Introduction Short stories are one of the best ways to improve your English. They’re short, fun to read, and full of useful vocabulary and grammar in context. Even better, they make you think, laugh, and sometimes even feel surprised. I’ve always loved using short stories to learn and teach English. They’re my favourite way to […]
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A playful black-and-white dog bursts from the woods—and then speaks. Hey Boy! blends wonder with a creeping menace as Jaron faces a dangerous choice. This B2–C1 lesson includes the full story, 12 comprehension questions with model answers, a 12-item vocab pack, five exercises, discussion prompts, a role play, and creative-writing tasks. Download the full lesson
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Aisle Three — ESL Lesson (B2–C1) Hook your class in minutes with a compact, twisty supermarket story about memory and guilt. This lesson packs close reading, a 12-item vocab set, 5 practice exercises + answer key, discussion prompts, a short play, and writing tasks—all low prep, high impact. Download the full lesson here: Download the
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The Fog — ESL Lesson Plan (C1) A complete, print-ready lesson built around an original horror short story. Best for C1 (Advanced) learners; suitable as a stretch for strong B2. What’s inside Introductory Questions Full story text of The Fog Reading Comprehension Questions Essential Vocabulary Discussion Questions Targets reading, vocabulary, speaking, and writing—while developing inference,
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Introduction Autumn is one of the most colourful and interesting seasons of the year. In English, people often talk about the changing weather, the colours of the trees, the foods we eat, and the celebrations that happen during this time. Learning how to describe autumn in English will help you have more natural conversations and
Talking about people we don’t like is part of everyday life. Maybe it’s a colleague at work, a classmate, or even a character in a book or film. But in English, it’s important to know how to express dislike — sometimes politely, sometimes more directly — depending on the situation. In this guide I will
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What Did I Do? — an ESL Lesson on Social Media Challenges (B1–B2) A teenager is pulled from her class by police after a shoplifting “challenge” is caught on video. As the clip goes viral, she faces humiliation, peer pressure, and real consequences. About this lesson Level: B1–B2 (Intermediate) Learners: Teens & young adults Focus:
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Introduction I’ve always loved short stories. They can surprise us, move us, or stay with us for years. That’s why I believe they are one of the best tools for learning English. A good story captures attention, helps learners absorb vocabulary in context, and makes studying far more enjoyable. As both a teacher and a
This lesson plan is inspired by the storytelling style of Charles Dickens, with colourful character names, rich descriptions, and occasionally convoluted language that adds charm and humour to the narrative. Because of this style, the vocabulary is sometimes challenging, and the sentence structures are more complex than in everyday English. For that reason, this lesson
Introduction When it comes to learning English, most people think the best way is to speak more, practise listening, or memorise vocabulary. But what if I told you the real secret to faster, better language learning is something else—something almost too simple? That secret is reading. In this article, I want to explore why reading
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