Here/There
The English-Speaking Union
English in Action
June 2016
Volunteers helping newcomers speak English
There/Their/They’re
Homophones are words that sound the same but have different
meanings and different spellings. Here are three homophones that
are easily confused.
there—refers to a place that isn’t here
That bakery there bakes the best cookies.
—also used to state something
There are no cookies left.
their—indicates possession, something belonging to them
Their cookies taste better than ours.
they’re—short for “they are”
They’re going to eat all the cookies.
Fill in the blanks with the correct word (answers below).
1. ____ were more than enough cookies for everyone.
2. _____ going to feel sick if they eat all the cookies.
3. How many cookies were _____ on the plate?
4. _____’s nothing like the present to learn a new skill.
5. Which plate do you mean? This one here, or that one over _____?.
6. I ate all of _____ cookies.
7. Now _____ angry at me.
8. France has the best bakeries. I would love to move _____ .
9. _____ bakeries are the best in the world!
10. _____ even better than the ones in Italy!
Answers: 1. there, 2. they’re, 3. there, 4. there. 5. there, 6. their, 7. they’re, 8. there,
9. their, 10. they’re
Conversation Topics
Culture Corner
Midsummer
Father’s Day
The first day of summer is Monday, June 20th.
It is also the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. On this
day, the sun’s zenith reaches its northernmost point, and the North
Pole is tilted directly towards the sun.
Father’s Day is a day to honor the fathers and
father figures in our lives.
The word “solstice” is Latin for “sun-stopping.” On the solstice, the
sun’s position on the horizon at sunrise and sunset seems to “stop”
and then on subsequent days, it reverses direction. Although this
marks the beginning of summer, it is often called midsummer.
On July 19, 1910, the governor of the US state of
Washington proclaimed the nation’s first “Father’s
Day.” However, it wasn’t until 1972 that the day
became a nationwide celebration in the US. It is a
complement to Mother’s Day, which is celebrated
in May.
William Shakespeare wrote about this magical night in his play,
A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
The occasion is celebrated on the third Sunday in
June. This year, Father’s Day falls on June 19th.
Independence Day
Independence Day, also
called the Fourth of July
(the date on which it is
celebrated), is an important American holiday. It
commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of
Independence in 1776, when the American Colonies
declared themselves to be a new nation no longer
a part of the British Empire.
What will you be doing on the Fourth of July? Do
you have any special traditions?
Fireworks are an important part of the Independence Day celebrations. Are fireworks part of holiday
celebrations in other countries?
Do you have special plans for the summer? Talk to your conversation
partner about your summer plans. If you don’t have any special
summer plans, perhaps you and your conversation partner can
invent the perfect summer.
Americans often eat traditional foods on holidays,
and these can vary from region to region. On
Independence Day, it is customary to have a
barbecue with hamburgers and hot dogs cooked
on the grill.
What is your favorite part of summer?
What traditional dishes are served on different holidays in other countries?
Here/There is a publication of English in Action, a program of
the English-Speaking Union. Karen Ruelle, Editor
The English-Speaking Union
English in Action
The English-Speaking Union of the United States
144 East 39th Street,
New York, NY 10016
212-818-1200 www.esuus.org