The lion was the first labour. Now the second: the Hydra. It is a snake with nine heads.
The Labours of Heracles · A1+
Labour Two: The Hydra
First and second, me and him, the present continuous, some and any, how many, under and on, and plurals: more first words of English, for a monster with nine heads.
🐍 Play the story too: in the gamebook, you are Heracles.Play the gamebook →
SOPHIA
DEMETRIA
Nine!
The story
After the old stories of Heracles
The Hydra lives in a cave under the water, in the swamp of Lerna. It has got nine heads. When you cut off one head, two new heads grow.
Today Heracles is not alone. His young nephew Iolaus is coming with him. “Wait for me!” he shouts.
Heracles is cutting the heads, and Iolaus is burning the necks with a torch, so new heads can’t grow. Then a big crab comes out and bites Heracles’s foot! The crab is on his foot!
At the end, only one head is left: the golden head. Nobody can kill it. So Heracles puts it under a big rock.
First, second, third
DEMETRIA
The lion was the first labour. The Hydra is the second.
SOPHIA
first, second, third, fourth, fifth… These words tell us the order.
Me, him, her, us, them
MARCOS
“Heracles! Wait for me!”
SOPHIA
After a verb or a word like for, with: me, you, him, her, it, us, them. Not “wait for I”.
The present continuous
PHILO
Look! Iolaus is coming with him. Heracles is cutting the heads.
SOPHIA
am / is / are + -ing for things happening now: he is cutting, they are fighting.
Some, any, how many
PHILO
Are there any trees near the swamp? Yes, there are some. How many heads has it got?
SOPHIA
some in positive sentences, any in questions and negatives. How many + plural noun.
Under, on; one head, two heads
MARCOS
The cave is under the water. The crab is on his foot! One head, two heads!
SOPHIA
Most plurals add -s: heads, necks, trees. And under / on tell us where.
Sophia’s summary
| Form | Use | From the story |
|---|---|---|
| first / second / third | order | The Hydra is the second labour. |
| me / him / her / us / them | after verbs and prepositions | Wait for me! |
| am / is / are + -ing | happening now | Iolaus is coming. |
| some / any / how many | positive / questions and negatives / counting | Are there any trees? How many heads? |
| under / on; -s plurals | place; more than one | under the water; two heads |
Practice
Answer all the questions, then press “Check my answers”. You can try again as many times as you like.
A · Choose
Choose the correct word.
1. The Hydra is the ___ labour.
2. “Heracles, wait for ___!”
3. Look! Iolaus ___ with a torch.
4. Are there ___ trees near the swamp?
5. ___ heads has the Hydra got?
6. The crab is ___ his foot!
B · Write
Write the missing word.
7. Heracles is the heads now. (cut)
8. There are trees near the swamp.
9. You cut one head, and two new grow. (head)
10. The cave is the water. (below)
C · Right or wrong?
Is it correct?
11. “Can you kill the golden head?”
12. “Iolaus is help Heracles.”
13. “There isn’t some water.”
Now play Labour Two yourself, as Heracles!Play the gamebook →