Reading for beginners

BOOKS: A Different World Within The Pages

“Develop a habit of reading” is the most common advice we get since lifetime from our mentors and well-wishers. The problem comes because we get overwhelmed by seeing tones of books on every topic, which leads to the most common question like “where to start from”, is there any right age to start reading books, and the most popular one “What are the best books to read for beginners”?

We are here to figure that out for you, but before that lets learn “why”

Books: your doorway to the wonderland

Have you ever thought of reading something, let it be a magazine or a small novel or even a small article in your morning newspaper, But all you ever did was think about reading. You never actually started it or may be left it in between. Well, now it is time for you to get going. It is never too late to incorporate a reading habit in one’s self. As they say “it is better late than never”

Books often open up new horizons for an individual and give you an experience you will remember for eternity. Each book has a different character, a new story and thus new adventure within. All you need to do is just pick it up and your door to wonderland is unlocked there itself. You just have to make the first move.

Why should we read books?

Reading is the best way to escape from reality. You can travel to almost any place in the world just by reading a book of that area. You can even time travel hundreds of years back and experience the life lived by those people, all by sitting in your comfort zones, with a hot cup of coffee.

Is there any age for you to start reading?

When we are young, people get so indulged in their busy lives that they don’t even have a moment to sit and think, as soon as they realize this fact, old age strikes.

But according to us old age is the best time to complete all your long-forgotten task hanging in your to-do list, as now you have ample of time to devote to various activities and one such productive activity could be of reading books. There is no specific age for you to start reading. Its never too late. Start now!

Cultivating the habit “reading”

There are some studies which says that a habit, let it be of anything can be achieved within 21 days but there is not much firm evidence for this. As it may differ from person to person.

Setting up goals such as reading is one of the most beloved resolutions among people of all age nowadays. It may sound a difficult task for the beginners, but believe me, it is very simple and easily achievable. All you to have to do follow some basic steps.

1: Start from a list-

The best thing beginners may start with is making a list of books or magazines or even articles they want to read. This will somehow motivate them to read enlisted books or articles.

2: Time management-

Some say “they don’t have time for reading” but this is a mere excuse, we do have time, other activities such as surfing the net or watching television program consumes it away, we just don’t realize this fact. Thus, one must restrain its timing in other non-productive activities and make time for reading.

3: Carry something to read-

It is one of the best ways to incorporate the idea of reading, that is wherever possible, do carry something to read let it be the newspaper or an article cut out or do read the signs on the roads or instructions written on a plane or a train. By doing this your mind will shape its way of reading.

4: Make time slots-

Making time slots is an effective way of incorporating reading. Decide a time for reading, reserve a time slot in a day only for reading. Let’s just say you decide to read for 20 minutes a day. Follow this habit for a few days and see in no time your reading habit will be developed.

5: Find your spot-

There is always a spot in our house which we like the most or feel the most comfortable while sitting there. Do keep some magazines and books handy on that spot or try reading them out there. You will feel much more relaxed and enlightened.

6: Make a diary-

For every book or story you read, write down its summary in your words for a better understanding of the story. This will increase your urge for reading as well as will improve your writing skills.

7: Library day-

Once in a week or in a month, whichever way suits you assign a day for a library visit. On that day check out the various book titles present in the library and interact with fellow readers or like-minded people. This helps you to build a good understanding skill along with a push to read more.

8: Favourite snack-

Combine your reading habit with your favourite snack or drink like tea or coffee. It will not only increase your reading will, but would also help your body relax and make reading much more do-able habit.

9: Set goals-

One may set goals such as “today I have to read at least 10 pages from a book” and then gradually you will see yourself passing from that goal.

10: Good book-

Read the summary of the book first and then see if it fascinates you, then definitely it is the book you were searching for. Take help of your fellow readers, they can suggest you some good books which can incorporate the idea of reading in you.

11: Deciding your genre

There is a whole long list of genres from which you can choose the one suitable to you and start with it. There are different genres such as adventure action, mystery, mythology, romance, science-fiction and many more. According to me the best book for beginners could be from mystery and suspense genre because it will help them to get glued to the book and eventually encourage them to read further.

BEST BOOKS TO READ FOR BEGINNERS

There is almost a mountain of books to choose from. And selecting a single book can be a difficult task to do. We recommend the budding or upcoming readers to select a book which is not only good but also it connects with readers. We have made a list of such books for you, though we won’t spoil your element of surprise by telling you the entire plot.

The list is as follows:

1: MALGUDI DAYS by R K Narayan:

This book is written by a very famous Indian writer and the stories are set far-far away from modern times. People from aged category will find this as an absolute delight and can relive some moments of their childhood.

Also, if someone is having trouble in reading a whole novel, then this option by RK Narayan is the best as contains several short stories and is more popular among young children. Budding readers can opt this novel too. This is one of the best books to read for the beginners and that too from a beloved Indian author.

2: THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J D Salinger:

This is a very famous and highly recommended novel for the beginners. The plot revolves around a boy named Holden, who is recently thrown out from the school. And soon he decides to go on an adventure trip to the city. Read this novel and get to know how things unveil for the little boy.

3: THE GREAT GATSBY by F.Scott Fitzgerald:

This is a beautiful story of how a boy and girl fell in love with each other and the credit of narration goes to Nick Carraway. The plot revolves around a rich man named Jay Gatsby and a girl named Daisy, we won’t go any further or else we would spill the beans. This novel is surely a great read.

4: PALACE OF ILLUSION by CHITRA BANERJEE:

This is an amazing Hindu mythology novel set in ancient times. In this novel the plot revolves around the protagonist “DRAUPATI or PAANCHALI” and things are narrated from her point of view.

Let it be the famous game of “CHAUSAR” held between the two clans or Pandavas being exile from their own kingdom, this novel tells us about the obstacles she has faced & struggle she has undergone in her life and how things unveil for her in the path of destiny.

This novel is loved by people of all age groups.

5: RICH DAD, POOR DAD by Robert Kiyosaki:

This book is a collection of various valuable and practical lessons that the author understood or learned while growing up in his childhood. The plot revolves around the two individuals, his own dad (poor dad) and dad of his best friend (rich dad).

This book gives us the practical knowledge which is very much needed in a business minded world like that of todays.

6: THE SECRET by Rhonda:

This book aims to be a self-help book for the readers, it encourages and focuses on the power of positive thinking and the idea of this novel revolves around the scientific law of attraction.

7: AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A YOGI by Paramahasana Yoganada:

This is kind of a spiritual book and take the readers on a journey with the writer itself. This book unfolds various aspects of life with such an ease, thus making it worldwide best seller.

If you truly want to know the true meaning of life, do read this book once and you will be a different person by the end. It helps to find a much more enlightened version of yourself.

8: INNER ENGINEERING by Sadh Guru

It is very renowned book by Sadh Guru and it aims to take the readers on a spiritual world or a spiritual journey. This book surely acts as a source of enlightenment for the audience.

9: THE INTERPRETER OF MALADIES by Jhumpa Lahri:

It is a group of nine stories illustrated by the author so beautifully, you wouldn’t want to miss any of them. The stories cover various aspects of human lives such as marriage, relationship etc. apart from this, it is suggested by many famous personalities such as Oprah Winfrey. Thus, making it popular novel among the readers community.

10: SHOEDOG by Phil Knight:

This is the life story of founder of NIKE shoes company. It tells the readers the struggle one has to undergo with sheer will and hard work in order to succeed in life and business. The book takes you to 1960 around 50 years back and then the story continues as a timeline.

This is a motivating novel which covers aspects like business, struggle and eventually success.

11: A TRAIN TO PAKISTAN by Khushwant Singh:

This novel takes you back to the time of partition. Through this book one shall understand the level of hardship and pain people have undergone during that time. And tells us the how impactful the political decisions are sometimes over the local community. Thus, making it an excellent book with such a great description.

12: THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS by Khaled Hosseini:

This novel is all about two girls Mariam & Laila living in Afghanistan. The story set sail from a place known as Herat where Mariam used to live and tells us all about the type of life people experience in war affected zones. This novel is a beautiful depiction of hardships of people living in such areas.

13: A BOY IN STRIPPED PYJAMAS by John Boyne:

The novel is a heart melting tale of two boys, Bruno & Shmuel who despite of living in the same areas, experience different standards of living. One of them had all the luxury while the other was a prisoner deprived of almost everything. The story revolves around their friendship. This book is such an exceptional story highlighting the horrors of a world war.

14: CALLING SEHMAT by Harinder S. Sikka:

This story is based in the era of 1971 when there was an atmosphere of tension between the two nations, India & Pakistan. The novel depicts the story of a brave Indian girl or spy, and her major contribution in achieving the victory in 1971 Indo-Pak naval war. This book surely keeps the audience glued right from the beginning to the end.

Even a famous adaptation of this novel is made in the form of movie named “RAAZI”.

15: TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE by Mitch Albom:

This book depicts a story of a college professor named Morrie and his student whom he hasn’t been in touch with lately. It tells us how efforts are made by the student to meet the professor and how does this meeting bring a change in both of their lives.

This story contains a variety of emotions such as happiness, then sudden sadness but in the end will leave you weeping.

16: BOOKS by APJ ABDUL KALAM:

What to say about this man, the name does all the justice when words fall short to praise his. Read his books and inculcate the life changing habits mentioned in it.

One of the main lessons to learn from the journey of this man is “how to embrace failure” it is one of the most important aspect in life and is explained so well in the book.

By reading his book, audience find itself way back in time in a small south Indian village, where we found one of the best presidents India had so far.

17: A MAN CALLED OVE by Fredrik Backman:

This is a story of 59 years old man named Ove and the struggle he undergoes in finding a meaning for his life. The readers are said to experience a range of emotions such as hope along with sadness in the story. But this novel is much more popular in the aged people as they can connect with the story.

18: LETTERS FROM A FATHER TO HIS DAUGHTER by Jawahar Lal Nehru:

This book includes a collection of letters from our then Prime minister Jawahar lal Nehru. In his letters he answers various questions asked by his daughter. And now these letters are published in the form of a book.

The letter covers different aspects such as how our earth was formed or what are rocks etc. this book is very popular among the youngsters.

19: STORIES by Premchand:

20: ANIMAL FARM by George Orwell:

This is a type of fantasy or we can say allegoric novel which is set during the time of Russian revolution along with the rise of Stalinism. This story revolves around manor farm and the neglected animals kept in it. Soon they decide to rebel against the humans under the leadership of an old boar.

This novel will take audience to a journey of self-introspection, thus making it a must read.

21: DOPEHRI by Pankaj Kapoor

This is a tale of an elderly widow named Amma Bi. She resides in a haveli found in Lucknow. At the strike of 3, every afternoon she hears some footstep approaching but as soon as she peaks through the window, there is no one. Soon another girl named Sahiba enters her life and bring lots of changes to her loneliness.

This story is beautifully depicted and has been adapted in form of plays too.

22: POKHRAN by Uday Singh:

Pokhran we all know is the site where India first tested its nuclear power. But everyone talks about the milestone which India has achieved but no one utter a single word about the after effects of this test.

This novel revolves around a boy living in that area and experiencing horrors in the form of its after-effect.

This novel will help the readers to develop a far sightedness for anything in the world. It will give you a message that everything comes with a cost.

23: THE PROPHET by Kahlil Gibran:

This book is about a prophet named Al Mustafa, who is about to leave the town in which he lives and goes on to board a ship but is soon surrounded by people who are curious to know answers for their questions. So, we spent time with them and gives answers with immense satisfaction.

This book cover various aspects like actual meaning of life and death and many more.

Such a book is truly self-enlightening and definitely a treat in the readers community.

24: KAFKA ON THE SHORE by Haruki Murakami:

This book does not contain a single story but actually it contains two different plots which are seen chasing each other. One plot consists of a 15 years old boy named Kafka who is running away from his dad’s house in order to escape the curse of Oedipal. On the other hand, we have Nakata’s story, who is working in an old-age home due to the inabilities he is suffering from.

This story will definitely keep the audience glued to the end.

25: MY GEETA by Devdatt Patnaik:

This is a novel written by a renowned Indian author. This book depicts the understanding of various aspects of Hindu holy book GEETA, through the lenses of Devdatt Patnaik.

He explains various teachings of Geeta as understood by him. This book is surely an enlightenment session for all the readers. Apart from that elderly people will find this novel more fascinating.

26: HARRY POTTER series by J K Rowling:

we can write a thesis on this masterpiece by J K Rowling, a wonderful author. If this story of a young boy named Harry does not fascinate you, then we don’t know, what else we could recommend you.

27: SHERLOCK HOLMES by Arthur Conan Doyle:

This book not only keeps the readers engaged but also encourages them to think what may happen next. And one must not forget about the element of surprise it comes with.

In the mystery genre, this is one of the best books for beginners to read. Along with this, it comes with a whole range of series like adventures of sherlock Holmes, returns of Sherlock Holmes etc.

28: THE ALCHEMIST by Paulo Coelho:

You must have heard of the phrase “when you really want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it”, but did you know its origin, well now you do, these are few famous lines from the novel ALCHEMIST of Paulo Coelho.

This is truly a masterpiece. it is not only a great book but also a book that everyone must read once in their lives. It engages so well with the reader and after reading it, one is truly enlightened. The more I praise for this book the less it seems.

29: PERCY JACKSON by Rick Riordon:

If you are a mythology fan, or if you like characters such as Thor, and this is your book. For all the mythology fans out there, this masterpiece is truly a treat for the readers.

The story revolves around a boy named Percy, who is unaware of the fact that he Is the son of Greek god Poseidon. Soon he discovers himself and goes on for a breath-taking adventure.

Our list of books recommendation is incomplete without it. This book will take you on a whole different level of adventure. You won’t regret reading this book.

30: THE KITE RUNNER by Khaled Hosseini:

This is a treat for all the book lovers out there or people who are starting their journey in the book world.

I don’t think that there is any book with such a great plot. If you haven’t read this masterpiece yet by Khaled Hosseini, you are missing out on a major thing. This is one of the most suitable for you to start reading.

31: Stories of Akbar and Birbal:

This is one of the most beloved books among kids who are finding their way to the book world. This book is a complete mix of wittiness along with some humour.

Birbal was not only known for his sharp mind but also his sense of humour. This book depicts various tales of Akbar and Birbal. Can be enjoyed by anyone who is craving for a light reading session.

32: AGATHA CHRISTIE novels:

Pick any novel written by this Arthur and you will definitely find yourself in a different world of mystery and suspense.

My personal favourite from this collection is “And then there were none” where the story revolves around a bunch of people who are invited on a deserted island. Soon one by one they all the murdered, then who is the murderer? You will be amazed by the breath-taking curves its plot takes and will keep you glued to the very end of the book.

33: GULLIVER TRAVEL by Jonathan Swift:

We all have seen the movie, where a man named Gulliver finds himself on an island inhabited by Lilliputians and then his adventures begin. That was just a chapter of this novel. Do read this novel and unlock a great adventure that awaits you. If we don’t include this book, we won’t be doing justice to the list, this book is the best book beginners.

THE INVISIBLE MAN by H.G Wells:

This is the book which is incorporated in the school curriculum. And this is surely one of the books with best plots to date. this book takes you to the adventure of a scientist who has found a formula for invisibility.

This book covers a whole variety of genre such as mystery, sci-fi, drama along with some elements of horror in it. Your mind will definitely be blown after reading this thriller.

35: THE BFG (BIG FOOT GIANT) by Roald Dahl:

This is the kind of book which you will be reading before going to your bed. It is like finding a fantasy world right within the actual world.

In this novel, the story revolves around a girl who is very much fascinated by stuff such as giants and all, and often finds difficult to sleep at night. One night she is all set to go for an adventure that too in the land of giants which was long hidden from humanity. This book will surely set your imagination wild.

This is a light and great novel to read and surely one of the best books for beginners if you are trying to inculcate reading habits.

Advantages of reading

Now when you have decided that this is the best book for the beginners, you may ask the following question to yourself that “why is there a need to read a book at all” or is there any plus points in reading it.

Well understand one basic thing, there is no drawback of reading, as they say, “investment in knowledge, gives you the best return” similarly after inculcating the reading habit in yourself, you may experience various positive change in you in the form of advantages.

Few advantages of reading are listed below:

1: Sharp focus and enhanced concentration-

Nowadays people like to do multi-tasking, that is doing so many things together. Like listening to a piece of news while searching for something or scrolling social media while engaged in a boring lecture. But due to this the focus and concentration are decreased and anxiety and stress levels are increased. These can be reversed by reading a book, as it demands full concentration and sheer focus.

2: Improved memory-

Studies have found that people who are engaged in activities such as reading a book or magazine are less likely to suffer from memory loss or any memory-related disease such as Alzheimer or dementia.

3: Stimulation of brain-

Reading books often leads to stimulation of neurons (brain cells) thus making our brain more active.

4: Improved thinking skills-

It comes handy while reading, because when you read your mind is stimulated, and hence you end up thinking what is next in the plot. Thus reading helps you to improve your thinking skills.

5: Building up vocabulary-

when you read something you come across so many different and new words that you have never heard. So, you start searching their meanings in order to get a clear picture of the book. And this is how you end up building a strong vocabulary.

6: Enlightening oneself-

7: Better writing skills-

After reading so many plots in different books, each writer has a different writing style and while reading it, you are indirectly going through the writing style too. Thus, this will improve your writing skills. The good writers are often good readers too.

8: Reduced stress levels-

Reading helps you to level down your stress levels extremely.

CONCLUSION:

You all are just a single step away from the path of wisdom and enlightenment, pick a book and start your journey now. It is never too late to read a book. In day to days world there are so many options a beginner can opt from, but choose wisely according to your will and with firm determination, any habit can be incorporated especially reading. Join the reading world today and shape your personality.

Old-age is considered to be the second childhood where we can fulfil our long-lost dreams and start living once again. If you or anyone you know is having a difficult time and are not heard properly. Feel free to contact us, we are more than happy to help or if you have any query do ask, we will answer it. Not only once but each & every time you need.

The 5 Best Sites for Beginner English Reading Practice (With Answer Keys)

Who doesn’t love to get lost in a story?

With great books you can explore magical worlds, travel backwards or forwards in time or simply see the world from another person’s perspective.

…But only if you understand the words on the page.

If you’re anxious to start reading real English stories, you need to get some strong beginner English reading practice first.

That’s what we have for you here.

We’ve collected our five favorite English reading practice tools for beginner language learners. They’ll give you exercises, activities and lessons to improve your reading comprehension quickly.

We’ve even included our own short story with questions and answers at the bottom of the article.

Start practicing now and you’ll thank yourself the next time you open an incredible English book!

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

How Does Reading Help Your English?

Reading is a fun way to learn English, because it doesn’t have to feel like studying. With reading, you can enjoy a story while improving your English along the way.

English stories will help you recognize proper grammar and get used to the rules. If you read enough, you’ll be able to notice when something is written incorrectly, because you’ll be so familiar with the correct structure.

Reading will also improve your conversational English. Stories are typically filled with dialogue, so you’ll see a lot of examples of natural English conversations.

Finally, reading in English is an incredibly useful skill for life in an English-speaking country. The better you can read in English, the more you’ll understand your surroundings. Practice reading in English regularly and you’ll have no trouble understanding notes, signs, emails or academic texts from the English-speaking world.

How to Improve Your Comprehension While You Read

If you begin by trying to read a difficult book like “Moby Dick,” you’ll become frustrated and will likely want to give up because you aren’t seeing any progress.

Instead, start by reading short stories or even just paragraphs of easy text. Once you know that you understand each of those shorter stories you can begin to move on to more difficult texts.

More English reading practice resources like the ones in this article have materials for different levels on their sites, so you can take your time moving through each level. It’s okay to read at a beginner level! You’re still learning and will see a lot of improvement.

When you come across difficult words, always try to understand using context before pulling out the dictionary. This will force you to use your reading comprehension skills.

If you really can’t figure the word out and it seems very important to the story, it’s okay to look it up. Try not to look for every word in a dictionary, though, because if you’re too focused on the individual words you’ll lose track of the story and won’t retain much information.

The Top 5 Interactive English Reading Practice Sites for Beginners

ereadingworksheets

ereadingworksheets is a website with a collection of stories for beginners to practice their English language learning.

This website is great because aside from general reading comprehension practice, you can also target specific reading skills.

For example, if you’re struggling with how to differentiate characters in a story, you can read practice stories that focus on characterization. Other reading exercises focus on the author’s purpose or improving your understanding of figurative language.

This is a great way to focus your practice on the elements you really need to learn or improve. There’s a long list of focus areas so you can practice exactly what you need.

British Council LearnEnglishTeens

This popular English learning resource includes quizzes with reading materials so that you can test your understanding of the texts.

One of the best things about this site is the focus on practical reading. There are reading quizzes for things like posters and thank you notes, so that you can be sure that your practice will come in handy for real-life situations.

Reading is an important skill because it’s so applicable to real life situations, so it can be very helpful to find a site that gives you everyday reading practice.

TOEFL Junior Reading Comprehension Sample Questions

Unlike some of the other pages, TOEFL Junior isn’t an interactive quiz site. Instead, it walks you through some sample questions from the reading section of the TOEFL Junior English proficiency exam.

You can keep track of your answers on your own and then compare them to the answer key. There are three sample questions—the first is the easiest but each question gets a little bit harder, so answer the questions to see what level you’re at.

Although some of the sample questions are a bit more difficult, they include pictures to help you understand. If you feel lost and can’t understand the reading, sometimes looking at a picture will help.

While anyone can benefit from these reading exercises, they’re especially great if you’re planning to take the TOEFL Junior or standard TOEFL exam.

rong-chang ESL Easy Reading

On this site, you can read brief stories on a variety of topics, then complete comprehension activities such as fill-in-the-blanks or sentence building (choose the activities by clicking the links at the bottom of the story).

They also have the option to hear the story read out loud. This way you can use a combination of reading and listening skills to help understand the story and practice your pronunciation.

Sometimes reading a story can be hard, but hearing the words out loud can give you a better idea of what the story is about, so that as you read you’ll understand more.

Khan Academy SAT Reading and Writing Practice

The Khan Academy has sample tests and readings from the SAT, a standardized test that most high school students in the U.S. take before applying to college.

Instead of just reading interesting stories, you’ll practice your academic reading with this site. Khan Academy has a list of videos that walk through sample SAT reading questions with you.

The videos will show you how to understand as much of the reading as possible and how to think through each of your answers. There are videos for different kinds of reading questions that focus on different subjects, such as literature or science.

Practice Your English Reading Now! Short Quiz on a Classic Story

To get started on your English reading practice, read the story below, answer the questions, then keep reading to check your answers at the bottom of the article.

Little Red Riding Hood lived with her mother at the edge of the forest. Her grandmother lived at the other edge of the forest, and every Sunday Little Red Riding Hood would pack a basket of food and go visit her. One Sunday, as Little Red Riding Hood was wandering down the lane, a wolf blocked her way.

