An essay (topic) about the holidays is usually assigned to schoolchildren. Most often they mean summer holidays, in which case they are called vacation. However, adults can also write an essay on the same topic - about their vacation; for holidays in English there is another word: holidays. It’s not easy to create a universal plan in English for a topic about vacations, since there can be as many options for how you can spend your vacation as there are types of vacations. However, a standard essay on how I spent my summer in English usually includes the following points.
Summer holiday story plan
- Introduction
At the beginning of the topic, tell us where you study or work and where you went on vacation; how you wanted to spend your holidays, when and with whom you went, what were your expectations from the holidays.
- Rest place
Describe your vacation spot: city, country, resort, sanatorium. If possible, briefly tell the history of this place, whether other tourists and vacationers like to spend time there.
- Route
Tell us how you got to your vacation spot: by car, train, plane, bus, water transport. Did you visit other places along the way, and if so, which ones and how long did you stay there?
- Attractions and entertainment
List interesting places and objects that you have seen: museums, architectural monuments, natural monuments, historical sites. What did you like most? Also tell us about how you had fun during the holidays: walking, swimming, going to parties, shopping.
- Interesting stories and incidents
Tell one or two interesting stories that happened to you during the holidays. It could be some funny incident, meeting an unusual person, an unexpected adventure.
- Conclusion
At the end of the story, describe your impressions of the trip, whether you liked spending your holiday this way, tell us how you got back and would you like to visit the same place again.
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Useful words and expressions
English word Translation Backpacking hike Barbeque B-B-Q Barefoot barefoot Bathing suit swimsuit Beach beach Board shorts swimming trunks Campfire bonfire Cool off chill out Country-side village Entertainment entertainment Festival festival Firework fireworks Fishing pole fishing rod Flip flops slates Floatie air mattress Frisbee Frisbee Hiking walking tour Holidays holidays Hotel hotel Iced tea iced tea Lake lake Mini golf mini golf Museum museum Party party Peak season high season Pebbly pebbly Pool pool River river Sandcastle sand castle Sandy sand Sea sea Sight sight Sleeping bag sleeping bag Speak English speak English Summer summer Sunburn sunburn Sunscreen sun cream or lotion Take a dip swim a little Tourist tourist trip journey Vacation vacation 
Example of a vacation story
It was terribly hot in June. Students were all looking forward to holidays. When our school broke up for summer vacation on the 3rd of June, we felt a great relief.
My father made a program to go to Mussoorie. I requested him to spend a few days at Haridwar also.
Haridwar is a beautiful town with lots of temples. It is located on the bank of the holy Ganges. It is considered as a holy place of the Hindus. We stayed there for five days. We had jolly good time there. We used to go to the Ganges for a bath in morning and in evening. The water was very cold but we enjoyed it a lot. There was a great rush of people at the ghat. In the evenings, the ghat presented a gala appearance. The whole place hummed with life. Thousands of people could be seen coming and going.
After six days we went up to Mussoorie. It is a beautiful hill station and has been rightly called the “Queen of Hills”. We stayed there for about a week. The weather was very pleasant and the scenery simply charming. The atmosphere enjoyed long walks in the mornings and in the evenings. We also used to go to see pictures and for strolling. We went to see all famous places of Mussoorie.
After a week, we came back to Ludhiana. We bought some gifts for our friends. The weather in the plains was still very hot. This is how I spent my summer vacation. I can say with reasonable pride that I spent my vacation quite profitable.
Translation of example
It was very hot in June. The schoolchildren were looking forward to the holidays. When our school closed for summer holidays on June 3rd, we felt a huge sense of relief.
My father made a plan to go to Mussoorie. I asked him to also spend a few days in Hardwar.
Hardwar is a beautiful city with many temples. It is located on the banks of the sacred Ganges River. It is considered a holy place for Hindus. We stayed here for five days. We had a good time there.
We went to the Ganges to swim in the morning and evening. The water was very cold, but we really enjoyed it. There was a large influx of people at the descent to the river. In the evenings this place took on a festive look. The whole place was filled with life. Thousands of people could be seen coming and going.
After six days we left for Mussoorie. It is a beautiful hilly place that is rightly called the “Queen of Hills”. We stayed there for about a week. The weather was very pleasant and the scenery was simply charming. We enjoyed long walks in the mornings and evenings. We also went to an art exhibition and just walked around. We went to see all the famous places in Mussoorie.
After a week we returned to Ludhiana. We bought gifts for our friends. The weather on the plains was still very hot. This is how I spent my summer holidays. I can say, not without pride, that I spent my holidays quite usefully.
