A NOTE FROM THE CREATOR OF THIS FREEBIE:

Thank you for downloading this product! I hope it is useful in your classroom. These pages are
ready to print and use straight away in your last few lessons of the year.
* GRAMMAR WORKSHEET – It is what it says; a festively-themed grammar activity page.
* WRITING PROMPTS – Some fun writing activities for the festive season. You could assign
certain ones, or students could pick their own.
* POETRY – An interactive and engaging way to read this lovely Christmas poem. Students
could discuss and write answers to the questions in pairs, or you could tackle it as a class.
I would love to hear how you use these in your classroom so please do not hesitate to leave
feedback on my store or drop me an email if you have any questions.

Merry Christmas
* PLEASE NOTE THAT I HAVE OTHER, MORE IN DEPTH CHRISTMAS PRODUCTS FOR SALE *

Stacey Lloyd
Store: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Stacey-Lloyd-8481
Email: stacey_lloyd@ymail.com
 Festive Grammar Worksheet
1.  For  each  of  the  following,  identify  whether  the  sentences  are  in  the  active  or  passive  form:  
    1.1.  The  elves  love  to  sing  while  they  work  in  the  toy  factory.           (1)  
    1.2.  Extremely  ornate  and  beautiful  toys  are  made  by  Santa’s  elves.           (1)  
    1.3.  The  snowball  was  thrown  by  Sugarplum,  who  is  the  naughtiest  elf!       (1)  
    1.4.  The  elves  are  responsible  for  taking  care  of  the  reindeer.           (1)  
    1.5.  Frosty  was  helped  across  the  frozen  lake  by  the  kindly  elf,  Twinkie.           (1)  
 
2.  With  their  fiery  red  hair  and  bright  blue  eyes,  no  one  could  ever  tell  these  elf  twins  apart,  and  that  was  just  the    
       way  Cheery  and  Crackle  liked  it.      
  2.1.  Who  is  the  subject  of  the  sentence  above?                 (1)
  2.2.  Identify  the  main  clause  of  this  sentence.                   (1)  
  2.3.  Why  are  the  words  ‘Cheery’  and  ‘Crackle’  capitalized?             (1)  
  2.4.  Identify  the  parts  of  speech  to  which  the  underlined  words  belong.         (4)  
  2.5.  Is  this  a  simple,  compound,  complex  or  compound-­‐complex  sentence?         (1)  
 
3.  Complete  the  following  table,  filling  in  the  correct  tenses  for  the  verb  ‘to  snow’.  You  don’t  need  to  redraw    
       the  table,  just  write  question  number  of  the  relevant  box,  and  the  answer.           (7)  
 
PERFECT-­‐
  SIMPLE   CONTINUOUS     PERFECT  
CONTINUOUS  
PAST   3.1  -­‐  _____________________   It  was  snowing   3.2  -­‐  _____________________   It  had  been  snowing  

PRESENT   It  snows   3.3  -­‐  _____________________   It  has  snowed   3.4  -­‐  _____________________  

FUTURE   3.5  -­‐  _____________________   It  will  be  snowing   3.6  -­‐  _____________________   3.7  -­‐  _____________________  
 
4.  Re-­‐write  each  of  the  following  in  reported  speech:  
  4.1.  “Rudolph  has  eaten  too  many  candy  canes  again,”  said  Blitzen.             (1)  
  4.2.  “I  want  my  sleigh!”  yelled  Santa  to  the  elves.                 (1)  
  4.3.  Jack  Frost  said,  “I  sure  do  like  crystalized  water.”               (1)  
 
5.  Identify  the  figures  of  speech  used  in  these  sentences:  
  5.1.  The  children  arranged  themselves  around  the  chilly  warmth  of  the  fireplace.       (1)  
  5.2.  Like  mice,  the  elves  scurried  around  the  fireplace.                 (1)  
  5.3.  The  silky  smooth  stockings  were  hung  in  a  neat  row.               (1)  
  5.4.  “These  cookies  are  pure  heaven!”  declared  Santa.               (1)  
  5.5.  We  have  heard  this  story  a  million  times.                 (1)  
 
6.1.  What  is  the  plural  form  of  the  word  ‘reindeer’?           (1)  
6.2.  Provide  a  synonym  for  the  word  ‘merry’.               (1)  
6.3.  What  is  an  antonym  for  the  word  ‘peace’?             (1)  
6.4.  Suggest  a  homonym  for  the  word  ‘holy’.             (1)  
 
7.    The  following  sentences  have  errors  in  commas  or  apostrophes.  Some  are  in  the  wrong  places,  others  are    
         missing.  Correct  all  the  errors  by  rewriting  the  sentences.    
  7.1.  The  elves  were  fondly  known  as  Santas  little  helpers.             (1)  
  7.2.  Both  of  the  girls  stockings  were  filled  to  overflowing.             (1)  
  7.3.  This  gift  which  I  got  from  my  mother  is  my  favourite.               (1)  
 
