New Year's resolutions

New Year's resolutions

Learn how to write about your New Year's resolutions.

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

Preparation

Reading text

Write about your New Year's resolutions for the coming year. Before you start, plan what you are going to include and think about who is going to read it.

My New Year's resolutions

by Darren

I like to start every year with my New Year's resolutions. Then I read them next 1 January and see how well I did!

Here are my resolutions this year.

1. Get fit!!

I say this every year but I hope writing it in public will make it more real. I'm aiming for three runs a week – I think I can do it! I think a fitness tracking app might help me achieve it. Or I could find a running partner. If anyone who's reading this wants to be my partner, let me know!

2. Save 10 per cent of my salary a month

Having no savings is starting to worry me and 10 per cent is realistic. It's not too much, but it's not too little that I won't see it add up. I'll put the money into a special bank account that will make it grow … Actually, I don't know much about that so maybe my next resolution should be to find out how to invest money!!

3. Cook more

I'd like to start inviting friends for dinner and cooking for them. I think once a month is a good plan. By the end of the year I want to have five dishes I can cook really well so people will say, 'Have you ever had Darren's delicious cooking?' Who wants to be my first guest?

Tips

  1. Before you start a writing task, make a plan. First, write down lots of ideas you could include. Then choose the best and most interesting ones.
  2. Don't write all your ideas in one section. Make one section for each idea. Write a heading for each section to show the reader what it's about.
  3. Think about who is going to read the text and choose the style accordingly. For your classmates, use an informal and clear style.
  4. Keep your reader interested by talking directly to them, e.g. by asking a question.
  5. When you have finished your writing, read it and check it for mistakes.

Task 1

Task 2

Task 3

Discussion

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Average: 4.2 (13 votes)
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Hello Nikolaos,

I don't think there is a reason for this, to be honest. You could think about there being other skies around other planets while space is an abstract concept, but I'm not sure it is helpful or accurate. It's rather simply a case of convention through use, in my opinion.

We often use the with meteorological phenomena: the rain, the wind, the clouds etc.

 

Peter

The LearnEnglish Team

Hello, Peter! Could you ask Kirk please? Thank you Nikolaos

Hello Nikolaos

I agree with Peter's explanation: as far as I know, this is just a convention that has evolved over time. As he suggests, one could come up with arguments for why we say 'the sky' but not 'the space', but it's probably not that useful since in the end it appears to be a question of use.

All the best

Kirk

The LearnEnglish Team

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Submitted by Magedelabd on Fri, 27/03/2020 - 19:29

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Yes I do new year resolution . My plan for this year is 1. Get the IELTS certificate. 2.immegrate to Canada.3. get MBA. 3. Safe 70000Egyptian pounds.

Submitted by jazmin marquez on Wed, 25/03/2020 - 18:30

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I made New Year's resolutions last December. Well, I love riding my bike, so I would like to train on it for an hour every day. My goal is to write two scientific papers this year, and I think working on this on Saturdays could help me do it. I would like to start saving money every month, by the end of the year I hope to have enough money to travel.

Submitted by shahhoseini on Thu, 05/03/2020 - 09:21

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I intend to complete English learning and to work on an engineering software this year.

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Submitted by ANITA BHADRA (not verified) on Fri, 17/01/2020 - 10:43

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I wish to make a new resolution everyday . Each day brings something new . I do not wait for a year to review my plans and make new resolutions . Every morning I make resolution for the day review the same before going to bed .
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Submitted by Rafaela1 on Tue, 31/12/2019 - 15:56

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I just want to make a new year even better. Looking back this year, I experiecned some turbulance, which made me feel "enough"! Literally, I want to start the year off on the Right foot! ;)

Submitted by cittàutopica on Mon, 11/11/2019 - 16:17

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Every the last day of December I try to make plans for New Year, but I haven't clear ideas about it, then I restrict myself only to formulating general proposal. For next year I would like to organise better my daily tasks, so that I'm going to do all that I ought to do.

Submitted by Dawn on Mon, 09/09/2019 - 08:26

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I don’t usually write my New Year’s resolutions, I only thought about them. But this year I will write them, and I will hang them on the wall, so I can remind myself always to accomplish those decisions. Here are my main resolutions for this year: Find another job: I am good at my job, but I am aiming to have a better job with a better salary. Living expenses are huge, I need more money in order to offer my children better life. Buy a house: For more than six year I have spent my money on rent, it’s the time to buy a house so I can pay for the installments instead of rent. Taking care of my health: This year I should go to gym regularly, I am getting old, and to keep myself in a good shape and healthy, I must train at least three times a week.