English in Advent
Part 2

The elves practised their English as they made the toys,

Getting ready for a season filled with Christmas joys.

Santa loved hearing all of the sentences and words.

It was like a morning melody sung by the south’s songbirds.

Each day, the elves would focus on lessons that were new.

The factory floor sounded like a big pot of word stew!

As each toy got packaged and labelled within minutes,

Santa nodded his approval: “Better English, Better Business!”

Then No. 8 came with a problem to solve.

His face was worried, but his jaw set with resolve.

“Santa,” said the little elf, “I have a concern to share.”

“We’re having problems learning a word, and the word I mean is ‘there.’”

Santa said, “Do you maybe mean the word ‘their?’”

The elf shook his head and said, “I might mean the word ‘they’re.’”

Then Santa and No. 8 had a confused look to share.

Did they mean to practise there, their, or they’re?

“The production line is slowing as we decide,” No. 8 said.

“The elves are all saying we should try different words instead.”

Santa explained the difference between the three different spellings.

No. 8 produced some help cards so the elves could practise at their dwellings.

“There” merely means it’s the opposite of here.

“Their” that something belongs to someone, far or near.

“They’re” is a contraction of “they were” or “they are.”

The elves they kept on practicing beneath the bright North Star.

Santa said, “We must keep practicing with those lessons indeed.”

“Learning English is what will help our business to succeed!”

“Better English, Better Business. That’s what we’re striving for

“So that all can enjoy Christmas with presents galore”

Santa offers some more questions down below,

To test all of you little elves and to see what you all know!

So answer the questions if you can from Santa’s lesson book?

Then come back again next week for a further look!