B1 – Intermediate
Read the article below to know the brief history of Valentine’s Day. Understand the story behind the holiday when most countries spend a lot of money and when florists and chocolate stores have very good profit.
http://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/valentine-love-february14-candy-hearts-chocolate/1850316.html
Discussion Questions:
1. Is Valentine’s Day big in your country? How do people usually celebrate it?
2. Do you think Valentine’s Day is too commercial or consumerist? Explain.
3. Talk about your favourite Valentine’s Day memory.
26 replies on “Valentine’s Day: A History of the Day of Love”
1. Is Valentine’s Day big in your country? How do people usually celebrate it?
Yes, in Spain Valentine’s Day is usually celebrated going out to dinner or with gifts like flowers, chocolate, etc..
2. Do you think Valentine’s Day is too commercial or consumerist? Explain.
Of course it is. It’s a day when a lot of people spent a lot of money on gifts or roses forced by the date.
3. Talk about your favourite Valentine’s Day memory.
My favourite Valentine’s Day was the last time I celebrate it, more than 15 years ago, with my girlfriend at that time who is my wife now.
Nice job sharing your thoughts on Valentine’s Day. Keep at it!
Here is a sentence you can write a bit better:
Until your next entries!
1. Is Valentine’s Day big in your country? How do people usually celebrate it?
Yes, this day is usually celebrated in Spain. The lovers usually book a table in a nice restaurant for dinner. It is also usual give gifts.
2. Do you think Valentine’s Day is too commercial or consumerist? Explain.
I think Valentine’s day is too commercial. The big commercial chains are the most interested in that day is celebrated. For lovers everyday are especial and they should be celebrated.
3. Talk about your favourite Valentine’s Day memory.
My favourite Valentine’s day was 20 years ago. In that moment, my wife and I have been married for three years. A few months early, we had a robbery at home. My wife was very sad because the thieves took a lot of her jewerly. When the day arrived, I book a table in a nice restaurant for dinner. During the dinner I gave her a gift. The gift consisted of a set of earrings and pendant. They were not very expensive, but she was moved. We remember that day very especially.
It’s great that you continue to be consistent when it comes to your writing practice. Keep it up!
Here are a few minor revisions you can make in the following
Happy writing!
1. If it is celebrated, not as much as in America but it is celebrated by giving away some detail and going out to dinner. All shops are decorated with hearts and red colors.
2. I think it’s a celebration that businesses are interested in making bigger and bigger so that more people buy. For weeks all kinds of commerce advertises their products as the best to show love to your partner, even now it is extended in showing love also to family, friends and pets.
3. I have never celebrated Valentine’s Day, but this year my partner and I were able to be together and we celebrated by ordering food delivery and he surprised me with a love card.
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See how this sentence can be revised:
Keep up the good work!
1.Is Valentine’s Day big in your country? How do people usually celebrate it?
In Spain it is not traditional to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Although more and more people begin to celebrate this foreign holiday.
2.Do you think Valentine’s Day is too commercial or consumerist?
I think that all holidays have something commercial and consumerism. But above all I think that Valentine’s Day in Spain has been created to buy after Christmas.
3.Do you have a favourite Valentine’s Day memory?
I don’t have any because I don’t celebrate it. It’s a party I don’t like.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts on Valentine’s Day.
Here is a sentence you can revise to improve it further:
Continue with your writing practice to keep progressing.
1. Is Valentine’s Day big in your country? How do people usually celebrate it?
Valentine’s Day is not especially big in my country. People usually celebrate it going out to have dinner, making gifts like jewelry or flowers.
2. Do you think Valentine’s Day is too commercial or consumerist?
Yes, of course, I think so. Valentine’s Day is too commercial.
3. Do you have a favourite Valentine’s Day memory?
Yes, I have a favourite Valentine’s Day, it was several years ago when we celebrated a party with several friends and we enjoyed a lot.
Good job taking time to enhance your writing skills.
Here is a slightly better way to write this sentence:
Practice more to improve further. You’ve got this!
1. Is Valentine’s Day big in your country? How do people usually celebrate?
In Spain it is celebrated but not like in other countries, the people who do it usually go to a restaurant for lunch or dinner.
2. Do you think Valentine’s Day is too commercial or consumerist?
Yes, for me it is a business day and I don’t usually celebrate it.
3. Do you have a favorite Valentine’s Day memory?
No
You efforts in writing your answers is appreciated. Keep going with this exercise.
