ESL Blogs

How's the weather today? This is the first line of Jonathan Taylor's new Weather Song.

When it comes to small talk, the weather is a popular subject for Canadians. For example, I talk about the weather with our crossing guard every morning. We only have a few seconds to chat before the traffic light changes. This gives us just enough time to comment on the weather. 

Talking about the weather is a good way to break the ice when you meet someone new or when you're at the beginning of a conversation. This month, let's practise writing dialogues about the weather. 

Your Task

1. Review some weather vocabulary and expressions.

2. Think of a person who lives on the other side of the world where the weather is different from your weather.  Choose a MyEC member, a celebrity, a friend, or a family member.

3. Look up the weather in your city and in the other person's city. Take notes about the temperature, precipitation, wind, etc. in both locations.

4. Create a new blog post. Use the title: Writing Challenge - Weather Chat. Write the beginning of a telephone conversation between you and the other person you chose. You will only talk about the weather. 

5. Publish your post and share a link to it in the comments below.

My Example

Tara: Hi Kandy. How's the weather in Sydney? 

Kandy: Hi Tara. It's pretty rainy here today. How's the weather in Toronto? 

Tara: It's freezing here. The last time I checked it was minus twelve (-12°C). 

Kandy: Wow. That is very cold. I thought it was chilly here. It's only eighteen degrees (18 °C). It's below seasonal.

Tara:  Below seasonal?! With the windchill, it's minus twenty (-20 °C) here! 

Kandy:  Well, it's summer here, after all. It's supposed to get really hot here in a few days. I just checked the forecast. There's a high of twenty-eight (28 °C) on Wednesday. 

Tara: I'm so jealous. Is it humid in Sydney at this time of year? It's very dry here. My lips are chapped. 

Kandy: Yes, it's very humid here at this time of year. Every day is a bad hair day. 

Tara: Well, we have one thing in common. I have a bad hair day every day from wearing a toque. This winter hasn't been too bad, though. I can't complain.

Kandy: Really? It gets colder than minus twenty (-20 °C)?

Tara: Well, sometimes these cold spells last a long time. We had a horrible winter last year. We were in a deep freeze for months. There hasn't been too much snow this year. 

Kandy: My kids would love to see some snow. 

Tara: The kids love to stay home from school when there's a blizzard. We haven't had a bad one this year, though. 

Kandy: Knock on wood! 

Tara: I know. They were calling for two feet of snow in New York yesterday, but the storm didn't materialize. 

Kandy: They are calling for thunderstorms here. The dogs hate when there's thunder and lightning. 

Tara: Well, I'm not as jealous now knowing it's not beach weather. I thought it was always hot and sunny in Sydney. 

Kandy: Not today. It's cloudy. We're hoping to head to the beach for a picnic on Wednesday. I'll send you a picture. 

Tara: Thanks. Maybe it will warm me up! 

*Please read some blog posts by Writing Challenge participants. Leave a comment about your own weather in the comments of their post.