Reading Practice for Beginners: My Birthday Party

Instruction: Click the play button on the audio below to listen and learn how to read the following text!

My Birthday Party

Hello, my name is Tom. I am 10 years old, and last Saturday was my birthday. I was very excited because I celebrated it in a special way. I invited some children who cannot afford many things to my house to share food and have fun together.

In the morning, my mother and I decorated the living room with colorful balloons and streamers. There was a big “Happy Birthday” banner on the wall. The table was full of delicious food like sandwiches, fruit, and cookies. There was also a big chocolate cake with ten candles.

At 2 o’clock, the children started to arrive. They were very happy to be at my house. We all sat together and talked. I made new friends and learned about their lives. We played games like musical chairs and pin the tail on the donkey. Everyone had a lot of fun.

After the games, my mother brought out the birthday cake. Everyone sang “Happy Birthday” to me. I made a wish and blew out the candles. Then, we all ate the cake. It was very tasty.

Before the party ended, my friends and I danced to our favorite songs. We laughed and took many pictures together. I felt very special and happy to share my birthday with new friends.

At the end of the party, I thanked everyone for coming and for making my birthday so special. I had a fantastic birthday and couldn’t wait to tell my grandparents about it. I was glad I could share my happiness with others.

List of Vocabulary Related to Birthday Party

1. Birthday
   Birthday is a special day when a person celebrates the anniversary of their birth.
2. Cake
   Cake is a sweet baked dessert, often decorated and served with candles on a birthday.
3. Candles
   Candles are small, wax objects with a wick that are lit and placed on a birthday cake.
4. Presents
   Presents are gifts given to someone to celebrate their birthday.
5. Party
   Party is a social gathering of invited guests, typically involving food, drinks, and entertainment.
6. Balloons
   Balloons are inflatable decorations often used to decorate the venue for a birthday party.
7. Games
   Games are activities or competitions played for fun during the party, like musical chairs or pin the tail on the donkey.
8. Invitations
   Invitations are cards or notes sent to people to invite them to the birthday party.
9. Decorations
   Decorations are items used to make the party venue festive, such as streamers, banners, and balloons.

10. Songs

    Songs are music sung or played during the party, often including the “Happy Birthday” song.

Grammatical Aspects of the Text “My Birthday Party”

The text “My Birthday Party” mainly uses two important grammar points: simple past tense and pronoun usage. Let’s see how these work in the text.

Simple Past Tense

The simple past tense talks about actions and events that were completed in the past. This tense is perfect for telling stories or recounting events that have already happened. In the text, the simple past tense helps in narrating the events of Tom’s birthday party clearly and sequentially.

Examples:

• “Last Saturday was my birthday.”
• “I invited some children who cannot afford many things to my house.”
• “My mother and I decorated the living room with colorful balloons and streamers.”
• “Everyone sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to me.”
• “I made a wish and blew out the candles.”
• “We played games like musical chairs and pin the tail on the donkey.”

Explanation:

• The use of the simple past tense indicates that these events happened in the past and are now completed. It helps in creating a coherent and chronological narrative of the birthday party.

Pronoun Usage

Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns. In this text, the use of first-person pronouns makes the narrative personal and relatable. Pronouns help in avoiding repetition and make the text smoother and easier to read.

Examples:

• “Hello, my name is Tom.”
• “I was very excited because I celebrated it in a special way.”
• “I invited some children who cannot afford many things to my house.”
• “My mother and I decorated the living room.”
• “Everyone sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to me.”
• “I felt very special and happy to share my birthday with new friends.”

Explanation:

• The use of first-person pronouns (I, my, me, we) personalizes the story, making it more engaging for the reader. It allows the reader to see the events from Tom’s perspective, creating a more intimate and immersive experience.

Summary

The use of simple past tense and pronouns in the text “My Birthday Party” helps in creating a narrative that is both clear and personal. The simple past tense is used to recount the events of the birthday party, making the story engaging and easy to follow. Pronouns help personalize the story and make it more relatable for readers. These grammatical aspects are essential for beginner English learners to understand how to use different tenses to convey past events effectively and how to use pronouns to maintain clarity and cohesion in their writing.

Quiz

Test your understanding on the text above by doing the following quiz!