Our New Year (J7B)
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EN: The simple past tense is used to describe completed actions in the past. For regular verbs like 'clean', we add '-ed' to the end of the verb ('cleaned').
We cooked dinner before the party.
EN: Cleaning the house before the New Year is a common tradition in many cultures, symbolizing sweeping away bad luck from the past year to welcome good fortune in the coming year.
EN: The past simple tense is used to talk about completed actions in the past. For regular verbs, we add '-ed' (e.g., play -> played). For irregular verbs, the spelling changes (e.g., make -> made).
My family made a big dinner yesterday.
EN: Making and eating dumplings together is a significant Lunar New Year tradition for many families. The shape of dumplings resembles ancient Chinese gold ingots, symbolizing wealth and good fortune for the coming year.
EN: The Simple Past Tense is used to talk about completed actions in the past. Regular verbs add '-ed' to the base form (e.g., 'receive' becomes 'received').
I received a beautiful gift yesterday.
EN: In Chinese culture, receiving 'red envelopes' (hongbao) containing money from parents and elder relatives is a significant tradition during the Lunar New Year, symbolizing good luck, blessings, and prosperity for the coming year.
EN: To talk about actions that happened and finished in the past, we use the Past Simple tense. For regular verbs like 'watch', we add '-ed' to the end to make 'watched'.
We played games yesterday.
EN: In many cultures, watching fireworks at midnight is a classic way to welcome the New Year, symbolizing a bright and exciting start to the upcoming year.
EN: To ask a question about the past, we start the sentence with 'Did' followed by the subject and the base form of the verb (the original verb without -ed).
Did you watch the fireworks yesterday?
EN: Visiting relatives is a core tradition during the Lunar New Year. Families travel long distances to gather, show respect to elders, and catch up with family members they haven't seen in a while.
EN: The past simple tense is used to describe actions that happened and were completed in the past. For the irregular verb 'eat', the past tense form is 'ate'.
We ate pizza for lunch yesterday.
EN: In many cultures, including Chinese culture during the Lunar New Year, gathering with family to eat a big dinner is a central tradition symbolizing unity, abundance, and warmth.
EN: To talk about actions that happened in the past, we add '-ed' to regular verbs. For example, 'cook' becomes 'cooked'.
My dad cooked dinner yesterday.
EN: In many cultures, especially during major holidays like the Lunar New Year, preparing 'special dishes' is a way to show love and welcome family members. These meals often feature symbolic foods that represent luck and prosperity.
EN: The past simple tense is used to describe completed actions in the past. The verb 'wore' is the irregular past form of 'wear'.
We wore warm coats yesterday.
EN: In many Asian cultures, wearing brand new clothes on the first day of the Lunar New Year symbolizes a fresh start, leaving behind the old and welcoming good luck for the upcoming year.
EN: To talk about actions that happened and finished in the past, we use the Simple Past Tense. For regular verbs like 'play', we simply add '-ed' to the end of the verb to make 'played'.
I cooked dinner yesterday.
EN: The phrasal verb 'stay up' means to go to bed later than usual. To say how late you stayed up, you can add the adverb 'late'. To specify the day, use the preposition 'on'.
They stayed up late on Friday.
EN: In many cultures, staying up late on New Year's Eve (or Lunar New Year's Eve) is a common tradition. In Chinese culture, this practice is called 'shousui' (守歲), which is believed to bring longevity to one's parents.
EN: To talk about things that happened and finished in the past, we add '-ed' to regular verbs. For 'enjoy', we add '-ed' to make 'enjoyed'.
We played games yesterday.
EN: To say something is 'the most' of a short adjective (like 'happy'), we add '-est' to the end. For words ending in 'y', change 'y' to 'i' and add '-est' (happy -> happiest). Always put 'the' before these words.
This is the easiest game.
EN: To talk about actions that happened and finished in the past, we use the Simple Past Tense. For regular verbs like 'celebrate', we add '-d' or '-ed' to the end of the verb (celebrate -> celebrated).
We visited our grandparents last week.
EN: The Lunar New Year is one of the most important traditional holidays in many Asian cultures, often celebrated with family reunions, special foods like dumplings and fish, and the giving of red envelopes.
EN: Use the past simple tense (verb + -ed) to talk about actions that were completed in the past, often with time expressions like 'before' or 'ago'.
We visited our grandparents a few days before.
EN: In Chinese culture, cleaning the house before the New Year is a very important tradition. It symbolizes sweeping away bad luck from the past year to welcome good luck in the coming year.
EN: We use the past simple tense (e.g., 'cooked') to talk about actions that were completed in the past. For regular verbs, we usually add '-ed' to the base form.
We played games yesterday.
EN: In many cultures, especially in Chinese-speaking regions, New Year's Eve is a time for family reunion. Having a big dinner together (reunion dinner) is one of the most important traditions of the holiday.
EN: When listing three or more items, we use commas to separate them and place 'and' before the last item (A, B, and C).
I bought apples, bananas, and oranges.
EN: In Chinese culture, eating fish during the Lunar New Year is highly symbolic. The Chinese word for fish (魚, yú) sounds exactly like the word for surplus (餘, yú). Eating fish represents the wish for 'abundance year after year' (年年有餘).