The wolf asked Little Red Riding Hood all about where she was going. He then showed her a beautiful field of flowers and headed off. Once Little Red Riding Hood had picked a bountiful bouquet, she finished the walk and entered her grandmother’s house.

Instead of her grandmother, she found the wolf in bed wearing a nightgown and bonnet! Little Red Riding Hood screamed and was lucky to be heard by an old lumberjack who lived down the road. He burst into the house and killed the wolf, saving Little Red Riding Hood.

Answers to the English Reading Practice Test

What a workout for your reading skills! With these English reading practice tools for beginners, you’re on the fast-track to complete comprehension.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Never Too Late To Start Reading! 16 Books To Choose From If You’re A Beginner

Reading is that one activity that helps you escape reality and immerse yourself into another universe. The books we read help us understand the world better and form ideas. And, well, some of them also give us quotes that affect us so much that we get them tattooed. Books take you to different worlds you’ve never visited before, whether it is the fantasy world of Harry Potter or the world of heartbreak like in The Fault In Our Stars.

But not all of us develop our reading habit right from childhood and as adults, we don’t know where to start. It can be a confusing deal because of the amount of books available but you also need to learn where to start so that you can easily start a love affair with books and nurture it as time goes by.

Here’s a guide for all those just beginning:

1. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The story is narrated by Nick Carraway but it is primarily about a mysterious rich man Jay Gatsby. Jay is a millionaire known for his lavish parties but the strangest part is that he never attends them. At least that is what Nick discovers while he is meeting his cousin sister Daisy and her husband Tom.

As the story unfolds, we discover that Gatsby knew Daisy from before. However, when he initially met her, he wasn’t doing so well financially and she was a typical rich girl. But he still fell in love with her and gaining wealth was a part of his plan to become one with Daisy. The extravagant parties are an attempt to become a part of her world. Gatsby is more so obsessed with Daisy than in love with her and is trying his best to make her fall in love. But the question is, does he succeed? Does he finally get a reciprocation for his love?

2. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

This one was originally published for adults but over the years, The Catcher in the Rye has become popular with all the teenage readers going through a phase of rebellion. The protagonist Holden Caulfield has been expelled from his school due to poor grades. He is at a confusing place in life and cannot even imagine telling his parents about the whole ordeal. Quite typical, isn’t it?

The book is the journey of Holden who finds that he is shedding away his childhood to enter the adult world. Like any teenager, he finds it tough and even plans on running away to become a recluse. However, you need to read the book to see if he actually takes the step. Moreover, it will make you live your teenage angst all over again.

3. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

The Alchemist is a simple read with hidden meanings. The reason it finds itself on this list is because even with its simple narration, it is a novel you’ll be able to truly understand once you’re of a certain age.

The plot follows the story of Santiago, a shepherd boy, who believes that a certain recurring dream he has been having is a prophecy of some kind. He visits a fortune-teller to ask her about it. She tells him that she sees a treasure in the pyramids in Egypt that Santiago should uncover. On his journey, he meets an old king who tells him of personal legends. «Your personal legend is what you have always wanted to accomplish. Everyone, when they are young, knows what their personal legend is,» and, «When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.» To see if this is actually true, give it a read.

4. The Palace of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni

Everyone should pick this book up at some point with their tryst with reading. The plot concerns itself with the great Indian epic Mahabharata but is told by none other than Draupadi. For the longest time, our ancient literature has missed out on a feminine voice but this retelling of the tale through the perspective of Draupadi will make you look at the story in a different light.

Born from fire, Draupadi marries the five Pandava brothers while harbouring a secret love. She is often blamed for starting a war which killed many but this is her story and you may just see why she isn’t the one to blame. A fresh take on an old story is a great way to ignite your interest in reading.

5. Sita: An Illustrated Retelling of the Ramayana by Devdutt Pattanaik

This book is outstanding for its ability to make the readers warm up to an important twist in Ramayana, a story all of us know by heart. Told through the eyes of Sita, this book will take you through the journey of Ramayana but it will be Sita telling her version of events.

From a loyal wife who follows her husband to the forest to a mother raising her sons alone, this story will bring forth the character of Sita for you and make you respect her even more.

6. The Kite Runner By Khaled Hosseini

Amir and Hassan are young boys who spend their days playing together but there is something that divides them. It is the class difference as Amir is a rich Pashtun boy but Hassan is his servant’s son. Assef, a bully, often taunts Amir for being friends with a servant boy but it is Hassan who has always protected Amir from bullies.

At the local kite flying tournament, Amir wins and Hassan runs to catch the last cut kite. He manages but is caught up by Assef and his gang. They beat him up and then rape him. Amir sees all of this but is too scared to save Hassan. It is something he cannot forgive himself for but years later, he has the opportunity to redeem himself. But does he manage to raise his voice against atrocities he sees this time around? A story of growing up, discovering family secrets and making life-long friendships, this novel is bound to touch you.

7. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov

The novel is most famous for its scandalous content but that is exactly what makes it a good read. It leaves you with mixed emotions for characters and you realize nothing is black and white in life.

A man is writing his memoirs under the pen name Humbert Humbert. Humbert recalls falling in love with a girl called Annabel when he was young. However, she also dies soon after due to an illness. As an adult, Humbert develops a sexual inclination for girls in their puberty years, meaning, girls aged between 9 to 14. Soon after his first marriage fails, Humbert marries a woman with a 12-year-old daughter. Yes, his plan is to eventually keep the young girl close to him. However, you’ll be surprised by the way events unfold. It is a book you just cannot keep down.

8. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

We’ve all heard about this story and we all know Alice but the thing is that children’s literature can give you a whole new perspective for a book when read as an adult. The story begins when Alice sees a white rabbit wearing a waistcoat. She decides to follow it and the next thing you know, she’s fallen into a rabbit hole.

There are creatures she meets and experiences she gathers. All in all, the book when read as an adult, seems to be a metaphor for life. In the end, it is always good to keep your imagination alive and to believe that we’re all a little mad.

9. Malgudi Days by R K Narayanan

This book would be perfect for any Indian child who wants to indulge in some nostalgia. The narration is simple to read and yet, it carries a very typically Indian childhood in it. It is a compilation of 32 short stories, all located in Malgudi, an imaginary town in South India.

However, the stories are so real that you don’t feel like any bit of it is fictional. It deals with social issues that troubled the older generation and also the issues that the younger generation feels the closest to. A simple compilation that will keep you coming back till you finish the book and even then, you’d be wishing to read more.

10. Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh

The story starts from Mano Majra, a fictional village at the border of India and Pakistan. However, the book covers the kind of destruction that the Partition brought with it. A line from the book reads, “Muslims said the Hindus had planned and started the killing. According to the Hindus, the Muslims were to blame. The fact is, both sides killed. Both shot and stabbed and speared and clubbed. Both tortured. Both raped.”

The reason you should pick it up is because the language is rather straight forward and given its Indian context, it makes for a read that will leave you with a mark.

11. The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

The story is the debut novel of Arundhati Roy and is known for its simple yet impactful narration. The story is set in Kerala and shifts between childhood and adulthood of twins Rahel and Esthappen.

The novel covers the cultural issues faced by a typical Keralite society, that of Communism, the caste system and the Syrian Christian way of life. In the middle of it all, is the mother of the twins who finds herself attracted to Velutha, a servant of the family who belongs to a ‘lower-caste’. For all those who believe caste isn’t too big in the Indian context, this book is an eye-opener.

12. The Fountainhead By Ayn Rand

A 1943 classic. In one line, The Fountainhead is a story of upholding one’s ideals v/s succumbing to the conventional norms. The narrative is set in the 1920’s and the story revolves around a fresh out of grad school architect Howard Roark, who, very early in his career, gets expelled for insubordination from the Architectural School of the Stanton Institute of Technology.

The book begins with highlighting the struggles faced by Howard as his architectural ideas were regarded radical and novel and he was constantly pressurized to design as per the established architectural standards and styles. It compels the reader to introspect about one’s own life choices and ideals as the narrative of the novel constantly challenges the very idea of an independent thought. The novel traces the journey of this outlandish architect and his struggle between being independence and conformity. This novel provides its readers with a perfect balance of introspection, inner conflict, individualism and self – discovery through a rather simple narrative.

13. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

The novel deals with serious issues like rape and racial inequality but through the eyes of two kids, Jean Finch and her older brother Jeremy, who live with their widowed father Atticus, who happens to be a lawyer.

Atticus is asked to defend a black man accused to raping a white woman. The whole town is against this but Atticus decides to defend the man and bring out justice. A story of extreme courage and the sad reality of racial inequality, this book teaches you how to look at people as humans instead of the various communal boundaries.

14. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

We’ve all heard of the name Anne Frank. Her family was in hiding for two years during the Nazi occupation of Netherlands. She was ultimately taken away to a concentration camp where she passed away at an extremely young age. But she kept a diary with her in which she has eloquently penned down her experience.

We don’t get a lot of personal accounts of the atrocities faced by people under the Nazi regime and this one coming from an innocent child is all the more heartbreaking. Read it to find motivation and get inspired.

15. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The story starts with the narrator’s plane crashing in the Sahara desert, leaving the narrator with very little resources to survive. The narrative takes a turn when the wrecked narrator is approached by a little prince who simply asks the narrator to draw a sheep.

The two become friends and the novel chronicles their journey through conversations and revelations about the origins of the little prince, the mysteries of his asteroid of origin and why he left his birth place to come to Earth. The story encapsulates the readers with its sheer scale of imagination and its conversational narrative.

16. Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami

If you want to find a love for reading, take our word for it, no one can ignite that emotion other than Murakami. This one is one of the most famous novels by him and his immaculate story-telling skills will transport you to another world.

This one is two intertwined stories. The story revolves around two characters with distinctly different lives but interconnected paths. The narrative moves back and forth, following each plot in alternating chapters. The odd chapters are about 15-year-old Kafka who runs away from his father’s home and the other plot, covered in the even numbered chapters, is about an old man named Nakata who ends with a job as a cat finder.

Easy Reading for ESL Beginners: Start with These!

Do you need easy reading for ESL Beginners? Even if you’re new to English, reading is a great way to practice it. It’s important to find reading materials that you can understand. You don’t want to stop too often to look up words. That interrupts you and makes it hard to follow the story. Success with easy reading will make you want more!

If you’re just beginning to read English, don’t start with long articles or books. Some of the best simple English reading is on the Internet. Check outВ Online Reading.В (Several of these also offer audio versions, so you can listen as you read.)В

If you want easy books you can carry with you, try children’s stories. Most are very well-written and interesting to adults as well as children. (They need to be because adults buy them and often read them with their kids.) Many are short, and illustrations make them easier to understand.

At a library, you can borrow books for a few weeks at no cost. (I worked at a library for several years and have used libraries all my life. I can assure you that most librarians will be happy to answer your questions and to help you find what you want.)В

A librarian (or bookstore clerk) can recommend books to match your reading level and interests. Besides stories, there are children’s non-fiction (factual) books on many subjects. Many are simple English reading— great for beginners!

“I Can Reads” and «Easy Readers»

The easiest books are “I Can Read” books, or easy readers. After that, there are short chapter books and picture books that may also be easy enough for you to enjoy.

Dr. Seuss wrote some of the first beginning readers. SeeВ The Cat in the HatВ series and Green Eggs and Ham. There are many child detective easy readers. See also animal stories, like Little Bear by Else Minarik and Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel.

For adults, I recommend the Amelia Bedelia books by Peggy Parish.

Amelia Bedelia is a maid who is easily confused by English idioms. She tries her best to follow instructions for cleaning the house, but she makes lots of mistakes. (Her boss asks her to dust the furniture, so she sprinkles powder on it, instead of using a cloth to remove the dust.) Children find these stories very funny. So do adults. You may have found some of these expressions confusing, just as Amelia Bedelia did!В

If you want to read these classics in English someday, here is your chance to “taste” them. (It will be easier to read the real story later.)

Try your library if you have one close by. You can also order them online from Amazon.comВ or another bookstore. (Notice that Amazon often has less expensive offers below their main one.)В

Almost as easy is the Encyclopedia Brown detective series. Encyclopedia Brown is a very smart kid. He helps other children outsmart bullies— and helps his father (a police chief) solve crimes. Each is a collection of very short mysteries. If you enjoy finding clues and solving puzzles, they’re a lot of fun. Click here for more information and a link to a sample.

Picture Books for ESL Beginners

When you are ready for a little harder reading, consider children’s picture books. Take a look at the Caldecott Award winners. (Each won a prize as the best picture book published in the U.S. that year.)

In picture books, the illustrations help make the words clear, so you don’t need to look up so many. Any library or bookstore in the U.S. will have many of these, or you can order them online.

Adult Easy Reading for ESL Beginners

When you are ready for some adult reading, you might enjoy short articles. Try the Reader’s Digest or another magazine in a (non-academic) field that interests you. These will be harder to read, but short.

The Online Reading page has some useful suggestions for beginners. See its sources for simple news in English.

Later, westerns and romance novelsВ are longer but often not difficult. They usually have a plot that is easy to follow and limited vocabulary.В See Finding English Reading Materials for some ideas.

Most importantly, find what you enjoy reading, and read a little every day!

That’s one of the best ways to “graduate” from the Easy Reading ESL Beginners class to Intermediate— and beyond.

Home>В ESL Reading Hints В > Easy Reading for ESL Beginners.

Didn’t find what you needed? Explain what you want in the search box below. (For example, cognates, past tense practice, or ‘get along with.’) Click to see the related pages on EnglishHints.

Collection of Reading Texts for Beginners (A1)

Are you looking for appropriate texts to teach reading and comprehension to your beginner students. Here is a collection of texts created by experienced teachers.

My Daily Routine

Hi, my name is Rebecca and I am your new pen pal. I’m ten years old, and I live in Barcelona, Spain. I go to the 4th grade in Saint Michael Elementary School. On weekdays, I get up at 6 o’clock. The school starts at 7:30 in the morning. I have my lunch at the school cafeteria and I usually leave around 3:30 in the afternoon. I am good at math, I also like history and geography but I my favorite subject is science. I like playing basketball and soccer. I also play tennis, and I like swimming. On the weekends, I go to the movie theater with my friends. We like action movies. I usually go to church with my parents on Sundays.
Please write and tell me about you and your life. What’s your family like? What do you like doing in your spare time?
I hope to hear from you soon.
Best wishes,
Rebecca

My name is Mark

Hi! Nice to meet you! My name is Mark Smith. I am 18 and a student in college. I go to college in New York. My favourite courses are Geometry, French, and History. English is my hardest course. My professors are very friendly and smart. It’s my first year in college now. I love it!

I live in a big house in New Jersey. It’s near the college campus. I share the house with three other students. Their names are Bill, Tony, and Paul. We help each other with homework. On the weekend, we play football together.

I have a younger brother. He just started high school. He is 14 and lives with my parents. They live in Boston. Sometimes they visit me in Jersey. I am happy when they visit me. My Mom always brings me sweets and candy when they come. I really miss them!

My Beautiful Family

I live in a house near the beach. I have two brothers and one sister, and I am the youngest. My father teaches English, and my mother is a nurse at a big hospital. My brothers are very smart and work hard in school. My sister is a curious girl, but she is very kind. My grandmother also lives with us. She came from Mexico when I was two years old. She is old, but she is still very strong. She cooks the best food!

My family is very important to me. We do lots of things together. My brothers and I like to go on long walks in the mountains. My sister likes to cook with my grandmother. On the weekends we all play board games together. We laugh and always have a good time. I love my family very much.

My best friend Selena

Hi, my name is Tina. I am thirteen years old and today I want to talk about my best friend Selena. She is my classmate and she is thirteen years old too. We attend a very big school near Scotland. We share the same desk and love the same school subjects. Our favorite lessons are Arts and Physical Education. I am very good at tennis and she is very good at volleyball. She plays volleyball at our school team. We both have a busy life. We always get up at a half past six and at seven o’clock her father takes us to school by car. They live next door to us, so after school we always do our homework, walk our dogs and play together. Our classes start at half past seven and finish at 4 p.m. Her mother is a nurse. My mother is a nurse too and they work at the same hospital. Our fathers are both engineers but they work at different companies. On Mondays, Selena has violin class and I have piano class. On Tuesdays and Thursdays she practices volleyball at the school’s gym and I play tennis in our school court. Friday is my favorite day because Selena stays overnight with us. On the weekends, we usually go to the movie theater or have a picnic if the weather is good. I am the only child, I don’t have a sister but she is like a sister to me.

My favourite Place

One of my favorite vacation places is Mexico. I really like the weather there because it never gets cold. The people are very nice too. They never laugh at my bad Spanish. The food is really good. Mexico City is a very interesting place to visit. It has some great museums and lots of fascinating old buildings. The hotels are too expensive to stay but there are more affordable options. For example, you can stay at one of the beach resorts like Acapulco. If you are planning to visit Mexico, you should definitely see the Mayan temples near Merida.

Our Holiday

Every year we go to Florida. We like to go to the beach.

My favorite beach is called Emerson Beach. It is very long, with soft sand and palm trees. It is very beautiful. I like to make sandcastles and watch the sailboats go by. Sometimes there are dolphins and whales in the water!

Every morning we look for shells in the sand. I found fifteen big shells last year. I put them in a special place in my room. This year I want to learn to surf. It is hard to surf, but so much fun! My sister is a good surfer. She says that she can teach me. I hope I can do it!

The Toy Store

Hi, my name is Amy. I am twelve years old. We have a small toy shop in our neighborhood. My father says Fridays are the busiest day in our toy shop. So after school, my mom takes me there to help my dad. That’s another reason why I like Fridays. We allow kids to play with the toys when they are in the store. My father says I am responsible for the toys and that I need to watch and make sure nothing breaks. Many kids from my school and neighborhood also come to the shop to look at our new toys. It is always noisy here. Because it’s full of babies and small children. Little girls tend to go for dolls, boys go for cars. Some just want to play with the toys, some actually want to buy them. It’s a bit tiring for me but I like going to the shop and helping my father.

The Smiths’ House

Mr. and Mrs. Smith have one son and one daughter. The son’s name is John. The daughter’s name is Sarah.

The Smiths live in a house. They have a living room. They watch TV in the living room. The father cooks food in the kitchen. They eat in the dining room. The house has two bedrooms. They sleep in the bedrooms. They keep their clothes in the closet. There is one bathroom. They brush their teeth in the bathroom.

The house has a garden. John and Sarah play in the garden. They have a dog. John and Sarah like to play with the dog.

Learn English Through Stories

Short stories in English for beginners pdf Download

Short stories in English for beginners pdf

English short stories for beginners

1. «Robinson Crusoe» for Beginner Levels

My name is Robinson. I am from England. I am eighteen years old. My father is German. My mother is English. I have two brothers. I have one sister. We are a good family.

My father is a good businessman. We have money. I have a good school. I have a good life. But I have a dream. I want to travel… Read Online and Free Download

2. «Robinson Crusoe» for Elementary Levels

I was born in England in 1632. My father was German and my mother was English. I had two brothers and one sister. We were a good family.

My father was a good businessman. We had a lot of money. I had good education. I had a good life. But I also had a dream… Read Online and Free Download

3. «The Little Prince» for Beginner Levels

I look at this little man. I am really surprised. Don’t forget that I am a thousand miles from a land with people. Something is very interesting. This little man is not tired. He is not hungry. He is not thirsty. He is not scared. He doesn’t look lost in the middle of the desert, a thousand miles from a land with people…Read Online and Free Download

4. «The Little Prince» for Elementary Levels

I looked at this little man with my eyes full of surprise. Don’t forget that I was a thousand miles from any land with people. It was interesting to see that this little man didn’t look tired, hungry, thirsty or scared. He didn’t look like a child who was lost in the middle of the desert…Read Online and Free Download

5. «Rich Man, Poor Man» for Beginners Levels

The next morning I got up very early. It was dark and everyone was asleep. But I was going to Darpur. I washed and dressed carefully. I put on my best clothes and I carried my best stick. I put the money order….Read Online and Free Download

6. «Lost love» for Elementary Levels

There things happened to me nearly ten years ago. I lived in a city, but the city was hot in summer. I wanted to see the country. I wanted to walk in the woods and see green trees. I had a little red car and I had a map, too. I drove all night out into the country. I was happy in my car… Read Online and Free Download

7. «The Girl with Red Hair» for Elementary Levels

My name is Mark Sellers. I’m twenty-two years old, and I work in security in Mason’s store. You can get everything here- books, TVs, hats, flowers, sandwiches, beds, bicycles…It’s interesting work, and I like it. Sometimes I walk around in the store, and sometimes I work in the office…Read Online and Free Download

8. «The Fisherman and His Soul» for Elementary Levels

Every evening the fisherman went out fishing. He sometimes sold his fish at the market. Sometimes he did not catch many fish…Read Online and Free Download

9. «The Girl with Green Eyes» For Elementary Levels

It was a hot day and the train was slow. There were seven people in the carriage. There was the man in the brown hat; the young man and his wife, Julie; a mother and two children; and a tall dark man in an expensive suit… Read Online and Free Download

10. «South for the Winter» for Beginners

I never stay in one country for a long time. It gets boring. I like to move on, see new places, meet different people. It’s a good life, most of the time. When I need money, I get a fruit. In Europe you can pick fruit most of the year… Read Online and Free Download

11. «Mr. Harris and the Night Train» Elementary Levels

Mr. Harris liked trains. He was afraid of aeroplanes, and didn’t like buses. But trains — they were big and noisy and exciting. When he was a boy of ten, he liked trains. Now he was a man of fifty, and he still liked trains…Read Online and Free Download

12. «Blue Moon Beach» — for Beginners

I’m sitting and watching birds. I’m at Blue Moon Beach. I think it is the
best beach in the world. The water is warm and blue. The sand is very white.
Blue Moon Beach is my beach…Read Online and Free Download

13. «The Young King» for Elementary Levels

«Who will be the next King?» they asked. But before the King died he Revealed a secret: his only daughter, the Princess, had a child. In secret, she married an ordinary man and they had a son…Read Online and Free Download

14. «The Bet» for Advanced Levels

It was a dark autumn night. The old banker was pacing from corner to corner of his study, recalling to his mind the party he gave in the autumn fifteen years before…Read Online and Free Download

15. 10 Very Funny Short Stories — for Beginner Levels

“When I sleep in my bed, I think that there is somebody under my bed. I look under my bed and I think there is somebody on my bed. On, under, on, under. I think that I am crazy!” Read Online and Free Download

16. «The Star — Child» for Elementary Levels

One winter night in a big forest of pine trees, two woodcutters were walking home. It was very, very cold and there was snow on the ground. The trees were cold, the birds were cold and the animals were cold. The rabbits stayed in their rabbit holes and the squirrels stayed in the trees…Read Online and Free Download

17. «Sister Love» for Beginner Levels

Marcia met Howard Collins at church. Marcia was thirty-five years old, Howard was forty-one. Howard lived with his mother in a small house on the south side of the town. Marcia lived with her sister and father in an apartment.. Read Online and Free Download

