A class forum

A class forum

Learn how to write a post on a class forum.

Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and tips and do the exercises.

Preparation

Reading text

Add your comment below:

So cool to read about everyone's home tradition they miss the most! I'm from England but I've been living in the States for five years and the thing I miss the most is Bonfire Night on November 5th.

The best thing about Bonfire Night is the fireworks, oh, and the bonfires! … and the history behind it. Basically, Guy Fawkes and his friends tried to blow up the Houses of Parliament and kill King James I. They nearly did it too – they hired a room under the House of Parliament and filled it with explosives. But someone told the royal palace. The authorities found Guy Fawkes in the room guarding the explosives, and he was sentenced to torture and death.

So it's a tradition that celebrates the fact that the king survived. It also means people don't forget what happens if you plot against your country. There's a kind of poem about it that starts 'Remember, remember the fifth of November, gunpowder, treason and plot.' That's why we build a 'guy' – a life-size model of Guy Fawkes – and burn it on the bonfire. Pretty dark and horrible when you think about it!

Tips

  1. It's nice to start by saying something that shows you have read other people's posts.
  2. In a class forum you can be quite informal.
  3. In informal writing you can sometimes miss out the beginning of a phrase:
    So cool to read about everyone's home tradition ...
  4. Remember, in a forum you are part of a long conversation with a lot of other people so they might ask you questions.

Discussion

Download
Worksheet88.72 KB

Language level

Average: 4.3 (64 votes)
Do you need to improve your English writing skills?
Join thousands of learners from around the world who are improving their English writing skills with our live online classes and personal tutoring courses.

Submitted by cittàutopica on Mon, 21/10/2019 - 18:51

Permalink
It's very difficult for me to choose a best tradition from my country, because Italy has a very aboundant amount of rituals and all the towns and cities, even the most little villages, are proud of their traditions. Anyway, I can mention a popular ritual that happens in many places with some differences: I'm talking of the fires lit on the eve of Immaculate Conception, December 7nd, for warming Virgin Mary.

Submitted by Md.Sajib Hossain on Mon, 14/10/2019 - 16:18

Permalink
Hello, I am Sajib from Bangladesh. Pahela Baishakh is the widely celebrated tradition in Bangladesh and I like it most. Basically, It is the first day of the Bengali calendar. On April 14th, the festival is celebrated through eating 'panta-illish' (traditional Bengali food made by watered rice and hilsa fish fry) in the morning. Moreover, a rally is arranged for the welfare of the people. The history of Pahela Baishakh can be found in the Mughal Empire. Mughal Emperor, Akbar introduced the Bengali calendar to reflect the agricultural cycle and for the privilege of collection of taxes. Then every year it was celebrated as an occasion for harvesting new crops and also people made different types of cakes from rice. However, in the course of time, the ancient cake making tradition was gone and new tradition like rally came into the place. Although the Bengali culture changed a lot in the past century, Pahela Baishakh remained the most popular Bengali festival.

Submitted by Fery Qiu on Sun, 06/10/2019 - 10:50

Permalink
i am so glad that i can learn so much different traditions by this way. i am chinese girl, my favorite tradition must be making dumplings during the chinese new year which is the biggest family union festival in china. There are a lot of custom in chinese new year, but making dumplings is a special one. Dumplings has lot of meaning in the past, firstly, its chinese pronounciation imply get good luck in the new year, secondly,its shape resembles ingot(Money in the ancient china),so that's means it can bring you good fortune in the future. the last but the most important part of keeping this custom until now, is because its cooking process can make all the family member involved and help developing relationship.

