1 | English Short Stories for Beginners, www-really-learn-english.com

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English Short Stories Workbook

Table of Contents
Story 1—Surprise! Exercises........................................................................................ 1
Vocabulary .............................................................................................................. 1
Grammar—Sentence Structure ............................................................................... 3
Grammar—Questions, Negative Sentences and Positive Sentences ....................... 4
Comprehension....................................................................................................... 6
Essay Writing .......................................................................................................... 7
Story 2—Oh, the Horror . . . Exercises ......................................................................... 8
Vocabulary .............................................................................................................. 8
Grammar—Sentence Structure ............................................................................. 10
Grammar—Questions, Negative Sentences and Positive Sentences ..................... 11
Comprehension..................................................................................................... 13
Essay Writing ........................................................................................................ 14
Story 3—Tomorrow, My Dear Exercises.................................................................... 15
Vocabulary ............................................................................................................ 15
Grammar—Sentence Structure ............................................................................. 17
Grammar—Questions, Negative Sentences and Positive Sentences ..................... 18
Comprehension..................................................................................................... 20
Essay Writing ........................................................................................................ 21
Story 4—An Unexpected Hitchhiker Exercises .......................................................... 22
Vocabulary ............................................................................................................ 22
Grammar—Sentence Structure ............................................................................. 24
Grammar—Questions, Negative Sentences and Positive Sentences ..................... 25
Comprehension..................................................................................................... 27

Essay Writing ........................................................................................................ 28
Story 5—The Free Gift Exercises ............................................................................... 29
Vocabulary ............................................................................................................ 29
Grammar—Sentence Structure ............................................................................. 31
Grammar—Questions, Negative Sentences and Positive Sentences ..................... 32
Comprehension..................................................................................................... 34
Essay Writing ........................................................................................................ 35

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English Short Stories for Beginners |3
Story 6—Royalty Food Exercises ............................................................................... 36
Vocabulary ............................................................................................................ 36
Grammar—Sentence Structure ............................................................................. 38
Grammar—Questions, Negative Sentences and Positive Sentences ..................... 39
Comprehension..................................................................................................... 41
Essay Writing ........................................................................................................ 42
Story 7—A Very Special Gift Card Exercises .............................................................. 43
Vocabulary ............................................................................................................ 43
Grammar—Sentence Structure ............................................................................. 45
Grammar—Questions, Negative Sentences and Positive Sentences ..................... 46
Comprehension..................................................................................................... 48
Essay Writing ........................................................................................................ 49
Story 8—The Wedding Exercises ............................................................................... 50
Vocabulary ............................................................................................................ 50
Grammar—Sentence Structure ............................................................................. 52
Grammar—Questions, Negative Sentences and Positive Sentences ..................... 53
Comprehension..................................................................................................... 55
Essay Writing ........................................................................................................ 56

Story 9—The (Dead) Washing Machine Exercises ..................................................... 57
Vocabulary ............................................................................................................ 57
Grammar—Sentence Structure ............................................................................. 59
Grammar—Questions, Negative Sentences and Positive Sentences ..................... 60
Comprehension..................................................................................................... 62
Essay Writing ........................................................................................................ 63
Story 10—A Special Family Meeting Exercises .......................................................... 64
Vocabulary ............................................................................................................ 64
Grammar—Sentence Structure ............................................................................. 66
Grammar—Questions, Negative Sentences and Positive Sentences ..................... 67
Comprehension..................................................................................................... 69
Essay Writing ........................................................................................................ 70

Copyright © 2011 Ola Zur | www-really-learn-english.com



English Short Stories Workbook | 1

Story 1—Surprise!
Exercises
Vocabulary
This is a copy of the original story. Go over it and fill in the blanks with the right
words from the box below.
technique, carefully, birthday, shiny, yourself, sneakers, Today, gloves,
problem, wonder, tomorrow, complete, However, pair, plan, laugh, subject,
matter, in law, receive, wife, scheme, thinks, clues, present, wrapped, until, tears,
conversation, secret, notices, what, wanted, Finally, each, pretends, excitement
Jerry and Emma are husband and ___________. It’s summer, and Jerry’s
___________ is approaching. Emma wants to give him a ___________ for his

