We all know there are four seasons in a year. But do we know how to talk about them in English? This article is prepared to help you do just that: learn everything there is to know about seasons English.
The Four Seasons
The four seasons are spring, summer, fall, and winter. Though it might seem like everyone in the world experiences the four seasons, not every country’s climate is the same. This changes things as it leads to every country and city having their own characteristics of seasons. For example, winters in Cairo, Fiji, and New Delhi do not have snow. Or summers in Norway, Sweden and Iceland don’t experience the melting hot summers like other countries do.
Characteristics of The Seasons
All seasons differ in character. Let’s take a look at how to say the different characteristics of seasons in English.
Spring: Spring is usually characterized as the first of the seasons. It signifies rebirth and life as it comes after the harsh winter. It rains a lot and the sun starts to show its face in spring. As a result, plants grow, flowers bloom, and nature starts waking up. Animals who hibernate in winter such as bears, frogs and fish stop hibernating. They also have babies. Days start to get longer and warmer as we see more of the sun.
Summer: Summer follows spring. This is when nature is finally fully “awake”. Days are the longest and hottest during summer due to the extended sun exposure. The animals who were born in the spring start growing up. Plants start producing fruit. Rain decreases in most areas. Schools have summer vacations.
Autumn: After summer, the temperature starts to drop and rains start again, marking the beginning of autumn. Days start to get shorter and colder. Leaves start to shed and trees and plants start to go yellow-red, giving autumn its signature color palette. Animals start to prepare for hibernation.
Winter: The last of the four seasons, winter is the coldest of them all. Days are shortest and nights are longest during winter. It snows and freezes in this season. Only plants that don’t shed leaves like pine trees are green during winter, other species of plants are left bare. The abundance of snow gives winter its signature color, white. Animals hibernate.
Meteorological Seasons and Astronomical Seasons
There are 2 classifications of seasons: meteorological and astronomical. Meteorological seasons are based on annual temperature cycles and astronomical seasons are based on Earth’s position as it moves around the sun. They both divide the year into four seasons, just with different starting dates.
Astronomical Seasons: There are 2 equinoxes and 2 solstices in a year. Equinoxes are the two days a year when the day and night are split almost in half. These equinoxes happen in March and September, marking the beginning of spring and autumn respectively. Solstices are the two longest and shortest days of the year. The solstice dates are 21 June and 21 December, and they mark the beginning of summer and winter respectively.
Meteorological Seasons: Meteorological seasons change with the temperature. Meteorological spring consists of March, April, May; summer of June, July, August; autumn of September, October, November; and winter of December, January, February.
What Causes the Seasons
The seasons are caused by Earth’s tilted axis. As Earth moves around the Sun and rotates around its own axis, different parts of it get hit with sun rays. The angle of which the sun rays hit creates the seasons. The more direct the rays hit the Earth, the warmer it gets.
Frequently Asked Questions About Four Seasons of the Year:
Why is it called autumn instead of fall?
Fall is more commonly used in American English, and autumn in British English, but they are synonyms. You can use both in any context.
What is the hottest summer on record?
The summer of 2021 is the hottest summer on record.
Is winter the longest season?
In the Northern Hemisphere, winter is the shortest season, and summer is the longest.
Why do we have seasons?
Seasons occur because of the tilted axis of the Earth. For a more detailed explanation, check out our article on seasons above.
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