SHORT HISTORY, LONG ECHOES · A2/B1 · 50 min

The Tudors

A king who wanted a son so much that he changed his whole country — and lost a queen.

Want more detail? Read this lesson at B2/C1 level →

Today: tell the story of King Henry VIII, who wanted a son and changed his country to get one. Grammar: had better and would rather.
Warm up — five words to remember. Each one comes from an earlier story in the series. Do you know it? Say what it means and use it in a sentence. Is it new? Good — learn it now. Click Reveal to check, and follow a link to read the story.
to escape — from Pompeii
What does it mean? Use it in a sentence about danger.
to escape — to run away from danger to a safe place.
to rescue — from Shackleton
What does it mean? Use it in a sentence about helping people.
to rescue — to save someone from danger or trouble.
treasure — from Tutankhamun
What does it mean? Say where you might find some.
treasure — gold, money and valuable things, often old or hidden.
an empire — from The Romanovs
What does it mean? Name one empire from history.
an empire — a large group of countries or lands ruled by one country or one leader.
a ruin — from Machu Picchu
What does it mean? Say one place where you can see some.
a ruin — an old building that is broken and falling down.

Now — the words for today's story

These are the new words for The Tudors. Match each word (1–8) to its meaning (A–H). Say your answers out loud — "I think 1 is D" — then check.

Words

  1. a king
  2. a queen
  3. a son
  4. a church
  5. the Pope
  6. to marry
  7. a crime
  8. powerful

Meanings

  • A. the leader of the Catholic Church in Rome
  • B. a male child
  • C. a bad thing you do that is against the law
  • D. a man who rules a country
  • E. strong; able to control other people
  • F. a woman who rules a country, or a king's wife
  • G. to become husband and wife
  • H. a building where Christians pray; also the group of believers

1 = D (a king) · 2 = F (a queen) · 3 = B (a son) · 4 = H (a church)

5 = A (the Pope) · 6 = G (to marry) · 7 = C (a crime) · 8 = E (powerful)

Now talk — out loud

Before we read:
  • Which words are about ruling a country? Which word is about religion?
  • Use three of the words to guess: what do you think happens in this story?

The story, in three parts

Read each part. Then try the questions from memory, and talk about the last one.

Part 1 — A king who wanted a son

Henry VIII became King of England in 1509. He was young, strong and clever. Soon he married a Spanish princess called Catherine of Aragon. For many years, people thought they were happy.

But there was a big problem. Henry wanted a son. A son could be the next king after him. Henry and Catherine had a daughter, called Mary, but their other babies died. Henry believed that England needed a king, not a queen, to stay strong and safe.

The years passed, and Catherine grew older. Henry was not happy. He wanted a young wife who could give him a son. So he made a hard decision: he would end his marriage to Catherine.

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. Why did Henry VIII want a son so much?

2. What was the problem with his marriage to Catherine?

1. He wanted a son to be the next king after him. He believed England needed a king to stay strong and safe.

2. They had a daughter, Mary, but no son. Their other babies died, and Catherine was getting older.

Talk about it:
  • Henry thought a country needed a king, not a queen. Do you think that idea was right or wrong? Why?

Part 2 — A new love, and a big fight

Henry fell in love with a young woman called Anne Boleyn. Anne was clever and strong. She did not want to be just the king's girlfriend. She wanted to be his wife and the queen.

But there was a problem. To marry Anne, Henry first had to end his marriage to Catherine. In those days, only the Pope, the leader of the Church in Rome, could say "yes" to this. So Henry asked the Pope for help.

The Pope said no. Catherine's family was very powerful, and the Pope was afraid of them. Henry was angry. He would rather leave the Church in Rome than lose Anne. So he made a plan that no English king had ever made before.

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. What did Anne Boleyn want?

2. Why did the Pope say no to Henry?

1. She did not want to be just the king's girlfriend. She wanted to be his wife and the queen.

2. Catherine's family was very powerful, and the Pope was afraid of them. So he would not end Henry's marriage.

Talk about it:
  • Henry was ready to change his whole country for one woman. Was that a good reason or a bad reason? Why?

Part 3 — A new church, and a sad end

Henry did something huge. He said that England did not need the Pope. Henry himself would be the head of a new church — the Church of England. Now he could end his marriage to Catherine. In 1533, he married Anne Boleyn, and she became queen. To say "no" to the king's new church was now a crime, and people could die for it.

But then Anne had a daughter, not a son. Her name was Elizabeth. Henry was very disappointed. He wanted a son so much, and again he did not have one. Soon Henry stopped loving Anne, and he wanted a new wife.

In 1536, Anne's enemies said she had done terrible crimes. Most people today think these crimes were not true. But Anne was put in the Tower of London, and there she was killed. Henry married four more times. But here is the surprise: Anne's daughter, the little girl Elizabeth, grew up to be Elizabeth I — one of the greatest queens in English history.

Quick check — answer from memory, then reveal:

1. How did Henry end his marriage and marry Anne?

2. What happened to Anne Boleyn — and what is the surprise at the end?

1. He said England did not need the Pope. He made a new church, the Church of England, with himself as the head. Then he ended his marriage and married Anne in 1533.

2. Anne's enemies said she had done crimes (most people today think they were not true). She was killed in the Tower of London. The surprise: her daughter Elizabeth became Elizabeth I, one of England's greatest queens.