birthday, but she wants it to be a surprise, so she must keep everything a
___________.
But she has a big ___________. If Jerry cannot know about her plan, how does she
find out ___________ to get him for his birthday?
She decides to use a secret ___________. For a whole week, while she ___________
to be doing other things, she actually keeps her ears wide open for ___________.
___________, Jerry doesn’t really talk about this ___________. A whole week
passes with no mention of something he actually wants or needs!
“That’s it!” Emma thinks to herself. “Jerry’s birthday is ___________! I’m taking off
the ___________!”
She calls her sister-___________ Mary, and they make a secret ___________.
Mary will call Jerry, ask him what he would like to ___________ for his birthday, and
Emma will listen to the ___________ (without Jerry knowing it).

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2 | English Short Stories Workbook

The ___________ starts out as planned. Mary calls Jerry, and they have a nice chat
about his upcoming birthday. Emma listens ___________ from the other room.
Finally, she hears what he wants—a ___________ of sneakers!
“All right!” she ___________ to herself.
Full of ___________, she storms out of the room. She was not so quiet, but who can
blame her?
She rushes off to the shop and buys a pair of ___________sneakers, exactly Jerry’s
size. She’s very happy. She will get him the present he wants, and it will be a
___________ surprise!
___________ is Jerry’s birthday. Emma waits ___________ their special dinner at
night.

___________, the moment arrives. It’s time for Jerry’s present!
Emma brings in the box of sneakers, ___________ in colorful paper.
“Wow!” Jerry says with a big smile. “I ___________ what it can be.”
“Open it and see for ___________!” Emma replies happily.
He ___________ off the colorful paper and takes out the box. He opens the box.
“Oh, it’s a . . . pair of ___________! What a lovely . . . surprise . . .”
Emma ___________ that something is wrong. “What’s the ___________? You don’t
seem so happy. Don’t you need a pair of sneakers?”
“Hmm.” Jerry takes a look at ___________ shoe.
“Well, didn’t you tell Mary that you ___________ a pair of sneakers?” Emma asks
him.
“A pair of sneakers?” Jerry starts to ___________. “I said a pair of speakers!
You seem surprised. Well, I guess I could use a pair of sneakers too.”

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English Short Stories Workbook | 3

Grammar—Sentence Structure
The following sentences are all mixed up. Put the words on each line in the correct
order to make a logical sentence.
1. are wife Emma Jerry and husband and.
_________________________________________________________________
2. everything keep Emma must secret a.
_________________________________________________________________
3. open keeps For week she ears her wide for clues a whole.
_________________________________________________________________
4. sister-in-law Mary make plan She her calls they a secret and.
_________________________________________________________________

5. birthday his calls about and have a chat Jerry upcoming they Mary.
_________________________________________________________________
6. shiny buys sneakers She to shop and a pair of the rushes Jerry’s size off.
_________________________________________________________________
7. birthday Jerry’s Today is.
_________________________________________________________________
8. dinner waits special at their Emma night until.
_________________________________________________________________
9. be I can what it wonder.
_________________________________________________________________
10. I too of guess pair use I a sneakers could Well.
_________________________________________________________________

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4 | English Short Stories Workbook

Grammar—Questions, Negative Sentences,
and Positive Sentences
Remember:
A positive sentence: Jerry and Emma are husband and wife.
A negative sentence: Jerry and Emma are not husband and wife.
A question: Are Jerry and Emma husband and wife?
A positive sentence: Emma listens carefully.
A negative sentence: Emma does not listen carefully.
A question: Does Emma listen carefully?
A positive sentence: She should keep it a secret.
A negative sentence: She should not keep it a secret.
A question: Should she keep it a secret?


