Percy, the little green engine is good at many things. He can shunt trucks with ease, he can pull all types of trains, and he even has his own special post train.

There was a time when he wasn't good at his job. He used to have trouble pronouncing words he was not familiar with.

It started back when he was still new to the island and was very young. He found out about this trouble when he came across a confusing sign while he was pulling trucks on Edward's Branchline.

"Yu...i...eld?" he sounded out the words like Edward had taught him. Edward could read the signs on his branchline quite well.

"It says 'yield'," explained his driver, " That means 'watch out'."

"Oh…" thought Percy, embarrassed, as he puffed past the sign.

But there was still more to come. He arrived at Tidmouth, when he saw another confusing sign.

"Yield…" he began. The first part was easy, "for pea...dust..tree...ins?" that word stopped him.

Just then Thomas pulled up, "It says 'yield for pedestrians', " he told his friend, " That means 'look out for people walking'."

And the blue tank engine puffed away with his coaches, leaving an even more embarrassed Percy.

Then, as he puffed past Henry's Forest, he spotted an even more confusing sign. It sat perched on a fence surrounding a section of the forest.

Once more he tried to sound out the words, "Cone..see...er...vat...I...on?" he enunciated and struggled to say the word.

Then Toby rolled up with Henrietta. They saw Percy struggling with the sign and felt sympathetic.

"Poor little dear," said Henrietta, aloud, before directing her words towards Toby, "You need to help your friend."

Toby puffed towards the little green engine, "Percy. That sign says 'Conservation Zone'. That means that they're protecting the trees from loggers."

"Oh, thank you Toby," wheeshed Percy sadly and he puffed away.

That night, Percy sat in the sheds, sadly. All of the other engines were asleep except for James. Percy looked at him and asked him a question.

"James? Have you ever had trouble pronouncing words?"

Normally, James would make fun of the smaller engine but he showed empathy towards him instead, "Yes I have actually, but I learned how to figure out the meaning of words at least. I look out for words or objects around it that might have something to do with it. Then I have friends or my driver help me pronounce the word!"

"Thank you for helping me James," said Percy happily.

"Don't mention it, " the red engine yawned.

The next day, Percy was taking coal to Tidmouth Station, when he spotted a another sign. He remembered what James had said and was ready to figure out what it said.

"Do you need any help Percy?" asked his driver.

"No thank you, I can do it myself."

Percy noticed that the sign was on a pier and had a picture of a fish with a hook caught in its mouth.

"This word probably means fishing." Percy thought to himself, "And the phrase ends with 'welcome'. So...this sign means that people are welcome to fish!"

"That's right Percy! The sign says 'Anglers Welcome'," said his driver, proud that his engine had figured out a word for himself.

Percy beamed proudly as he chuffed away with his new-found mastery of using context to enhance his lexicon.