Talk about it:
  • Henry wanted a son, but his daughter Elizabeth became a great queen. What does this tell us about life and surprises?

Put the events in order

Here are five moments from the story, mixed up. Put them in the correct time order, then reveal to check.

• Anne Boleyn is killed in the Tower of London
• Henry VIII marries Catherine of Aragon
• Henry makes a new church, the Church of England
• Henry marries Anne Boleyn
• Elizabeth is born

1. Henry VIII marries Catherine of Aragon (1509)

2. Henry makes a new church, the Church of England (early 1530s)

3. Henry marries Anne Boleyn (1533)

4. Elizabeth is born (1533)

5. Anne Boleyn is killed in the Tower of London (1536)

Grammar: had better & would rather

This story is full of strong choices and warnings. English has two easy ways to say them. Both are followed by the base verb (the simple form, with no to and no -ing).

had better + base verb = strong advice or a warning. There is often a hidden "or something bad will happen".
• "Anne had better have a son." (or her position is in danger)
• "Henry had better not wait too long."
We often say 'd better: "You'd better be careful."
would rather + base verb = a preference (the thing you want more). We use than for the other choice.
• "Henry would rather leave the Church than lose Anne."
• "Anne would rather be queen than the king's girlfriend."
We often say 'd rather: "I'd rather stay home."
Careful with the verb! Both use the base verb, not to and not -ing.
• "You'd better leave." (NOT "to leave" / "leaving")
• "I'd rather walk." (NOT "to walk" / "walking")

1. had better — give a warning

Complete each warning with had better (or had better not) and the base verb.

1. Anne (give) the king a son, or her life is in danger.

2. The Pope (think) carefully before he says no to a king.

3. The courtiers (not / make) the king angry.

1. had better give

2. had better think

3. had better not make

2. would rather — say the preference

Complete each sentence with would rather and the base verb. Use than for the other choice.

1. Henry would rather (leave) the Church than lose Anne.

2. Anne would rather (be) a queen than a girlfriend.

3. Catherine would rather (stay) Henry's wife than leave the palace.

1. would rather leave

2. would rather be

3. would rather stay

3. Choose: had better or would rather?

Read each sentence. Is it a warning (had better) or a preference (would rather)? Write the right one and the base verb.

1. Henry (marry) Anne than stay with Catherine. (preference)

2. "You (help) me with the Pope," Henry told Wolsey. (warning)

3. The people (obey) the new church, or they could die. (warning)

1. would rather marry (preference)

2. had better help (warning)

3. had better obey (warning)

Keep these two ready — you will use them in the Speak tab to give warnings and say what you prefer.

Listen

There is a real podcast about the Tudors. It is for native speakers, so it is fast and quite difficult — that is normal! You do not need to understand every word.

🎧 Heard it already? Good — use this lesson as your recap, and listen for new details next time. Haven't? No problem — you now know the story and the key words, and that makes a fast podcast much easier to follow. The podcast is optional; this lesson works on its own.

Short History Of… The Tudors

From the Noiser podcast network. About 50 minutes. This is Part 1 of 2 — about Henry VIII and the new church. It plays on the Noiser site, or search "Short History Of The Tudors" on Spotify.

Play on Noiser →
While you listen:
  • Write down three words you hear and know from today's lesson (king, queen, son, church, the Pope, crime…).
  • Can you hear the names Henry, Anne Boleyn and Catherine?
  • Find one new thing the podcast says, and tell me about it next time — even just one sentence.

Speak

Do all three tasks out loud. Use the timer to keep talking.

Useful language: use had better for a warning ("Anne had better have a son"), and would rather for a preference ("Henry would rather leave the Church than lose Anne"). To give an opinion: "I think…", "In my opinion…", "For me, the reason is…".
Time remaining: 3:00
Task A · Tell the story (3 minutes)

Tell the story of Henry VIII in your own words. Use these steps to help you: a king who wanted a son → his wife Catherine and their daughter Mary → he falls in love with Anne Boleyn → the Pope says no → Henry makes a new church → he marries Anne → Elizabeth is born → Anne's sad end → Elizabeth becomes a great queen.

Try to use had better and would rather, and some of the key words (king, queen, son, church, the Pope, marry, crime, powerful).

Task B · A big decision (3 minutes)

Henry made a very big decision for one thing he wanted. Think of a leader, in history or today, who made a big decision to change something. What did they do? Do you think it was right or wrong? Why?

Task C · A story of your own (3 minutes)

Tell a story of your own. It can be about a strong choice, a warning, or a time when two people stopped being friends. Use had better for warnings and would rather for what you prefer.

Not sure what to talk about? Choose one:

  • A time you would rather take a hard road than an easy one — and why.
  • A warning ("you'd better…") that someone gave you, or that you gave someone.
  • A big decision in your life: would you rather do A or B? Say why.
  • Two people, or two countries, who stopped being friends — how did it start?
  • Something you would rather change about your town, your job, or your day.
  • A surprise in your life — when the end was different from what you expected.

To finish

  1. Henry changed his whole country to get a son. Do you think one person should have so much power? Why or why not?
  2. Anne Boleyn lost her life, but her daughter became a great queen. Was the end of the story happy or sad? Say why.
  3. From memory: say one sentence with had better and one sentence with would rather, each about a person in this story.