A1 · Beginner · Market · 122 words · ~2 min read

💐 A Morning at the Flower Market

Language focus: Present Simple · this / these & colours

Before you read

This story is a small lesson in pointing. This, that, these and those change depending on how near something is and how many there are — and English speakers use them constantly, often with a gesture. Track each one as it appears.

On Sunday morning, Grandma and Leo visit a traditional flower market. The stalls are full of bright, fresh flowers, and the air smells sweet.

“I like these yellow tulips,” says Leo. “And I love that red rose,” says Grandma. They look at the soft petals and the lovely colours.

The seller wraps up a beautiful bunch in brown paper. Grandma pays, and they walk home together with their fragrant flowers.

Leo counts the coins in his hand. He has got enough for one more bunch, so he chooses white daisies for his mother.

At home, Grandma puts the flowers in two glass vases. “These are for the kitchen and those are for your room,” she says. The whole house smells of spring.

Key vocabulary (8 words)

tulipnoun: A colourful spring flower shaped like a cup.
rosenoun: A flower with a sweet smell and a thorny stem.
bunchnoun: A group of flowers held or tied together.
petalnoun: One of the soft, coloured parts of a flower.
fragrantadjective: Having a pleasant, sweet smell.
stallnoun: A small open shop or table at a market.
brightadjective: Full of strong, light colour.
sellernoun: A person who sells things.

Phrasal verbs in this story

wrap up — To wrap up means to cover something in paper or cloth.

The grammar in this story

this and these are near; that and those are far

“I like these yellow tulips” — Leo is holding them or standing right beside them. “I love that red rose” — Grandma means one a little further away. Distance in English can be physical or just a matter of what you are focusing on, and the choice is not optional the way it is in some languages.

One or more than one

This and that point at one thing; these and those point at several. So the full set is: this rose, these roses, that rose, those roses. Note that the noun also becomes plural — these rose is a common slip.

They work with or without a noun

“These are for the kitchen and those are for your room.” Here the noun is left out because both speakers know it is the flowers. You can use all four words alone like this, which makes them very useful when you do not know a word: Can I have that, please?

Colour adjectives come before the noun and never change

Yellow tulips, a red rose, white daisies, brown paper. English adjectives sit in front of the noun and take no plural -s: yellow tulips, never yellows tulips. This is one of the easiest rules in the language and one of the most frequently broken by beginners.

Phrases you can reuse today

I like these ones.: Ones replaces a plural noun you have already mentioned.
How much is that bunch?: That for something a little away from you.
Can I have those, please?: Pointing at several things without naming them.
They smell lovely.: Smell is followed by an adjective, not an adverb.

Comprehension quiz

When do they visit the market?
- Sunday morning
- Monday night
- Friday
Show answer
Sunday morning
Where are Grandma and Leo?
- A library
- A flower market
- A station
Show answer
A flower market
Which flowers does Leo like?
- Red roses
- White lilies
- Yellow tulips
Show answer
Yellow tulips
The seller ___ the flowers.
- eats
- wraps up
- drops
Show answer
wraps up
“Wrap up” means to…
- cover in paper
- run fast
- pay money
Show answer
cover in paper

Now use it yourself

Reading builds recognition; writing your own sentences is what turns it into something you can actually say. Three short tasks:

Point at four things near and far from you and describe them with this/that/these/those.
Describe three flowers or plants you like, using a colour adjective each time.
Is there a market in your town that sells flowers? Say what it is like.