Ask the question: (you / sing carols) last Christmas?
Answer key
bought, gave, sang
An old English Christmas pudding.
Did you sing carols last Christmas?
Key question: What are the rules at work during the festive period?
What you need to say
You work in a London shop in December. You need to understand an HR memo and to say what is compulsory, what is forbidden and what is a good idea.
Document · HR memo
To: All staff · From: Human Resources · Subject: The festive period
(The memo of a London department store, written for this sequence.)
Dear colleagues,
Thank you for your hard work during the Christmas rush. Please read these rules carefully.
The shop is closed on Christmas Day, Friday 25 December. Large shops in England must not open on Christmas Day: it is the law.
Boxing Day is a bank holiday in England. In 2026, 26 December is a Saturday, so the bank holiday is on Monday 28 December. The shop opens on Saturday 26 December at 9 am for the Boxing Day sales: you have to arrive at 8 am.
You must wear your name badge at all times.
You mustn't use your phone on the shop floor.
You should stay calm and polite with customers, even when the queues are long.
The staff party is on Thursday 17 December. Professional behaviour is expected.
Happy holidays! Human Resources
Building your vocabulary
Word
Meaning
Example
the workplace
the place where you work
Respect is important in the workplace.
a coworker
a person you work with (also: a colleague)
My coworkers are friendly.
a bank holiday
a public holiday in the UK
Boxing Day is a bank holiday.
the Boxing Day sales
big price reductions that start on 26 December
The Boxing Day sales are very busy.
etiquette
the rules of polite behaviour
Office party etiquette: don't drink too much!
professional behaviour
the right way to act at work
Professional behaviour is expected.
a name badge
a small card with your name
Wear your name badge.
a queue
a line of people waiting
The queue is very long.
Point prof · rules, bans and advice
must / have to: obligation
You must wear your badge (a rule of the shop, the boss says so). We have to close on Christmas Day (an obligation from outside: the law).
mustn't: it is forbidden
You mustn't use your phone on the shop floor.
don't have to: it is not necessary
You don't have to wear a Christmas jumper (you can if you want).
should / shouldn't: advice
You should stay calm. You shouldn't argue with a customer.
Quick check. mustn't or don't have to? You ... come on Christmas Day: the shop is closed.
Answer keyYou don't have to come: it is not necessary, because the shop is closed.
Exercises
1. True or false?Entryreading
The shop opens on Christmas Day.
Boxing Day is a bank holiday in England.
Staff can use their phones on the shop floor.
On 26 December, staff have to arrive at 8 am.
The staff party is on 24 December.
Answer key
False: large shops must not open on Christmas Day.
True.
False: you mustn't use your phone on the shop floor.
True.
False: it is on Thursday 17 December.
2. Rule, ban or advice?Entryguided
Complete with must, mustn't, should.
You ... wear your name badge.
You ... eat the mince pies on the shelves!
You ... smile and say « Merry Christmas » to customers.
You ... be late on Boxing Day.
You ... drink a lot of water: the shop is very hot.
Answer key
must
mustn't
should
mustn't
should
Activity: HR Legal Framework
3. Write the code of conduct of the shopCoreproduction
In groups, write the code of conduct of your shop for the festive period: six rules. Use must / have to, mustn't and should. Start with these three examples.
Advice: You should leave early because traffic is heavy.
Legal obligation: We have to close the shop on Christmas Day: it's the law for large shops in England.
Ban: You mustn't accept large amounts of cash from clients.
Answer key
For example: 4. You must wear your name badge at all times. 5. You mustn't argue with customers. 6. You should take a break every three hours.
Stretch · B1
Compare with France. Write four sentences: is it the same in France? In England, large shops have to close on Christmas Day, whereas in France… Ask your teacher or look on service-public.fr.
Help
Personal answer. Useful words: whereas, unlike, both, the same as. In France, 25 December is also a public holiday, but 26 December is a normal working day, except in Alsace and Moselle.
Bonus: did you know?
What day is Boxing Day?
What is inside a Christmas cracker?
What is inside a mince pie today?
Answer key
26 December, the day after Christmas.
A paper crown, a joke on a small piece of paper and a small gift. It goes bang when two people pull it.
Mincemeat: dried fruit, spices and sugar. Today there is usually no meat in it.
Homework
Learn the Point prof: must, have to, mustn't, don't have to, should.
Prepare for the quiz: read the four Point prof boxes again.