18. «The Umbrella» for Beginner Levels

It is raining. The sky is grey. Carla goes to the market. She looks at the umbrellas. She likes a red umbrella. It’s very smart. It costs ten dollars. Carla is a student. She doesn’t have much money…Read Online and Free Download

19 «The Lottery» for Advanced levels

The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of a full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green. The people of the village began to gather in the square, between the post office and the bank, around ten o’clock; in some towns there were so…Read Online and Free Download

20. «New Yorkers» for Elementary Levels

One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. Every day, when she went to the shops, she spent very little money. She bought the cheapest meat, the cheapest vegetables. And when she was tired, she still walked round and round the shops to find the cheapest food. She saved every cent possible….Read Online and Free Download

21. «Jane Eyre» for Beginner Levels

In 1825, I was ten years old. My father and mother were dead. I lived with my aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mr.’s Reed. Their house was called Gates head Hall. The house was in Yorkshire, in the north of England…Read Online and Free Download

22. «A Pretty Face» for Beginner Levels

Zoe is seventeen years old. She works in a bookstore, in the little town of Newport. Zoe likes books and she likes her work. But after work she likes to act in plays with the Newport Players…Read Online and Free Download

23. «The Story of Doctor Dolittle» for Pre-Intermediate Levels

ONCE upon a time, many years ago when our grandfathers were little
children—there was a doctor; and his name was Dolittle—John Dolittle,
M.D. «M.D.» means that he was a proper doctor...Read Online and Free Download

24. «The Love of King» for Elementary Levels

Prince Edward was born in 1894. His father, King George V, was a tall, cold man who did not like children. ‘Why does Edward talk all the time?’ he once said. ‘He’s a very noisy child!’ His mother, Queen Mary, agreed. ‘It doesn’t matter if Edward is happy or unhappy,’ she said. ‘A child must be silent and strong.’…Read Online and Free Download

25. «The Old Man and The Sea» for Advanced levels

He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish…Read Online and Free Download

26. «Marcel and the Shakespeare Letters» for Beginner Levels

Marcel is a French mouse. He’s a detective and he lives in Paris. But Marcel doesn’t live in Paris all year. Every November he visits London. His old friend...Read Online and Free Download

27. «The Million Pound Bank Note» for Pre-Intermediate Levels

When I was 27 years old, I worked in an office in San Francisco. I did my job well and my future was promising. I was alone in the world and I was happy. On Saturday afternoons I didn’t work. I sailed my little sailboat on San Francisco Bay. One Saturday afternoon, I sailed out too far. The strong afternoon wind pushed my sailboat out of the bay, into the Pacific Ocean…Read Online and Free Download

28. «The Happy Prince» for Intermediate Levels

High above the city, on a tall column, stood the statue of the Happy Prince. He was gilded all over with thin leaves of fine gold, for eyes he had two bright sapphires, and a large red ruby glowed on his sword-hilt… Read Online and Free Download

29. «The Gift Of The Magi» for Advanced levels

One dollar and eighty-seven cents. That was all. And sixty cents of it was in pennies. Pennies saved one and two at a time by bulldozing the grocer and the vegetable man and the butcher until one’s cheeks burned with the silent imputation of parsimony that such close dealing implied. Three times Della counted it. One dollar and eighty- seven cents. And the next day would be Christmas…Read Online and Free Download

30. «Marley and Me» for Elementary Levels

My name is John Grogan and I love dogs. When I was ten years old, my father gave me my first dog. I called him Shaun.

Shaun was my best friend. He went everywhere with me and he was very obedient. When I called him, he came to me. He played with me and he walked next to me without a leash. In the car, he sat next to me quietly…Read Online and Free Download

31. «The Story of An Hour» for Advanced levels

Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband’s death…Read Online and Free Download

32. «Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland» for Elementary Levels

Alice was beginning to get very bored. She and her sister were sitting under the trees. Her sister was reading, but Alice had nothing to do. Once or twice she looked into her sister’s book, but it had no pictures or conversations in it…Read Online and Free Download

33. “The Swimmer” for Advanced levels

It was one of those midsummer Sundays when everyone sits around saying, “I drank too much last night.” You might have heard it whispered by the parishioners leaving church, heard it from the lips of the priest himself, struggling with his cassock in the vestiarium, heard it on the golf links and the tennis courts, heard it in the wildlife preserve, where the leader of the Audubon group was suffering from a terrible hangover…Read Online and Free Download

34. «Meet Me in Istanbul» for Pre-Intermediate Levels

It is early morning on a sunny spring day in April. Heathrow Airport, London, is busy, as usual. Hundreds of people are arriving, leaving, or waiting for planes… Read Online and Free Download

35. «The Bird of Happiness» for Elementary Levels

A long time ago, a little boy called Igor lived with his mother and father in a small house which was made of wood. Igor’s family was very poor. His father was a woodcutter, and his mother made clothes for rich people in the city. Their house was in the middle of a large forest in the north of Russia…Read Online and Free Download

36. «The Little Match Girl» for Advanced levels

Most terribly cold it was; it snowed, and was nearly quite dark, and evening— the last evening of the year. In this cold and darkness there went along the street a poor little girl, bareheaded, and with naked feet. When she left home she had slippers on, it is true; but what…Read Online and Free Download

37. «A Dark Brown Dog» for Advanced levels

A Child was standing on a street-corner. He leaned with one shoulder against a high board-fence and swayed the other to and fro, the while kicking carelessly at the gravel. Sunshine beat upon the cobbles, and a lazy summer wind raised yellow dust which trailed in clouds down the avenue. Clattering trucks moved with indistinctness through it. The child stood dreamily gazing…Read Online and Free Download

38. «Good luck or bad luck?» for Elementary Levels

Along time ago an old man lived in a small village in the mountains, in the middle of China. He had a son that he loved very much, but this son was a student in a city very far from his father’s village. And so the old man lived and worked alone. Every day he worked for long hours on his farm… Read Online and Free Download

39. «The Secret Garden» for Pre-Intermediate Levels

Nobody seemed to care about Mary. She was born in India, where her father was a British official. He was busy with his work, and her mother, who was very beautiful, spent all her time going to parties. So an Indian woman, Kamala, was paid to take care of the little girl. Mary was not a pretty child…Read Online and Free Download

40. «An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge» for Advanced levels

A man stood upon a railroad bridge in northern Alabama, looking down into the swift water twenty feet below. The man’s hands were behind his back, the wrists bound with a cord. A rope closely encircled his neck. It was attached to a stout cross-timber above his head and the slack fell to the level of his knees…Read Online and Free Download

41. «Black Beauty» for Intermediate Levels

The first place I can remember well was a pleasant field with a pond of clear water in it. Trees made shadows over the pond, and water plants grew at the deep end. On one side was another field, and on the other side we looked over a gate at our master’s house, which stood by the roadside. At the top of our field were more tall trees, and at the bottom was a fast-running stream…Read Online and Free Download

42. «The Thief of Smells» for Elementary Levels

There was once a baker who had a shop in a small town in America. This baker was not a very kind man. He never gave his customers any more bread than necessary for their money, and he never smiled. But he was a very good baker. His bread was the softest bread that you could imagine. Sometimes customers paid for their bread and started eating it there in the shop. And his cakes… mmmmm. Read Online and Free Download

43. The Secret of the Stones — for Elementary Levels

Laura and Max are twins. They live in London with their mum and dad.
They always have interesting adventures on holiday. They visit different
cities and countries…Read Online and Free Download

44. Anne of Green Gables (for Elementary Levels A2)

One fine spring afternoon in Avonlea, Mrs. Rachel Lynde sat by her kitchen window. She often sat there because she could see the Avonlea road very well from there. A man with a horse and buggy came up the road. It was Mrs. Lynde’s neighbor, Matthew Cuthbert…Read Online and Free Download

45. The Cactus (for Advanced levels C1-C2)

The most notable thing about Time is that it is so purely relative. A large amount of reminiscence is, by common consent, conceded to the drowning man; and it is not past belief that one may review an entire courtship while removing one’s gloves…Read Online and Free Download

46. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (for Beginner Levels A1)

So Aunt Polly looked, and Tom was out of the house in a second. She laughed quietly. ‘I never learn. I love that Tom, my dead sister’s child, but he isn’t an easy boy for an old lady. Well, it’s Saturday tomorrow and there’s no school, but it isn’t going to be a holiday for Tom. Oh no! He’s going to work tomorrow!’……Read Online and Free Download

47. A Little Princess (for Beginner Levels A1)

One cold winter day a little girl and her father arrived in London. Sara Crewe was seven years old, and she had long black hair and green eyes. She sat in the cab next to her father and looked out of the window at the tall houses and the dark sky…Read Online and Free Download

48. My Cousin Rachel (for Intermediate Levels B2)

My father and mother died before I was two years old. I cannot remember them. My father died first, fighting in the war against the French in 1815. My mother died a few months afterwards. My cousin Ambrose, who was twenty years older than me, became my guardian. He looked after me as if I was his son. From the beginning, I loved Ambrose more than anyone else in the world…. Read Online and Free Download

49. The Monkey’s Paw (for Advanced Levels C1-C2)

Without, the night was cold and wet, but in the small parlour of Laburnum villa the blinds were drawn and the fire burned brightly. Father and son were at chess; the former, who possessed ideas about the game involving radical chances, putting his king into such sharp and unnecessary perils that it even provoked comment from the white-haired old lady knitting placidly by the fire…Read Online and Free Download

50. About a Boy (for Intermediate Levels B2)

Will Freeman was thirty-six years old and he had never had a job in his life. Sometimes he thought about working. He looked through the job advertisements in newspapers and wrote occasional letters to employers, but he was never invited to interviews…Read Online and Free Download

51. Alien at School (for Elementary Levels A2)

My name is Jennifer Dale. My friends call me Jenny. I’m 16 years old and I live near Boston. My town is beautiful and very green. I live here with my parents and my dog, Fred. I go to school at Jefferson High and I want to become a journalist. In my free time I play volleyball and I listen to «heavy metal» music…Read Online and Free Download

52. Three Men in a Boat (for Pre-Intermediate Levels B1)

One day, I had a little health problem. I went to the British Museum Library to read about it. After some time, I began reading about another illness. I don’t remember the name now, but it was something terrible. I knew I had that terrible illness, too…Read Online and Free Download

53. The Cask of Amontillado (for Advanced Levels C1-C2)

THE thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged;..Read Online and Free Download

54. Little Women (for Intermediate Levels B2)

The four young faces round the fire cheered up as they thought of this, but then Jo said sadly, ‘We haven’t got Father, and we won’t have him for a long time.’ She didn’t say ‘perhaps never’, but each silently thought it, remembering that he was away at the war in the South…Read Online and Free Download

55. Regret (for Advanced Levels C1-C2)

MAMZELLE AURLIE possessed a good strong figure, ruddy cheeks, hair that was changing from brown to gray, and a determined eye. She wore a man’s hat about the farm, and an old blue army overcoat when it was cold, and sometimes top-boots…Read Online and Free Download

56. Aladdin and the Enchanted Lamp (for Beginner Levels A1)

Many years ago, in a city in Arabia, there was a boy called Aladdin. He lived with his mother in a little house near the market, and they were very poor. Aladdin’s mother worked all day, and sometimes half the night, but Aladdin never helped her…Read Online and Free Download

57. Don Quixote (for Pre-Intermediate Levels B1)

In the Spanish village of La Mancha, there lived a gentleman who loved to read. His favorite stories were of knights and their code of chivalry: full of dragons, magic swords, enchanted forests, and damsels in distress…Read Online and Free Download

58. The Skylight Room (for Advanced Levels C1-C2)

First Mrs. Parker would show you the double parlours. You would not dare to interrupt her description of their advantages and of the merits of the gentleman who had occupied them for eight years. Then you would manage to stammer forth the confession that you were neither a doctor nor a dentist. Mrs. Parker’s…Read Online and Free Download

59. Island for Sale (for Beginner Levels A1)

There are many islands in the sea near Scotland. This story is about one of these islands. The name of the island is Lana. Lana isn’t big, but it’s very beautiful. It’s very quiet, too. There are no houses or roads or cars on Lana. But there’s a castle. The castle is very old. Read Online and Free Download

60. Anna and the Fighter (for Beginner Levels A1)

Anna did not sleep all night. She was excited. Early in the morning, her father called her. ‘Come on, Anna! It’s time to get up. It’s a long way to the station.’ Read Online and Free Download

61. The Last of the Mohicans (for Beginner Levels A1)

It was the year 1757. The place was the dangerous and wild land, west of the Hudson River. It was the third year of the war in North America. The war was between England and France. Each country wanted the land for itself. Read Online and Free Download

62. The Street Lawyer (for Intermediate Levels B2)

The old black man got into the elevator behind me. He smelled of smoke and cheap wine and life on the streets without soap. His beard and hair were half-gray and very dirty. He was wearing sunglasses, and a long dirty coat hung down co his knees…Read Online and Free Download

63. Cinderella Man (for Intermediate Levels B2)

There were nineteen thousand boxing supporters around the center ring in Madison Square Garden, and most were waiting for just one thing-for one fighter to murder another. Tonight they were waiting for Gerald «Tuffy» …Read Online and Free Download

64. The Yellow Wallpaper (for Advanced Levels C1-C2)

IT is very seldom that mere ordinary people like John and myself secure ancestral halls for the summer…Read Online and Free Download

65. Ali and his Camera (for Beginner Levels A1)

Ali lives in Istanbul, a big city in Turkey. He lives in an old building near the famous Blue Mosque. After school, Ali comes home and sits at the window. He looks at the boats. They are going out to sea… Read Online and Free Download

66. The Elephant Man (for Beginner Levels A1)

My name is Dr Frederick Treves. I am a doctor at the London Hospital. One day in 1884, I saw a picture in the window of a shop near the hospital. I stopped in front of the shop and looked at the picture. At first I felt interested…Read Online and Free Download

67. The Silver Swans (for Elementary Levels A2)

My name is Doctor Horatio Fundoby. But I am not the kind of doctor who sees sick people. I am called a doctor because I have spent many, many years studying. I studied history, and I now have an important job at the British…Read Online and Free Download

68. The Black Cat (for Pre-Intermediate Levels B1)

You are not going to believe this story. But it is a true story, as true as I sit here writing it — as true as I will die in the morning. Yes, this story ends with my end, with my death tomorrow….Read Online and Free Download

69. The Lady with the Little Dog (for Advanced Levels C1-C2)

IT was said that a new person had appeared on the sea-front: a lady with a little dog. Dmitri Dmitritch Gurov, who had by then been a fortnight at Yalta, and so was fairly at home there, had begun to take an interest in new arrivals. Sitting in Verney’s pavilion, he saw, walking on the sea-front, a fair-haired young lady of medium height, wearing a bret; a white Pomeranian dog was running behind her…Read Online and Free Download

70. Billy Elliot (for Pre-Intermediate Levels B1)

My brother Tony is stupid, but he likes good music. I listen to his records before school when he and my dad are out on the picket line. My grandmother — we call her Nan — likes the music too. I play the music and she sits in bed and sings. Sometimes we dance around the room. Read Online and Free Download

71. Love or Money? (for Beginner Levels A1)

The Clarkson family lived in the country near Cambridge, about half a mile from the nearest village and about a mile from the river. They had a big, old house with a beautiful garden, a lot of flowers and many old trees…Read Online and Free Download

72. Washington Square (for Elementary Levels A2)

Many years ago in the city of New York, there lived a doctor. America likes doctors and New York liked Dr Sloper. At the time our story begins, in 1843, Dr Sloper was fifty years old. He was a good doctor, he was a man of the world, and he was honest…Read Online and Free Download

73. The Most Dangerous Game (for Advanced Levels C1-C2)

«You’ve good eyes,» said Whitney, with a laugh,» and I’ve seen you pick off a moose moving in the brown fall bush at four hundred yards, but even you can’t see four miles or so through a moonless Caribbean night.»…Read Online and Free Download

74. Forrest Gump (for Pre-Intermediate Levels B1)

I was born an idiot — but I’m cleverer than people think. I can think things OK, but when I have to say them or write them down, sometimes they come out all wrong. When I was born, my Mom named me Forrest…Read Online and Free Download

Maria is 18. She will go to college in September. She will be a college student in September. But right now it is summer time. It is June. Maria needs a job. She needs money for college. She needs money to buy books for college. She wants a job.

Maria went to a restaurant. «Can I have a job?» she asked. The restaurant manager said, «I’m sorry. I don’t need anyone right now.» Maria went to a book store. «Will you give me a job?» she asked. The book store manager said, Yes, we need new workers.»

Source: eslyes.com

First Snow Fall

My sister and I are excited. My Mom doesn’t like the snow. My Mom has to shovel the drive way. My sister and I get to play. I put on my hat and mittens. My Mom puts on my scarf. My Mom zippers my jacket. My sister puts on her hat and mittens. My Mom puts on her scarf. My Mom zippers her jacket.

My sister and I go outside. We begin to make a snow man. My Mom starts to shovel the snow. My sister and I make snow angels. My sister and I throw snowballs. It starts to snow again. We go inside for hot chocolate.

Source: eslyes.com

Jessica’s First Day of School

Today is Jessica’s first day of School. Jessica and her parents walk to school. Jessica’s Mom walks with her to her classroom.

Jessica meets her teacher. His name is Mr. Parker. The school bell ring at 8.45 A.M. Jessica hugs and kisses her Mom goodbye. Jessica’s Mom says “I love you.” At 9.00 A.M., Jessica stands for the National anthem. Mr. Parker calls out children’s names. Each child yells back “Here.” Mr. Parker teaches them about letters. Mr. Parker teaches them about numbers. At 10:15 the students have recess. Recess is fun. The students get to play and eat.

At 10:15 A.M. the students go to gym class. At 11:15 A.M. the students return to Mr. Parker’s classroom. Mr. Parker tells the students to sit on the carpet. Mr. Parker reads the students a story. Mr. Parker teaches the students a song. The lunch bell rings. Jessica’s first day of school is over.

Source: eslyes.com

My Flower Garden

My name is Anne. I love flowers. I have a flower garden. My garden is in front of my house. My neighbor has a garden too. My garden has different types of flowers. I have roses in my garden. I have tulips in my garden. I have petunias in my garden. My garden has different colours. I plant red flowers. I plant orange flowers. I plant blue flowers. I plant purple flowers.

I take care of my garden. I water my garden every day. I kill the weeds in my garden. I kill insects that eat my flowers. I love my beautiful garden.

Source: eslyes.com

A Funny Story

Barbara likes funny stories. She likes to hear funny stories. She likes to tell funny stories. She told her mom a funny story. When she finished, she waited for her mom to laugh. «Mom, why aren’t you laughing? That was a funny story,» Barbara said. «Oh, I’m sorry,» her mom said.

«Sometimes you think something is funny, but someone else thinks it isn’t funny.» So, Barbara’s mom did not laugh at Barbara’s story. Barbara told the same story to her younger sister. Her younger sister laughed at the story.

Source: eslyes.com

A New Name

Herman didn’t like his first name. He had never liked it. He wanted to change it. He asked his mother. She said it was too late to change his name. She said he could use his middle name. She would call him by his middle name. She asked him if that was okay. Herman said yes. «From now on,» he said, «please call me by my middle name.

From now on, please call me Adam.» His mother said that was no problem. «Goodbye, Herman,» she said, «and hello, Adam.» When Adam’s father came home from work, Adam’s mom said, «Guess what? We have a new son.»

A Long Life

Nancy wants to live a long time. She wants to live for one hundred years. She is five years old now. She wants to live 95 more years. Then she will be 100. Her father is 30 years old. He wants to live a long time, too. He wants to live for one hundred years. He wants to live for 70 more years.

″Daddy, we will grow old together, okay?″ Nancy said to her father. ″Yes, honey, we will grow old together,″ he said to Nancy. Then Nancy smiled. She gave her daddy a big hug.

Source: eslyes.com

Clean Hands

Elizabeth washes her hands every day. She likes to wash her hands. She washes her hands with soap and water. She uses soap and water to wash her hands. She uses warm water and soap. She washes her hands for 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, she stops washing her hands. She turns off the water. She dries her hands on a clean towel.

Every few hours she turns on the water and washes her hands. Elizabeth has very clean hands. She does not have many germs on her hands. Germs cannot live on her clean hands.

Source: eslyes.com

The Farm

Daniel wanted to visit a farm. He asked his parents to take him to a farm. His teacher told him about the animals on a farm. There are lots of animals on a farm. Daniel wanted to see the animals. He wanted to see the cows. He wanted to see the chickens. He wanted to see the pigs. He wanted to pet the animals.

He wanted to feed the animals. He loved animals. He wanted to live on a farm. He wanted to live with cows and chickens and pigs. They would be his friends. He didn’t have any friends in school.

Horse Rider

«Can I ride my horse, Mommy?» Sara asked her mom. Sara loved to ride her horse. She rode her horse almost every Saturday. «Okay, honey, get ready to go,» her mom said. Sara was happy. She went into her bedroom. She put her pink socks on. She put her pink sneakers on. She grabbed her pink hat. She went to the front door. «I’m going to wait in the car,» she told her mom. «Okay, I’ll be there in a minute,» her mom said. Sara opened the car door. She sat down in the front seat. She put on her hat. She was excited.

Source: eslyes.com

Good Teacher

Jeff sat down. He was in class. He was at school. He was in English class. He liked his English class. He liked his teacher. His teacher was friendly. His teacher helped all the students. His teacher answered everyone’s questions. Jeff asked a new question every day.

Yesterday he asked his teacher a spelling question. He asked his teacher how to spell «myself.» His teacher told him how to spell it. Jeff thanked his teacher. His teacher said, «You’re welcome. Ask me anything anytime. That’s what I’m here for, to help you.»

Source: eslyes.com

A Baby and a Sock

The mother gave her baby a red apple. The baby tried to eat the apple. His mouth was too small. And he didn’t have any teeth. His brother took the apple. His brother ate the apple. The baby cried. His brother gave the baby a blue ball to play with. The baby smiled.

His brother took the ball from the baby. He rolled the ball on the floor. The brown and white dog picked up the ball. The dog chewed on the ball. The baby cried again. His brother picked up the cat. He put the cat on the bed with the baby. The baby pulled the cat’s tail. The cat jumped off the bed. The dog chased the cat. The baby cried again. His brother let the baby hold a sock. The baby played with the sock. The baby was happy.

Go to the Park

Chuck wanted to go to the park after dinner. His mom wanted him to stay home after dinner. She didn’t want him to go to the park. She said it was dark at the park. But Chuck said it wasn’t dark at the park. «There are lights at the park, Mom,» he said.

But she said there were only a few lights at the park. She said there were many dark places in the park. «Bad people go to the park at night,» she said. «Bad people do bad things. They do bad things to good people. You are a good person. I don’t want something bad to happen to you.» Chuck said, «Nothing bad will happen to me. I will go with my two friends. We will be together.