EN: The verb 'give' can take two objects: an indirect object (the person receiving, 'me') and a direct object (the thing being given, 'a red envelope'). The pattern is: Subject + give + Person + Thing.
My friend gave me a beautiful card.
EN: During the Lunar New Year, it is a traditional custom for elders to give red envelopes (hongbao) containing money to children and younger family members as a symbol of good luck and blessings for the coming year.
EN: To talk about actions that happened and finished in the past, we use the past simple tense. For regular verbs like 'watch', we add '-ed' to the end to make 'watched'.
We watched a movie yesterday.
EN: In many cultures, watching fireworks at midnight is a classic way to welcome the New Year, symbolizing a bright and exciting start to the upcoming year.
EN: In English, when we talk about past events, we use the past tense of verbs. Regular verbs add '-ed' (e.g., visit -> visited), while irregular verbs change their form completely (e.g., wear -> wore).
Yesterday, we played games and ate delicious food.
EN: In Chinese culture, wearing new clothes on the first day of the Lunar New Year symbolizes a fresh start and getting rid of bad luck from the past year. Visiting relatives (called 'bài nián') is also a key tradition to share blessings and strengthen family bonds.
EN: We use the Past Simple tense (verbs ending in '-ed' like 'played' and 'shared') to talk about actions that started and finished in the past.
We cooked dinner and watched a movie yesterday.
EN: During traditional holidays like the Lunar New Year, spending quality time playing board games, card games, and sharing family stories is a common way for multi-generational families to bond and enjoy each other's company at home.
EN: Using 'It was a/an + adjective + noun' to describe a past experience or event.
It was a wonderful trip to the mountains.
EN: To ask about past actions, we use 'What did you do...?' with the helper verb 'did' and the base form of the main verb 'do'.
What did you do yesterday?
EN: In English-speaking cultures, asking 'What did you do for [holiday]?' is a very common and friendly way to start a conversation after a festive season, showing interest in the other person's celebrations.
EN: The verb 'help' can be followed by an object and then a base verb (without 'to') to show who you are helping and what action they are doing. The pattern is: help + someone + do something.
He helped his sister clean the room.
EN: In many cultures, including Chinese culture during the New Year, preparing a 'big meal' is a central family activity. Children or family members often gather in the kitchen to help the parents, symbolizing family unity and cooperation.
EN: The phrasal verb 'set off' means to ignite or explode fireworks. Since this sentence describes a past event, 'set' is in its past tense form, which remains 'set'.
They set off some fireworks to celebrate the festival.
EN: In many cultures, setting off fireworks or firecrackers is a traditional way to celebrate the New Year, believed to drive away evil spirits and bring good luck. However, due to safety and environmental concerns, many cities now restrict private fireworks and encourage public drone or light shows instead.
EN: We use 'Did you + verb' to ask questions about the past. The verb after 'did' must be in its base form (get, not got). We use 'any' in questions with plural nouns (envelopes) to ask about an unspecified amount.
Did you buy any apples?
EN: In Chinese culture, giving red envelopes (hongbao) filled with money is a major tradition during the Lunar New Year. It symbolizes good luck, health, and prosperity for the coming year. Children and young adults typically receive them from elder relatives.
EN: We use the Simple Past Tense to talk about actions that started and finished in the past. Regular verbs like 'save' add '-d' or '-ed' (saved), while irregular verbs like 'get' change their form (got).
I played games and got many gifts.
EN: In many Asian cultures, children receive red envelopes with money from their parents and relatives during the Lunar New Year. It is a common and responsible habit for children to save this money for their future or education.
EN: To talk about actions that happened in the past, we add '-ed' to regular verbs. For example, 'watch' becomes 'watched'.
We watched a movie yesterday.
EN: To talk about actions that happened in the past, we add '-ed' to regular verbs. For example, 'visit' becomes 'visited'.
We played games yesterday.
EN: In many cultures, especially during traditional holidays like the Lunar New Year, visiting grandparents and extended family members on specific days is a very important custom to show respect and maintain family bonds.
EN: Use 'too many' before plural countable nouns to show that there is a larger amount than wanted or needed.
I bought too many apples.
EN: In Chinese culture, eating sweet rice cakes (nian gao) during the New Year is traditional because the name sounds like 'getting higher year by year', symbolizing growth and prosperity.
EN: Use 'until' to show how long an action continues. It means 'up to a certain time'.
We watched TV until midnight.
EN: Playing card games or board games with family and friends is a very common and popular way to spend time together during holidays like the New Year, especially when staying up late.
EN: We use 'It was a/an + adjective + noun' to describe a past experience or event. 'Was' is the past tense of 'is'.
It was a great party.
Key vocabulary words with IPA pronunciation, definitions, example sentences, and interactive quizzes.
Phrases with type tags, bilingual definitions, usage notes, and example sentences.
To go to bed later than usual.
A red paper packet containing money, given as a gift in Chinese and other East Asian cultures.
To cause something to explode or start operating.
The beginning of a year whose months are coordinated by the cycles of the moon, especially celebrated in East Asia.