Skip to content 
The Little Match Girl is a famous story by Hans Christian Andersen, a Danish writer. He wrote the story in 1845.
The story is about a poor little girl. It is a very cold winter night. The girl walks alone in the street. She has no warm clothes and no shoes. She has some matches, and she wants to sell them to people.
But nobody buys her matches. The girl is cold, hungry, and sad. She is also afraid to go home. She sits in a small corner between two houses.
Then she lights a match to get some warmth. In the light of the match, she sees beautiful things. She sees a warm stove, delicious food, and a beautiful Christmas tree. Finally, she sees her grandmother, the person who loves her most.
The story has a sad ending, but it also shows love, hope, dreams, and kindness.
The original story has some difficult words and long sentences. So, this version has been rewritten in simple A1-level English. The main events and ideas of the original story are kept, but the words and sentences are easier.
This version is made for English beginners. It can help you practice reading and learn useful English words and simple grammar while enjoying a beautiful story.
This story was rewritten by LearnEnglish-new.com for English learners. The story is in the public domain, so it is free from copyright. Enjoy reading and improve your English skills!
The Little Match Girl
Contents
Chapter One
The Cold Night
It was a very cold evening. Snow was falling, and the sky was dark. It was the last evening of the year.
A little girl was walking alone in the street. She was very poor. She had no warm coat, no hat, and no shoes.
When she left home, she had an old pair of shoes. They were very big because they belonged to her mother. But she lost them in the street. One shoe was lost, and a boy took the other one.
Now the girl walked with her small, cold feet. Her feet were red and blue from the cold.
She carried many small boxes of matches. She wanted to sell them and take some money home.
But nobody bought her matches that day. Nobody gave her any money.
The little girl was cold and hungry. She walked slowly through the dark street.
She looked at the houses around her. There were warm lights in the windows. She could smell delicious food.
It was New Year’s Eve. People were inside their warm homes. They were eating and spending time with their families.
The little girl wanted to be warm too. But she was afraid to go home.
She did not sell any matches, so she had no money. Her father would be angry with her.
Her home was cold too. The wind came through the roof.
So the little girl sat down in a small corner between two houses.
She put her feet close to her body. But she was still very cold.
Her hands were cold too. She looked at the matches in her hand.
“Maybe one match can make me warm,” she thought.
She took one match and rubbed it against the wall.
Crack!
The match made a small, bright fire. The girl put her hands near the warm light.
“Oh, how warm!” she thought.
In the light, she saw a big, warm stove. It was beautiful.
She moved her feet closer to the stove. For a moment, she felt warm and happy.
But then the match went out. The stove disappeared. The girl was cold again.
She took another match. She rubbed it against the wall. The match was bright again. Now she could see a warm room.
There was a big table in the room. A clean white cloth was on the table. There was delicious food on it.
The girl saw a big roast goose. She was very hungry. Then something strange happened. The goose moved!
It came off the table and walked toward the little girl. She looked at it with happy eyes.
But the match went out. The warm room disappeared.
The food disappeared. The goose disappeared. The girl was alone again in the cold street. She took another match and lit it.
Now she saw a beautiful Christmas tree.
It was very big and full of lights. There were many beautiful things on its green branches.
The little girl had never seen such a beautiful tree. She reached out her hands to touch the lights. But the match went out.
The Christmas tree disappeared. The little girl sat alone in the cold darkness.
She looked up at the sky. The bright lights were now like stars.
One star fell from the sky. The little girl remembered her grandmother.
Her grandmother was the only person who loved her very much. But her grandmother was no longer alive. The little girl remembered something her grandmother once told her:
“When a star falls, a person goes to heaven.”
The girl looked at the falling star. Then she took another match. She rubbed it against the wall.
The light became bright.
And suddenly, she saw someone she knew very well.
It was her grandmother.
Chapter 1 – Vocabulary
- Cold /ˈkəʊld/ – having a low temperature
Example: It was a very cold evening. - Snow /snəʊ/ – small white pieces of ice that fall from the sky
Example: Snow was falling, and the sky was dark. - Poor /pʊə(r)/ – having very little money
Example: She was very poor. - Match /mætʃ/ – a small stick that makes fire
Example: She carried many small boxes of matches.
- Hungry /ˈhʌŋɡri/ – needing or wanting food
Example: The little girl was cold and hungry. - Warm /wɔːm/ – a little hot, not cold
Example: Maybe one match can make me warm. - Light /laɪt/ – brightness that helps you see
Example: The match made a small, bright fire. - Grandmother /ˈɡrænˌmʌðə(r)/ – your mother’s or father’s mother
Example: The little girl remembered her grandmother.
Chapter 1 – Comprehension Questions
- What was the weather like that evening?
- Why did the little girl walk without shoes?
- What did the little girl try to sell?
- Did anyone buy her matches that day?
- Why was the little girl afraid to go home?
- Where did the little girl sit down?
- What did she see when she lit the first match?
- Who did the little girl see when she lit the fourth match?
Chapter 1 – Grammar Exercises
1. It ___ a very cold evening.
A) is
B) was
C) were
2. The little girl ___ alone in the street.
A) walk
B) walks
C) walked
3. She ___ many small boxes of matches.
A) carried
B) carry
C) carries
4. Nobody ___ her matches that day.
A) buy
B) bought
C) buys
5. The little girl ___ very cold and hungry.
A) was
B) were
C) is
6. She ___ one match and rubbed it against the wall.
A) take
B) takes
C) took
7. She ___ a big, warm stove in the light.
A) saw
B) see
C) sees
8. The Christmas tree ___ when the match went out.
A) disappear
B) disappears
C) disappeared
Answers:
1-B, 2-C, 3-A, 4-B, 5-A, 6-C, 7-A, 8-C.