All three of us will be together. We will stay away from the dark places. We will stay under the lights.»

Source: eslyes.com

Her 10th Birthday

It was Emily’s 10th birthday. She was 10 years old. She was so happy. «I’m so happy,» she said. «I’m finally 10. Ten is two numbers. Ten is an adult number. Ten is a grown‐up number. I’m an adult now. I’m a grown‐up. I used to be nine.

Nine is a kid number. Nine is for kids. I’m not a kid anymore.» Her sister Irene said, «Of course you’re still a kid. Teenagers are kids. You’re not even a teenager yet. You’re in fifth grade. Fifth grade is for kids. Twelfth grade is for kids, too. When you are 18, you will be in twelfth grade. You will still be a kid. You will be a kid for eight more years.»

Emily said, «No, you’re a kid. You’re only seven. Seven is a kid.» Irene said she wasn’t seven. She said she was seven and a half.

Source: eslyes.com

The World Map

Jerry was looking at a map. It was a map of the world. The map showed many countries. It showed all the countries in the world. All the countries were different colors. There were red countries, green countries, and blue countries. Jerry pointed at one country.

«Daddy, why is this country red? Is it on fire? Did someone paint the ground red? Does it have a lot of tomatoes?» Jerry pointed at another country. It was a green country.

«Daddy, why is this country green? Does it have a lot of grass? Did someone paint the ground green?» Jerry pointed at another country. It was a blue country.

«Daddy, why is this country blue? Is it full of blue water? Does it have a lot of bluebirds? Did someone paint the ground blue?»

His daddy said, «No, the colors make the map pretty. They don’t mean anything.»

Source: eslyes.com

An Old Dog

A man has a big garden around his house. An old dog comes to his garden. The dog looks at the man and then lies down next to him.

When the man stands up and walks to the house, the dog walks behind him. When they are inside, the dog jumps on the sofa, closes his eyes and sleeps for one hour. Then he wakes up and walks to the door. The man lets the dog out.

The next day the dog comes again. He jumps on the sofa and sleeps for an hour. This is happening every day for three weeks. The man wants to know why the dog comes to his house. He writes on a piece of paper these words, “Every afternoon your dog comes to my house and sleeps for one hour on my sofa.” Then the man puts this piece of paper on his collar.

The next day the dog comes with a different piece of paper on his collar. It says, “He lives in a home with four children. He needs some quite place to relax. Can I come with him tomorrow?”

Source: eslyes.com

School Fight

One day at school Harry pushed Scott. Scott pushed Harry back. Harry punched Scott in the face. Scott went home with a bruise on his face. He had a red bruise on his face. His mom said, «Who did this to you? Who hit you?» His dad asked, «Did you hit him back? I hope you hit him back. Don’t be a chicken. You must not be a chicken.» Scott said he had pushed Harry back. His dad told him to punch Harry next time.

Scott went to school the next day. Harry pushed him to the floor. Scott got up and punched Harry in the face. Harry fell down. His nose was bleeding. A teacher walked by. He picked up Harry off the floor. The teacher called Scott’s dad. «Scott punched Harry,» he said. «Harry’s nose is bleeding.» Scott’s dad said, «That’s my boy!»

Source: eslyes.com

Drive the Car

Charley wanted to drive the car. «Can I drive the car, Dad?» he asked. «You can drive the car,» his dad said. Charley followed his dad out to the car. His dad opened the driver’s door. «You are the driver,» he said. Charley got into the car. His dad closed the driver’s door. His dad walked around the car. He opened the passenger door. He sat next to Charley. He gave Charley the key. Charley put the key into the ignition. Charley turned the key.

The car started. Charley was so excited. He turned the steering wheel left. He turned the steering wheel right. Left, right, left, right. He honked the horn. He honked the horn again. Honk! Honk! He turned on the left blinker. He turned on the right blinker. Blink! Blink!

He asked, «Am I a good driver, Dad?» His dad said, «Son, you’re a very good driver.»

Source: eslyes.com

Cookies for Students

Cindy’s teacher was Mrs. Jones. Mrs. Jones was old. But she didn’t walk slow. She walked fast. She didn’t have white hair. She had black hair. She wasn’t bent over. Her back was straight. All the students liked Mrs. Jones.

They especially liked her on Friday. On Friday she brought cookies to class. She gave cookies to all the students. The cookies were delicious. All the students liked the cookies. All the students ate the cookies. Today was Friday. Mrs. Jones gave cookies to all the students. All the students said thank you. Then they ate the cookies.

But Cindy didn’t eat her cookie. Mrs. Jones asked, «Why aren’t you eating your cookie, Cindy?» She said, «I’m not eating my cookie because I will take it home. I will share it at home with my sister.» Mrs. Jones said, «You’re so sweet. Here’s a cookie for your sister.»

Source: eslyes.com

Daddy Likes Beer

The little girl was thirsty. She wanted something to drink. She opened the refrigerator. She looked inside. She saw milk. She saw soda. She saw orange juice. She saw beer.

She wondered what beer tasted like. Her daddy drank beer every day. Beer must be good. If Daddy likes it, it must taste good. She grabbed a can of beer. She opened the beer. She smelled it. She couldn’t smell anything. She swallowed some.

«Yuck!» she said. The beer was horrible. How could Daddy drink that stuff? She put the can back into the refrigerator. Daddy could finish it when he got home. She grabbed the milk. She poured some into a glass. She added chocolate syrup to the milk. She stirred the milk. Now she had chocolate milk. She loved chocolate milk. Poor Daddy, she thought. He likes beer more than chocolate milk.

Source: eslyes.com

She’s So Hungry

She likes magazines. She likes to look at the pretty photos. Magazines have photos of people. They have photos of animals. They have photos of clothes. They have photos of food. She sees a photo of a hamburger. It looks so delicious. The photo of the hamburger makes her hungry.

She goes to the refrigerator. She opens it. She wants a hamburger. But there is no hamburger in the refrigerator. The hamburger is at McDonald’s. But she is a little kid. She can’t drive to McDonald’s. She can’t call McDonald’s, because they don’t deliver. A hamburger place is not like a pizza parlor. A pizza parlor delivers. Her mom was at work. She would have to wait until mom came home. Mom would drive her to McDonald’s.

She sat down again. She turned the page. There was a photo of chocolate ice cream. The ice cream was in a cone. Oh, what a beautiful photo. She licked her lips. It looked so delicious. Mom, please come home soon, she thought.

Source: eslyes.com

My Best Friend

Laura is my best friend. We are in the third grade. We do everything together. We walk to school together. We eat lunch together at school. Laura’s mother gives her tuna sandwiches for lunch. My mother gives me peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. We share our sandwiches with each other.

Sometimes Laura gets apples for lunch. Sometimes I get peaches. We share our fruit with each other. We help each other with our homework. She helps me with history. I help her with arithmetic.

We spend the weekends together. Her parents invite me to their house, or my parents invite her to our house. We sleep over. I spend the night at her house, or she spends the night at my house. We talk about everything. We talk about our brothers. They are so silly. We talk about our teachers and our parents. We love them. We talk about the boys in class. We don’t like them. They are so silly. Why in the world do some girls like boys?

Boys never grow up. We will never like boys.

Source: eslyes.com

A School Day

School starts at 8:00 in the morning. His mom woke him up at 6:30. He yawned and got out of bed. He got dressed. He ate breakfast. He ate a bowl of cereal for breakfast. His favorite cereal was Cheerios. He also ate a banana. Bananas are yellow outside and white inside. He drank a glass of orange juice. Oranges are orange outside and orange inside. He ate a piece of toast with butter on it. Brown toast, yellow butter. He drank a glass of milk.

Then he brushed his teeth. He kissed his mom goodbye. He walked outside to the school bus stop. It was two blocks away. He met his friend Bobby. They talked while they waited for the bus. The bus arrived. He said hello to the bus driver. He and Bobby sat together on the bus. They talked about baseball.

The bus ride took 20 minutes. They got to school at 7:30. The bus driver said, «Have fun in school.» They always did.

Source: eslyes.com

Boys Will Be Boys

The two brothers loved each other. But sometimes they argued with each other. Sometimes they yelled at each other. Sometimes they pushed each other. Sometimes they hit each other. Sometimes they got into a fight with each other. Bobby was the older brother. Billy was the younger brother.

Bobby was older than Billy. Billy was younger than Bobby. Bobby climbed into a tree. His kite was in the tree. He could not reach his kite. He fell out of the tree. Billy laughed. He laughed when he saw Bobby fall to the ground. Bobby was not hurt. But he was angry. «Why are you laughing?» he asked Billy. «That was funny!» Billy said. Bobby said it wasn’t funny. Billy said it was funny. Bobby pushed Billy. Billy pushed Bobby. Bobby punched Billy in the stomach. Billy punched Bobby in the stomach. They put their arms around each other. They wrestled on the ground. They rolled around and around.

Their mom came outside. «What are you two doing?» she asked. She separated them. She said, «You shouldn’t hit each other. That’s not nice. Wait till your father gets home.» She sent them to their rooms.

My Dad

I love my dad. He was a good man. He taught me to work hard. He taught me to keep trying. He taught me to do things right or don’t do them at all. He grew up on the streets of New York City. His parents didn’t speak English. He had three brothers and one sister. His brothers ended up in jail. His sister died in a car crash. My dad married my mom when they were both 19.

My dad joined the army. He jumped out of airplanes. Then he became a military policeman. He did this for 20 years. He liked his job. He was a hard worker. He went to college while he was in the army. He got two college degrees. One college degree is good. Two college degrees is very good. He retired from the army and became a teacher. He taught high school kids. He taught high school kids for 20 years.

He had a lot of patience. Teachers need a lot of patience. Then my dad retired. He traveled around the world with my mom. They both died in a plane crash. That was bad. But they died together. That was good.

Source: eslyes.com

Daddy Is Watching

«Let’s go to the beach, Daddy,» Susan suggested. «That sounds like a good idea,» her daddy replied. It was a hot, sunny day. The ocean was only two blocks away. Susan went into her room. She put on her swimsuit. She grabbed a big beach towel. She put on a hat and grabbed her sunglasses. She put on her flip‐flops. «I’m ready, Daddy,» she said.

«Do you have any sunscreen?» he asked. «No, I forgot. Where is it?» she asked. He told her it was in the top drawer in the bathroom. She went into the bathroom and opened the drawer. «I’ve got it,» she said.

They walked outside. The sun was bright. Susan put on her sunglasses. She loved to wear her sunglasses. They made her look like an adult. She gave the beach towel to her dad. She grabbed her dad’s hand and they started walking. Ten minutes later they were at the beach. It was crowded. Dad found a spot. He put the beach towel on the sand. Susan took off her hat and sunglasses. She ran into the water.

Dad watched her play in the water. She was having fun. Suddenly a wave knocked her over. She went under water. Dad ran into the water. He pulled her up. «Daddy, I almost drowned,» Susan said. «No, you didn’t,» he said. «That wave only knocked you over. Don’t worry. I’m watching you.»

Source: eslyes.com

A Birthday Bike

January 7 is Benny’s birthday. He will be eight years old. He is in the third grade. He goes to Park Elementary School. An elementary school is for kids. It is only one mile away. He walks to school. It only takes 20 minutes. When it rains, he wears a raincoat.

He used to take an umbrella. But he lost the umbrella. His mother gave him another umbrella. He broke that one. His mom said, «You and umbrellas don’t get along.» For his eighth birthday, Benny wants a bicycle. He can ride the bike to school. After school he can ride with his friends. He can ride the bike to the swimming pool. He can ride the bike to the library.

His mom and dad took him to the bike store. They asked him to look at the bikes. He looked at all the bikes. He chose a red bike. He showed his parents. Dad said it cost too much. He told Benny to choose another bike. Benny chose a blue bike. Dad said the blue bike was the right price.

Short Stories in English for beginners pdf

Introduction

Lucas: What is your name? Paul: Paul. Lucas: Are you from American? Paul: No, I ‘m Australian.

Lucas: How old are you?

Paul: I am 30.

Lucas: Are you a teacher? Paul:

No, I am a Lawyer.

Lucas: Are you married?

Paul: Yes, I am.

Lucas: Is your wife a lawyer?

Paul: No, She is a teacher.

Lucas: Where is she from?

Paul: She is Italian.

Lucas: What is her name? Paul: Anna.

Lucas: How old is she?

Paul: She is 27.

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The Star — Child — Elementary Levels

Short stories in English for beginners pdf

The Silly Mother

Once upon a time, there lived a girl called Maya. One day when she came home from school she went straight to her mother and said ” Mummy, today my teacher punished me for something I didn’t do.

The mother was very angry and went straight to her teacher and scolded her, but she didn’t ask Maya what she didn’t do. When she came home she said “I scolded your teacher nicely for just scolding you ” then she asked “by the way Maya what is that you didn’t do her mother asked “My homework” said Maya.

Maybe

Once upon the time, there was an old farmer who had worked his crops for many years. One day his horse ran away. Upon hearing the news, his neighbors came to visit. “Such bad luck,” they said sympathetically.
“Maybe,” the farmer replied.

The next morning the horse returned, bringing with it three other wild horses. “How wonderful,” the neighbors exclaimed.

“Maybe,” replied the old man. The following day, his son tried to ride one of the untamed horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. The neighbors again came to offer their sympathy on his misfortune.
“Maybe,” answered the farmer.

The day after, military officials came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing that the son’s leg was broken, they passed him by. The neighbors congratulated the farmer on how well things had turned out.
“Maybe,” said the farmer.

Short stories in English for beginners pdf

The Rooster

A very hungry rooster was scratching and digging in the dirt looking for food. He scratched and dug and finally found a beautiful jewel. He was amazed at how the gem shone glittered.

»This is a very fine and beautiful thing,» he thought, «but I would rather have one tasty kernel of corn instead.»

The Bear

Once upon a time, a Bear lived in the forest. He was huge and would eat a lot of food. However, he was very lazy. So, he enjoyed eating the remains of the prey left by the bigger animals.

One day, the lazy Bear felt very hungry. He could not find any food around his den. The poor Bear waited and waited. Then, he started walking in search of food.

He thought to himself, ‘Oh! How I would love to eat some bamboo or fruits! But I would be the happiest if I found a beehive with honey!’

Now, at the end of the forest, there was a rocky shore along the big blue sea. The Bear soon reached the rocky shore. There, he found a firm rock and held on to it. He lowered his furry legs into the cold water and waited. Some Crabs that lived in the sea caught the`

Bear’s fur, thinking it was their prey. The Bear, at once, pulled his legs up and shook off the Crabs on the rock. Then he enjoyed the food he had cleverly collected all over his legs.

Even the lazy think of good ideas, when they are hungry.

Source: eslyes.com

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Simple english stories for beginners

The Large Tree

Once, three Crows and two Sparrows lived in a forest. They all were good friends. They would meet every day and fly around together from one place to another. The Crows would constantly look for food and the Sparrows for a place to make their nests.

One day, the Crows said, “Let’s explore this part of the forest. Someone told us there is lots of food here.”
The new part of the forest was beautiful and there was, indeed, plenty of food. However, there was only one large tree. The Sparrows and the Crows wanted to live there.

The Sparrows told their aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, and friends about the new place. Everyone wanted to live there. The Crows also did the same.

Soon, a big fight broke out among the birds. The Crows said, ‘We found the place first, so we will live on the tree.”
The Sparrows said, “So what? We will live there. We found the tree first.”
After this, the two Sparrows and three Crows also could not be friends.

They constantly fought with each, “You Crows are bad.”
“You Sparrows are fools!” Thus, they went back to their own kind.

Birds of a feather flock together.

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THE MONKEY AND THE CAT

Once upon a time a Cat and a Monkey lived as pets in the same house. They were great friends and were constantly in all sorts of mischief together. What they seemed to think of more than anything else was to get something to eat, and it did not matter much to them how they got it.

One day they were sitting by the fre, watching some chestnuts roasting on the hearth. How to get them was the question. «I would gladly get them,» said the cunning Monkey, «but you are much more skillful at such things than I am. Pull them out and I’ll divide them between us.»

Pussy stretched out her paw very carefully, pushed aside some of the cinders, and
drew back her paw very quickly. Then she tried it again, this time pulling a chestnut half out of the fre. A third time and she drew out the chestnut. This performance she went through several times, each time singeing her paw severely. As fast as she pulled the chestnuts out of the fre, the Monkey ate them up.

Now the master came in, and away scampered the rascals, Mistress Cat with a burnt paw and no chestnuts. From that time on, they say, she contented herself with mice and rats and had little to do with Sir Monkey.

Moral: The fatterer seeks some beneft at your expense.

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Planting Flowers

Mrs. Mott and her granddaughter, Sally, are planting flowers in the garden. Mrs. Mott is using a trowel to dig small holes in the dirt.

The holes are three inches deep and six inches apart. After Mrs. Mott digs a hole, Sally puts a flower in it. The flowers are in small plastic containers. Each container has dirt surrounding the roots of the plant. After Mrs. Mott and Sally plant the flowers, they will water them with a garden hose.

In a few weeks the flowers will grow taller. When they are about eight inches tall, Mrs. Mott will cut them and put them in a vase. She will put the vase of flowers on her kitchen table.

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Short stories in English for beginners pdf Download

English stories for reading

Preparing for a Test

Whitney and Dion are preparing for a Spanish test. Their teacher, Mr. Hidalgo, is giving the test on Tuesday.

The test will be on the vocabulary words in chapter two of their Spanish textbook. There will be fifty questions on the test. Each correct answer is worth two points. Students who get all the answers correct will get one-hundred points.

Both Whitney and Dion want to get an A on the test. They wrote the vocabulary words on index cards. They wrote the words in Spanish on one side of the index cards and in English on the other side. Now, they are saying the words aloud.

Banana Splits

Banana splits taste delicious, and they are fast and easy to make. First, put a scoop of vanilla ice cream, a scoop of chocolate ice cream, and a scoop of strawberry ice cream in an oval bowl.

Then, pour strawberry, butterscotch, and pineapple syrup over the scoops of ice cream. Next, top each scoop of ice cream with whipped cream, chopped nuts, and a cherry. Finally, peel a ripe banana and cut it in half lengthwise. Put the banana halves on opposite sides of the bowl.

Be sure to have plenty of napkins because banana splits are messy to eat.

New Cell Phone

Art’s wife bought him an expensive cell phone for his fiftieth birthday. Now, he can take pictures, record videos, access the Internet, download maps, play music, and send and receive text messages.

Unfortunately, Art doesn’t know how to use all the features on his new phone. He read the instructions, but he doesn’t understand them. He read the instructions a second time, but he still doesn’t understand them. Art’s wife told him to ask a friend at work to show him how to use his new phone. Art doesn’t want to ask for help.

He doesn’t want his co-workers to think he is not good with technology.

Short stories in English for beginners pdf

The Fish And The Ring

Short stories in English for beginners pdf —Once upon a time, there was a mighty baron in the North Countrie who was a great magician and knew everything that would come to pass. So one day, when his little boy was four years old, he looked into the Book of Fate to see what would happen to him. And to his dismay, he found that his son would wed a lowly maid that had just been born in a house under the shadow of York Minster.

Now the Baron knew the father of the little girl was very, very poor, and he had five children already. So he called for his horse, and rode into York, and passed by the father’s house, and saw him sitting by the door, sad and doleful. So he dismounted and went up to him and said: ‘What is the matter, my good man?’ And the man said: ‘Well, your honour, the fact is, I’ve five children already, and now a sixth’s come, a little lass, and where to get the bread from to fill their mouths, that’s more than I can say.’

‘Don’t be downhearted, my man,’ said the Baron. ‘If that’s your trouble, I can help you. I’ll take away the last little one, and you won’t have to bother about her.’

‘Thank you kindly

‘Thank you kindly, sir,’ said the man; and he went in and brought out the lass and gave her to the Baron, who mounted his horse and rode away with her. And when he got by the bank of the River Ouse, he threw the little thing into the river, and rode off to his castle.

But the little lass didn’t sink; her clothes kept her up for a time, and she floated, and she floated, till she was cast ashore just in front of a fisherman’s hut. There the fisherman found her, and took pity on the poor little thing and took her into his house, and she lived there till she was fifteen years old, and a fine handsome girl.

One day it happened that the Baron went out hunting with some companions along the banks of the River Ouse, and stopped at the fisherman’s hut to get a drink, and the girl came out to give it to them. They all noticed her beauty, and one of them said to the Baron: ‘You can read fates, Baron, whom will she marry, d’ye think?’

‘Oh! that’s easy to guess,’ said the Baron; ‘some yokel or other. But I’ll cast her horoscope. Come here, girl, and tell me on what day you were born.’

‘I don’t know, sir

Short stories in English for beginners pdf — ‘I don’t know, sir,’ said the girl, ‘I was picked up just here after having been brought down by the river about fifteen years ago.’ Then the Baron knew who she was, and when they went away, he rode back and said to the girl: ‘Hark ye, girl, I will make your fortune. Take this letter to my brother in Scarborough, and you will be settled for life.’ And the girl took the letter and said she would go. Now this is what he had written in the letter.

DEAR BROTHER,—Take the bearer and put her to death immediately.
Yours affectionately,
HUMPHREY.

So soon after the girl set out for Scarborough, and slept for the night at a little inn. Now that very night a band of robbers broke into the inn, and searched the girl, who had no money, and only the letter.

So they opened this and read it, and thought it a shame. The captain of the robbers took a pen and paper and wrote this letter:

DEAR BROTHER,—Take the bearer and marry her to my son immediately.

Yours affectionately,

HUMPHREY

Short stories in English for beginners pdf

And then he gave it to the girl, bidding her begone. So she went on to the Baron’s brother at Scarborough, a noble knight, with whom the Baron’s son was staying. When she gave the letter to his brother, he gave orders for the wedding to be prepared at once, and they were married that very day.

Soon after, the Baron himself came to his brother’s castle, and what was his surprise to find the very thing he had plotted against had come to pass. But he was not to be put off that way; and he took the girl out for a walk, as he said, along the cliffs. And when he got her all alone, he took her by the arms, and was going to throw her over.

But she begged hard for her life. ‘I have not done anything,’ she said: ‘if you will only spare me, I will do whatever you wish. I will never see you or your son again till you desire it.’ Then the Baron took off his gold ring and threw it into the sea, saying: ‘Never let me see your face till you can show me that ring’; and he let her go.

The poor girl

Short stories in English for beginners pdf — The poor girl wandered on and on, till at last she came to a great noble’s castle, and she asked to have some work given to her; and they made her the scullion girl of the castle, for she had been used to such work in the fisherman’s hut.

