This lesson provides the essential vocabulary and expressions for talking about days, months, and dates. Learners will practice how to ask and answer questions about the calendar, birthdays, and important events.
1. Lesson Goals
- Recognize and pronounce the seven days of the week.
- Learn the twelve months of the year.
- Ask and answer questions about dates and birthdays.
- Use ordinal numbers correctly when talking about dates.
2. Video Introduction: Days and Months
Script: Hello learners! Today we explore the calendar. We’ll learn the days of the week, the months of the year, and how to say dates correctly. Practice with me: “Today is Monday.” “My birthday is in July.”
—End of Script—
3. Part A: Days of the Week
Days of the week are always capitalized in English.
|
Day |
Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| Monday | Today is Monday. |
| Tuesday | We have class on Tuesday. |
| Wednesday | She works on Wednesday. |
| Thursday | My meeting is on Thursday. |
| Friday | Friday is my favorite day. |
| Saturday | We play soccer on Saturday. |
| Sunday | Sunday is a rest day. |
4. Part B: Months of the Year
Months are always capitalized.
|
Month |
Example Sentence |
|---|---|
| January | It is cold in January. |
| February | Valentine’s Day is in February. |
| March | Spring begins in March. |
| April | April has 30 days. |
| May | School ends in May. |
| June | Summer starts in June. |
| July | My birthday is in July. |
| August | We travel in August. |
| September | Classes begin in September. |
| October | Halloween is in October. |
| November | Thanksgiving is in November. |
| December | Christmas is in December. |
5. Part C: Talking About Dates
We use ordinal numbers for dates. Example: “Today is the first of May.”
- Question: What’s today’s date?
- Answer: Today is October 3rd.
- Question: When is your birthday?
- Answer: My birthday is on July 15th.
Note: Asking About Dates
In American English, there are a few ways to ask about the date:
- What’s today’s date? → Most common and clear.
- What’s the date today? → Shorter, casual version.
- What date is it today? → Same meaning, different word order.
⚠️ Be careful: “What day is it today?” asks for the day of the week (Monday, Tuesday…), not the calendar date.
6. Grammar: Prepositions for Time
We use specific prepositions, on and in, to connect an action or event to a day, a month, or a general time frame.
| Preposition | Use It With… | Example Sentence |
|---|---|---|
| ON | Specific Days (Monday, Friday) and Specific Dates (March 15th, Christmas Day). | I have English class on Tuesday. My trip starts on June 3rd. |
| IN | Months (July, December), Seasons (Summer, Winter), and Years (2025). | The school starts in September. I travel in Winter. |
Note for Learners: Two Ways of Saying Dates
In American English, there are two common ways to say dates:
- Formal / Traditional: “Today is the first of May.” (uses ordinal numbers with of)
- Everyday / Common: “Today is May 1st.” (month comes first, then the day)
✅ Both are correct. In everyday conversation, Americans usually say May 1st, October 3rd, etc.
In more formal or traditional contexts (announcements, ceremonies, literature), you may hear the first of May.
Tip: For now, practice with “May 1st / October 3rd” — it’s the most common in daily life.
7. Practice: Complete the Sentence
Your Task: Complete the sentences using the correct preposition: ON or IN.
- My classes are ________ Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
- I usually travel ________ July.
- She watches the football game ________ the weekend.
- His birthday is ________ December 25th.
8. Conversation Practice
Practice these short dialogues with a partner:
- A: What’s today’s date?
B: It’s December 10th. - A: When is your birthday?
B: My birthday is on March 2nd. - A: What day is it today?
B: It’s Wednesday.