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VOA日常语法2022--Describing Your Birthday

时间:2022-09-08 02:47:57

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(单词翻译)

Describing Your Birthday

Last week, my niece and I celebrated1 our birthdays together. We both turned 35 years old in the beginning of August. Her birthday is just a few days before mine. We celebrated by going to a lake and having lunch outside.

I had such a wonderful birthday.

Today, on Everyday Grammar, we will learn to describe our birthdays.

When is your birthday?

When people ask us the question "When is your birthday?" we can answer a few different ways.

We can use the season (spring, summer, autumn/fall, or winter), the month, or the day.

My birthday is in the summer.

Her father's birthday is in March.

Last Sunday was her birthday.

His birthday is the 4th of May.

Remember that word "birthday" is different from "birthdate." "Birthdate" is the exact date, like December, 7th, 1997. The word "birthday" can be the date, or you can answer more generally.

For example,

My niece's birthday is in August.

Her birthdate is August 3rd.

How old are you? What age are you turning?

When we want to say how old we are, we can use the present or future verb2 tenses depending on when our birthdays are. We can use the past tense with the verb "turn."

If we are talking about a future birthday, say next year or in a few months, we can answer the question of "How old will you be?" with:

I will be + (age). Or...

I'll be + (number) years old.

In 2023, I will be 36 years old.

On your birthday, you can use the present tense.

Deborah is 55 today.

For the past tense, we can use the structure3 of the verb "be" + age (years old), but we generally use it to talk about past ages in reference4 to something else.

We can also use the verb "turn" to talk about how old we are. In this way "turn" means5 to reach or pass a certain age. Therefore, we can use the past tense with "turn" for talking about birthdays. For example:

I turned 35 this year.

This means that my birthday was in the past. I am still considered to be 35 years old after my birthday.

In the present tense, we can use "turn" to say that a birthday is "today." As in,

Brad turns 60 today.

And to express a future birthday, we can use the same form, the present tense.

Kristen turns 41 this year.

This means that sometime6 this year (the near future), Kristen will be 41 years old.

We can use the modal verb of "will" with "turn" to express a future birthday.

I will turn 36 next year.

What do you want to do for your birthday?

When talking about making plans for a birthday, someone may ask you: "What do you want to do for your birthday?"

You can answer with ideas of plans that you would like to do.

You can use the expressions:

"I want to..." or "I would like to..." to be more polite.

You can even use the expression "I + be going to" if you have already made the plans, yourself.

She wants to go to a French restaurant for her birthday.

I'm going to celebrate with my friends later.

If your birthday has already past, someone may ask you,

"How was your birthday?"

You can answer by describing your birthday with an adjective7.

My birthday party was wonderful.

Then they may ask you:

"What did you do for your birthday?"

You can answer in the past tense:

For my birthday this year, we went to an amusement park.

What do you want for/on your birthday?

If someone wants to get you a gift for your birthday they may ask you:

"What do you want for your birthday?"

"What do you want on your birthday?"

If you want something for your birthday that means a gift, generally.

If you want something on your birthday that could be a party or to make some type of plans to celebrate on the actual date.

On my birthday next year, I would like to go to the countryside.

Please don't buy me anything for my birthday.

What did you get for/on your birthday?

After your birthday, people may ask what you received as a gift for your birthday:

"What did you get for your birthday?"

"What do you get on your birthday?"

You could say that you got or received something.

I got a cat for my birthday.

Or you could say what you got and who gave it to you.

My mom sent me a lovely birthday card in the mail.

Here is how you might tell about another's birthday:

Her husband gave her jewelry8 for her birthday.

Homework

Let's end this report with a homework assignment9. In 5-8 sentences, write about your birthday this year. Try to use ideas that you have learned10 about in today's report. You can use the question headings11 as your guide! Remember to use the correct verb tense depending on when your birthday is.

Send your writing to our email address: [email protected]

We will select one piece of writing and provide feedback12 and suggestions in a future report!

Words in This Story

niece –n. the daughter of your brother or sister

reference –n. the act of mentioning something in speech or in writing

modal verbs13 – n. (grammar) verbs that are used to express possibility, ability, or necessity14.

amusement park - n. a place that has many games and rides (such as roller coasters and merry-go-rounds) for entertainment


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 celebrated iwLzpz     
adj.有名的,声誉卓著的
参考例句:
  • He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
  • The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。
2 verb OiywI     
n.[语]动词
参考例句:
  • The sentence is formed from a verb and two nouns.这句子由一个动词和两个名词构成。
  • These are the finite forms of a verb.这些是一个动词的限定形式。
3 structure PtNw5     
n.结构,构造,建筑物;v.构成;
参考例句:
  • Doctors study the structure of the human body.医生研究人体构造。
  • A flower has quite a complicated structure.一朵花的结构相当复杂。
4 reference IACzU     
n.提到,说到,暗示,查看,查阅
参考例句:
  • We spent days going through all related reference material.我们花了好多天功夫查阅所有有关的参考资料。
  • I like to have my reference books within my reach.我喜欢把参考书放到伸手可取的地方。
5 means 9oXzBX     
n.方法,手段,折中点,物质财富
参考例句:
  • That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
  • We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。
6 sometime CwGw2     
adv.将来某一时候;改天
参考例句:
  • He came sometime last month.上个月某个时候他曾经来过。
  • It will happen sometime and somewhere.有朝一日这总会在什么地方发生的。
7 adjective UJpyR     
n.形容词;adj.形容词的,用作形容词的
参考例句:
  • Don't apply that adjective to me.不要用那个字眼来形容我。
  • The adjective loose has several senses. 形容词loose有几个义项。
8 jewelry 0auz1     
n.(jewllery)(总称)珠宝
参考例句:
  • The burglars walked off with all my jewelry.夜盗偷走了我的全部珠宝。
  • Jewelry and lace are mostly feminine belongings.珠宝和花边多数是女性用品。
9 assignment HvDzO     
n.任务,作业;分配,指定
参考例句:
  • His assignment was to follow the spy.分配给他的工作是跟踪这个间谍。
  • He has got a new assignment.他得到一项新任命。
10 learned m1oxn     
adj.有学问的,博学的;learn的过去式和过去分词
参考例句:
  • He went into a rage when he learned about it.他听到这事后勃然大怒。
  • In this little village,he passed for a learned man.在这个小村子里,他被视为有学问的人。
11 headings 900c58ed509b989c3876840be7c12180     
n.标题( heading的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • The company's aims can be grouped under three main headings. 公司的目标可分成三大类。
  • Headings should be in upper case. 标题应该大写。
12 feedback Wk7xk     
n.回授,反馈,反应
参考例句:
  • I was getting great feedback from my boss.老板对我的评价很高。
  • You need feedback to monitor progress.你需要利用反馈信息来监控进展。
13 verbs vfnzX4     
动词
参考例句:
  • I have to swot up on phrasal verbs for a test tomorrow. 我不得不为明天的测验努力温习短语动词。
  • Verbs that do not take object are called intransitive verbs. 不带宾语的动词称为不及物动词。
14 necessity wGLxm     
n.必要性,需要;必需品
参考例句:
  • I look upon this as an absolute necessity.我认为这是绝对必要的。
  • You must understand the necessity of education.你必须懂得教育的必要性。

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