Seasonal Vocabulary in English: Quiz and Phrases

In English-speaking countries, the 365-day year is broken into twelve months and four seasons. The month names and dates are the same for all those countries, and so are the season names (spring, summer, fall/autumn, and winter). The seasons are tied to weather conditions, however, so while North America is enjoying summer in June, July, and August, Australians are enjoying winter.

Below is listed each season followed by the three months in which that season falls in the Northern Hemisphere.

Notice that both autumn and fall are used with the same meaning in English. Both words are understood in British and American English. However, North Americans tend to use fall. Autumn is used more commonly in British English. The months of the seasons are always capitalized. However, the seasons are not capitalized:

• Tim went skiing in February last winter.
• Janice is going to fly to New York next autumn in October.
• I love taking walks in spring, especially in May.
• It's going to be a very hot summer this year. Make sure to have an air conditioner in August.

Time Expressions with Months and Seasons

In

In is used with months and seasons when speaking in general, but not for specific days:

• I like skiing in winter.
• What do you enjoy in summer?

On

On is used with specific days during a month. Remember to capitalize individual months, but not individual seasons:

• I celebrate my birthday in spring on March 30th.
• We're meeting with Tom on September 10th.

At

At is used with a time, or period of the year:

• Many people enjoy spending time together at Christmas.
• You'll find lots of beautiful flowers at springtime.

This / Next / Last

This + season/month refers to the next month or season:

• I'm going to go skiing this January.
• We're expecting snow this December.

Next + season/month refers to the next month or season:

• I hope to see you next March.
• We'll visit our friends next summer.

Last + season/month refers to the past year:

• We bought a new car last April.
• Sharon took a skiing holiday last winter.

Seasonal Activities

There are many traditional activities in the various seasons and months in English. Here are some of the most common activities and phrases associated with each season:

Winter is time to stay inside and enjoy the warmth. Here are some activities you might take part in during winter:

• Snowboarding
• Skiing
• Ice skating
• Putting on your boots and coats
• Wearing a scarf
• Having a snowball fight
• Shoveling the snow
• Celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanza
• Ringing in the New Year
• Kissing your Valentine
• Singing carols

Spring is known for plants and new beginnings. Here are some of the events we can experience during spring:

• Flowers blooming
• Plants growing
• Trees sprouting leaves
• Spring cleaning
• Celebrating Easter

The summer months are hot and perfect for vacation. Here are some summer activities:

• Going on vacation (US)
• Taking a holiday (UK)
• Having a picnic
• Wearing shirts and t-shirts
• Hiking and backpacking
• Camping
• Road tripping
• Wearing sandals and flip flops
• Mowing the lawn

Autumn or fall is a time for reflection and harvesting the crops. Here are some fall activities:

• Drinking apple cider
• Harvesting vegetables
• Picking fruit
• Dressing up in a costume for Halloween
• Raking the leaves
• Celebrating Thanksgiving