Total  [35]  
 ANSWER KEY: Festive Grammar
1.  For    e   ach  of  the  following,  identify  whether  the  sentences  are  in  the  active  or  passive  form:  
    1.1.  The  elves  love  to  sing  while  they  work  in  the  toy  factory.  ACTIVE ✔       (1)  
    1.2.  Extremely  ornate  and  beautiful  toys  are  made  by  Santa’s  elves.  PASSIVE ✔     (1)  
    1.3.  The  snowball  was  thrown  by  Sugarplum,  who  is  the  naughtiest  elf!  PASSIVE ✔   (1)  
    1.4.  The  elves  are  responsible  for  taking  care  of  the  reindeer.  ACTIVE ✔       (1)  
    1.5.  Frosty  was  helped  across  the  frozen  lake  by  the  kindly  elf,  Twinkie.    PASSIVE ✔   (1)  
 

2.  With  their  fiery  red  hair  and  bright  blue  eyes,  no  one  could  ever  tell  these  elf  twins  apart,  and  that  was  just  the    
       way  Cheery  and  Crackle  liked  it.      
  2.1.  Who  is  the  subject  of  the  sentence  above?  ‘no one’ ✔             (1)
  2.2.  Identify  the  main  clause  of  this  sentence.    No one could ever tell these elf twins apart. ✔     (1)  
  2.3.  Why  are  the  words  ‘Cheery’  and  ‘Crackle’  capitalized?  They are proper nouns ✔       (1)  
  2.4.  Identify  the  parts  of  speech  to  which  the  underlined  words  belong.         (4)  
  their  –  possessive determiner ✔/  bright  -­‐  adjective ✔  /  was  -­‐  verb ✔/  and  -­‐  conjunction ✔  
  2.5.  Is  this  a  simple,  compound,  complex  or  compound-­‐complex  sentence?  Compound-Complex’ ✔    (1)  
 

3.  Complete  the  following  table,  filling  in  the  correct  tenses  for  the  verb  ‘to  snow’.  You  don’t  need  to  redraw    
       the  table,  just  write  question  number  of  the  relevant  box,  and  the  answer.           (7)  
 

PERFECT-­‐
  SIMPLE   CONTINUOUS     PERFECT  
CONTINUOUS  
PAST   3.1  –  It snowed ✔   It  was  snowing   3.2  –  It had snowed ✔   It  had  been  snowing  
3.4  -­‐  It has been
PRESENT   It  snows   3.3  –  It is snowing ✔   It  has  snowed  
snowing ✔  
3.6  –  It will have 3.7  -­‐  It will have been
FUTURE   3.5  -­‐  It will snow ✔   It  will  be  snowing  
snowed ✔   snowing ✔  
 
4.  Re-­‐write  each  of  the  following  in  reported  speech:  
  4.1.  “Rudolph  has  eaten  too  many  candy  canes  again,”  said  Blitzen.             (1)  
    Blitzen said that Rudolph had eaten too many candy canes. ✔  
  4.2.  “I  want  my  sleigh!”  yelled  Santa  to  the  elves.                 (1)  
    Santa yelled to the elves that he wanted his sleigh. ✔  
  4.3.  Jack  Frost  said,  “I  sure  do  like  crystalized  water.”               (1)  
    Jack Frost said that he does like crystalized water. ✔  
 

5.  Identify  the  figures  of  speech  used  in  these  sentences:  

  5.1.  The  children  arranged  themselves  around  the  chilly  warmth  of  the  fireplace.  OXYMORON ✔   (1)  
  5.2.  Like  mice,  the  elves  scurried  around  the  fireplace.  SIMILE ✔           (1)  
  5.3.  The  silky  smooth  stockings  were  hung  in  a  neat  row.  ALLITERATION ✔         (1)  
  5.4.  “These  cookies  are  pure  heaven!”  declared  Santa.  METAPHOR ✔           (1)  
  5.5.  We  have  heard  this  story  a  million  times. HYPERBOLE ✔             (1)  
 

6.1.  What  is  the  plural  form  of  the  word  ‘reindeer’?  REINDEER ✔         (1)  
6.2.  Provide  a  synonym  for  the  word  ‘merry’.  CHEERFUL / HAPPY / JOYFUL ✔     (1)  
6.3.  What  is  an  antonym  for  the  word  ‘peace’?  CONFLICT / WAR / NOISE ✔     (1)  
6.4.  Suggest  a  homonym  for  the  word  ‘holy’.  WHOLLY ✔           (1)  
 

