What Is Thanksgiving?
Vocabulary
Read each word out loud.
turkey
/ËtÉki/
noun
a large bird that people cook and eat, often on holidays
Example:
My mom cooks a turkey for the holiday.
pie
/paÉȘ/
noun
a sweet food with a crust on the outside and fruit inside
Example:
There is a pie on the table.
mashed potatoes
/mĂŠÊt pÉËteÉȘtoÊz/
noun
potatoes that are cooked and made soft
Example:
I eat mashed potatoes with my chicken.
no matter
/noÊ ËmĂŠtÉ/
phrase
used to say that something is true in every case
Example:
No matter what the weather is, I will still go for a walk.
thankful
/ËΞÊĆkfÉl/
adjective
feeling happy because of something good in your life
Example:
I am thankful for my family.
leftovers
/ËlÉftËoÊvÉz/
noun
food that you do not eat at a meal and keep for later
Example:
We ate the leftovers for lunch the next day.
celebrate
/ËsÉlÉËbÉčeÉȘt/
verb
to observe an event or occasion (e.g., a birthday)
Example:
We will celebrate my sister's birthday with a big party this weekend.
Advertisement
Story
Read the story out loud or play the audio and follow along.
Audio recorded by Thomas
What Is Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated in the United States.
Thanksgiving is always on the third Thursday of November.
Families come together to celebrate Thanksgiving.
On Thanksgiving, we eat large meals. There is always a lot of food.
We like to eat turkey, pie, mashed potatoes, and more.
There is so much food on Thanksgiving that everyone takes home leftovers.
Before we eat, we usually talk about the things we are thankful for.
This year, I am thankful for my job. My job makes me really happy.
After we eat, we usually talk, play games, and watch football.
No matter how you celebrate, the most important thing about Thanksgiving is to be thankful for everything that you have.
Advertisement
Conversation Practice
Working with a tutor? Try asking or answering these questions out loud with them.
Working alone? Try speaking your answers out loud or write them in the lesson discussion below.
1. What is your favorite holiday in your country?
2. Do you like pie?
3. Do you often have leftovers after you finish dinner?
4. Do people in your country eat turkey?
5. What are you thankful for this year?
Written by:
Thomas
Lesson updated:
November 6, 2026