Now one day, who should she see coming up to the noble’s house but the Baron and his brother and his son, her husband. She didn’t know what to do; but thought they would not see her in the castle kitchen. So she went back to her work with a sigh, and set to cleaning a huge big fish that was to be boiled for their dinner. And, as she was cleaning it, she saw something shine inside it, and. what do you think she found? Why, there was the Baron’s ring, the very one he had thrown over the cliff at Scarborough. She was glad indeed to see it, you may be sure. Then she cooked the fish as nicely as she could, and served it up.

When the fish

Well, when the fish came on the table, the guests liked it so well that they asked the noble who cooked it. He said he didn’t know, but called to his servants: ‘Ho, there, send the cook who cooked that fine fish.’ So they went down to the kitchen and told the girl she was wanted in the hall.

When the banqueters saw such a young and beautiful cook they were surprised. But the Baron was in a tower of temper, and started up as if he would do her some violence. So the girl went up to him with her hand before her with the ring on it; and she put it down before him on the table. Then at last the Baron saw that no one could fight against Fate, and he handed her to a seat and announced to all the company that this was his son’s true wife; and he took her and his son home to his castle; and they all lived happy as could be ever afterwards.

Quetzalcoatlus

There is a show in a museum in New York. It is about pterosaurs. Pterosaurs live 66 million years ago.

These animals can fly. However, they are not related to birds. They are related to dinosaurs. They are a unique group of animals andThey are the biggest flying animals. Their wings are really big. One wing is around 5 metres long.

The animals have a backbone and they can fly. This makes them really special.

Dictionary

1) show verb — to make it possible for something to be seen:

He showed me the pictures of his family.

I’ve got a new toy I want to show you.

Let me show you this new book I’ve just bought.

On this map, urban areas are shown in grey.

The secretly filmed video shows the prince and princess kissing.

2) fly verb- When a bird, insect, or aircraft flies, it moves through the air:

She flew from New York to London.

We are flying at a height of 36,000 feet.

She has to fly thousands of miles every year for her job.

Who was the first person to fly the Atlantic?

3) However adverb- used to introduce a statement that contrasts with or seems to contradict something that has been said previously

she goes swimming every day however cold it is

However hungry I am, I never seem to be able to finish off a whole pizza.

If Emma likes something she’ll buy it however much it costs.

I’ll see you after the show and give you £20 for the tickets, or however much (= whatever) they cost.

3) related adjective — /rɪˈleɪ.t̬ɪd/- connected

I am related to him by marriage.

4) dinosaur noun — /ˈdaɪ.nə.sɔːr/

Short stories in English for beginners pdf

Short stories in English for beginners pdf Download

5) unique adjective /juːˈniːk/ — being the only one of its kind; unlike anything else

This letter is a unique document of incalculable value.

The problem has a unique solution.

6) wing noun /wɪŋ/

7) backbone noun /ˈbæk.boʊn/

8 ) make verb /meɪk/ to produce something, often using a particular substance or material:

Do you want me to make some coffee?

She makes all her own clothes.

He made us some coffee./He made some coffee for us.

9 ) special adjective /ˈspeʃ.əl/ better, greater, or otherwise different from what is usual

she’s a very special person

Is there anything special that you’d like to do today?

Pterosaur– level 2

There is a new exhibition at a New York museum. It is about pterosaurs.

Pterosaurs were not related to bats, nor to birds. They were closely related to dinosaurs, but they were not dinosaurs. They were a unique group. These animals lived 66 million years ago. They were the first animals with backbones to evolve powered flight and They were really unique in that way.

They were also the largest flying animals we know of right now. Some of the pterosaurs had wing spans up to ten meters across!

Dictionary

1 ) exhibition-noun /ˌek.səˈbɪʃ.ən/- a public display of works of art or items of interest, held in an art gallery or museum or at a trade fair.

The photographs will be on exhibition until the end of the month.

There’s a new exhibition of sculpture on at the city gallery.

The athlete’s third, and winning, jump was an exhibition of skill and strength.

2) bat noun /bæt/

3) closely adverb /ˈkloʊs.li/ — in a way that is directly connected or has a strong relationship:

Both politicians have been closely associated with the movement for some time.

We are working closely with the police.

4) evolve verb /ɪˈvɑːlv/ to develop gradually, or to cause something or someone to develop gradually:

Did humans evolve from apes?

The company has evolved over the years into a multi-million dollar organization.

Bacteria are evolving resistance to antibiotics.

5) span noun /spæn/ the period of time that something exists or happens:

Over a span of just three years, the new government has transformed the country’s economic prospects.

Pterosaur– level 3

The largest flying vertebrates in earth’s history are taking to the air at The American Museum of Natural History.

A new exhibition at the New York museum will examine the life and history of the dinosaur era reptiles known as pterosaurs, which were the first back-boned animals to evolve powered flight.

“Pterosaurs as their own unique group, they were the first animals with backbones to achieve true powered flapping flight, so that they’re really unique in that way. They also represent the largest animals we know of ever to have powered flight. Some of them have wing spans up to ten meters across, which is a huge, huge animal. But as their own group, they’re not related to birds, they’re not related to bats, they’re just a unique group of reptiles that are closely related to dinosaurs but aren’t dinosaurs. When they evolved, they were very diverse and they lived on every continent.”

While the reptiles may have become extinct 66 million years ago, scientists believe that pterosaurs diversified into more than 150 species of different shapes and sizes across the planet.

short stories in english Short Stories You Can Read for Free Right Now

By Jennifer Martin and BookBub Editors•Updated: October 27, 2020•10 min read

Those of us who love short stories know the magic behind a well-told tale. There are times when you just need a complete story with a beginning, a middle, and an end. Well, we’ve got some great news: A lot of incredible short stories are actually available online, and you can read them for free right now!

It’s the perfect way to spend a work break, the moments while dinner is in the oven, or your last few minutes before bedtime. Without further ado, here’s our list of great short stories you can read for free right now. The list features a blend of works from contemporary authors, as well as short stories from your favorite classic authors. Read on for our complete list of free short stories!

Contemporary Free Short Stories

These stories are by contemporary authors. If you’ve never read these authors before, their free short stories will give you a taste of their style before you commit to one of their longer works. There’s something for everyone, with genres ranging from science fiction to historical fiction to horror.

“The Hunter’s Wife” by Anthony Doerr

Gorgeous descriptions of nature fill this story of a hunter and his younger, psychic wife during a Montana winter. After reading it, you’ll be amazed by Doerr’s talent, which was also behind his Pulitzer Prize-winning novel All the Light We Cannot See.

“Premium Harmony” by Stephen King

King fans won’t want to miss this 2009 short story which appeared in The New Yorker. A bickering couple stop at a convenience store and find their lives taking an unexpected dark turn. If you read closely, you’ll also catch references to the horror writer’s other works here.

“Broads” by Roxane Gay

You’ll get a kick out of this saucy story by Roxane Gay, author of Bad Feminist. Jimmy has a thing for loud, bold women. But it’s not until he meets a diner waitress that he finally seems to get what he wants.

“And of Clay Are We Created” by Isabel Allende

We’re transfixed by this story based on a real-life natural disaster. A volcano erupted in Colombia in 1985 and caused mudslides that tragically killed 23,000 people. Weaving culture with a gripping personal drama, Allende’s story centers on the rescue of Azucena, a girl trapped in the mud.

In this section, read our entertaining short stories specially written for pre-intermediate (CEFR level A2) or intermediate (CEFR level B1) learners.

You will improve your reading fluency and comprehension and develop your vocabulary. Each story has interactive exercises to help you understand and use the language

Once upon a time there lived a poor widow and her son Jack. One day, Jack’s mother told him to sell their only cow. Jack went to the market and on the way he met a man who wanted to buy his cow. Jack asked, “What will you give me in return for my cow?” The man answered, “I will give you five magic beans!” Jack took the magic beans and gave the man the cow. But when he reached home, Jack’s mother was very angry. She said, “You fool! He took away your cow and gave you some beans!” She threw the beans out of the window. Jack was very sad and went to sleep without dinner.

The next day, when Jack woke up in the morning and looked out of the window, he saw that a huge beanstalk had grown from his magic beans! He climbed up the beanstalk and reached a kingdom in the sky. There lived a giant and his wife. Jack went inside the house and found the giant’s wife in the kitchen. Jack said, “Could you please give me something to eat? I am so hungry!” The kind wife gave him bread and some milk.

While he was eating, the giant came home. The giant was very big and looked very fearsome. Jack was terrified and went and hid inside. The giant cried, “Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman. Be he alive, or be he dead, I’ll grind his bones to make my bread!”

The wife said, “There is no boy in here!” So, the giant ate his food and then went to his room. He took out his sacks of gold coins, counted them and kept them aside. Then he went to sleep. In the night,

Jack crept out of his hiding place, took one sack of gold coins and climbed down the beanstalk. At home, he gave the coins to his mother. His mother was very happy and they lived well for sometime.

These wonderful short books tell truly fascinating stories and valuable information. You can enjoy all their goodness by downloading them from our site and taking them anywhere.

Select what you like best, you can search in multiple options that although they are free, you will have variety to choose from and you will not have an excuse to get bored.

5 Great English Books for Beginners

You probably know that reading can significantly improve your language skills. Not only does it help you to enrich vocabulary but it can also improve your ability to express ideas and concepts. However, many English learners think that they need advanced language skills to be able to read a book. Actually, you can start taking advantage of this hobby even if you’ve just started your English learning journey. The success key is simply choosing the right books. This is a list of 5 English books for beginners that you might want to check out.

1 Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White

Charlotte’s Web is a children’s classic novel written by American author E.B.White. It is a great story about friendship and life.

Charlotte’s Web – E.B.White

Plot summary

The story starts in an American farm where Fern, an eight-year-old girl tried to save a baby pig. The pig was almost killed because he was so small and was considered to be useless. Since then, Fern adopted, gave him the name Wilbur and took care of him. When Wilbur grew up he was sent to Fern uncle’s farm. This made Fern really sad. Wilbur was ignored by all the other farm animals except for a small spider called Charlotte. Wilbur and Charlotte became good friends until one day, Charlotte heard that the farmers are planning to kill Wilbur. She made a plan to save Wilbur’s life. And the story goes on…

Charlotte’s Web is a children book, which means it is clearly written and the language is pretty simple.. Not to mention the content is cute and touching at the same time. In the book, there are even explanations for some vocabularies. For example, right in the very first page of Chapter One we can learn the meaning of the word “runt” and “do away with it”

“Do away with it?” shrieked Fern. “You mean kill it? Just because it’s smaller than the others?”

Isn’t it interesting and just perfect for a beginner?

Check out this short video about Charlotte’s Web

2 James and the Giant Peach – Roald Dahl

James and the Giant Peach – Roald Dahl

Plot summary

James and the Giant Peach is a story about the poor little James Henry Trotter. After losing his beloved parents in a sudden terrified rhinoceros accident, he was forced to live with his two ugly mean aunts, Aunt Sponge and Aunt Spiker. He became “the saddest and loneliest boy” until one day, he was given a magical gift by a stranger. The magic made one single peach grow from the old withered peach tree. The peach kept growing and growing. James finally climbed inside the giant peach, made friends with giant bugs, rolled away from his evil aunts to a whole new life…

This book is a wonderful book for readers of all English levels. This is because the storyline was stunning and interesting. Not to mention the usage of simple grammars and clear vocabularies of Roald Dahl makes James and the Giant Peach just perfect for a beginner.

This is a summary and review about the book

3 Winnie the Pooh – A.A.Milne

Winnie the Pooh – A.A.Milne

Plot Summary

The book includes 10 different short stories – 10 adventures of the teddy bear named Winnie the Pooh and his friends Piglet, Eeyore, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga and her son Roo in the Hundred Acre Wood.

Winnie the Pooh is a must-read because of its bright themes and beloved content. As a novel for children, it is written in a clear and bright English with simple grammar and vocabulary. The book consists of 10 short stories, which makes it easy to follow regardless of reader’s English level. You can also be inspired and attracted by extremely lovely conversations between Pooh and his friends. Take a closer look at some little talks below:

Piglet sidled up to Pooh from behind.

‘Pooh!’ he whispered.

‘Yes, Piglet?’

‘Nothing,’ said Piglet, taking Pooh’s paw. ‘I just wanted to be sure of you.’

“You can’t stay in your corner of the Forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes”

“I think we dream so we don’t have to be apart for so long. If we’re in each other’s dreams, we can be together all the time.”

Read more

4 Mary Poppins – P.L.Travers

This was one of my favorite books as a little girl although at that time, I could not understand the allusion behind the story. Mary Poppins by British author P.L. Travers is definitely a very special book. It is the first novel in a series of children’s books about Mary Poppins – the nanny.

Mary Poppins – P.L. Travers

Plot summary

Mary Poppins tells the story of the Banks’ children, Jane, Michael, the twins John and Barbara who live at 17 Cherry Tree Lane. Everything begins when their nanny leaves and her replacement, Mary Poppins, comes on the east wind (literally). This new nanny is stern and irritable but underneath her exterior hiding delightful magics!

Why

The book was well written using clear expressions and simple grammar. The story itself was charming and related to the deepest dreams of every children all over the world. Check out the first few lines in the beginning of Mary Poppins to have your own ideas about the book:

If you want to find Cherry Tree Lane al you have to do is ask the Policeman at the crossroads. He will push his helmet slightly to one side, scratch his head thoughtfully, and then he will point his huge white-gloved finger and say: “First to your right, second to your left, sharp right again, and you’re there. Good morning.

And so, the amazing adventure of magical Mary Poppins and the 4 children of the Banks began. Keep reading on to immerse in this wonderful dream.

5 Aesop’s Fables – Aesop

The last but not least is Aesop’s Fables – a collection of fables credited to Aesop. This famous book might date back to the 5th Century BC and have been translated into hundreds of languages, including English.

Plot summary

This is a collection of fables therefore it consists of different short tales. Each one illustrates a different theme and teach a lesson to the readers (not children only). The characters are usually animals who act and talk like people but still have the traits of their originals.

In general, Aesop’s Fables is humorous and entertaining. As I mentioned above, it includes short tales (less than 300 words per story) using simple writing and therefore, is easy to read. Moreover, I bet you’ve already got familiar with some or even all of the fables in your mother tongue. That makes the book a perfect start for those who have just begun their English learning journey.

Tips to learn English by reading books

Tip 1

Don’t stop every now and then to look up an unknown vocabulary in the dictionary. Try to guess the words’ meanings.

Tip 2

Those books are already divided into chapters but you can always break them down into smaller chunks (passages) if needed.

Tip 3

Find a group of friends (or at least one company) who love reading and want to improve English like you. Read one book together and discuss with each others about the plot, the character and the meaning of the book.

Tip 4

Don’t forget to jot down new vocabularies, phrases and expressions that impressed you to learn after finishing the reading.

Conclusion

So above is the list of the 5 great English books for beginners. If you notice, each of them is a kind of adventure in which you can discover the beauty of life, friendship and love. They can also inspire you to have courage to explore yourself and learn new things. Moreover, through reading, you can significantly improve your English vocabulary and grammar. To make the review words from those books become easier, don’t forget to save them into your own wordbook on eJOY English. Let eJOY help you to remember those words forever.

The 10 best free Chinese reading resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners

It’s difficult to find free Chinese reading resources for beginner and intermediate students, but in this article, I will share the best I know about after having spent years collecting resources. I will also through in some free resources for advanced learners so that nobody feels left out!

Reading and listening are the most important aspects of learning Chinese. Without enough input, you’re not going to perform well in other areas of the language, and lots of reading and listening will help you develop a feel for how the language is used.

Tune in to the Hacking Chinese Podcast to listen to the related episode:

Available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcast, Overcast, Spotify and many other platforms!

Students don’t read enough, however, and when they do, many go about it the wrong way. The most common mistake is spending all reading time on intensive reading, meaning that you read relatively difficult texts and try to understand everything. Advancing in your main textbook is one example of this. The total amount of text you see in Chinese is extremely limited, and this is a problem.

What you ought to do in addition to that, and in much larger quantities, is to read texts that are at or below your current level. You need breadth. You need diversity. You need to read characters and words over and over in different, meaningful contexts. You need to solidify and become more familiar with what you have already studied. You need to read more to gain fluency. You need extensive reading!

The 10 best free Chinese reading resources for beginner, intermediate and advanced learners

Here’s an overview of the best reading resources. They have been separated into three levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced (please click the links for discussions about each level and for general advice about learning Chinese on that level).

Some of the resources listed here have premium content you need to pay for, but my evaluation for the purpose of this post is based solely on the freely available content. Naturally, creating good reading content, especially for beginners and intermediate learners, is not easy, so the best resources will inevitably cost money. If you have some money to invest into your learning, get hold of a few graded readers (such as Mandarin Companion, that I reviewed here), preferably with audio so they can double as listening practice.

Please note that these are the best resources I know of, and that I will update this article with better resources if I can find them. If you know of a good one I haven’t mentioned here, please leave a comment below!

If you’re after listening resources instead, check out this article:

What if it’s too hard?

For reading to be truly enjoyable and effective as a learning tool, you need to understand almost everything you read. This enables you to pick up the things you didn’t already know without too much extra effort. Naturally, there is no magic threshold where this starts working, but generally speaking, the more you understand, the better.

The main challenge for beginner and intermediate learners is that most texts are too difficult, so here are four ways you can scaffold your learning, meaning that you support your understanding in various ways to enable you to deal with content that is harder than you would otherwise be able to deal with.

This comes from this article, which also includes similar advice for listening to Chinese, so check it out if you’re interested in the full story.

The 10 best free Chinese reading resources: Beginner

As a beginner, you are mostly limited to texts written specifically for language learners. Anything else will force you to spend more time looking things up than you do reading and that is not a good idea.

The problem is that writing this kind of content is not easy, so most of the really good resources are not free (graded readers, for example), but some are. Let’s have a look at the ten best Chinese reading resources for beginners!

Mandarin Bean

Mandarin Bean offers a large number of beginner-friendly texts that come with a recording, Pinyin you can toggle on and off, as well as pop-up dictionary that shows you meaning, pronunciation and HSK level of the words used. If you register and log in, you can also find exercises and translations. There are more than a hundred texts available for free, directly accessible on their website!

Chinese Reading and Comprehension (HSKreading.com)

This website contains around 100 short texts for beginners, many of them related to China or Chinese culture. While the levels aren’t very accurate (most texts are harder than they should be), it’s still a great resource. A built-in pop-up dictionary offers Pinyin and translation when you hover over a word. Each text is prefaced by a short sentence in English to give you some context, and is followed by a few comprehension questions. There’s no audio.

M Mandarin (漫中文)

This is an app for iOS and Android which has a lot of content, much of it in the form of comics. You can also find the text for each comic separately, but not all the content is free. It’s a little bit hard to figure out what is actually free, but I have used the app for a while and it seems that much is available for free.

The pictures are high-quality and really helps with understanding, and you can even click words inside of the comics to bring up definitions, Pinyin and so on.You can toggle translations, read grammar notes and more. The only downside is that the app seems quite buggy at the moment and some images don’t load. Still, even if you ignore the comic bit and only use the pure text version, it’s still a good reading resource for beginners!

Sample text: I’m unable to link to specific comics, but you should be able to find something you like by using the navigation screen in the app.

Chinese at Ease

Level: Beginner, intermediate
Topic: Reading
Type: Resource collection

Chinese at East has around 25 texts available for free for beginners. Compared to the other resources in this article, the interface is not very fancy and only consists of Chinese characters, Pinyin and English translation, all written is separate paragraphs and without being visually connected to each other. There’s no audio either.

Still, the text is easy to access and it does contain the information most students want, without any frills. I also think the topics of many of the articles are quite interesting and that the number of difficult words is mostly kept at a minimum.

Du Chinese

This is a well-designed app for iOS and Android, providing lots of easy-to-read texts on various levels. New content in the app is free, so if you check regularly, you can keep reading, but you need a subscription to access the archive of over a thousand texts. The app features a pop-up dictionary, audio and many other features.

The app is one of the best designed reading apps I have tried! Still, you can check out many of the free lessons online on their website, which also clearly labels what is premium and what isn’t. Even if most texts are not free, the free content in Du Chinese still makes it one of the best reading resources for beginners!

If you want to access the paid content, the code HACKINGCHINESE will give you 10% off!

Sample text (elementary): The Nose

Chinese reading practice (练读中文)

This site offers around 50 texts in simplified Chinese aimed at beginners, all of them in simplified characters. They are easy to access directly on the website with no need to create an account.

Each story comes with an introduction in English to give you some context, and for the story itself you can toggle Pinyin and English by clicking a button. Many stories have a rough HSK level associated with them and some of the key vocabulary outside this range are introduced before the story.

Yes! Chinese (中文天下)

This site features a wide variety of texts for beginners and intermediate learners, loosely graded by HSK level. They are written by different authors and the style and difficulty varies greatly. On the lower levels, we’re talking about picture books with simple Chinese, but some texts rated as HSK 2-3 are actually much harder.

There probably used to be audio and pop-up definitions for the the texts, but since they rely on Flash, they don’t work anymore. Still, this is still a good resource for beginners! You can always copy the text and annotate it elsewhere or use browser plug-ins to make it easier.

Sample text (HSK 2): 阳阳写字

Chinese Tools – 40 lessons

As the name implies, Chinese Tools is mostly about tools for learners and teachers, but they also have 40 lessons for beginner students of Chinese. This is not reading practice in the sense of most other resources above, but going through simple texts like these is still worthwhile and there aren’t than many sites that offer this completely for free.

Each lesson has several different dialogues that come with downloadable audio, vocabulary and so on. The only downside is that the website is badly organised and, to be honest, rather ugly, but don’t judge a book by its cover!

My Chinese Reading

This website offers fairly few but mostly well-written texts suitable for beginners. The texts are directly displayed in your browser without the need to log in or register. A simple pop-up dictionary gives you definitions and Pinyin for words you struggle with, but there’s no audio or other support functions.

ChineseSkill

ChineseSkill is an app for iOS and Android that is similar to Duolingo, but is tailor-made for students of Chinese. This makes a big difference, because many of the grievances Chinese learners experience with Duolingo are handled much better here. ChineseSkill is not a reading resource per se, but I include it here anyway because if you know no Chinese at all, starting here is not a bad idea.

Once you’ve worked your way through the free sections of the app, you should be ready to move on to the other reading resources shared above! As far as I know, you can’t learn reading only in this app.

The 10 best free Chinese reading resources: Intermediate

When you reach the intermediate level, you’d think that finding good reading material for free would get easier, but that’s not actually the case. The market for intermediate learners is so much smaller that there really isn’t that much available for free. At this point in your learning, you could start reading Chinese written for native speakers, but it would be very slow and painful, except in some specific cases (see below).

Still, there are some good resources out there, but you need more persistence to find something that suits both your level and your interests. The word “intermediate” also covers a very broad range of learners and it becomes increasingly difficult to accurately assess the difficult of a text.

Thus, when trying out the resources below, make sure you check a few texts before you determine that a certain resource is too hard for you!