7.    The  following  sentences  have  errors  in  commas  or  apostrophes.  Some  are  in  the  wrong  places,  others  are    
         missing.  Correct  all  the  errors  by  rewriting  the  sentences.    
  7.1.  The  elves  were  fondly  known  as  Santa’s  ✔ little  helpers.             (1)  
  7.2.  Both  of  the  girls’  ✔  stockings  were  filled  to  overflowing.             (1)  
  7.3.  This  gift,  which  I  got  from  my  mother,  is  my  favourite.  ✔             (1)    

Total  [35]  
Christmas Writing Prompts…
1. Complete the following story:
Every year, the 14th of December was that one topsy-turvy day of the year, when everything the
elves did just seemed to go wrong: toys would be broken by accident; the reindeer would escape
from their pens; the sled would refuse to start; Mrs Claus’s gingerbread cake would not rise. No
elf could understand it, and it was one problem that Santa just could not solve.
So, many years ago it was decided that this particular day was to be a holiday. To avoid
clumsy accidents and mysterious catastrophes, the elves were ordered to stay at home for this
one day of the festive period. The year of 2013 was no different, and on the eve of that ominous
day, the elves all battened down the shutters, heated the spiced apple cider and prepared to
anxiously wait out the day. That is, all except one…

2. Write a story entitled ‘How Rudolph Really Got His Red Nose’.

3. Write a letter to Santa, but it must not be a traditional list of objects

that you want. Rather, what you ask for must not be an object or
material thing. You must explain fully why you want this.

4. Write a series of short diary entries

(about 4 or 5) from the perspective of
this little elf…

5. Write a short story, starting with the following sentence:

“Tiptoe could never resist hot gingerbread cookies, and the tray
cooling on the windowsill was just too tempting…”

6. Write a series of 10 FaceBook statuses / Tweets from

Santa Claus, written during the lead up to Christmas.
(each one should have a date, and you could get really creative by
added comments on each one, likes and dislikes etc.)

Be creative and have fun…

  
1) Is there a particular
man that the speaker is
referring to? Explain
At Christmas
By  Edgar  Albert  Guest   2) Which word in this
your answer.   line tells us that this
A  man  is  at  his  finest  towards  the  finish  of  the  year;     man is not perfect?
He  is  almost  what  he  should  be  when  the  Christmas  season  is  here;  
3) According to this first 4) What is this
stanza, how does this Then  he’s  thinking  more  of  others  than  he’s  thought  the  months  before,  
‘Christmas spirit’
man’s attitude and And  the  laughter  of  his  children  is  a  joy  worth  toiling  for.   referred to here?
behaviour change at He  is  less  a  selfish  creature  than  at  any  other  time;  
Christmas time? When  the  Christmas  spirit  rules  him  he  comes  close  to  the  sublime.   5) Give a synonym for
 
this word ‘sublime’.
When  it’s  Christmas  man  is  bigger  and  is  better  in  his  part;  
He  is  keener  for  the  service  that  is  prompted  by  the  heart.  
6) What might be ‘the
service that is prompted All  the  petty  thoughts  and  narrow  seem  to  vanish  for  a  while  
7) What is different
by the heart’? And  the  true  reward  he’s  seeking  is  the  glory  of  a  smile.   about the work that
Then  for  others  he  is  toiling  and  somehow  it  seems  to  me   man does at Christmas
That  at  Christmas  he  is  almost  what  God  wanted  him  to  be.   time?
 
If  I  had  to  paint  a  picture  of  a  man  I  think  I’d  wait  
8) In your own words, Till  he’d  fought  his  selfish  battles  and  had  put  aside  his  hate.  
explain why the speaker
would rather paint a I’d  not  catch  him  at  his  labors  when  his  thoughts  are  all  of  self,   9) What do the words
picture of a man at On  the  long  days  and  the  dreary  when  he’s  striving  for  himself.   ‘dreary’ and ‘sneering’
Christmas time. I’d  not  take  him  when  he’s  sneering,  when  he’s  scornful  or  depressed,   mean? In your
But  I’d  look  for  him  at  Christmas  when  he’s  shining  at  his  best.   opinion, are these fair
  words to describe the
Man  is  ever  in  a  struggle  and  he’s  oft  misunderstood;   average man?
10) Rewrite this line in
plain English. There  are  days  the  worst  that’s  in  him  is  the  master  of  the  good,   11) What does the word
But  at  Christmas  kindness  rules  him  and  he  puts  himself  aside   ‘vanquished’ mean?
And  his  petty  hates  are  vanquished  and  his  heart  is  opened  wide.  
12) How is this line Oh,  I  don’t  know  how  to  say  it,  but  somehow  it  seems  to  me  
particularly 13) Which earlier line is
conversational? That  at  Christmas  man  is  almost  what  God  sent  him  here  to  be.  
echoed here?
14) After reading, summarise what the speaker is saying in this poem. Why is man better at Christmas time?
15) Do you agree with the thoughts expressed in this poem? Why or why not? You must explain your answer with fully,
preferably with reference to your own experiences.