Separate sentences that have different thoughts.
See a better word choice in this sentence:
Until your next entry!
1. Is Valentine’s Day big in your country? How do people usually celebrate it?
Yes, Valentine’s Day is big in my country but it’s not as much as in the United States. Usually, people celebrate it like in EEUU; with flowers, chocolates or jewelry.
2. Do you think Valentine’s Day is too commercial or consumerist?
Yes, so much. For this reason I do not like Valentine’s Day.
3. Do you have a favourite Valentine’s Day memory?
No, I have never celebrated it. I prefer to surprise to my couple another day.
Good going with your writing practice.
Take a look at better words you can use in this sentence:
Enjoy while you try to improve your skills.
1. Is Valentine’s Day big in your country? How do people usually celebrate it?
It is not a big day because it is not a public party, but the people celebrate this day going to dinner o lunch in a restaurant or given presents
2. Do you think Valentine’s Day is too commercial or consumerist?
Yes,i´m absolutely convinced
3. Do you have a favourite Valentine’s Day memory?
No, but a think that the better Valentine´s days for me was when me wife and i were younger 🙂
Great going with your writing practice!
Look at some better words you can use in this sentence:
* Do not forget to finish your sentences with a period.
Keep writing!
1- Yes, in my country some people celebrate this day, but I prefer Sant Jordi day 🙂 Is the day of book & rose and this celebration goes acompanied wiuth a traditional history, about a Dragon & a brave knight 🙂
2- Yes, I think that this day is very consumerist. My mother always said that this day was creted for the Comercial Center for sell more.
3- No, because I never celebrate this day with my husband or others boyfriends, just Sant Jordi to 23th April.
That’s another interesting holiday for sure! Thanks for sharing about it.
Here is a sentence you can change a bit:
Thank you for your answers!
1. Is Valentine’s Day big in your country? How do people usually celebrate it?
In Spain it is also a day that Valentine’s Day is celebrated. Normally couples celebrate it by buying the bride and groom flowers or chocolates or even writing letters. in my case my boyfriend gave me flowers last year and I gave him a heart of Lindt chocolates.
2. Do you think Valentine’s Day is too commercial or consumerist?
Yes, I think that Valentine’s Day is a day in which consumerism increases, as for example in flower shops.
3. Do you have a favourite Valentine’s Day memory?
My favorite Valentine’s Day was two years ago when my boyfriend and I went to Andorra to enjoy the mountain landscapes.
Keep going with your writing practice to see further improvements. Thanks for answering our questions about Valentine’s Day!
Here is one sentence you can revise using proper punctuations:
See you in your next entry!
1.Valentine´s Day isn´t very famous in Spain. A few years ago it may have had more followers but after so much crisis and pandemic not.
Young people give each other gifts such as flowers.
2.Yes, I do. Here the most important store is El corte ingles.
3.I don´t have a favorite Valentine´s Day.
Thanks for always doing your writing exercise. We encourage you to elaborate more in your answers so you are able to express your ideas better and more concisely.
Anyway, here is one sentence you can revise:
Thank you for all your efforts.
1. Is Valentine’s Day big in your country? How do people usually celebrate it? Valentine’s Day isn’t very famous in Spain, possibly in the past, but not now. Young people give each other gifts, such as flowers or jewelry, but in Catalonia, a similar day is Sant Jordi
2. Do you think Valentine’s Day is too commercial or consumerist? Yes I do, the most important advertising is a big store, similar to Harrod’s, her name is El Corte Inglés
3. Do you have a favorite Valentine’s Day memory? I don’t especially, for me the Valentine’s Day, if you have a couple are every day
It is always a joy to see you put in efforts in all your lessons.
Please take a look at this sentence and see how you can revise it:
Until your next lesson!
1- In Spain a lot of couples celebrate Valentine’s day, go to have dinner, but in Catalonia some people celebrate St. Jordi’s day.
2.- Yes, i think so. Most people spend money
3- My husband and me go to dinner a tipical restaurant.
1. In Spain a lot of de couples celebrate Valentin´s day. The people go out to have dinner or going to the cinema or the teatre and of course a giff is important to. But somme people don´t like this day beacuse think is only a commercial day. Love can be demostrate any day.
2. I think so. Because the most of the people spend some money and the shops doing a lot of the advertising for selling.
3. The last Valentine’s day was for my the best in my life. My husband and I go out for dinner and the next weekend travelled and of course there was gifts.