What 'customs & traditions' covers: Customs and traditions is part of the theme Experiences. You need vocabulary to talk about it — and to give your opinion about it.
What you need words for
- festivals
- celebrations
- traditional food
- regional customs across the English-speaking world
Use the list as a glossary: The words below are common English B vocabulary. Treat the list as a glossary: learn each term with its meaning and a synonym, then reuse them in the reading and writing sections.
- custom
- an accepted way of doing something in a particular group or place
- tradition
- a belief or practice passed down over many years
- festival / celebration
- a special event held to mark an occasion, often yearly
- to celebrate
- to mark a special day or event with enjoyable activities
- parade / procession
- a public march of people through the streets, often in costume
- traditional costume / dress
- the special clothing worn for a region's festivals
- traditional recipe / dish
- a food prepared the same way for generations
- to gather / to get together
- to come together in one place, often as a family
- roots
- the place and culture a person or family comes from
- heritage
- the customs, history and culture a group passes on
- to pass on (from generation to generation)
- to hand a custom down from older to younger people
- to keep a tradition alive
- to keep practising a custom so it does not disappear
- to take part / to join in
- to become actively involved in an event
| Useful expression | What it means |
|---|---|
| In my region we celebrate a very old festival. | My area holds a long-standing yearly event. |
| The whole family gets together to share a traditional dish. | Everyone meets to eat a food made the local way. |
| People come out into the streets in traditional costume. | Crowds appear outside, dressed in the regional way. |
| This custom is passed on from generation to generation. | Older people teach the custom to younger ones. |
| Traditions bring us together as a community. | Shared customs make people feel part of one group. |
Why this matters: This vocabulary turns up in every skill — a reading text on a festival, a listening interview about a celebration, a Paper 1 blog about a tradition, or your oral. Reusing precise topic words is how you score Criterion A (Language).
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Have something to say: Examiners reward developed ideas, not just vocabulary. Take a position and back it up.
The common debates on customs and traditions
- Keeping old traditions alive vs modern life.
- Festivals as tourism vs community.
- How regional identity and food connect the generations.
Opinion phrases (use these to introduce a view)
- In my opinion… / From my point of view… — to introduce what you think
- It seems to me that… / I believe that… — a slightly softer way to give a view
- The most important thing is… — to highlight your main point
- On the one hand… on the other hand… — to weigh up two sides
- I (completely) agree that… / I'm not convinced that… — to react to an idea
Risks for traditions (drawbacks)
- Many young people no longer take part in the festivals.
- Some festivals have become too touristy and commercial.
- If no one practises them, customs are slowly lost.
Benefits of traditions
- Traditions bring us together as a community.
- They preserve our identity and our roots.
- They bring several generations of a family together.
Festivals
- A school International Day: why and what happened
- Diwali, Hogmanay, Valentine's Day, a carnival
- Old festivals that young people keep alive
Meeting other cultures
- A month with a host family abroad
- A multicultural summer camp
- A conversation that changed your view
Heritage
- Places that keep history alive
- Crafts that few young people learn
- A documentary about a culture: what it showed
- a host family
- a family you live with during an exchange
- a cultural exchange
- a programme where people from two cultures visit and learn from each other
- to broaden your horizons
- to learn about new things and see the world differently
- culture shock
- the confused feeling you can have in a very different culture
- a craft
- a skill of making things by hand, such as masks or pottery
- to revive (a custom)
- to make it popular or used again
Link your ideas: Connectors lift your answer from a list into an argument: moreover (to add), however (to contrast), therefore (to conclude), although (to concede). Use at least two or three in any written answer.
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Read like Paper 2: Here is a short blog post — the kind of text Paper 2 (Reading) gives you. Read it once just for the general idea; don't worry about every word. Then we'll work through one exam question together.
My first grape-harvest festival (1 of 3): In my village, the most anticipated moment of the year is the grape-harvest festival, when the grapes are picked. It used to seem like something only for the older people, but last year I took part for the first time.
My first grape-harvest festival (2 of 3)
The whole family gets together: my grandmother makes a traditional recipe from the region and my cousins play music through the streets. What I liked most was the parade in traditional costumes and the dancing in the square. At first I felt embarrassed, but I ended up dancing with everyone.
My first grape-harvest festival (3 of 3)
Now I understand that these customs are not things of the past: they bring us together as a community and remind us where we come from.
- grape harvest
- the season when grapes are picked from the vines
- to take part
- to become involved in an activity or event
- to feel embarrassed
- to feel awkward or self-conscious in front of others
- to end up (doing something)
- to finally do something after some hesitation
- things of the past
- ideas or customs that no longer matter today
IB-style task — one Paper 2 question
One question, step by step
- The question — "According to the text, what did the writer like most at the festival?"
- Find it in the text. Look for the words "liked most": "What I liked most was the parade in traditional costumes and the dancing in the square."
- The answer — The parade in traditional costumes and the dancing in the square. The words are right there in the text, so no outside knowledge is needed.
Reading technique: For an "according to the text" question, find the exact line that proves your answer — don't rely on memory or general knowledge.
The task: Your school is holding a world cultures week. Write an article for the school magazine: describe a festival or custom from your region and explain how young people can keep it alive.
Write 450–600 words.
Article structure — 4 steps
1
Headline and standfirst
A headline, then one line that sums up the article. "Our village festival: why young people should keep it alive"
2
Introduction
Set the scene and present the topic. "Every August my village celebrates…"
3
Body
Develop your ideas with examples, in paragraphs. "I never used to take part… So, first…"
4
Conclusion
Sum up and leave the reader with a final thought. "This year, why not let it be you?"
Headline → Introduction → Body → Conclusion
Model: the 4 steps in ~100 words
The article, step by step
- Our village festival: why young people should keep it alive. Traditions are not just for grandparents, says Diego Ruiz.
- Every August my village celebrates its harvest festival with music, dancing and a huge shared dinner in the square. For centuries it has brought the whole community together.
- I never used to take part in my village's festival. It seemed boring and just for the older people. Last year, though, I helped my grandmother cook the traditional dish, and I finally understood what it means. So, first, take part in a festival from your region; second, ask your grandparents about the customs of the past.
- Traditions only survive if someone carries them on. This year, why not let it be you?
Why it works: A strong article does this for each of the three Paper 1 criteria:
A — Language /12
- Range of tenses: present perfect "it has brought", past "I never used to", "I helped"
- Connectors: "though", "so", "first/second"
- Topic vocabulary: harvest festival, customs, carry on
B — Message /12
- Task fully done: describes the festival AND how to keep it alive
- A personal example supports the advice
C — Conceptual /6
- Article conventions: headline + standfirst
- Introduction, body and a concluding question
- Semi-formal tone for magazine readers
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