Turn the following sentences into questions.
1. Jerry has a birthday.
_________________________________________________________________
2. Emma wants to buy Jerry a present.
_________________________________________________________________
3. Emma can listen to their conversation.
_________________________________________________________________
4. Jerry needs speakers.
_________________________________________________________________
5. Emma is surprised.
_________________________________________________________________

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English Short Stories Workbook | 5

Turn the following sentences into negative sentences.
1. Mary has a birthday.
_________________________________________________________________
2. Does Jerry want sneakers?
_________________________________________________________________
3. Emma should tell the truth.
_________________________________________________________________
4. Are they very surprised?
_________________________________________________________________
5. Jerry wonders what is inside the box.
_________________________________________________________________


Turn the following sentences into positive sentences.
1. Emma doesn’t have a birthday.
_________________________________________________________________
2. Jerry doesn’t know about Emma’s plan.
_________________________________________________________________
3. Does Mary help Emma?
_________________________________________________________________
4. Emma doesn’t buy flowers.
_________________________________________________________________
5. Do Mary and Jerry talk?
_________________________________________________________________

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6 | English Short Stories Workbook

Comprehension
Answer the following questions.
1. Why doesn’t Emma ask Jerry what he wants for his birthday?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

2. Who is Mary?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

3. What secret plan do Emma and Mary make?

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

4. Does Jerry really need a pair of sneakers?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

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English Short Stories Workbook | 7

Essay Writing
Answer the following questions. Write a short essay for each.
1. How do you decide what birthday present to buy for someone?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

2. Have you ever received a gift you did not want or need? What did you do
about it?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

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8 | English Short Stories Workbook

Story 2—Oh, the Horror . . .
Exercises
Vocabulary
This is a copy of the original story. Go over it and fill in the blanks with the right
words from the box below.
again, looks, Of course, couples, There, laughs, amazing, later, god,
throw up, agrees, stiff, terror, so, meant, never, can, wait, know,
seems, guess, together, fantastic, theater, tastes, fear,
going, weird, silly, Ax, movies, a bit, horror
Emma and Jerry like to watch ___________. No, actually, Emma and Jerry love to
watch movies. They have only one tiny problem. They ___________ like the same
movies . . .
Emma likes ___________ movies. She likes the fear and the blood.
Jerry, on the other hand, hates horror movies. He hates the ___________ and the
blood. He likes love stories. He likes romantic ___________ and happy endings.
Emma hates romantic movies. She thinks they are ___________ and boring.
At first, they don’t know they have such different ___________ in movies.
Emma comes home. “Oh, my ___________!” She calls out, “Jerry! You have to come

with me to the movies. There is this ___________ new movie! I must watch it.”
“Which one is it?”
“The Bloody ___________.”
Jerry thinks about it for a second, “Hmm . . . doesn’t it sound a bit ___________?”
“Of course not, silly! It ___________ like an amazing movie. We must watch it.”
Emma ___________ at him.

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English Short Stories Workbook | 9

“Well, if you say ___________. Let’s go for it.”
Two hours later Jerry is sitting in the movie ___________, screaming. Five minutes
later he is running to the bathroom to ___________.
“Oh, my god, Emma. I didn’t know this is what you ___________ when you said
’amazing!’ I don’t think I can watch a movie like this ___________.”
“It’s OK, Jerry,” she says. “I ___________ you don’t like horror movies as much as I
do.”
A few days ___________, Jerry comes home.
“Emma!” he calls out. “Listen! You have to come with me to the movies.
___________ is this ___________ new movie! We must watch it.”
“Which one is it?”
“Sun, Love, and Hope.”
Emma thinks about it for a second, “Hmm . . . doesn’t it sound ___________ silly?”
“___________ not, Emma! It seems like a fantastic movie. We must watch it.” Jerry
laughs at her.
“Well, if you say so. Let’s go for it,” Emma ___________.
Two hours later Emma is sitting in the movie theater, completely ___________. Five
minutes later she is running away in ___________.

“Oh, my god, Jerry. I didn’t ___________ this is what you meant when you said
’fantastic!’ I don’t think I ___________ watch a movie like this again.”
Jerry ___________ at her and says, “Well, I guess you don’t like romantic movies as
much as I do.”
“That’s right,” Emma agrees. “What are we ___________ to do? Will we ever go to
the movies ___________ again?”
Jerry thinks about it for a moment and then answers, “I guess we would have to
___________ for a horror love story. You know, a boy meets a girl, they fall in love,
and then she eats him.”

