English for Describing Festivals: New Year

In this lesson, we will focus on English for describing festivals, more specifically, New Year. 

Let's look at how people in Sydney, London and New York City celebrate the New Year. There is a list of useful vocabulary below each text and example sentences to help you remember the words. 


New Year in Sydney 

People in Sydney welcome the new year with spectacular fireworks at Sydney Harbour. They can watch the fireworks from various public viewing areas. Some of the vantage points are free of charge while others require you to get a ticket.

In Sydney, they have a special event programme which starts with a pre-show entertainment at 6 p.m. This includes aerial and water displays. At 9 p.m. there is 'Family fireworks' for families with younger children. After that, it's the Harbour of Light Parade with illuminated vessels gliding across the water. Finally, at midnight, there's a fireworks display which lasts for about 15 minutes. 

New Year's Eve in Sydney is considered to be one of the best celebrations in the world and that's a special event for many tourists who have it on their bucket list and travel long distances to be there. 
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VOCABULARY 

• to watch the fireworks 
• public viewing areas 
• vantage point BrE /ˈvɑːntɪdʒ pɔɪnt/ ​- a position from which you watch something 
• display - a show for people to watch 
• New Year's Eve - 31 December, especially the evening of that day 
• spectacular New Year's Eve fireworks  

Examples: 

• The fireworks display is held every year on New Year's Eve. 
• People tend to line up much in advance waiting for the arrival of the new year. 
• We took great photos from our vantage point. 
• I was on the east side of Sydney Harbour Bridge. 
• We got excellent views of the harbour and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. 
• It was a night to remember. 

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New Year in London 

Before 2014 people could attend London New Year's Eve fireworks display for free, but it has been ticketed ever since. If you miss the chance to buy a ticket, you can watch the event live on television. Even if you can't get a ticket for New Year's Eve fireworks, don't get your plans fizzle out. There are still loads of other ways to celebrate the beginning of the new year. For example, you can see London light up at midnight from the river on a New Year's Eve fireworks cruise or you can watch the fireworks at a restaurant with an amazing view. You can welcome the new year at a party or in a club. There are various New Year's Eve parties in London and lots of things to do on New Year's Day.  

Central London is typically busy at this time of year, so people need to plan ahead how they are going to get around and what kind of public transport they are going to use. 

People can start off the new year with a New Year's Day Parade which takes place in central London. You can go shopping to pick up some bargains in the January sales or tick off some of London top attractions. 


VOCABULARY 

• miss the chance 
• to fizzle out (phrasal verb) (informal) - to gradually become less successful and end in a disappointing way 
• to get around - to move from place to place 
• to light up (phrasal verb) - to become or to make something become bright with light or colour 
• to take place - to happen, especially after previously being organised 

​Examples: 

• The NYE tickets have been sold out, but don't let your plans fizzle out. 
• There's a special London New Year's Eve playlist. 
• The night sky was lit up with fireworks. 

New Year in New York City 

As you may probably know, NYC's biggest celebration takes place in Times Square. Interestingly, this special event first began in 1904 with a fireworks display set off from the roof of the New York Times Building at midnight. 

Nowadays, revellers start arriving in Times Square late in the afternoon at about 3 p.m. They gather in separate viewing sections. When one section fills up, people are directed by police to the next one. The celebration begins at 6 p.m. with the lighting and raising of the New Year's Eve Ball. It is located on the roof of One Times Square and is referred as the ball drop. There are hours of live entertainment, including performances by famous singers, confetti release and colourful pyrotechnic effects atop One Times Square. The Ball leads the final sixty-second countdown to the New Year. 

At the stroke of midnight, the lights on the New Year's Eve Ball are turned off and a sign shows up greeting people for the New Year. There is confetti release throughout Times Square accompanied by colourful fireworks which last for about 15 minutes. 


VOCABULARY 

• reveller (US English reveler) - a person who is having fun in a noisy way, usually with a group of other people and often after drinking alcohol 
• New Year's Eve Ball | Times Square Ball | the ball drop 
• One Times Square | The New York Times Building | The New York Times Tower 
• confetti release and colourful pyrotechnic effects 
• atop (preposition) - on top of, at the top of 

Examples: 

• The ball drops at midnight on December 31st.  
• Lots of people gather in Times Square to watch the crystal ball drop and ring in the new year. 

English Collocations with YEAR 

last | past 

Examples: 

• I didn't improve my English as much as I wanted last year, but I will do my best this year. 
• We travelled a lot over the past year. 

coming | future 

Examples: 

• People have high hopes for the coming year. 
• I want to have a higher salary in future years. 

all year long | all year round | early/late in the year | a time of year 

Examples: 

• I've been waiting for this moment all year long. | I've been waiting for Christmas all year long. 
• The museum is open all year round. 
• I have a few business trips early in the year. 
• Shops are usually crowded at this time of year. | It's usually cold at this time of year. 

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Answer the following questions in the comment section below! 

TASK: 

1. How did you spend New Year's Eve? 
2. Do you usually reflect back on the year at the end of December or move on to the next year? 
3. Did you make New Year's Resolutions? 

Other lessons: 
English Conversation: Travel opinions  
English Conversation: Travel experience  
English Conversation: Travelling in Europe and Asia  
Commonly Used Phrases in Spoken English  

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Some of our IELTS lessons: 
Discourse Markers for IELTS Speaking and Everyday English  
IELTS Speaking Test: Places That Tourists Visit and Being a Tourist (We give answers to six questions from Part 3 of the speaking test.) 


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