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Essay on summer holidays in English. Use this text as a sample to write your own story on the topic “My Summer Vacation” for your English lesson. If you are interested in other essay topics, we recommend that you look in the section.
My summer holidays - “My summer holidays”
I strongly believe that summer is the greatest season of the year. It is very warm, nature is beautiful around, and we have an excellent opportunity to relax. Summer is time of holidays and vacations. We can go anywhere we want to. It’s wonderful to spend time near lake, splashing in warm water or to rest in the shade of trees. You can go to the mountains, ride a bicycle or play all sorts of games.
I want to share my impressions of the most memorable moment in the last summer holidays In July, my family and I went to the forest for barbecue. We made campfire, prepared meat, and put up a tent. While my parents were making dinner, I went to the forest to work up an appetite.
The day was magnificent! There was an aroma of flowers, honey and strawberries in the air. All around was green, only the trunks of the trees stood out with bright spots on a dark green background. The birds were chirping, the woodpecker was banging.
Suddenly, I heard strange noise... It seemed to me that someone hissed next to me. I turned around and saw… a curling snake! It immediately took my breath away. I didn’t even remember how it looked like, because I was very frightened. I began to retreat slowly, and then rushed to our camp. I decided not to talk about everything that happened to my Mom. I didn't want to worry her. Later, we had lunch and plenty of fun. In the evening we packed up our bags and drove home.
Yes… Time flies very quickly. It is a pity that it is impossible to repeat those moments and sensations that I experienced during the holidays. But I believe that next summer will also be unforgettable!
Translation
I believe that summer is the best time of the year. In summer it is very warm, nature is very beautiful everywhere. We have a wonderful opportunity to relax. Summer is a time of holidays and holidays. We can go anywhere. You can have a wonderful time by the lake, splashing around in warm water, or relax in the shade of the trees. You can always go hiking in the mountains, ride a bike, play any games.
I want to tell you about one incident that happened to me this summer. It was the most memorable moment of all. In July, my family and I went to the forest for a barbecue. We made a fire, prepared meat for frying and set up a tent. While my parents were preparing dinner, I went into the forest to work up an appetite.
The day was simply amazing! There was an aroma of flowers, honey and strawberries in the air. Everything around was green, only the tree trunks bright spots stood out against the dark green background. Birds chirped, a woodpecker knocked.
Suddenly I heard a strange sound... It seemed to me that someone hissed next to me. I turned around and saw... a writhing snake! I immediately lost my breath. I didn’t even remember what she looked like because I was so scared. I began to slowly retreat and then ran towards our camp. I decided not to tell my mother about everything that happened, so as not to worry her. Later, we had dinner and had a lot of fun. In the evening we packed our things and went home.
Yes... Time flies very quickly. It’s a pity that it’s impossible to repeat those moments and sensations that you experienced during the holidays. But I believe that next summer will also be unforgettable!
Vocabulary - Dictionary for the text
- season - time of year
- memorable moment - memorable moment
- campfire - fire
- aroma - smell
- magnificent - amazing, magnificent
- strange noise - strange sound
- curling snake - wriggling snake
- to take my breath away - take your breath away
- to retreat slowly - slowly retreat
- unforgettable - unforgettable
Subject: Text in English
Language: English
Transcription: No
Translation: There is
A short essay in English on the topic of summer holidays. It will help you prepare for the lesson and practice your skills in reading and translating texts in English.
Text in English with translation “How I spent summer holidays”
Summer holidays are the longest and the funniest vacations in the year. We’re always looking forward to the summer vacations. And when they come, we put our school backpacks aside and completely forget about boring school life. It’s time to have fun and take the rest!
This summer the weather was great! It was neither too hot nor cold. At the beginning of June (early in June), I decided immediately to enroll in the swimming pool, because I am fond of swimming. Dad insisted that in addition I should sign up for karate hobby group. He believes that every man should be able to stand up for himself. I also think so, therefore I gladly accepted the offer. My sister enjoys dancing, and we enrolled her in the dance-club.
The whole June and half of July I was engaged in the hobby circle, walked and ran about the street with friends. From time to time I did the homework that teachers assigned for summer vacations. At the end of July we went to the sea with my parents. We sunbathed, made tours and talked with strangers there.
In August, they bought me a summer camp voucher for 10 days. Camp is the most amusing place where I happened to stay. Every day we were doing something interesting and fascinating. We walked down the hills, went hiking, did rock climbing. From time to time we learned to draw, play the guitar and the synthesizer. But what I liked the most - gatherings around the campfire. We sang songs, told horror stories to one another and heated ourselves at the fire there.
