Sam gets into a taxi after finishing work late at night. But the driver refuses to take him where he wants to go. Instead, he keeps asking Sam where he needs to go. This is a mystery short story that your students will love. It comes complete with a full lesson plan with lots of […]
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Introduction Do you have a pet? How much do you love this pet? Some people love their pets more than their own family — what do you think about this? Are pets part of our family? Or just pets? Story for Listening Watch the video below and listen. This is good for listening comprehension. But
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Mabby leaves her bike outside the shop for only five minutes. But when she comes outside it is gone. She sees a thief taking off with it down the road. The bike is not worth anything. But what will she do without it? Check out my short story The Bicycle Thief. It comes complete with
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A man goes into a cafe to enjoy some breakfast. But then he finds a note. And then another. And another. Something is amiss but he is not sure. But then he finds it is too late. Check out my complete lesson plan with a thrilling short story, Kidnap Cafe. The lesson plan comes complete
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I received an email recently asking me how to describe someone’s face in English. You could be asked to describe someone’s face in conversation, if talking to the police, or to help someone recognise another person. If you are planning to take the IELTS test, this could be a question that comes up. The examiner
In the following guide, I want to show you how to talk about your neighbourhood in English. You might have to do this in the IELTS speaking test. It could be a topic that comes up in parts one, two or three. It could certainly come up in part one, as it is a topic
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Everyone owns a smartphone these days. We can see them everywhere. People use them for many different things — making phone calls, checking apps, using a map or a calendar. It seems that life is impossible to live without a smartphone in your hand. But how to talk about your smartphone in English? What vocabulary
The Lucky Horse Updated July 2026 Hedley has made himself a promise: this is the last time. One final bet, one final horse, and he’ll finally fix everything — the rent, his daughter’s college fund, his marriage. But when two horses on the racecard share almost the same name, a moment of panic sends Hedley’s
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Are you preparing for the IELTS speaking test all alone? This can be a real challenge. You have no other people to practise with, no classmates to ask and no one to check if your answers are correct. It can be really daunting. But for many English learners, this is the harsh reality. There is
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I receive many questions from English learners about how to improve their reading. Many English students tell me how much they hate reading and they can never finish any book they pick up to read. But unfortunately, if you want to see improvement in your English skills you have to read. It is without question.