast was thirty years ago. But controlling the weather? That’s a completely different question. Nature is incredibly complex, and I think there are good reasons to be cautious about trying to control systems we don’t fully understand. Sometimes the wisest approach is to learn to adapt rather than to control. We could probably do with a bit more humility when it comes to nature.

part one

MIND-MAP

Study the language on the mind-map.

part two

Sarah’s weekend update

Read (and listen to) this short comment about the weather. Move your mouse to check the meaning of some words and expressions.

So the wedding is on Saturday, and I’ve been checking the forecast obsessively all week. 1. The outlook isn’t great, to be honest. They’re saying it’ll be 2. overcast in the morning with a chance of intermittent showers, but apparently it should 3. brighten up by early afternoon. I really hope so, because the ceremony is outside and there’s no backup plan. The good news is it won’t be too cold — they’re saying 4. mild for the time of year, around fifteen degrees. But knowing our luck, it’ll probably start 5. bucketing down right in the middle of the vows. I’ve packed a nice dress and a waterproof jacket, just in case. We 6. could really do with some sun for once. Fingers crossed it 7. clears up in time.

Tom’s holiday story

Do the same with this story.

You won’t believe the weather we had on this cycling trip. The first two days out of Salzburg were absolutely 8. glorious — 9. clear skies, not a cloud in sight. But then, crossing the Alps, it suddenly 10. took a turn for the worse. We got caught in a massive 11. downpour coming down from the pass — I was completely 12. soaking wet within minutes. We had to stop at a mountain hut and wait for it to 13. let up. Then the last three days into Grado were just perfect — 14. scorching sun, 15. dry heat, proper Mediterranean weather. Honestly, by the time we reached the coast I was 16. drenched in sweat every day by noon. But I’d take that over cycling in the rain any time.

Weather report

Now read and listen to this weather report. Notice all the weather words and expressions.

Good evening. If you’re planning to head outdoors this weekend, you may want to think again. A 17. severe weather warning has been issued for most of the south-east, with 18. gale-force winds and 19. torrential rain expected from Friday night through to Sunday morning. Temperatures are set to drop sharply — forecasters are warning of a 20. cold snap, with 21. sub-zero temperatures overnight and a significant 22. wind chill making it feel even colder. There’s also a risk of 23. flash flooding in low-lying areas, so residents are strongly advised to 24. take shelter and avoid unnecessary travel. The 25. unsettled weather should clear up by Monday, with a 26. spell of much calmer conditions on the way. We’ll keep you updated as the situation develops. Stay safe out there.

TRUE/FALSE

Decide if the statements below are TRUE or FALSE according to these three texts.

part three

LISTENING

Listen to some people commenting on weather. What are the missing words?
Check the HINT if you need a little help.

How to Talk about Weather — Listening & Gap-Fill 🎧

You'll hear 12 short sentences about the weather. In each one, some words are missing — between one and three gaps per sentence.

Listen carefully and fill in the missing words with the collocations, expressions, and idioms you've learned from the mind-map. You might need to listen more than once — that's fine!

Tip: think about what sounds natural, not just what fits grammatically. Weather English loves its fixed phrases.

Ready? Press play when you're set. ☁️

1.

It was absolutely when we left the cinema, so by the time we reached the car park we were completely .

2.

The forecast promised in the afternoon, but instead we got an unexpected that ruined the company picnic.

3.

Make sure you before you leave — they're warning of and a strong tonight.

4

It feels very today, doesn't it? I wouldn't be surprised if we get a before the evening.

5.

Sarah called in sick again — she's been feeling a bit for the past few days, apparently.

6.

The sky was completely this morning, but it started to just as we were leaving the office.

7.

I'm sorry I can't come out tonight — I'm completely with work and I still have three reports to finish.

8.

There's a in place for the whole region, so we should probably before the storm gets any worse.

9.

It was all night, and by morning the back garden looked like a disaster area.

10.

After a long , we finally got just in time for the wedding.

Well done! You're almost there!

11.

The argument about the office coffee machine turned out to be just a — nobody even mentioned it by Friday.

12.

Losing the contract was awful at the time, but — it led us to a much better client.

LEADERBOARD

Check how your score compares with other players.

Rank	User	Correct Score
1	None	66
2	None	41
3	None	0

PART FOUR

HOW TO TALK ABOUT WEATHER

Complete one more quiz on the topic of weather.

LEADERBOARD

Check how your score compares with other players.

PART FOUR

PRODUCTION

Select one or more of the questions below and write your answer to it. Use the language from this lesson.

Submit your answers in the comments.

1	Think about the best holiday you’ve ever had. What was the weather like, and how did it affect your experience?
2	Describe the worst weather you’ve ever been caught in. What happened, and what did you do?
3	What is a typical autumn or winter day like where you live? Describe it as if you were explaining it to someone who has never visited your country.
4	Have you ever had an important event — a wedding, a concert, a trip — ruined or saved by the weather? Tell the story.
5	If you could live anywhere in the world based purely on the climate, where would you choose and why?

COMMENTS

Share with us what your worse mistake was and what led to it. What did you learn from it?

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HOW TO SAY IT

CEFR B1

warm up

TRANSCRIPT

TRANSCRIPT

TRANSCRIPT

part one

MIND-MAP

part two

Sarah’s weekend update

Tom’s holiday story

Weather report

TRUE/FALSE

part three

LISTENING

LEADERBOARD

PART FOUR

HOW TO TALK ABOUT WEATHER

LEADERBOARD

PART FOUR

PRODUCTION

COMMENTS

0 Comments

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

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