Tom was a kind man, but not very clever. He lived in a small village in England with his dog, Biscuit. Tom loved cooking, but he always made mistakes. One day, he decided to cook a big dinner for his friends. He wanted to make sausages and mash, a classic British meal.
Tom went to the shop. He needed sausages, potatoes, and peas. The shop was busy, and Tom was in a hurry. He grabbed a packet of sausages from the shelf, but he didn’t check the label. Big mistake! The sausages were not pork. They were vegetarian sausages! Tom didn’t know. He was too busy thinking about his dinner.
Back home, Tom started cooking. He boiled the potatoes and mashed them with butter. He cooked the peas with a pinch of salt. Then, he put the sausages in a pan. They smelled strange, but Tom thought, “Maybe they’re fancy sausages!” He kept cooking.
His friends arrived at seven o’clock. There was Sarah, who loved food, and Dave, who always ate too much. Then there was Emma, who was very polite but hated bad food. They sat at the table, excited for Tom’s dinner.
Tom served the plates. The mash was creamy, the peas were green, but the sausages looked… odd. They were a bit grey. Sarah took a bite and frowned. “Tom, what are these sausages?” she asked. Tom smiled proudly. “They’re special sausages from the shop!” he said.
Dave, who never stopped eating, took a big bite. His face turned red. “Tom, these aren’t sausages!” he shouted. “They taste like… cardboard!” Emma, trying to be polite, nibbled a tiny piece. She coughed and drank water quickly. “Tom, I think these are vegetarian sausages,” she said softly.
Tom was confused. “Vegetarian? But I bought them from the meat section!” He ran to the kitchen and checked the packet. His face went pale. “Oh no!” he cried. “I bought vegetarian sausages by mistake!” His friends laughed so hard that Dave nearly fell off his chair.
Sarah, still giggling, said, “Tom, you’re the worst cook in the village!” But Emma, always kind, added, “Don’t worry, Tom. Let’s fix this. Do you have any eggs?” Tom nodded. He had lots of eggs. Sarah clapped her hands. “Great! Let’s make egg and chips instead!”
They all went to the kitchen. Dave peeled potatoes for chips, Emma fried the eggs, and Sarah found some ketchup. Tom tried to help, but he dropped an egg on Biscuit’s head. The dog barked and ran away with yolk in his fur. Everyone laughed again.
Soon, they had a new dinner: crispy chips and perfectly fried eggs. They sat down and ate happily. The food was simple but delicious. Tom felt better. “I’m sorry about the sausages,” he said. Dave grinned. “It’s okay, Tom. This is much better. But next time, read the label!”
After dinner, they played cards and told funny stories. Tom’s mistake became the best story of the night. They called it “The Great Sausage Mistake.” Even Biscuit seemed to enjoy the evening, wagging his tail and licking the last bits of egg from his fur.
The friends left Tom’s house with full stomachs and big smiles. Tom learned a lesson: always check the packet. But he also learned that good friends don’t mind mistakes, they just make them funny. And maybe, just maybe, he’d try cooking again tomorrow.
Vocabulary Notes
Mistake: Noun
Meaning: An action or decision that is wrong or produces an unwanted result.
Example: “Big mistake! The sausages were not pork.”
Example in Context: Tom made a mistake by buying vegetarian sausages instead of pork ones.
Similar Words:
Error (noun): A mistake, often used in formal or technical contexts.
Example: There was an error in the recipe, so the cake didn’t taste good.
Blunder (noun): A big or careless mistake, often embarrassing.
Example: Forgetting his lines was a blunder during the play.
Slip (noun): A small mistake, usually not serious.
Example: She made a slip by calling her teacher “Mum.”
Hurry: Noun (can also be a verb)
Meaning: A state of moving or acting quickly, often because there is little time.
Example: “The shop was busy, and Tom was in a hurry.”
Example in Context: Tom didn’t check the sausages because he was rushing in the shop.
Similar Words:
Rush (noun/verb): Moving or doing something very quickly.
Example: She was in a rush to catch the bus and forgot her bag.
Haste (noun): Speed in action, sometimes careless.
Example: In his haste, he spilled coffee on his shirt.
Speed (noun): Fast movement or action.
Example: He drove with speed to get to the meeting on time.
Frown: Verb (can also be a noun)
Meaning: To make a facial expression showing displeasure, confusion, or concentration by turning down the corners of the mouth.
Example: “Sarah took a bite and frowned.”
Example in Context: Sarah frowned because the sausages tasted strange to her.
Similar Words:
Scowl (verb/noun): A frown that shows anger or strong disapproval.
Example: He scowled when he heard the bad news.
Grimace (verb/noun): A twisted facial expression showing pain or disgust.
Example: She grimaced when she tasted the sour milk.
Pout (verb/noun): A facial expression showing sulkiness, often with pushed-out lips.
Example: The child pouted when he couldn’t have ice cream.
Polite: Adjective
Meaning: Showing good manners or respect towards others.
Example: “Then there was Emma, who was very polite but hated bad food.”
Example in Context: Emma was polite, so she didn’t complain loudly about the sausages.
Similar Words:
Courteous (adjective): Very polite and respectful, often formal.
Example: The waiter was courteous and smiled at all the customers.
Kind (adjective): Friendly and considerate, showing care for others.
Example: She was kind and helped her friend with homework.
Respectful (adjective): Showing respect or admiration for someone or something.
Example: He was respectful to his teacher and listened quietly.
Crispy: Adjective
Meaning: Food that is pleasantly hard and makes a sharp sound when bitten or crushed.
Example: “Soon, they had a new dinner: crispy chips and perfectly fried eggs.”
Example in Context: The chips were crispy because they were fried until golden and crunchy.
Similar Words:
Crunchy (adjective): Similar to crispy, describing food that is firm and makes a loud sound when eaten.
Example: She loves crunchy carrots with her lunch.
Crisp (adjective): Firm and fresh, often used for food like vegetables or fried items.
Example: The lettuce in the salad was crisp and tasty.
Brittle (adjective): Hard and easily breakable, often used for thin foods like biscuits.
Example: The brittle cookies broke when she dropped them.
Story written by Grok 3 AI
Image created by Grok 3 AI
CC Music: Drifting at 432 Hz – Unicorn Heads
Reading Short Stories/Content for English Learners 
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