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10 | English Short Stories Workbook

Grammar—Sentence Structure
The following sentences are all mixed up. Put the words on each line in the correct
order to make a logical sentence.
1. movies Emma watch and like to Jerry.
_________________________________________________________________
2. never movies They the same like.
_________________________________________________________________
3. the blood Emma the fear and likes.
_________________________________________________________________
4. on couples other endings likes romantic Jerry hand and happy the.
_________________________________________________________________
5. to You come to me the have with movies.
_________________________________________________________________
6. second about a He it for thinks.
_________________________________________________________________

7. up five later to he bathroom running to the minutes is throw.
_________________________________________________________________
8. as I you do much movies like horror don’t guess as I.
_________________________________________________________________
9. do we going are to What?
_________________________________________________________________
10. know a eats You a girl they love in boy and meets then she him fall.
_________________________________________________________________

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English Short Stories Workbook | 11

Grammar—Questions, Negative Sentences
and Positive Sentences
Remember:
A positive sentence: Jerry and Emma were husband and wife.
A negative sentence: Jerry and Emma were not husband and wife.
A question: Were Jerry and Emma husband and wife?
A positive sentence: She was happy to see him.
A negative sentence: She was not happy to see him.
A question: Was she happy to see him?
A positive sentence: Emma listened carefully.
A negative sentence: Emma did not listen carefully.
A question: Did Emma listen carefully?

Turn the following sentences into questions.
1. Emma liked horror movies.
_________________________________________________________________

2. Jerry liked happy endings.
_________________________________________________________________
3. Emma and Jerry couldn’t watch movies together.
_________________________________________________________________
4. Jerry was very excited about the new movie.
_________________________________________________________________
5. They were confused.
_________________________________________________________________

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12 | English Short Stories Workbook

Turn the following sentences into negative sentences.
1. Emma was very bored.
_________________________________________________________________
2. Did Jerry buy the tickets?
_________________________________________________________________
3. They were surprised.
_________________________________________________________________
4. Did they go to the movie theater?
_________________________________________________________________
5. Emma decided not to watch these movies again.
_________________________________________________________________

Turn the following sentences into positive sentences.
1. Jerry didn’t want to go.
_________________________________________________________________
2. The movie was not very long.

_________________________________________________________________
3. Did Emma go home?
_________________________________________________________________
4. They didn’t watch the movie at home.
_________________________________________________________________
5. Did Jerry run to the bathroom?
_________________________________________________________________

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English Short Stories Workbook | 13

Comprehension
Answer the following questions.
1. What kinds of movies does Emma like? Why?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

2. What kinds of movies does Jerry like? Why?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

3. What happens to Jerry when he watches the horror movie?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________


4. What is the solution Jerry suggests?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

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14 | English Short Stories Workbook

Essay Writing
Answer the following questions. Write a short essay for each.
1. What kinds of movies do you like? How do you feel about watching movies
you don’t like?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

2. How do you decide what movies to watch if you and your partner/friend don't
like the same kinds of movies?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2011 Ola Zur | www-really-learn-english.com


English Short Stories Workbook | 15

Story 3—Tomorrow, My Dear
Exercises
Vocabulary
This is a copy of the original story. Go over it and fill in the blanks with the right
words from the box below.
still, speechless, garage, house, deal, floor, then, walks, Nothing,
helping, each, stuff, dear, around, mean, my, right, annoyed, ask,
tomorrow, simply, When, place, dishes, live, park, boxes, move,
fair, neighborhood, car, crowded, suggest, doing, next
Emma and Jerry move into a new ___________. It has two floors. There are three
rooms on the second ___________, and the kitchen and the living room are on the
first floor. They also have their own ___________. The house is nice and big. They
are very happy to ___________ there. There is only one problem . . .
Just after they moved in, Jerry put much of his ___________ in the garage. Now the
garage is very ___________. It is so crowded that there is no room for a car!
Emma has a car, and she needs to ___________ it. She needs the garage without all
those boxes.
“Jerry,” she says, “when are you going to ___________ all these boxes out of the
garage?”
And Jerry simply replies, “Tomorrow, my dear, ___________.”
The ___________ day Emma asks, “___________ are you going to move all these

boxes out of the garage?”
And Jerry ___________ replies, “Tomorrow, my dear, tomorrow.”
After a week Emma asks, “When are you going to move all these ___________ out
of the garage?”