Translation of the text “How I spent my summer holidays” into Russian
Summer holidays are the longest and most fun holidays of the year. We always look forward to the start of the summer holidays. And when they come, we leave our backpacks aside and completely forget about the tedious everyday life of school. Time to have fun and relax!
The weather this summer was wonderful! It was neither too hot nor too cold. At the beginning of June, I decided to immediately sign up for the pool because I love swimming. Dad insisted that I also sign up for a karate class. He believes that every guy should be able to stand up for himself. I also think so, so I gladly accepted this offer. My sister loves to dance, and we signed her up for dancing.
The whole June and half of July I studied in a circle, walked and ran on the street with friends. From time to time I did the homework that teachers assigned us during the summer holidays. At the end of July we went to the sea with our parents. There we sunbathed, went on excursions and talked with strangers.
In August, they bought me a ticket to the camp for 10 days. Camp is the most fun place I've been to. Every day we were busy with something interesting and exciting. We went down the mountains, went hiking, and went rock climbing. From time to time we learned to draw, play the guitar and synthesizer. But what I liked most was sitting around the fire. There we sang songs, told horror stories to each other and just warmed ourselves by the fire.
Hi all! One of the favorite topics of English teachers How I spent my summer.
Summer is over and now you should get ready to write and tell a story about how you spent your summer.
Topic with translation and necessary vocabulary.
Required vocabulary:
be on holiday (on vacation) - to be on vacation
make friends - make friends
have a wonderful time - have a wonderful time
take pictures of - take photographs
enjoy... - enjoy...
visit - to visit
travel round Europe (Russia, Great Britain) - travel around Europe (Russia, Great Britain)
travel by car (plane, train, bus) - travel by car (plane, train, bus)
go abroad - go abroad
go on a trip - take a short trip
take pictures of... - take pictures...
walk the streets of ... - walk along the streets ...
visit some places on the way to… - visit… on the way to…
see interesting places - see the sights
meet different people - meet different people
ride a horse - ride a horse
ride a bicycle - ride a bicycle
go fishing – go fishing
catch fish - catch fish
go to a summer camp in ... - go to camp in ...
go camping - go hiking
go boating - ride a boat
climb the mountains - climb the mountains
fish by the river - fish by the river
make a campfire – make a big fire
sit round the fire - sit around the fire
roast sausages on the open fire – fry sausages over a fire
swim in the river (in the lake) – swim in the river (in the lake)
pick up mushrooms – pick up mushrooms
My summer vacation template – My summer vacation
| I think summer is the best season of all because it is warm, the nature is beautiful and we have great opportunities for the rest. Summer is a time of holidays. We can go anywhere, spend our time near a river or a lake on fresh, green grass, swim in warm water, or climb mountains, play different games, ride a bicycle and so on. |
| I spend my summer holidays at my granny's. There are many things there to do. What I did most of the time — I swam in the sea and sunbathed. Sometimes I made a fire with my friends at the seaside and cooked potatoes there. It was wonderful. We told anecdotes to each other, and did everything we wanted. I also got used to walk alone in the forest. |
| When August was coming to its end, I went on a small voyage by ship. The ship name was “Sevastopol”. |
| But this summer wasn’t for me only sugar and honey. I have passed through the progressing exams after school and entering exams in the university. So the bigger part of my summer vacations I spent sitting with the books. Of course, it was not interesting, but I’m glad that I did it because now I’m a student of the best university in our country. |
| Translation: |
| I think summer is the best time of the year, because it’s warm, it’s very beautiful around and we have a wonderful opportunity to relax. Summer is a time for vacations and holidays. We can go anywhere, spend time by a river or lake on fresh green grass, swim in warm water, or climb mountains, or play various games, ride a bike, etc. |
| I spend my summer holidays with my granny. There's plenty to do there. Most of the time I swam in the sea and sunbathed. Sometimes I lit a fire with my friends on the shore and we baked potatoes in it. It was wonderful. We told each other jokes and did whatever we wanted. I also often went alone into the forest. |
| At the end of August I went on a short boat trip. The ship was called "Sevastopol". |
| But this summer I didn't just have fun. I made it through my GCSEs and entrance exams at the university. So I spent most of the summer holidays reading books. Of course, it was not very interesting, but I am glad that I went through it, because now I am a student at the best university in our country. |
How I spent the summer
| In summer I usually visit my grandma, who lives in a village, go to the mountains with my uncle, or spend a week or two by the sea with my parents. But this summer was really different, as at the end of July my parents, my uncle and I went to the Republic of Karelia. |