Submitted by smn on Thu, 03/10/2019 - 02:01

Permalink
Its always fascinating in knowing about some one's tradition.I am living in Australia from last four years and missing many of my country's most traditions. I belong to a beautiful country ,Pakistan.The most interesting thing is their family unity.On every small and big occasion all family members get together and enjoy every moment.They show love and unity for each other.Kids experience their family norms and learn from their elders. In Pakistan there are many occasions on which families get together and share their joys but the two main occasions are Eid Al Fitr and Eid Al azha. They are both Islamic festivals. Eid Al Fitr is the celebration at the end of Holy month of ramadan(fast) and Eid Al azha is celebrated as a remembrance of the sacrifice done by Hazrat Ibrahim (AS). Other then these two festivals ,marriages are the special occasions and all family and friends get together and celebrate with ultimate joy.Basically there are three main days of wedding, Mehndi barat and walima,but the celebrations begins almost a month before. These are not only the celebrations but an opportunity to learn about your norms and traditions.

Submitted by AlmiraLinda on Tue, 24/09/2019 - 10:21

Permalink
It's very lovely to read about the cultures of different countries. I also want to talk about a traditional festival in my country, Myanmar. In Myanmar, there are many festivals throughout a year such as Thingyan festival, Tazaungdaing festival, Harvest festival, Thadingyut festival and so on. Among them, I want to tell you about Thadingyut festival also known as the Festival of Lights. It's celebrated on the full moon day of Thadingyut--7th month of traditional Burmese calendar. The reason for celebrating this festival is marking the end of Buddhist lent. On that festival, paying obeisance to elders(gadaw), lighting of candles and visiting pagodas can be found. All Buddhists participate in the event and enjoy the festival. It is one of the great and precious festivals in Myanmar.

Submitted by mnik64 on Sat, 21/09/2019 - 14:52

Permalink
hi, I'm Mary from Iran One of my favorite home tradition is Yalda Night on November 21th. Yalda means the birth of the sun,and The reason it is celebrated is because,after November 21th the days will be longer than before. Anyway, we getting a party and provide some special food and fruit (for example: watermelon, persimmon and pomegranate,...) Finally we start reading the poems of the famous poet Hafez

Submitted by Catalina Pazmiño on Thu, 19/09/2019 - 18:53

Permalink
It's nice hearing about other country cultures, 'cause you learn so much. For example, I had never hear about bonfire nights, now I ´m glad know a little more about England celebration. I live in a country where fireworks are parts of many celebration especially at the end of each year. The real meaning is to welcome to the new one.

Submitted by Marlon Lopes on Mon, 16/09/2019 - 16:58

Permalink
Loved to read about everyone home traditions and get to know more about diferent countries around the world. I'm Marlon, I'm from Brazil and here we love a good brazilian barbecue... the so called Brazilian Churrasco. We do it almost every weekend. It's when we gather family and friends in someones' house to chat, drink and eat a grilled stake beef, pork sausage and a butter garlic bread! You must try when comming to Brazil.

Submitted by Bayan on Mon, 16/09/2019 - 16:06

Permalink
What cool to hear all these traditional stories, comes to me What I the most miss is the celebration of marriage that begins with something called Arada. That's a very traditional dance in Syria. It starts when the friends of the groom come to bring hem from his house so they bring hem with a cool dance en that dance includes dancing with swords, professional mens carry swords and do some beautiful movements with them with some also traditional songs, singing these songs very out loud that all the neighborhood hears it. I used to run to the window when i hear Arada and keep watch it till end. Now I am living in The Netherlands and I miss such things badly. But I think with time I can see such Arada here also because of the spread of syrians all over the world.

Submitted by anfal11 on Sat, 07/09/2019 - 12:58

Permalink
I Love how everyone excited to tell their country tradition, Let me share with you the best traditional celebration we have it here in Bahrain and in GCC. It's Gurgaon happens on the 13th of Ramdan from the Islamic calendar. What I like the most about the Gurgaon it's the celebration atmosphere and kids singing. Basically, on these days kids wear colourfull traditional custom and going around the neighbourhood knocking the doors and singing Gurgaon song where the neighbour treat them with candies and coines. I love it because it reminded me of my childhood, and how we used to be happy and excited about the small thing. :)