Vocabulary · Basics
Seasons in English
A1
Seasons in English: spring, summer, autumn (UK) or fall (US) and winter, with the months of each season, the weather and useful phrases like “in summer”. With British pronunciation (IPA) and examples.
Quick answer
The four seasons
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| spring(n.) | the season after winter, when plants grow | /sprɪŋ/ | “Spring starts in March.” |
| summer(n.) | the warmest season of the year | /ˈsʌmə/ | “I love summer.” |
| autumn(n.) | the season after summer, when leaves fall | /ˈɔːtəm/ | “Autumn (UK) / Fall (US).” |
| fall(n.) | the season after summer, when leaves fall | /fɔːl/ | “Leaves fall in fall.” |
| winter(n.) | the coldest season of the year | /ˈwɪntə/ | “It snows in winter.” |
The months of each season
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| spring (March – May)(phrase) | March, April and May | /sprɪŋ/ |
| summer (June – August)(phrase) | June, July and August | /ˈsʌmə/ |
| autumn / fall (September – November)(phrase) | September, October and November | /ˈɔːtəm/ /fɔːl/ |
| winter (December – February)(phrase) | December, January and February | /ˈwɪntə/ |
Weather in each season
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| sunny(adj.)“It's sunny in summer.” | bright, with lots of sunshine | /ˈsʌni/ |
| rainy(adj.) | wet, with water falling from clouds | /ˈreɪni/ |
| cloudy(adj.) | with a grey, covered sky | /ˈklaʊdi/ |
| snowy(adj.) | with white flakes falling from the sky | /ˈsnəʊi/ |
| windy(adj.) | with lots of moving air | /ˈwɪndi/ |
| hot(adj.) | very warm; at a high temperature | /hɒt/ |
| cold(adj.) | at a low temperature; not warm | /kəʊld/ |
| warm(adj.) | nicely hot, but not too hot | /wɔːm/ |
| cool(adj.) | a little cold, but pleasant | /kuːl/ |
Seasonal words
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| flower(n.)“Flowers bloom in spring.” | the colourful part of a plant | /ˈflaʊə/ |
| sun(n.) | the star that gives us light | /sʌn/ |
| beach(n.) | the sand next to the sea | /biːtʃ/ |
| leaf / leaves(n.)“Leaves fall in autumn.” | the flat green part of a plant | /liːf/, /liːvz/ |
| snow(n.) | soft white flakes that fall in winter | /snəʊ/ |
| ice(n.) | frozen water | /aɪs/ |
| umbrella(n.) | a thing that keeps the rain off | /ʌmˈbrelə/ |
| coat(n.) | a warm jacket you wear outside | /kəʊt/ |
Useful phrases
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| in spring(prep.) | during the season after winter | /ɪn sprɪŋ/ |
| in summer(prep.) | during the warmest season | /ɪn ˈsʌmə/ |
| in winter(prep.) | during the coldest season | /ɪn ˈwɪntə/ |
| a winter coat(phrase) | a thick, warm jacket for cold days | /ə ˈwɪntə kəʊt/ |
| summer holidays(phrase)“I love summer holidays.” | the long school break in the hot season | /ˈsʌmə ˈhɒlɪdeɪz/ |
Common mistakes to avoid
Autumn or fall?
Autumn is British English (UK). Fall is American English (US). Both mean the season after summer. Choose one and use it in the whole text. Fall comes from the fall of the leaves.
On summer ❌: use in + season
Say in spring, in summer, in autumn / in the fall, in winter. Always in, never on or at. Note: Americans say in the fall with the. For the other seasons, the is optional: in summer and in the summer are both correct.
in Summer ❌: no capital letter for seasons
Days (Monday) and months (January) have a capital letter, but seasons are written in small letters: spring, summer, autumn, winter. Use a capital only at the start of a sentence.
He is sunny ❌: use It's + weather word
To talk about the weather, say It's + adjective: It's sunny, It's cold. For weather happening now, use be + -ing: It's raining. Do not say He is sunny or The weather is sun: use the adjective sunny.
Practice quiz
Going further
The “Seasons” topic is part of the contest vocabulary
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Frequently asked questions
What are the four seasons in English?+
The four seasons are spring, summer, autumn (UK) or fall (US), and winter. They do not take a capital letter (but days and months do).
What is the difference between autumn and fall?+
There is no difference in meaning. Autumn is British English and fall is American English. Fall comes from the phrase the fall of the leaves. People understand both words everywhere.
Do you say in summer or on summer?+
Use in + season: in spring, in summer, in winter. In American English, autumn is in the fall (with the). Never use on or at. You can also add the to the other seasons: in the summer, in the winter are correct too.
Do seasons have a capital letter in English?+
No. Days (Monday) and months (January) start with a capital letter, but seasons do not: spring, summer, autumn, winter. The only exception is the start of a sentence.
How do you talk about the weather in English?+
Use It's + adjective: It's sunny, It's cold, It's windy. For weather that is happening now, use be + -ing: It's raining, It's snowing. You can also say The weather is sunny, but never He is sunny.
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/vocabulary/seasons
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.