Chapter Two
Her Grandmother
The little girl looked at her grandmother.
“Grandmother!” she cried.
Her grandmother looked kind and happy. She smiled at the little girl. The girl was very happy to see her.
“Please take me with you!” she said. “I don’t want you to go away.”
The little girl was afraid that the match would go out. She knew that her grandmother might disappear with the light.
So she quickly took another match. She lit it. Her grandmother was still there.
The girl smiled. She took another match and lit it too. Then she lit another one.
Soon, all the matches in her hand were burning.
The light was very bright. It was brighter than the light of the day. The little girl could see her grandmother clearly.
Her grandmother opened her arms. She took the little girl in her arms and held her close.
The little girl was not afraid anymore. Together, they went high into the sky.
They went higher and higher. The cold was gone. The hunger was gone. The fear was gone.
The little girl was with her grandmother, the person who loved her most.
She felt warm and safe. She was happy.
The next morning, people came into the street.
They found the little girl sitting in the corner between the two houses.
She was dead from the cold. There were many burned matches beside her. Her face was calm, and she had a small smile.
“Poor little girl,” the people said.
“She wanted to make herself warm.”
Nobody knew what the little girl saw that night. Nobody knew about the warm stove. Nobody knew about the delicious food. Nobody knew about the beautiful Christmas tree.
And nobody knew that she saw her grandmother. The people saw only a poor little girl in the cold street. But the little girl was no longer cold or hungry.
In her last moments, she saw love, warmth, and light. She was with her grandmother.
And she was happy.
— THE END –
Read the original story: americanliterature.com
Chapter 2 – Vocabulary
- Smile /smaɪl/ – to show happiness with your face
Example: Her grandmother looked kind and happy. She smiled at the little girl. - Afraid /əˈfreɪd/ – feeling fear
Example: The little girl was afraid that the match would go out. - Bright /braɪt/ – full of light
Example: The light was very bright. - Heaven /ˈhevən/ – a place where people believe good people go after death
Example: When a star falls, a person goes to heaven.
- Burn /bɜːn/ – to be on fire
Example: Soon, all the matches in her hand were burning. - Together /təˈɡeðə(r)/ – with another person or people
Example: Together, they went high into the sky. - Warmth /wɔːmθ/ – the feeling of being warm
Example: In her last moments, she saw love, warmth, and light. - Calm /kɑːm/ – quiet and peaceful
Example: Her face was calm, and she had a small smile.
Chapter 2 – Comprehension Questions
- Who did the little girl see in the light?
- How did her grandmother look?
- Why was the little girl afraid?
- What did the girl ask her grandmother to do?
- What did the grandmother do with the little girl?
- How did the girl feel when she was with her grandmother?
- What did people find in the street the next morning?
- Did the people know what the little girl saw that night?
Chapter 2 – Grammar Exercises
1. The little girl ___ her grandmother.
A) see
B) saw
C) sees
2. Her grandmother ___ kind and happy.
A) looked
B) look
C) looks
3. The girl ___ very happy to see her grandmother.
A) is
B) are
C) was
4. She ___ another match.
A) take
B) took
C) takes
5. Her grandmother ___ the little girl in her arms.
A) took
B) take
C) takes
6. Together, they ___ high into the sky.
A) go
B) goes
C) went
7. The people ___ the little girl the next morning.
A) found
B) find
C) finds
8. Nobody ___ what the little girl saw that night.
A) know
B) knew
C) knows
Answers:
1-B, 2-A, 3-C, 4-B, 5-A, 6-C, 7-A, 8-B.
The Little Match Girl PDF
01. The Nightingale (for Beginner Levels A1)
The Nightingale is a famous story written by Hans Christian Andersen in the 19th century. It is one of his most well-known fairy tales and is loved by readers all over the world.
The story happens in ancient China. It tells about a powerful Emperor, a beautiful palace, and a small nightingale with a wonderful song. The events take place in a palace, a garden, and a quiet forest near the sea.
This story is about true beauty, kindness, and freedom. It shows the difference between real things and artificial things. It also teaches us to listen with our hearts, not only with our eyes.
02. A Lickpenny Lover (for Beginner Levels A1)
A Lickpenny Lover by O. Henry is a short and simple story. It talks about love and feelings. In the story, we meet a man and a woman. They speak and learn about each other. The writer shows how people can understand true love. The story is easy to read and interesting.
This story is a perfect english story for learning. The sentences are short and clear. The words are not difficult. Students can learn new vocabulary and understand simple conversations. The story also teaches that true love is more important than money.
03. The Lady with the Little Dog (for Beginner Levels A1)
The Lady with the Dog is a famous short story written by the great Russian writer Anton Chekhov in 1899. Chekhov was one of the most important short story writers in world literature. He wrote many emotional and realistic stories about love, loneliness, and human life.
This story begins in the seaside town of Yalta, where Dmitri Gurov meets a young woman with a small white dog. Their meeting looks simple at first, but little by little their lives begin to change. The story is full of quiet emotions, deep feelings, and difficult choices that make the reader want to continue reading.
This version of the story has been rewritten for English learners at Level 1 (A1). The language is simple, clear, and easy to understand. The story uses short sentences, common vocabulary, and natural dialogue to help beginners read English more comfortably.