Readibu

Readibu is an app that allows you to find and read novels on your phone (iOS and Android). They don’t create the content themselves, but rather connect with various online sites that offer stories of different kinds. As such, it’s beneficial for two reasons: First, it makes it much easier to find content since you have everything in one place, and second, it gives you some support with Pinyin and a pop-up dictionary.

M Mandarin (漫中文)

This is an app for iOS and Android which has a lot of content, much of it in the form of comics. You can also find the text for each comic separately, but not all the content is free. It’s a little bit hard to figure out what is actually free, but I have used the app for a while and it seems that much is available for free. The pictures are high-quality and really helps with understanding, and you can even click words inside of the comics to bring up definitions, Pinyin and so on. You can toggle translations, read grammar notes and more.

The only downside is that the app seems quite buggy at the moment and some images don’t load. Still, even if you ignore the comic bit and only use the pure text version, it’s still a worthwhile resource for intermediate students (I included this app for beginners as well).

Sample text: I’m unable to link to specific comics, but you should be able to find something you like by using the navigation screen in the app.

WordSwing

Among other things, WordSwing offers adventure text games created specifically for learners of Chinese, so they are like interactive graded readers where understanding is necessary to make the right choices in the game. Most games require a subscription, but the one called 逃出去 (Escape) is completely free to play. You can also check out the Pepper and Carrot comic, which aren’t games, but still suitable for intermediate learners. Both the games and the comics have manually recorded audio.

SlowChinese (慢速中文)

This is actually a podcast, but one that I like quite a lot and that also has transcripts for every episode, so you can think of it as a reading resource with audio! There are roughly 200 episodes available, and even if the podcast is no longer being produced, these are still worthwhile to go through. There is no support for the reading itself, so you might want to make use of the methods and tools mentioned in the introduction if you find the texts difficult.

Chinese at Ease

Chinese at East has around 25 texts available for free for beginners. Compared to the other resources in this article, the interface is not very fancy and only consists of Chinese characters, Pinyin and English translation, all written is separate paragraphs and without being visually connected to each other. There’s no audio either. Still, the text is easy to access and it does contain the information most students want, without any frills. I also think the topics of many of the articles are quite interesting and that the number of difficult words is mostly kept at a minimum.

Yes! Chinese (中文天下)

This site features a wide variety of texts for beginners and intermediate learners, loosely graded by HSK level. They are written by different authors and the style and difficulty varies greatly. On the lower levels, we’re talking about picture books with simple Chinese, but some texts rated as HSK 2-3 are actually much harder. There probably used to be audio and pop-up definitions for the the texts, but since they rely on Flash, they don’t work anymore. Still, this is still a good resource for beginners! You can always copy the text and annotate it elsewhere or use browser plug-ins to make it easier.

Sample text (HSK 4): 嫦娥工程

Chinese reading practice (练读中文)

This site offers around 40 texts in simplified Chinese aimed at intermediate learners, all of them in simplified characters. They are easy to access directly on the website with no need to create an account. Each story comes with an introduction in English to give you some context, and for the story itself you can toggle Pinyin and English by clicking a button. Many stories have a rough HSK level associated with them and some of the key vocabulary outside this range are introduced before the story.

Movie subtitles

This is not a specific reading resource, but more an idea for what you can read as an intermediate learner. Movie subtitles are great because they are often based on dialogues and therefore considerably easier than novels and short stories.

There are also extensions for browsers to help you out, such as Language Learning with YouTube for Chorme.

Du Chinese

This is a well-designed app for iOS and Android, providing lots of easy-to-read texts on various levels. New content in the app is free, so if you check regularly, you can keep reading, but you need a subscription to access the archive of over a thousand texts. The app features a pop-up dictionary, audio and many other features. The app is one of the best designed reading apps I have tried! Still, you can check out many of the free lessons online on their website, which also clearly labels what is premium and what isn’t. Even if most texts are not free, the free content in Du Chinese still makes it one of the best reading resources for intermediate learners!

If you want to access the paid content, the code HACKINGCHINESE will give you 10% off!

My Chinese Reading

This website offers fairly few but mostly well-written texts suitable for intermediate learners. The texts are directly displayed in your browser without the need to log in or register. A simple pop-up dictionary gives you definitions and Pinyin for words you struggle with, but there’s no audio or other support functions.

The 10 best free Chinese reading resources: Advanced

Now that you’ve passed the dreaded intermediate plateau of learning Chinese, you can start reading Chinese written for natives by natives. This means that your options are virtually unlimited and it is in fact very easy to find free materials. Naturally, you will need to provide your own scaffolding, as none of these resource come with vocabulary lists, Pinyin or pop-up dictionaries. See the introduction for how to scaffold your learning.

As was the case for the intermediate resources, difficulty can vary hugely between resources or even between texts within the same resource. Thus, don’t give up just because one article turns out to be difficult!

科普中国 – 十万个为什么

Level: Advanced
Topic: Reading
Type: Resource collection

This site is provided by 科普中国, and as the name implies, it answers why questions about everything from aliens to economics. The articles are of varying length and while there aren’t literally 100,000 answers here, you’re still likely to find a lot interesting reading! For even more popular science, you can of course also check the main site, but I think these why questions are good for learners because they have a very clear purpose.

Level: Advanced
Topic: Reading
Type: Resource collection

百度百科 is a collaborative encyclopedia that covers a huge range of topics, sometimes with surprising quality, even including video and in-depth discussions of topics. When searching for various things in Chinese, 百度百科 often ranks very high. For language learners, it’s interesting to note that this is true for many Chinese related questions as well, such as the origins of idioms. Check this entry for 未雨绸缪 for example, which comes with a video and enough information about origins to satisfy most readers, or the entry on pandas here: 大熊猫.

小故事 – 故事大全

Level: Advanced
Topic: Reading
Type: Resource collection

This site hosts a very large number of short stories and other texts, sorted into different categories. These are of course written by native speakers for native speakers, but the reduced length makes the texts more accessible for learners. Choose a category that catches your interest and start reading! If you find authors you like, see what else they have written. Naturally, difficulty varies a lot between different categories and different authors, so don’t give up before you’ve tried a few different ones if you find it difficult.

Chinese Text Sampler: Readings in Chinese Literature, History, and Popular Culture

A carefully chosen selection of 80 significant Chinese texts for students wishing to develop their reading skills while improving their cultural literacy. Includes classical and modern Chinese literature, historical documents, song lyrics, children’s stories, and lists of commonly used characters, idioms, and proverbs. Difficult varies from fairly accessible to extremely hard, so be warned!

知乎 – 有问题，就会有答案

This is the most popular Chinese question-and-answer site and works roughly like Quora does in English. Since everything is user-generated, quality and difficult vary greatly, but if you like this kind of forum, it’s great for reading practice. You can also read many different answers to the same question, which makes it far more likely that you’ll recycle new vocabulary. I choose this particular question about why the sky is blue because of 李永乐老师, which I recommended for advanced students here:

xkcd中文站，一个关于浪漫、隐喻、数字、以及语言的线上漫画

Level: Advanced
Topic: Reading
Type: Resource collection

I don’t read many web comics, but xkcd is an exception, and I’ve read everything single comic, some of them more than once. But did you know that this “webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language” has a Chinese version? It does!

Naturally, not everything can be smoothly translated to another language, but the translators do provide notes. Some of these comics require background knowledge to make sense of, so you might want to check out explain xkcd (in English). There’s also a Taiwanese version of the site with traditional characters here.

哈佛商业评论

Level: Advanced
Topic: Reading
Type: Resource collection

This is the Chinese language version of Harvard Business Review, so perfect for those of you who work with or are otherwise interested in management, leadership, marketing or other business-related topics. This site is the official Chinese version, maintained by Harvard University.

Novels (全本小说网, 努努书坊 and 好讀)

Level: Advanced
Topic: Reading
Type: Resource collection

There are many sites that offer novels and other forms of literature online, so this is not a specific resource as such. For simplified characters, check out 全本小说网, which hosts a very large number of novels and short stories, mostly from less known authors. For a similar site with publications in traditional Chinese, check 好讀.

If you want to read more famous works, check out 努努书坊, but I’m not sure about the legality of this site, so use it at your own risk. Some of the major publishers in China have their own apps where you can purchase books, but they also have some free content. Check out 起点 and 纵横.

Blogs and social media (新浪博客, )

Level: Advanced
Topic: Reading
Type: Resource collection

Again, this is not a specific recommendation, but more a reminder that social media and blogs can be a great source for reading material. For simplified characters, check out 新浪博客, 微博 and 微信 when it comes to blogging and social media in general. These platsforms have hundreds of millions of active users and their apps are ubiquitous in China.

I’m not very up-to-date when it comes to blogging in Taiwan, but Facebook is widespread and you can check out Line for chatting, which is also a great way of combining reading and writing Chinese!

Chinese news portals

Level: Advanced
Topic: Reading
Type: Resource collection

Chinese news provides a never-ending source of reading material, and provided that you are interested and maybe also know about the topic in advance, it can be manageable without near-native reading ability. There are of course many, many more news portals that 新浪网新闻中心 shown above, but I’m sure advanced learners will find their own favourite. For those of you who study traditional characters, check out 中廣全球資訊網.

You can also check out certain Western media outlets that offer Chinese versions of some articles, but you should be aware that these articles have been translated from English and sometimes don’t sound very natural in Chinese. Example are BBC and New York Times.

500 learning resources sorted and tagged by level, topic and type

I have spent many years building up a huge library of resources hor learning Chinese, including those mentioned in this article. If you’re looking for more reading resources or resources for other areas of learning Chinese, head over to Hacking Chinese Resources! There, you can find articles sorted by difficulty:

But also by topic:

What’s your favourite free reading resource for learning Chinese?

This article is based on a lot of research and took dozens of hours to compile, but I’m sure that I missed good resources out there. What’s your favourite free reading resource? Please leave a comment below to let me and others know!

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How to teach Reading: a Kick-Start for Beginners of Any Age

How to teach reading to a child or beginning reader..

Knowing how to teach reading skills to a beginning student seems like it should be simple, right?

Sometimes, though, when you sit down to do it for the first time or with a new child, the struggle can be real. Knowing where to start and having a few tools in your pocket can make a world of difference. Never fear though! The learning curve is small when it comes to knowing how to teach reading and you can do it well. Keeping a list of reading strategies for referral as you teach can be a great way to effectively teach reading. Take these 5 points into consideration when you are just beginning to learn how to teach reading to a beginner:

In addition to the 5 points above, I wrote a book that mainly focuses on a simple sight word strategy to teach reading that I’d like to introduce you to.

How to Read: a Kick-Start for Beginners of Any Age is the book I wrote to give a start to beginners who are eager to begin learning and for parents at home who need a tool to know how to teach reading to their kids. Some kids need a big bang to start off with. (Note: The book also gives instruction to anyone wanting to know how to teach reading to adults!)

THIS BOOK WORKS. The reason I wrote it in the first place was to replicate the pattern my parents used to teach me and my sister when we were young. There is nothing like this system and yet it’s so very simple!

As each day goes by, a few new words are introduced and the new words are incorporated into sentences. Words are repeated over and over in sentence context so that your child is practicing the word, yet in sentences. By the end of all the lessons, 125 words are learned with the flow and feel of sentence structure.

Here is an example of the book’s instruction technique:

On Lesson One of How to Read, your child will learn 3 simple words: GLAD, MAD, and SAD. You will read this to your child and then have him repeat, several times.

On Lesson Two, your child will learn two more words: I AM. He’ll hear them from you, and then practice the page with the new words in sentence form. HE’S READING!! Yes, in only TWO DAYS your child is reading sentences. Cool, right? The thing is, this immediate success will make your child feel so successful.

On Lesson Three, she’ll learn a few more words: CAT, MAT, and RAT. And you guessed it, on Lesson Four, these words are brought into short sentences:

After a few more words learned, your child puts them all together. So for instance, on Lesson Six, several words and sentences are put together, but all words that have been previously introduced.

In How to Read, there are 56 Lessons with 125 words learned and because many have asked, I am currently working on Book TWO!!

10 Best Websites to Help Your Kids Read in English

Reading in English is one of the best ways to build your child’s vocabulary. It can also be a good family activity to do together. The websites below will give you free resources to help make reading with your child fun, as well as educational. Let’s take a look!

Why should you read in English with your child?

Childhood is the best time to start learning a second language. A positive early experience with English often leads to a better connection with the language and improved fluency in later life. For kids, speaking and listening are easier skills to develop than reading and writing. However, learning to read in English from a young age will help your child to develop a wider vocabulary and a better understanding of structure (grammar).

Children’s books are written and illustrated to be fun, engaging and easy to understand. Connecting a new piece of vocabulary or grammar to a story or poem can make it easier for a child to remember. Reading interesting stories doesn’t feel like hard work or “study” so this is good preparation for more formal English lessons later.

Reading together with your child can help them take more of an interest in it. If they struggle to read by themselves, then listening to you read a story in English will still help them to practise their listening skills and build their vocabulary. You might even find a new favourite story together!

The recommended websites below are a mix of British and American resources. Most include videos or audiobooks, which you can use with your child to practise listening and matching the sounds of words to how they are written. All of these kids’ reading websites are free to access and many of them offer downloadable ebooks!

Top 10 websites for reading in English with your kids

1. The Story Place

This is a superb website for reading online because instead of giving you an ebook, its stories are in the form of interactive games! The story appears onscreen at the same time as it is read aloud, and you can interact with the story while it is being told. There are also bonus games to play afterwards, song videos, and printable activities. The site is built for young children, including pre-schoolers who are just learning their letters for the first time. New stories are added to this website regularly.

Each interactive story comes with at least one game, two songs, and a printable activity sheet to help your child practise new vocabulary that they have learnt during the story.

Try the Preschool Activity Library to find stories and activities based around your child’s interests – for example: colours, trains or their favourite animal! You can also look into the Literacy page for top tips on “raising a reader”!

We Enjoyed: I Will Not Take A Bath is a very funny little story about a baby who doesn’t want a bath until he has his favourite toys – why not practise telling the story with your child’s favourite bath-time toys?

Suggested Age Range: 3-6 years

2. Starfall

Starfall is an online resource build to help children learn to read. It offers interactive books for preschool children and young schoolchildren, each book is built around practicing particular letters and sounds. There are also seasonal stories – such as Pumpkin for Halloween or Snowman for Christmas – and simple maths exercises in English!

There are also lots of free resources for teaching your child at home, including printable worksheets, flashcards and posters. Some resources are only available to teachers in the USA and Canada, but there is more than enough material for you to use when teaching your kids English at home!

Try the Talking Library to practise reading and listening to famous stories – or even learn a bit of Shakespeare! Make sure you check out the Parent-Teacher Center for printables, advice, and even lesson plans!

We Enjoyed: The It’s Fun to Read section has some fun tongue-twisters to try! How fast can you say them all?

Suggested Age Range: 3-9 years

3. Oxford Owl

Oxford Owl is a British website providing free ebooks, learning activities, and workbooks for children. You have to sign up to the site to gain full access, but creating an account is completely free and gives you access to a library of hundreds of books and structured learning resources! Sounds good, right?

All resources are categorised by age, making it easy to find stories that should interest your child. Activities and workbooks are also divided in this way, making it very easy to navigate what’s best for your son or daughter!

Try the phonics guide, which is written to help parents understand and teach English phonics to their children! If you want to practise writing as well as reading with your child, the Activity Books section includes a workbook for proper handwriting. This is especially useful if your native language doesn’t use the Roman alphabet!

We Enjoyed: The Winnie the Witch books are a fun series of stories about an inept witch, and have a lot of lively illustrations that are great for younger children to explore and talk about!

Suggested Age Range: 4-11 years

4. Storyline Online

Storyline Online is a great site for finding free videos of writers, teachers and sometimes celebrities reading children’s storybooks aloud. The videos come with fun visuals from the story as well! Each video also has free activity guides for both teachers and parents. These will give you plenty of ideas on how to discuss the story with your child, and games you can play afterwards.

The website’s blog also contains links to many other useful resources. Storyline is run by the award-winning SAG-AFTRA Foundation, and they are linked to a huge network of excellent literacy resources for children!

Try listening to a story one day, and then the next day too, watching it again with the sound off and the captions on. See if your child can imitate how the reader of the story talks! Don’t forget to look at the Activity Guides below each video to find ways to get your child thinking about the story they have just heard.

We Enjoyed: Library Lion is a cute, funny story that teaches children about how to behave politely in a library and the importance of helping other people.

Suggested age range: 3-12 years

5. Free Kids’ Books

This one is, quite simply, exactly what it says on the tin – a website dedicated to sharing children’s books for free! Books are sorted for toddlers, young children, older children and young adults/teenagers, and can all be either read online or downloaded as a pdf for offline reading.

As well as storybooks, this site has hundreds of non-fiction books, allowing your child to use English as a tool to learn about different countries, famous people, history, science, or whatever takes their fancy!

Try the School Textbooks category to find free textbooks and workbooks aimed both at American schoolchildren and kids studying English as a second language. The Learn to Read category is also an excellent stop if your child is just beginning to learn to read in English – it’s full of books that are simple, but engaging!

We Enjoyed: Sticky Brains by Nicole Libin is a great book for learning how to talk about emotions, as well as good and bad events. It is an easy way for kids to learn about managing stress in life.

Suggested Age Range: 3-15 years

6. The International Children’s Digital Library

The ICDL is an incredible resource for finding children’s books from all around the world. Most of the books are in English, but there are dozens of languages available. There are many books that are in more than one language, like the award-winning The Blue Sky by Andrea Petrlik Huseinović, which you can read in English, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Slovak, Romanian or Farsi! The website is easy to explore and gives you access to hundreds of books that you can read online for free!

Books are sorted by language, but also by country. You can decide whether you’d like to read books in English from America, Australia or Great Britain – just as we have different accents, you might notice some differences in how we write and tell stories!

Try finding some books that are available in both your native language and English. Read them together in your native language first, then read them together in English! Look for the White Ravens tag as well – these are top quality books that have been approved by a panel of language specialists!

We enjoyed: The Hare of Inaba, a translation of a famous Japanese fairy tale in English, German, Italian and Spanish. The story is short and easy to read and comes with many beautiful Japanese paintings!

Suggested Age Range: 5-12 years

7. Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg is the world’s best resource for finding books for free online. Most of the books are older books, but there are still plenty of children’s books that can be read online or downloaded to read on your phone, tablet or kindle. Make sure to check the publication date of a book before using it because some of them are hundreds of years old and the English in them doesn’t look anything like modern English!

Try reading different versions of a famous story, like Cinderella or Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and see what new words you can learn from different books! Make sure to use the Bookshelves feature to make it easy to find the kind of books you’re looking for, such as “Children’s Picture Books”!

We enjoyed: The Blue Fairy Book is a very pretty e-book with nearly forty famous stories that are easy to read quickly!

Suggested age range: 5+ years

8. Breaking News English

Breaking News English is a website that updates every day with news articles written in English at different fluency levels, ranked from 0 to 6. The articles written at levels 0-3 should be interesting to children, but the higher levels are excellent practise for teenagers and adults, too!

Each article comes with several activities attached, with different activities for each level. The goal of these tasks is to encourage children to think and talk about the news that they’ve just read and to help your child take an interest in what’s happening in the world!

When looking for articles, try picking a Theme that interests your child – e.g. the environment or technology. Older learners can look at articles focused around education and even business!

We enjoyed: Using the listening section to hear articles read aloud. You can listen to them at different speeds to make it easier or more challenging. You can also listen to them in either American or British English so you can get used to different accents!

Suggested Age Range: 6+ years

9. Storynory

Storynory is an excellent site with stories aimed at older children, teenagers, and even adults. Above the text of each story is an audio recording, so you can listen to it as you read. Hundreds of stories, poems and non-fiction books are accessible completely free!

Storynory also contains a sizeable library of poems, rhymes and music. Children have an easier time learning rhymes and songs because they have a rhythm. Practising some of the classics available on the site can really help your child remember new vocabulary too!

Try reading the comments that people have left under each story and decide if you agree or disagree. Once you’ve read a story, leave your own comment saying what you think of it! The Junior Stories section contains short stories for younger children, and while it’s not very big right now, the collection is growing fast!

We Enjoyed: The Histories of Herodotus have been written in easy English, so your child can learn some history in a fun and engaging way!

Suggested Age Range: 8+ years

10. Simple English Wikipedia

Wikipedia is one of the most useful sites on the internet for learning new things, but you can also use it to help your kids learn English! Simple English Wikipedia rewrites wikipedia articles to make them easier to read, which can be very useful when you’re learning English as a second language.

This website is not the best resource for absolute beginners. However, it can be very helpful for anybody with a couple of years’ experience reading in English who wants to expand their general knowledge and their reading ability.

Try reading about your own country or your child’s favourite movie and see if you can learn something new together! Alternatively, set your child a project to do on a particular subject and show them how to use wikipedia to research their topic online. This is a useful skill to learn.

We enjoyed: The page on Basic English includes a picture wordlist, which is a great resource for learning core English vocabulary and making your own flashcards at home!

Suggested age range: 10+ years

Рубрика: Книги для начинающих (beginners)

Адаптированные книги на английском языке для начинающих, тех кто интересуется классической английской и американской литературой. Это лучшие произведения, адаптированные до уровня beginner или pre-intermediate. Читайте книги и изучайте английский язык самостоятельно. К некоторым книгам есть аудио, задания и списки слов для изучения.

Авторские адаптации@Englishstory.ru 2013-2017. Копирование и размещение на других сайтах запрещено.

Английский по следам Пипа. Книга первая.

Книга «Английский по следам Пипа» — увлекательное путешествие в мир изучения английского языка, это английский для детей дошкольного и младшего школьного возраста. Главный герой книги — любопытный мышонок Пип любит приключения и отправляется исследовать Лондон. Каждый день Пипа в путешествии — это новый урок.

Мышонок Пип совершенно случайно попадает на корабль, который готовится к отплытию. Там он знакомится с девочкой Кети и ее семьей, корабль снимается с якоря – и начинается самое интересное. Девочка становится его учительницей – и вместо с Пипом маленькие читатели в легкой, игровой форме на протяжении всей книги изучают английский язык.

O. Henry. The Last Leaf (in English, for beginners)

Рассказ О. Генри «Последний лист» на англйском языке уже публиковался на нашем сайте. — O. Henry The Last Leaf (in English, for intermediate). Однако он оказался немного сложным для начинающих. С классикой всегда так… Трудно поместить ее в «прокрустово ложе» адаптации. Как же быть? Неужели книги на английском языке, а именно классика будет доступна для начинающих только на более продвинутых уровнях знания языка? На этот раз я постаралась упростить этот рассказ настолько, насколько можно упростить художественное произведение, не потеряв красоту его повествования. Я надеюсь, что теперь начинающие смогут прочитать этот замечательный, хотя и немного грустный рассказ «The Last Leaf» на уровне «beginner».

