Weather
BasicIt is + adjective.
- Weather adjectives: sunny, rainy, cloudy, windy, hot, cold, warm, wet.
- Two ways to ask: What is the weather like? / How is the weather?
- Always answer with It is + adjective: It is windy today.
文體小知識：Talk about weather.
§Text Passage
1The weather in Hong Kong changes very quickly. In summer, it is hot and wet, and the sun shines brightly. Many people stay indoors because it is too hot outside. Sometimes the sky is cloudy, and then heavy rain comes suddenly. I always carry an umbrella in my bag. It is like a magician that changes its tricks.
2In autumn, the weather becomes warm and sunny, so we often go hiking. The wind feels cool and gentle on my face. In winter, it is cold and dry, and we wear thick coats and scarves. In spring, it is often rainy and cloudy, and the sky turns grey. The streets are wet, and the air smells fresh.
3Typhoon days are windy, and schools sometimes have to close. I stay at home and play board games with my family. On sunny days, I feel happy and want to play outside. Before I go out, I always check the weather report. It helps me decide what to wear and what to bring. What is the weather like in your city today?
§Sentence-by-sentence translation Sentence-by-sentence translation
The weather in Hong Kong changes very quickly.
香港的天氣變得好快。
In summer, it is hot and wet, and the sun shines brightly.
夏天又熱又潮濕，太陽好猛烈。
Many people stay indoors because it is too hot outside.
好多人留在室內，因為外面實在太熱。
Sometimes the sky is cloudy, and then heavy rain comes suddenly.
有時天空會多雲，接著忽然下大雨。
I always carry an umbrella in my bag.
我袋子裡一定帶著一把雨傘。
It is like a magician that changes its tricks.
它好像魔術師一樣，常常變花樣。
In autumn, the weather becomes warm and sunny, so we often go hiking.
秋天變得溫暖又有陽光，所以我們常常去行山。
The wind feels cool and gentle on my face.
風吹在臉上，涼涼的又好舒服。
In winter, it is cold and dry, and we wear thick coats and scarves.
冬天又凍又乾燥，我們要穿厚外套同戴頸巾。
In spring, it is often rainy and cloudy, and the sky turns grey.
春天常常下雨又多雲，天空變得灰濛濛。
The streets are wet, and the air smells fresh.
街上濕漉漉，空氣好清新。
Typhoon days are windy, and schools sometimes have to close.
颱風的日子風好大，學校有時要停課。
I stay at home and play board games with my family.
我會留在家和家人玩跳棋。
On sunny days, I feel happy and want to play outside.
天晴的日子，我會好開心，想出去外面玩。
Before I go out, I always check the weather report.
出門之前，我一定會看天氣報告。
It helps me decide what to wear and what to bring.
這樣可以幫我決定穿什麼衣服、帶什麼東西。
What is the weather like in your city today?
你的城市今天天氣怎麼樣？
1Summary 重點摘要
It is + adjective.
2Vocabulary cards Vocabulary
Full of sunshine.
With rain falling.
With many clouds.
With much wind.
High temperature.
Low temperature.
Between hot and cold.
Covered with water.
3Step by step Steps
- WeatherMany weather adjectives are made by adding y to a noun: sun becomes sunny, rain becomes rainy, cloud becomes cloudy and wind becomes windy. Example: It is sunny and warm today. Remember the spelling rules: sun doubles the n before adding y, while the others simply add y. The subject of a weather sentence is usually it and cannot be left out; never say Is sunny today — you must begin with It.
- TemperatureTo describe how hot or cold it is, use hot, warm, cool and cold. Example: It is hot in summer and cold in winter. Note that warm and cool describe comfortable temperatures while hot and cold suggest extremes, so choose according to the real situation. These adjectives can also describe food or how people feel, as in hot soup and I feel cold. To strengthen them, use very or quite, as in very cold.
- AskThere are two common questions about the weather: How is the weather? and What's the weather like? Example: What's the weather like in Hong Kong in summer? The two questions mean the same but the structures are different: after how, use the verb be directly, while after what you must add like; do not mix the two patterns. Answers always begin with It is. When asking about a place or a season, add phrases such as in summer and in December.
- AnswerAnswer with It is plus an adjective, as in It is sunny and It is cloudy and windy. The subject must be it; this is a fixed pattern for weather sentences. Join two adjectives with and. If the weather event is happening right now, use the present continuous, as in It is raining. Rainy describes the state of the weather while raining stresses that the rain is falling now, so the two words cannot be mixed up.
- Weather in four seasonsTo describe the four seasons, match each season with adjectives: summer is hot and wet; autumn is warm and sunny; winter is cold and dry; spring is rainy and cloudy. Example: In Hong Kong, summer is hot and wet. Note that season words usually take no article, and we use in before a season, as in in winter. Use the simple present for weather that happens regularly, because it is a pattern that repeats every year.
- Weather and adviceConnect the weather with activities through advice: It is rainy. Take an umbrella. It is cold. Wear a thick coat. It is sunny. Let us go hiking. There is more than one way to advise: an imperative says it directly, as in Take an umbrella; should sounds softer, as in You should wear a coat; let us suggests doing something together. The advice must match the weather logically, such as taking an umbrella on a rainy day.
5Worked example Example
Question: How do we describe today's weather and give advice based on it?
- Step 1: Open with the question What is the weather like today? Remember that like is needed after what.
- Step 2: Answer with It is plus adjectives, joining two adjectives with and — It is cloudy and rainy today.
- Step 3: Add the temperature with about plus a number plus degrees — It is about 25 degrees.
- Step 4: Give advice with should or with an imperative — You should take an umbrella.
- Step 5: Explain how the weather changes your plan, using can for an alternative — We can play board games at home instead.
- Answer: Sample answer: It is cloudy and rainy today, about 25 degrees. You should take an umbrella. On sunny days we go hiking, but today we can play board games at home.
6Common mistakes Mistakes
7Quick check Quick check
Q1Sunny?
Q2Rainy?
Q3Cloudy?
Q4Windy?
Q5Hot?
Q6Cold?
8Recap Recap
- Weather adjectives: sunny, rainy, cloudy, windy, hot, cold, warm, wet.
- Two ways to ask: What is the weather like? / How is the weather?
- Always answer with It is + adjective: It is windy today.
- Hong Kong seasons: hot wet summers, warm autumns, cold dry winters, rainy springs.
- Check the weather report before going out to decide what to wear and bring.