The yearly order
Read the months from the start of the year to the end.
December is the last month of the year.
Year 2
Name and order the months of the year
Name the months in order and work out which month comes before or after another.
Lesson overview
Time
The months of the year always follow the same order from January to December. Knowing the sequence helps us talk about birthdays, seasons and dates on a calendar.
Before and after
If the month is May, the month before is April and the month after is June.
one month earlier
start here
one month later
Move back or forward one place in the month sequence.
The middle of the year
June, July and August sit around the middle of the year.
These months help us keep our place in the longer yearly sequence.
Worked example
What month comes two months after March?
- Start on March.
- Move one month after March to April.
- Move one more month after April to May.
- So two months after March is May.
Try it
Use the month sequence to choose the correct answer.
Question 1
Which month comes after April?
Question 2
Which month comes before December?
Question 3
Which month is the first month of the year?
Question 4
Which order is correct?
Question 5
What month is two months after October?
Common mistakes
Watch for these when working through the lesson.
- Mixing up June and July because they are next to each other.
- Forgetting that January is the first month of the year.
- Counting the starting month as the first move by mistake.
Related topics
These ideas fit closely with this lesson.
- Recognise and describe the seasons of the year.
- Read a calendar.