O. Henry. The Christmas story «The Gift of the Magi» (for beginners)

If you have not read the Christmas story «The Gift of the Magi» by O.Henry, it is high time to read it now. This touching story is about young lovers. They wanted to give each other gifts, but no gift could be better than their love. Read the story and get in the Christmas spirit of love and sacrifice. Merry Christmas to you!

I hope you will enjoy reading the story and learning English at the same time. The story has two parts. The lists of English words to understand is before the text.

Beowulf (in English, for beginners)

Адаптированная для уровня beginner / для начинающих англосаксонская эпическая поэма Beowulf (Беовульф) – первое произведение английской литературы, дошедшее до нас в письменном виде. Поэмы была создана в конце VII — начале VIII века и написана на древнеанглийском языке. Действие поэмы происходит в Скандинавии. Это сказание о подвигах Беовульфа, одержавшего победу над чудовищами. Данный текст адаптирован Ю. Голицынским и взят из книги «Readings in English Classics» (данная книга более не издается и является букинистической).

Sarah Jewett. A White Heron (short story in English for beginners)

Недавно, перечитывая сборник рассказов американских писателей «Quick Reads by Great Writers» (great short stories in English), натолкнулась на удивительно романтичный рассказ о девочке, живущей в лесу. Лирические нотки лесной музыки, трели птиц, шелест деревьев настолько органично вплетены в простой и до боли знакомый сюжет, что решила поделиться со своими читателями этой очень доброй и вдохновляющей историей. Между прочим, это лучшее произведение не очень известной американской писательницы Сары Джютт (1849-1909). Рассказ адаптирован до уровня beginners / pre-intermediate ( для начинающих). К нему прилагается аудио для прослушивания. Также вы можете прослушать этот рассказ на моем любимом сайте http://www.manythings.org/listen/heron/

William Shakespeare. King Lear (in English, for beginners)

The tragedy «King Lear» was written by William Shakespeare in 1605-1606. The story is about the king’s family and shows us the relationship between king Lear and his three daughters. The king wanted to know which of the three daughters loved him most. But the king was blind to see that two daughters lied to him. Only one daughther told the truth but the king didn’t like her words. To know what happened to the king in the end, you are to read the story «King Lear», which is retold for beginners. It is a moral story about blind love, greed and wrong deeds.

Смешные истории на английском языке для детей

Хотите прочитать своему ребенку 25 смешных историй на английском языке замечательной детской писательницы Джейн Тэйер? Истории добрые и смешные. Текст каждой истории снабжен комментарием, а также упражнениями. Текст относится к уровню для начинающих (beginners). Для начала предлагаю ознакомиться c отрывками из 10 первых историй, публикация которых продолжится немного позже. Желающие могут пока приобрести книгу. А первую историю про кота Тимофея можно прочитать прямо сейчас на нашем сайте.

O. Wilde. The Nightingale and the Rose (audio for beginners)

Только начинаете изучать английский язык? Предлагаем читать и слушать онлайн сказку Оскара Уайльда «Соловей и роза» из книги на английском языке для начинающих.

К тексту сказки прилагается словарь, и аудио на английском языке.

Итак, вам для изучения предлагается 16 существительных (nouns), 14 прилагательных (adjectives), 37 глаголов (verbs), 12 предлогов и союзов (linkers).

Сначала выучите слова к первой части, прослушайте и прочитайте произведение Оскара Уайльда «Соловей и роза». Затем перейдите ко второй части.

Jack London. To Build a Fire (in English, adapted for intermediate)

Рассказ «Развести костер» — один из лучших рассказов Джека Лондона, американского писателя самобытные рассказы которого до сих пор производят сильное впечатление на людей. Они не только поражают воображение его читателей. Они вдохновляют. Видимо благодаря той огромной жизненной силе, которой обладал автор при жизни. Сила духа, любовь к жизни — это то, чем пронизаны все его произведения. Невероятный писатель, и невероятный человек. Мы в России любим и читаем Джека Лондона, чуть ли не больше, чем в самой Америке.

Щелкните 2 раза на слове, чтобы узнать его перевод.

English Novels for Beginners

02 Sep 2019 BSC Team 4 mins read

This blog was originally published in November 2013 but was updated in September 2019.

Reading is one of the best ways to improve your English. Whether you’re preparing for a Cambridge exam or just studying to improve your language skills, reading is a fantastic way to acquire new vocabulary, explore new structures, discover complex expressions and really get a feel for the language. Unfortunately, though, sometimes it can be difficult to find the right kinds of the novel for your level. That’s why we’ve created this list of the best English novels for beginners.

Easy Novels for English Language Learners

1. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night by Mark Haddon

The Curious Incident of The Dog in the Night Time is the story of a young boy, Christopher, who suffers from autism. Christopher goes to a special school and finds it very hard to understand and communicate with people from the outside world. He discovers that his neighbours’ dog has been murdered and decides to investigate the crime. This takes him on a terrifying and challenging journey that changes his life.

The story is told by Christopher, which means the language is simple and easy to understand. Its short length also makes this book easy to read, even for beginners!

2. Fantastic Mr Fox – Roald Dahl

A great tip when choosing books to improve your English is to read books written for children. We chose Fantastic Mr Fox, but we could have really chosen almost any book by the iconic writer Roal Dahl, who is arguably one of the greatest children’s authors of all time.

Fantastic Mr Fox is the story of three mean local farmers and a sly fox who steals their chickens, geese and apple cider to feed his family and friends. Boggis, Bunce and Bean (the horrible farmers) plan to capture the fox by digging into his home, but Fantastic Mr Fox has a plan of his own….

Another great thing about these books is the illustrations by Quentin Blake. Reading a book with pictures also helps you to better understand the story.

3. The Old Man and the Sea – Ernest Hemingway

The Old Man and the Sea is a short novel about an epic battle between an old Cuban fisherman and a giant fish. Hemingway uses the simple story as a fable which explores the themes of challenge, courage, survival, defeat and personal triumph.

Hemingway is famous for his clean, minimalist style of writing, which is perfect for language learners. Using short sentences and getting straight to the point, every level of an English learner will find the language accessible.

4. Lord of the Flies – William Golding

Lord of the Flies is a modern classic, and a popular one to read at school. It was once the set text for the Cambridge Advanced Exam, which makes it an even better book to help improve your English! Whether you’ve read it in your own language or not, it’s a good one to try in English.

Lord of the Flies begins with a plane crash which leaves a group of boys marooned on an island. Alone on the island, they elect a leader and create their own society. Things go horribly wrong and a war for leadership begins. The boys turn savage and form two rival tribes, resulting in panic, fear and death.

It will make you think about human nature. Will our cruelty and hunger for power end up destroying us?

5. Empty World – John Christopher

When Nick’s parents are killed in a car crash, he moves to live with his grandparents. Shortly after the move, a deadly virus spreads around the world and kills most of the population. Nick is left alone to survive in a lonely and empty world…..

The language in Empty World is simple because it was written for a teenage audience, but it is as dark, disturbing and thought-provoking as any adult book. Although it might be an easy read, it’s also one that will make you think!

6. To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee

To Kill a Mockingbird is a classic American novel that many students in the UK and the US will study in secondary school.

The book is set in in the United States and follows the story of a crime in a small, rural town and its repercussions. Its told from the point of view of a child, so the language is never overly complex, making it a great novel for English language beginners.

7. Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone- J.K. Rowling

So it may be an obvious choice, but the early Harry Potter books make for a great introduction to the English language. Written for children and Young Adults, the language is somewhat simple, making the books accessible for people with a low level of English. If that wasn’t enough, you’re probably already familiar with the storyline- which always makes reading in your second language a lot easier!

We hope you enjoyed reading about our favourite books. Do you want to learn English with native speakers? Check out our online English courses and improve your English today.

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At school

Lucas goes to school every day of the week. He has many subjects to go to each school day: English, art, science, mathematics, gym, and history. His mother packs a big backpack full of books and lunch for Lucas.

His first class is English, and he likes that teacher very much. His English teacher says that he is a good pupil, which Lucas knows means that she thinks he is a good student.

His next class is art. He draws on paper with crayons and pencils and sometimes uses a ruler. Lucas likes art. It is his favorite class.

His third class is science. This class is very hard for Lucas to figure out, but he gets to work with his classmates a lot, which he likes to do. His friend, Kyle, works with Lucas in science class, and they have fun.

Then Lucas gets his break for lunch. He sits with Kyle while he eats. The principal, or the headmaster as some call him, likes to walk around and talk to students during lunch to check that they are all behaving.

The next class is mathematics, which most of the students just call math. Kyle has trouble getting a good grade in mathematics, but the teacher is very nice and helpful.

His fourth class is gym. It is just exercising.

History is his last class of the day. Lucas has a hard time staying awake. Many lessons are boring, and he is very tired after doing gym.

Dutch Texts for Beginners

The Dutch Reading Section is a fantastic resource for individuals who’re in the process of learning Dutch, as well as those who want to maximize their proficiency in and understanding of the language. In the Dutch Reading Section, users can access a large number of texts that’ve been written by experienced language teachers and that are designed to provide valuable reading and comprehension practice. More than including texts, the Dutch Reading Section boasts questions pertaining to these texts that aim to further develop readers’ grasp on the content.

In short, the Dutch Reading Section is an asset to individuals who’re learning the language because it is comprised of free comprehension texts and questions that focus on beginner-level content, and also because the Section offers no-cost worksheets that can be downloaded in PDF form.

There’s never been a better time than today to study Dutch, thanks to this ultra-useful collection of information!

English conversation questions for beginners

The best thing to do to improve your English conversation skills is to speak English! So here are some conversation questions for beginners that you can use to get started. Sometimes it can be a bit daunting to speak in English but it’s the best way to get started. These questions have been written because they’re easy to understand and easy to answer. Also remember if you make a mistake, that’s ok. It’s all a part of the learning process.

(Check out these English books for FREE with Kindle Unlimited! Improve your English today!)

One of the best ways to improve your reading skills in English is to find books specifically for your level. Take a look at book page now.

General questions

General questions are a great way to get you started. These are the type of questions that people ask each other when they meet for the first time. If you’ve been learning English for a while then you should find these questions relatively easy but if you’re just getting started then don’t worry.

Family and home

Asking questions about family and home help you to get to know someone better. Even if someone has interests and hobbies, their family and home are the first things that have an influence on someone’s life. When people first start studying English this is one of the first things that they learn to talk about.

Hobbies and free time

Talking about hobbies and free time helps you to get to know a person. These are the first things that a person chooses to do by themselves. It can tell you a lot about their personality and a lot of people like to talk about the things they enjoy. You might even discover an interesting hobby that you want to try for yourself. Or you might meet someone who has similar hobbies to you that you could be friends with and not just language partners.

Food and drink

Food and drink is not only simple to talk about but it’s becoming more and more popular. As it become easier to cook food from different countries, more people are developing an interest in cooking.

Holidays

Everyone likes to talk about their holidays and the type of holiday that a person likes can tell you a lot about them. Use holidays as a way to get to know another person and to see what you have in common.

More topics to practise your English conversation skills

If you’ve found these questions too easy, or if you’re just ready to move onto the next level then check out some of these more difficult conversation topics. Try out different topics to stretch your English abilities and learn more about different people. We try to create interesting topics so you can have fun while you learn.

And if you want to improve your English reading skills, we have B2 written texts to help you. Speaking is the type of language skill that people want to practise the most, but it’s important to remember that in order to improve your English overall, you should be practising speaking, reading, writing and listening, and not just the speaking part.

What other skills would you like to practise? Let us know in the comments below.

Speaking in English FAQ

Before you go make sure you take a look at some of the most commonly asked questions about speaking English.

How can I practise to speak English?

You can practise speaking English by finding a language partner on a resource like italki then using some of our premade conversation questions.

How can I learn English speaking at home?

With the help of the internet you can find plenty of people online to practise speaking English with without ever having to leave your home. Italki is a great resource for this.

How can I speak English in daily life?

Find someone else who is learning English as well and make a deal that you’ll only talk to each other in English. Another thing you can do is narrate what you’re doing in English as you go about your day.

Numbers

Most individuals don’t think about numbers, or numerical representations of quantity, but they play a major part in everyday life. To be sure, numbers determine the time individuals will wake up in the morning, how much money employees earn per hour, what day of the year it is, and much, much more.

Additionally, numbers impact everyday living on a much smaller scale. In the grocery store, for instance, numbers determine products’ prices, the amount of a product available for purchase, how much money will need to be paid for products, and a whole lot else.

To understand larger (and more intimidating numbers), interested persons first need to understand basic numbers, or numbers from one to ten, as they comprise each and every advanced number, or a multi-digit number that indicates a larger amount/quantity.

The basic numbers are as follows:

Example: «He purchased one watermelon from the grocery store.»

Example: «She bought two types of bread from the store.»

Example: «He decided to get three bags of onions when he went shopping.»

Example: «In preparation for the party, Janice bought four cartons of ice cream at the store.»

Example: «Joe picked up five boxes of cereal from the breakfast aisle.»

Example: «A pound of beef costs a lot of money at my favorite grocery store.»

Example: «Seven of the 10 aisles at my local grocery store contain pasta.»

Example: «I bought eight cookies for the price of four at the store.»

Example: «There were only nine loafs of bread left at the grocery store.»

Example: «Ten pineapples sure is a lot, don’t you think?»

After ten, eleven (11), twelve (12), thirteen (13), fourteen (14), fifteen (15), sixteen (16), seventeen (17), eighteen (18), nineteen (19), and twenty (20) follow. These numbers are seen less in grocery stores, as most prices are 10 dollars or less; it is however worth knowing these numbers, generally and, in terms of grocery shopping, for when the bill must be paid.

After twenty, numbers such as twenty-five (25), fifty (50), seventy-five (75), and one hundred (100) follow. So long as one knows the core number, or the number situated in the tens or hundreds position that determines the general amount, understanding these more complicated numbers won’t be difficult. For example thirty-three (33) is simply «thirty» plus three; sixty-seven is «sixty» plus seven; and sixty-nine is simply «sixty» plus nine.

Extensive Reading in English for Beginners

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How to Start Reading in English

Table of Contents

For those of us who like reading, it can be discouraging to learn a new language and not be able to read anything we want.

Luckily, there’s actually a wealth of great things to read in English even for beginners. Whether you want English reading practice or just something fun and easy to read, we’ve got you covered.

The following reading materials will surely help you learn to read in English.

Easy News

There are a few news sources for English learners. The articles cover interesting topics in simple language, which makes them perfect for beginners. Here are a few:

There are also online news sites made for kids, which beginners will also learn a lot from. While the articles are written for kids, the topics they cover are interesting for people of all ages.

Graded Readers

Graded readers are books written for learners at different levels. To get a taste of graded readers, check out these free ones:

And if you’re willing to buy books, check out the following:

Children’s Books

It might be strange to recommend children’s books to adults. However, keep in mind that a lot of the best children’s content is also enjoyable for adults. Here are some examples:

Plus, books written for kids are often higher quality than books for language learners. So don’t avoid something just because it’s written for children!

Our top recommendation in this category is Great Illustrated Classics — a series of 66 classic books adapted for young readers. It includes The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Gulliver’s Travels, Heidi, and more! The font is very large and there is a picture on every other page.

However, you can also find free children’s books at the following sources:

Poetry

Poems are great for beginners, because they’re usually short and sweet. Here are some famous ones to get you started:

Poets.org has a good list of simple poems divided by subject. For example, there are poems on love, nature, technology, and travel.

You might also want to explore the forms of short poetry like the limerick and the haiku.

You can also find books of just these types of poems. For haikus, you can see Andrew Clement’s Dogku (the story of a dog told through haiku poems), Jack Prelutzky’s If Not For the Cat, and Nikki Grime’s A Pocketful of Poems.

Finally, don’t forget about famous children’s poetry books like those by Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein. They’ve written poems that probably most kids in English-speaking countries have read and that even adults mention in conversation.

However, keep in mind that poems often aren’t grammatically correct and often use some words that aren’t commonly used these days. So don’t try to understand them 100%.

Just enjoy the sound and rhythm and have fun reading them out loud! (Hint: they help with pronunciation.) If you need help understanding them, you can also find explanations and summaries of these poems online.

Or take lessons with online tutors, who can help you understand them!

Jokes & Riddles

English has lots of jokes and riddles. A classic type of joke in English is the knock-knock joke. Knock-knock jokes work like this:

Here are some knock-knock jokes to get you started. There are also lots of other types of jokes like “What do you get if you cross an X and Y?”. Check out some more jokes here.

If you like jokes, you might like riddles too! Riddles require you to guess an answer to a question. For example, “What goes up but never comes down?” (your age). Check out riddles here.

Jokes and riddles often play with words, so they might be a little difficult to understand. For some easier ones recommended by English teachers around the world, check out this website.

Stories

Stories are also a good way to start reading. You can try reading some “short stories.” Here are some websites with short stories for beginners:

And if you’re OK with kids’ content, check out these resources:

A well-known type of story is a “fable,” which teaches you a lesson at the end. The most famous ones are Aesop’s fables. You can read them online here or get a book that contains all of them.

Simple English Wikipedia

Did you know that Wikipedia has a version in simple English? All the articles are written using simple vocabulary and grammar.

It doesn’t have as many articles as the original Wikipedia, but you can still learn about a lot of topics, ranging from baseball uniforms to COVID-19.

Use the “Show any page” function on the side to see a random page and read about something new!

Reading Exercises

Finally, here are a few websites that provide free reading exercises online:

These websites provide short passages along with questions and exercises to test your comprehension.

There are also great interactive websites for improving your reading comprehension skills. These may not be designed for ESL learners, but they have plenty of beginner content. Here are some we recommend:

Start Reading!

We hope this has given you an idea of all the things you can read as a beginner. Which resources do you find interesting? Which resources do you think you’ll use?

Whatever you choose, remember that the only way to get better at reading is to read a lot, so get your reading journey started as soon as possible!

But what if you see a sentence, paragraph, or joke you can’t figure out the meaning of? Or maybe you feel like you’re reading a lot, but unsure if you’re pronouncing the words correctly?

Well, get help from an online tutor at Engoo! Many of our students read passages aloud with tutors and ask them questions about parts they don’t understand. Plus, the first lesson is on us, so you have nothing to lose!

11 Free Reading Websites for Kids

Free resources are always a teacher’s dream, but when it comes to free sites to use during reading instruction the choices can be few and far between. Whether you are looking for a site to use during the Daily 5’s “Listen to Reading” time or want to provide students with a fun early-finisher activity, the sites below are ideal.

Designed for elementary-age students, these reading sites are both free and kid-friendly. We hope you find this article and the free resources in contains helpful!

As always, it is strongly recommended that teachers view the sites before introducing them to their students to make sure the content is appropriate for the grade/age level.

1. Storyline Online

Developed by The Screen Actors Guild Foundation, Storyline Online features accomplished actors and actresses reading some of their favorite children’s books. Each story comes with a free Activity Guide and can be viewed on YouTube or SchoolTube. Rainbow Fish, Wilfrid Gordon Macdonald Partridge, and To Be a Drum are just a few of the books available.

2. Free Children’s Stories

Founded in 2008, freechildrenstories.com operates on the simple principle that children’s development is paramount. Their mission is to offer traditional, meaningful storytelling to every child, parent, or teacher around the globe with access to the internet, for free.

3. Starfall

While some areas of Starfall are part of their premium service, they have many early reader stories available for free. Students can follow along as the story is read to them and can, in some instances, help create their own story. The website is highly engaging and a favorite of young readers.

4. Online Storytime by Barnes and Noble

From The Kissing Hand read by author Audrey Wood to Pinkalicious read by Victoria Kann, Barnes and Noble’s Online Storytime has popular children’s books read out loud. While there are no supplemental materials to accompany the stories, this free site is perfect for “Listen to Reading” stations.

Note: The first story begins right away when the page opens so be sure that your volume is adjusted accordingly before clicking the link.

5. TumbleBooks

TumbleBooks is a pay-for-use site that traditionally sells licenses to libraries and schools. Many public libraries, such as the Tell City, IN Public Library, offer free access to their TumbleBooks account. Students can follow along as the text is read them to help improve comprehension and fluency. Choose from picture books to chapter books. Portland Public Library also has free access to TumbleBookCloud which gives access to Middle and High School level books. If your school decides to purchase a school license, there is also access to the Common Core Portal that includes lessons and quizzes to accompany the books.

6. International Children’s Digital Library

Discover books from around the world at the International Children’s Digital Library. The free site does not read the books aloud, but students can read them independently during Read to Self or free time. This is a great site for extension activities when learning about different regions of the world and can be used effectively into the middle school grades.

7. ABCya!

Children can listen to short stories read aloud to them as they follow along with the highlighted text. ABCya! has a variety of educational games in addition to the featured stories. Free resources and materials are available for grades K through 5.

8. Storynory

Storynory features a collection of original, fairy tale, and classic children’s audio stories. Students can follow along with the story as it is read to them, as the text is also included on the site. There are also some great features available that give you the option of downloading the audio to your computer, listening to “catch phrase” explanations, translating text into different languages (especially helpful for your ELL students!), and more.

9. National Geographic Young Explorers

National Geographic Young Explorers is a magazine designed specifically for kindergarten and first grade students. Children can listen to the magazine being read to them as they follow along with the highlighted text. It is a great way to bring interesting non-fiction stories into reading center time.

10. Oxford Owl

After registering for a free account, you have access to over 250 children’s audio books that can be used in the classroom. The book text is not part of the presentation, so students will not be able to follow along as it is read to them.

11. Read to Me

Similar to Storyline Online, Read to Me features popular children’s books being read by famous performers. There are activity guides with hands-on ideas, discussion questions, and lesson plans that can easily be adapted to the Common Core State Standards. Entirely free, the site is colorful and engaging.

Free Download

Post a list of the websites above next to your students’ computers so that they can easily access the pages on their own. Download the complete 11 Free Reading Sites for Kids List.

Best Books to Read for Beginners: Develop a Healthy Reading Habit

Beginner’s guide to develop a healthy reading habit

Benefits of Reading

Books for Adults

Beginner Books for Children- Starting the Habit Early

Classic Books to Read for Beginners

Tips to Make It Easy to Start Reading

Frequently Asked Questions on The Best Books to Read for Beginners

Last updated on April 26, 2022

“If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.” – J.K. Rowling

For some of us, this quote is a reminder of the books we spent so much time reading and re-reading. For others, it is a promise that there’s definitely a book out there that will blow your mind!

To find the kind of books that can help you forget the rest of the world, you’ll have to build the habit of active reading. The best books to read for beginners are quick, simple English novels, entertaining easy reads with small-medium sized chapters.

Not all of us can pick up a highly recommended book and enjoy it as intended. If you get distracted easily, or find it difficult to sit down long enough to finish a book, that’s pretty normal.

Don’t be discouraged if you didn’t breeze through that 800 page novel recommended by the internet or a friend. The best books to read for beginners are often overlooked as recommendations.

Moreover, reading styles differ from person to person. So, here is a quality list of the best books to start reading habit.