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16 | English Short Stories Workbook

And Jerry simply replies, “Tomorrow, my ___________, tomorrow.”
So after a while Emma is pretty ___________. (Can you blame her?)
“What can I do?” she thinks to herself. “It doesn’t help when I ___________ him. It
doesn’t help when I talk with him. ___________ seems to help—the boxes are still
there, and I can’t park my ___________ in the garage!”
She ___________ over to the garage to take a look and sees that nothing has
changed.
“Well,” she thinks, “maybe I can do it myself. I ___________, it’s Jerry’s stuff, but
still . . . ”
She starts moving things ___________ when Jerry suddenly arrives.
“Emma! What are you ___________?”
“I am ___________ you with these boxes. We need to free the garage!”
Jerry looks at her and says, “Yeah, but this is ___________ stuff. You have to let me
do it myself. Only I know exactly what to do with ___________ thing.”
“But, Jerry, I don’t have a ___________ to park my car! I have to drive around the
___________ to find parking!”
“Well, I’ll just have to do it tomorrow ___________,” he replies.
Emma looks at Jerry. She is ___________. “Jerry,” she says finally, “it’s not
___________. You know that.”
Jerry looks at Emma. “Hmm. You are right. It is not fair. What do you ___________?”

Emma thinks about it for a minute and then starts smiling.
It is a month later now. The boxes are ___________ in the garage. Emma is sitting in
the living room. She is smiling. She made a ___________ with Jerry: as long as he
doesn’t free the garage from his stuff he has to do all the ___________, for both of
them. So now Emma is happy. She never does the dishes!

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English Short Stories Workbook | 17

Grammar—Sentence Structure
The following sentences are all mixed up. Put the words on each line in the correct
order to make a logical sentence.
1. into Jerry house Emma new and move a.
_________________________________________________________________
2. are live They very there to happy.
_________________________________________________________________
3. they much after his moved Jerry in garage put of stuff in the Just.
_________________________________________________________________
4. garage you to move When the all going these boxes of out are?
_________________________________________________________________
5. tomorrow my Tomorrow dear.
_________________________________________________________________
6. annoyed while a Emma pretty is After.
_________________________________________________________________
7. walks to the take garage that changed sees and to a look nothing has She over.
_________________________________________________________________
8. I myself do Maybe it can.
_________________________________________________________________

9. with I exactly to what do know thing each Only.
_________________________________________________________________
10. and thinks for it a Emma minute smiling starts then about.
_________________________________________________________________

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18 | English Short Stories Workbook

Grammar—Questions, Negative Sentences
and Positive Sentences
Remember:
A positive sentence: Jerry and Emma will be husband and wife.
A negative sentence: Jerry and Emma will not be husband and wife.
A question: Will Jerry and Emma be husband and wife?
A positive sentence: Emma will listen carefully.
A negative sentence: Emma will not listen carefully.
A question: Will Emma listen carefully?

Turn the following sentences into questions.
1. Emma will have a place to park her car.
_________________________________________________________________
2. Jerry will clean the garage.
_________________________________________________________________
3. They will find a solution.
_________________________________________________________________
4. The boxes will be in the garage.
_________________________________________________________________
5. The dishes will be clean.

_________________________________________________________________

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English Short Stories Workbook | 19

Turn the following sentences into negative sentences.
1. Will Emma be happy?
_________________________________________________________________
2. Jerry will want to do it alone.
_________________________________________________________________
3. Will the boxes be in the garage?
_________________________________________________________________
4. The house will be clean.
_________________________________________________________________
5. They will make a deal.
_________________________________________________________________

Turn the following sentences into positive sentences.
1. She will not help Jerry.
_________________________________________________________________
2. Will Jerry be happy?
_________________________________________________________________
3. Emma and Jerry will not move into a new house.
_________________________________________________________________
4. Emma will not need a car.
_________________________________________________________________
5. They will not have a garage.
_________________________________________________________________


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20 | English Short Stories Workbook

Comprehension
Answer the following questions.
1. Why does Emma need the garage?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

2. Why can’t she use the garage now?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

3. Why doesn’t Jerry let her help with the boxes?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

4. Why is Emma happy in the end?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

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English Short Stories Workbook | 21

Essay Writing
Answer the following questions. Write a short essay for each.
1. What do you think about the deal Emma made with Jerry? Is it fair?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

2. How do you solve a problem between you and your partner/friend if they
don't do something you want them to do?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Copyright © 2011 Ola Zur | www-really-learn-english.com