| First we arrived in Petrozavodsk where we spent two days. We walked around the city, visited parks, museums and churches, took photos and bought souvenirs for our friends and relatives. Then we went to Kizhi – an island in the center of the Lake Onega. There we saw old wooden churches which were really amazing. |
| But we spent most of the time in Karelian woods. We collected mushrooms and my uncle caught some fish in the lake. |
| The water in lakes was too cold to swim in it, but my father and I went sailing several times. We walked through pine woods and swamps where we collected a lot of different berries: cranberries, cowberries, blueberries, bilberries and cloudberries. |
| On the way home we also visited Valaam monastery on Ladoga Lake. It was founded about a thousand years ago. We watched a service in the Cathedral of the Transfiguration of the Saviour and saw the famous miracle-working Valaam Icon of the Mother of God. |
| I liked my summer holidays very much. The nature of Karelia is wonderful: pure lakes, waterfalls, rocks covered with pine wood. I tasted different northern berries, and I saw an elk for the first time in my life. We all really enjoyed our trip and decided to go to Lake Baikal next summer. |
How I spent the summer - translation
| In the summer I usually visit my grandmother in the village, go to the mountains with my uncle, and spend a week or two on the seashore with my parents. But this summer was unusual for me, because at the end of July we went with my parents and uncle to the Republic of Karelia. |
| First we arrived in Petrozavodsk, where we spent two days. We walked around the city, went to parks, museums and churches, took pictures and bought souvenirs for our friends and relatives. Then we went to Kizhi, an island in the center of Lake Onega. There we saw amazing old wooden churches. |
| But we spent most of the time in the Karelian forests. We picked mushrooms, and my uncle fished in the lake. |
| The water in the lakes was too cold for swimming, but my father and I went boating several times. We walked through pine forests and swamps and picked different berries: cranberries, lingonberries, blueberries, blueberries and cloudberries. |
| On the way home we also visited the Valaam Monastery on Lake Ladoga. It was founded about a thousand years ago. We watched the service in the Transfiguration Cathedral and saw the famous miraculous icon of the Valaam Mother of God. |
| I really enjoyed my summer holidays. Karelia has wonderful nature: clean lakes, waterfalls, rocks covered with pine forest. I tried different northern berries, and for the first time in my life I saw a moose. We all enjoyed the trip and decided that next summer we would go to Lake Baikal. |
For those who dig deeper and want to know more -
Summer time -Summer
Personally I suppose that summer is the best time for holiday and rest. This season is the warmest one. The nature is really beautiful and the people have various opportunities for their rest. They can travel and visit another cities and countries, continents and islands. They can go hiking and have a terrific time in the forest, in the mountains, on the lake, on the river or on the sea. The people can also go out with their friends and relatives and have fun in the open air.
Personally, I think that summer is the best time for vacations and relaxation. This time of year is the warmest. Nature is truly beautiful and people have various possibilities for relaxation. They can travel and visit other cities and countries, continents and islands. They can go on hikes and have a great time in the forest, in the mountains, on a lake, on a river or at sea. People can also go out with their friends and family and have fun outdoors.
The nature is beautiful in summer. The grass and the leaves on the trees are fresh and green, there are many different flowers everywhere. The weather is mostly very nice. Of course, it can rain sometimes, but some people like rainy days. So do I. When it rains I like to read books and to listen to the pattern of rain.
Nature in summer is magnificent. The grass and leaves on the trees are fresh and green, and there are many different colors everywhere. The weather is for the most part very pleasant. Of course, it may rain sometimes, but some people love rainy days. Me too. When it rains, I like to read books and listen to the sound of rain.
Our family has a country house in a village near our city. In summer my grandmother lives there and I usually enjoy my summer holidays there. I have many friends in the village and we do many things together. We swim in the river or in the lake, go fishing, ride a bicycle, play many different games, go mushrooming and so on. In the evening I usually read books or watch TV and video.
Our family has a country house in a village near the city. My grandmother lives there in the summer and I usually enjoy my summer holidays there. I have many friends in the village and we do a lot of things together. We swim in a river or lake, go fishing, ride a bike, play various games, go mushroom picking, and so on. In the evening I usually read books or watch TV and videos.
At the end of August I come back to the city. On the 1st of September begins the new school year. Next year I will put my school progress exams. I am going to enter the university, that`s why I have also to put the entering exams. I will read up for examinations in our country house - far away from the scurry and the scramble of city life.