1 | Chapter

Benefits of Reading

Books have been mankind’s greatest source of knowledge and entertainment for the better part of 2000 years now. Reading many books has always been synonymous with being intelligent, but does science back this up?

Reading books help you keep your brain busy being imaginative, calculative, and interpretive. Some of the benefits of reading include relieving stress significantly, better your interpretation powers, gives a boost to your creative side, improves your sleep, and more. Let’s have a deeper look at the importance of developing a healthy reading habit.

Here are some ways regular reading can benefit you

Brain Gym

Reading engages several areas of your brain and strengthens the connections between them. It is also associated with improved memory and concentration.
Participants in a 2013 study were reading the novel “Pompeii” for 9 days and researchers used MRI scans to track their brain activity. The scans revealed that the connections between different areas of the brain were significantly improved.

Emotional Intelligence

People who read more, are usually more capable of understanding the emotions of other people. Reading habits help offer insight into different mindsets and emotions that we might never experience ourselves.
According to research, people who read a lot, in the long run, develop an understanding of the “Theory of mind”. This theory helps you better perceive the way other people think, and allows you to navigate your social life more precisely.

Better Communication

Reading more helps you expand your vocabulary and the way you use it. You may have noticed that even though you know some words, you never actually use them.
Many words can mean the same thing, but change the tone of your sentences to provide more context. Example – “The glass broke” vs “The glass shattered” can tell you the severity of the damage and the way it broke. With good reading habits, you’ll find yourself fluently using words that fit better.

Fight Cognitive Decline as You Grow Older

Reading helps you keep your mind engaged and maintain your mental faculties. Research has found that reading and other mentally stimulating activities like sudoku and math problems can help battle dementia.

Control Stress and Promote Better Sleep

Reading can be as helpful in reducing stress levels as yoga or a good hearty laugh. 30 minutes of reading was observed to reduce blood pressure, stress and heart rates.
If you include reading as part of your sleep routine, you can fall asleep faster and sleep deeper. Try to avoid screens for your reading and if you have trouble sleeping, avoid reading in your bedroom.

2 | Chapter

Books for Adults

These English books for beginners are fast-paced, easy reads that are taut with emotion and action.

1. The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho

Follow the journey of Santiago, a young shepherd boy from Andalusia, Spain. He chases a recurring dream that tells him to travel far in order to find his treasure and “personal legend”.

The winding road the story takes you on will have you both rooting and deterring the protagonist through his journey. At the same time, it keeps you wondering, “what would I do” at every decision point. The Alchemist is one of many books written by Coelho, and his works are considered among the best books to start reading habit.

2. A Thousand Splendid Suns – Khalid Hosseini

The twists and turns of life can ruin the best-laid plans, but you still have to persevere. This is a book you’ll struggle to put down, even when things take dark turns and you can’t imagine a happy ending.

The writing in A Thousand Splendid Suns is nicely paced and makes you feel a range of emotions that are positive, negative and neutral. Khalid Hosseini is popular for his solid storytelling style. Hence, A Thousand Splendid Suns will leave you rooting for the characters and give you insights into a different world right here on earth.

3. Diary of a Young Girl – Anne Frank

In her diary, a young Anne Frank describes the trials faced by her and her family as they try to escape the fascist regime of Nazi Germany. The diary spans two years of her life at “The secret annexe” from age 13 until 15 when they were discovered.

The diary is famed for its authenticity and the innocent perspective of a young Jewish girl who just wanted to live a normal life. If you are looking to expand your worldview and see the world from a different set of eyes, this is a great start.

4. Chicken Soup for the Soul books – Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen

These are an anthology collection of short stories that are bundled together and released in regular volumes. The stories are impactful and perfect for daily light reading. That’s what makes them some of the best books to read for beginners.

Chicken soup for the soul books will help you develop a regular craving for a good read, and brings out lovely stories from ordinary, everyday lives. The reading is light, which is what makes it one of the best book recommendations for beginners.

5. The Outsiders Book – S.E. Hinton

Written by a 16-year-old S. E. Hinton, The Outsiders Book is one of those simple English novels that describe the rivalry of two neighbourhood gangs. The Greasers (working class) and Socs (upper class) clash with increasing intensity until both sides have had enough.

The protagonist of the story in The Outsiders Book is Curtis Ponyboy who is one of the greasers alongside his two elder brothers. The outsider’s book offers insight into a world of dysfunctional families and how things can get suddenly out of hand.

6. The House on Mango Street – Sandra Cisneros

The story of Esperanza Cordero, a 12-year-old girl growing up in Chicago is one of heartbreak and redemption. The book begins with her moving into a new neighbourhood, where she would go from being a little girl to a woman.

The House on Mango Street deals with complex subjects like domestic violence, sexism, racism and sexual harassment faced by girls like Esperanza on a day to day basis. Moreover, The House on Mango Street is one of the best easy reads for beginners, especially among young adults.

Find a home for your books. Get yourself a creative bookshelf!

3 | Chapter

“A children’s story that can only be enjoyed by children is not a good children’s story in the slightest.” – C.S. Lewis
The line between books for children and adults can be very fine. Harry Potter and Alice in Wonderland were written for children, but the stories are so rich, they are enjoyed by adults all over the world too. How to develop reading habit among children?
Illustrated and interactive English books for beginners are a great way to instil an active reading habit in children. It allows them to enjoy a good story without thinking of it as a chore.

1. Charlotte’s Web – E.B. White

Charlotte’s Web is a classic published in 1952 details the adventures of a farm pig named Wilbur and his friendship with a barn spider named Charlotte. It is one of the best selling children’s books of all time and made reading appealing to many children.

Charlotte’s Web is a story of an unlikely friendship that teaches children the importance of companionship and creativity in the face of difficulties. The book ranks high among the best books to read for beginners because of its simplicity.

2. Harry Potter Illustrated Books – J.K. Rowling

What started off as a book for children, evolved into a story that captured hearts all over the world. With the Harry Potter illustrated books, the world of witchcraft and wizardry becomes accessible even to little children.

The magical realm of the Harry Potter series makes children gradually develop good reading habits down the line! It’s so much easier to understand magic potions, flying keys and fierce three-headed dogs named fluffy when you can see them. Harry Potter illustrated books offers a sense of wonder and how to imagine a fantasy world in their minds.

3. Diary of a Wimpy Kid – Jeff Kinney

This comic book series has been a big hit among young readers since it started in 2007. The protagonist is Greg Heffley, a scrawny kid who wants to be popular at school, but just can’t seem to get it right.

This cartoon novel is styled as a journal that Greg is writing for the day he becomes “Rich and Famous”. The book is designed to look like a school notebook with handwriting and illustrations, as though a student wrote it. The relatability of the character and the simplicity of the storytelling is what makes this series one of the best book recommendations for beginners.

4. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland – Lewis Carrol

From bizarre creatures with ridiculous names to strange food that changes everything, the book gives every reader a rich palette to colour their imagination with.

In the strange place called wonderland, the reader is taken down the rabbit hole with Alice. The book is one unpredictable adventure after another and gives children a thorough exercise in mental imagery. This is why it has always been one of the best books to read for beginners.

4 | Chapter

Best Classic Books to
Read for Beginners

“All books are divisible into two classes: the books of the hours, and the books of all Time.” – John Ruskin

Some books transcend time and stay relevant no matter how the world changes. The best classic books have something new to teach us every time we read or reread them. These books are often written in a tone and style that you aren’t used to. You will often find that the characters speak in ways that seem strange and foreign. So, here are some of the best book recommendations for beginners that will help you with your quest on how to develop reading habit.

1. To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee

Set during an era of racism, this novel offers a perspective into what it was like to fight against social prejudice. The story is narrated by the daughter of Atticus Finch, who is one of literature’s greatest moral heroes.

Arguably one of the best books to read for beginners, this novel highlights the depth and dangers of racism, this classic is a must-read for everyone. While the subject sounds bleak, it is still somehow peppered with warmth and humour. The book is considered to be one of the more simple English novels based on the writing style. It was written based on events that occurred in the author’s hometown when she was 10 years old.

2. Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger

Since it was published in 1951, The Catcher in the Rye book has been an anthem among young adults. The novel follows the story of Holden Caulfield, a teen from California struggling with depression.

The Catcher in the Rye book is set in post world war 2 and covers a range of complex issues as Caulfield struggles to find his place in the world. His difficulty maintaining relationships with his family and others make him relatable to those feeling alienated by society. Fun Fact – There was a rush in Hollywood to turn the Catcher in the Rye book into a movie, but J.D. Salinger was adamant never to let it happen. It is probably one of the best classic books that never made it to the big screen.

3. Animal Farm – George Orwell

This critically acclaimed novel was a famous take on communism and its dark underbelly. Written from the perspective of animals on a farm who overthrew the farmers, it tells us how revolutions can turn ugly.

The quote “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.” sums up the book better than any other description could. Animal farm was Orwell’s subtle and humorous way of highlighting the issues of authoritarian societies Another groundbreaking work by Orwell, although much darker, is 1984. It takes us through the perils of a surveillance state, where the government has more power over people than it should. People often draw parallels between George Orwell’s “1984” and Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World”. There is a stark contrast that is worth looking into between the way both these authors have imagined a dystopian future. Although they deal with complex subjects, the stories are written simply, which is why they are some of the best books to read for beginners.

4. The Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas

Known for sword fighting, subterfuge and drama, this epic classic is a great read for readers both young and old. The tale follows the story of Edmond Dantes in 19th century France at the end of Napoleon’s era.

At just 19 years old, Dantes is forced on a dangerous adventure to free himself from the clutches of the evil people conspiring against him before taking his revenge. Alexandre Dumas is also known for his famous book, “The Three Musketeers”, which is also one of the best books to read for beginners.

5 | Chapter

Tips to Make It
Easy to Start Reading

Reading is a simple, relaxing way to pass the time but it is still a habit that needs to be built. Many people struggle to focus on a book because it takes more patience than a TV show, movie or video game.

Moreover, reading is not at all overwhelming as most believe it to be. Also, there are ample benefits of reading that you can unlock. A lot of people have questions about how to develop reading habit. To which we say, here are some thoughtful tips that can actually build good reading habits.

If you want to read more, but aren’t able to get through to that sweet spot, here are a few things you can try.

Start with Simple Short Stories

Simple Short Stories like chicken soup for the soul are a great, non-committal way to get into reading. Depending on the story, you’ll spend up to half an hour to finish it, sometimes more.

Being able to finish what you are reading gives your reading habits a great boost. There’s something intimidating about a half-finished book that makes it difficult to keep reading. With short stories, you don’t have to worry about it. Hence, starting with easy reads stands as one of the most helpful reading tips.

Choose a Theme that Interests You

This could be anything from a region to an era or even the social setting of the story. The best books to read for beginners allow you to draw parallels and connections from things you know and feel.

Build a Reading Nook

Make a space where you can read comfortably, with the right kind of lighting and freedom from interruptions. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, it just has to be somewhere you like reading. But if it’s your study where you read books, make sure to use a chair and table with ergonomic designs.

A nice bookshelf arrangement, a mug of tea or coffee and a nice comfy place to sit or lie down help you ease into books. The right kind of book will have you hunched over on the floor as you zip through pages, but always start comfortably. Thus, creating a nook is one of the reading tips that is really helpful for new readers. A bookshelf arrangement not only eases someone into books but can minimise your time and energy to look for the correct book on your shelf. You can also enhance the bookshelf by getting some bookshelf decors. You can take a look at small study room design to get cues and decorate your study! Some people have trouble sleeping if they read in bed, if you aren’t one of them, make sure you get a bed with a nice headboard. Without a headboard, you will end up straining your neck and back unnecessarily. At Wakefit, we provide headboard options on all our beds to make staying in bed more comfortable. With our range of beds, you can find the perfect headboard to rest on while you read. We also create elegant bookshelf decor for you to put up your favourite books. Better yet, look at some thoughtful decor ideas for a small living room and see how your shelf can be a perfect fit! Choose from a variety of styles made with solid or engineered wood to suit your bookshelf arrangement. Moreover, the Wakefit prose corner bookshelf is a cheap and slick way to enhance your reading area. It provides enough space for a starter reading space and you can spruce it up with your hand-picked bookshelf decor.

Set a Time for Reading

Whether you like reading in the daytime or after the sun sets, choose half an hour a day to do it.

If you’re riveted to the book and need more time, you can take it, but try to consistently read at the same time every day. This is one of the reading tips that helps you stick to the routine and thus develop reading habits.
Many people enjoy some light reading before bed since there are no interruptions and the only thing left to do for the day is sleep. If you prefer reading in natural light, free up some time during the day and get cosy with what you want to read. Some
good books for light reading are Malibu Rising, The Midnight Library & The Wedding Date.

Set Reading Goals

Start small, with 10 simple short stories a month, or a single English books for beginners and work your way up from there. As you maintain the habit, you will read faster and be able to spend long hours reaping the benefits of reading.
If you’re looking to read a long book, a good way to go about it is to set goals for how many chapters you should read in a week. This is on of the reading tips that is especially helpful when you’re reading books that slow down in the middle as the plot develops.

Your peaceful reading corner needs a thoughtful bookshelf. See what we got!

Best Books To Read If You Are New To Reading! 📚 💯

If you want to imbibe one good habit, let it be reading. When you follow the lives of some of the most successful people across the world – it doesn’t matter which industry they belong to – you’ll find one thing in common, and that is reading. Reading expands your horizons and propels your growth.

Best Books To Read For Beginners!

Since you are a new reader, it must be pretty hard to pick the right book. Trust me; I get it! Choosing the right book is important because a good book sets you in the mood to read consistently. In this blog, I have curated 20 books that are ideal for new readers, aka beginners. I have tried to make this list super wholesome by adding all sorts of books, keeping in mind that they are perfect for a new reader. So, do not worry. We have got you covered.

“Reasons to Stay Alive” by Matt Haig

I want to start this list with a super special recommendation. Matt Haig’s book ‘Reasons to Stay Alive’ is nothing less than life-altering. This book may even have the potential to save lives. In this memoir, Matt shares his experience with depression and anxiety. At the age of 24, the author first faced the severity of depression. What makes this book so special is how beautifully it plants the seed of hope in your heart. Matt Haig shared his traumatic encounter with depression and anxiety and managed to teach how to overcome mental illness. He has shared some vital lessons in the book that will come in handy for anyone battling mental illness. Since we are right in the middle of a pandemic, we must take care of our mental health. Also, the writing is simple, easy, and accessible—just the right book for someone looking for a quick dose of positivity and hope. You can get the book here! 📖

Recommended Reading For You! 📖 📚

“Everything, Everything” by Nicola Yoon

I love Nicola Yoon‘s writing so much. It’s intriguing, fun, and accessible. In her debut novel, she tells the story of Madeline Whittier, who is suffering from this rare disease called ‘Severe Combined Immunodeficiency.’ Because of this illness, Madeline has to always stay indoors with lots of precautions. If someone comes to meet her, they have to be properly sanitized. However, magic unfolds when a family moves next door, and Madeline befriends this boy named Olly. Trust me; this book is nothing less than breathtaking. It’s intriguing, sensitive, and so much fun – just the right combination for a new reader. You can get the book here! 📖

“If There’s No Tomorrow” by Jennifer Armentrout

This has to be one of the best books for beginners. The story revolves around Lena Wise, who is in her senior year and is looking forward to so much fun and making unforgettable memories that she will cherish for the rest of her life. Also, she likes her childhood best friend Sebastian but doesn’t know how to tell him that. Could it be any more relatable? We have all been there! However, because of an impulsive choice that Lena took in the spur of the moment, everything changes. She is filled with guilt and regret. If you want to know what happened and how Lena moved on from it, you have to pick this book and read it ASAP. You can get the book here! 📖

“Life’s Amazing Secrets: How to Find Balance and Purpose in Your Life” by Gaur Gopal Das

If you love the content that Gaur Gopal Das shares on the internet, you will love this book even more. In this book, Gaur Gopal Das shares lessons that will help you bring work-life balance and practice gratitude. It’s also a quick read. The writing is crisp, clear, and straightforward. So, if you are a beginner and looking for some wisdom, this book will set the right tone for you. You can get the book here! 📖

“You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth” by Jen Sincero

They say money-mindset, business books aren’t fun, and are not for beginners. But what if a new reader wants to read such a book to bring change into their lives? Well, here’s your answer. Jen Sincero is one of my most favorite authors. Her writing style is infectious, and you won’t be able to put down her book. You will be hooked from the very first page. In this particular book, Sincero shares lessons from her own experiences that shaped her relationship with money. From being broke to becoming successful, she has shared it all. You can get the book here! 📖

“Looking for Alaska” by John Green

John Green is the king of writing Young Adult Fiction. ‘Looking for Alaska’ was his first book, so indeed, it is unique. The book is about a teenage boy Miles Halter who loves to remember people’s last words. Fascinating, isn’t it? Now Miles leaves his school in Florida and joins Culver Creek Preparatory High School situated in Alabama. He befriends Alaska, who is a super intriguing character herself. The book follows multiple themes, like, searching for the meaning of life, grief, loneliness, friendship, etc. So, if you are up for something intense and exciting, then this is the one for you. You can get the book here! 📖

“The Sun is Also a Star” by Nicola Yoon

If you are a romance lover, you have to read this book. This story is about two teenagers—Natasha Kingsley, a Jamaican American girl who has 24 hours until her family gets deported to Jamaica; and Daniel Bae, a Korean American who wants to pursue his passion of becoming a poet but feels pressured not to follow it, for his parent’s sake. Natasha is logical and sees everything through the lens of science. Daniel, on the other hand, is a hard-core romantic. Just imagine the combination of the two! To know more about their stories and how they go about solving their problems, you have to pick a copy of this book. You can get the book here! 📖

“Think Like a Monk” by Jay Shetty

All of us can’t reject the material world and become monks. So, what if we could continue to live our everyday life but with a monk mindset? It would be perfect. That’s precisely the premise of this book. Jay Shetty makes wisdom accessible to his readers with his book. He shares lessons on relationships, work, ambition, heartbreak, trauma, and so much more. Some things are in our control, and some are not. The key is to focus on the things we have control over, and that is our minds. Thus, this book will empower you with ancient wisdom customized into tiny baby steps so you can put them into action and live a life free of anxiety. You can get the book here! 📖

“Me Before You” by Jojo Moyes

If you are ready to cry yourself to devastation, then pick this book. ‘Me Before You,’ is a romance novel that explores the story of Louisa Clark, aka Lou, and Will Traynor. A terrible motorcycle accident leaves Will Traynor devasted. His mother appoints Lou to keep him company and cheer him up. The two start on a rough note but eventually fall in love. However, it’s just not a love story. It’s so much more than that. It’s about exploring new possibilities in life, growing, and finding your higher self. The writing is fluid and straightforward, making it perfectly beginner-friendly. You can get the book here! 📖

“Love for Imperfect Things: How to Accept Yourself in a World Striving for Perfection” by Haemin Sunim

In a world that is so obsessed with perfection, it’s so difficult to accept yourself just as you are. Haemin Sunim covers the themes of love, hope, grief, loss, and suffering in his book ‘Love for Imperfect Things.’ Also, the book is so beautiful with its colorful illustrations and aesthetics. You will find several relatable quotes that will help you tackle tricky situations in your life. So, if you want to pick something calming and relaxing, you should indeed read this book. You can get the book here! 📖

“The Bookish Life of Nina Hill” by Abbi Waxman

Nina Hill is an introvert, loves books, works at a bookstore, has a fantastic trivia team, and a cute cat. Everything is perfect until her father died – who she didn’t know existed – leaving behind a huge family. The book is all about stepping out of your comfort zone and exploring your true-real self. Sounds like something you would want to read? You can get the book here! 📖

“The Little Prince” by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

This book is categorized under children’s literature but trust me, this book is for people across all ages. The story revolves around a young prince who goes from one planet to another, and through that journey, the author explores multiple themes, including love, friendship, loneliness, loss, grief, etc. The writing is easy and hence, perfect for beginners. You can get the book here! 📖

“Men Without Women” by Haruki Murakami

Short stories are great for beginners! ‘Men Without Women’ is Murakami’s collection of short stories that explore stories of men who are alone and in despair. The writing in this book is exquisite as well as simple. You can get the book here! 📖

“The Miracle of Mindfulness” by Thich Nhat Hanh

If you want to learn about mindfulness and meditation, then this is the book for you. Vietnamese Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh has shared multiple ways in which you can achieve freedom from anxiety and live a liberated life. The writing is very relaxing and ideal for a new reader. You can get the book here! 📖

“The Fault in Our Stars” by John Green

What’s better than a beautiful love story with a sad ending? Yes, we readers like to destroy ourselves. John Green’s book ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ is the love story between Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace Lancaster, who meet each other in a cancer support group and inevitably fall in love. The author beautifully captures the theme of grief, and his writing is simple yet charming. The quotes are to die for! You can get the book here! 📖

“The Catcher in the Rye” by J. D. Salinger

Imagine reading a classic as your first read. Too ambitious? Well, not really. The Catcher in the Rye is one such classic that is simple, relevant, and relatable. Especially if you are a teenager, this book is a must-read as it explores the themes of alienation, teenage loneliness, etc. You can get the book here! 📖

“Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances” by John Green, Lauren Myracle, and Maureen Johnson

‘Let it Snow’ is a perfect book for new readers because it’s fun and straightforward. It’s a collection of three separate stories that intersect with each other. The stories emanate holiday vibes and are super fun to read. So, if you want to read something cheerful that will instantly elevate your mood, you need to pick this book. You can get the book here! 📖

“The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad” by Twinkle Khanna

We all know Twinkle Khanna for her witty answers and great sense of humor. In her book ‘Legends of Laxmi Prasad,’ she shares a collection of four short stories. Her writing in this book is eloquent and straightforward, making it a perfect read for beginners. You can get the book here! 📖

“The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho

Book recommendations for beginners will be incomplete without Paulo Coelho‘s book The Alchemist. The story follows an Andalusian shepherd boy who is travel thirsty and is set on a treasure hunt. The story is magical and spiritual. The writing is also easy and accessible for new readers. You can get the book here! 📖

“The Silent Patient” by Alex Michaelides

Alicia Berenson murders her husband and becomes silent right after. Neither does she defends herself nor accepts the charges. She is admitted to the forensic unit called The Grove. She becomes what we call the ‘Silent Patient.’ Theo Faber, who is a forensic psychotherapist, finds her case deeply intriguing. Thus, he sets to apply for the position of a psychotherapist at the Grove and gets appointed. So, will Theo be able to make Alicia speak? Did Alicia kill her husband, and if she did, then why? If you want to know the answers, you have to pick this best-selling psychological thriller yourself. You can get the book here! 📖

Let us know in the comments the books that you will be reading from this list. You can also join our group BookWritten on Facebook and share your reading journey with us. You can also use the #BookWritten with your bookish posts on Instagram. We would love to follow your reading journey!

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