Listen and read - stories for learners
Stories for improving listening skills
Learning English is much more enjoyable through stories. If these stories can offer the learner examples of grammar or vocabulary that the students needs to learn - even better. The stories here are usually attached to a grammar or vocabulary study of English study areas connected to CEFR B1 and B2 learning. They can help the student by offering both reading and listening possibilities at these intermediate levels. The stories are particulary suited to students studying for Cambridge B1 Preliminary and B2 First Certificate exams as well as IELTS.
I have separated the stories from the list of podcasts on offer at Practising English for learners who prefer this enjoyable way of practising listening skills. After each story title, you can find the language point that the story gives examples of. I have also added the start of the story on the minute counter of the app on each page. You can find the story beginning manually, or hover your cursor over the app and click on the symbol 
on
the podcast app and then click on the link 'story starts here'.
At least one story is added every week to the podcast list so come back soon and find new stories.
B1 level stories
- The Bell-ringer...
- Story about a blind woman who rang the bells in Santa María church in the Andalusian village of Arcos de la Frontera.
- Without a tie...
- Examples of past continuous (amusing joke).
- The donkey and the thief...
- Identifying and non-identifying relative clauses.
- Jennifer and the fortune-teller...
- Seven phrasal verbs for B1 level.
- Doctor, doctor, I've swallowed a horse...
- A study of the infinitives.
- The dog-lover...
- Words of obligation: must, etc.
- The Small House (Nasreddin story)...
- Linking phrases: also, too, as well, despite, however, etc.
- Winter in Marbella (a funny story)...
- Examples of 'too' and 'enough'
- Alone on a Train (a love story)...
- The article 'the'
- The Detectives...
- A short story by the American writer O. Henry re-written for B1 level English.
- The Cucumber...
- A short story written by M.A. Bilbrough for B1 learners of English.
- Vampire!...
- A short story written by M.A. Bilbrough in the horror genre for B1 learners of English.
- Bully!...
- A short story written by M.A. Bilbrough about the horrors of bullying at schools.
- The Spaceman (part 1)...
- Part 1 of a s story about travelling in space and addiction to new technologies.
- The Spaceman (part 1)...
- Part 2 of a s story about travelling in space and addiction to new technologies.
- Edmund the Elephant...
- A story avout the importance of identity (or a silly story about an elephant!).
- Abou ben Adhem....
- The poem of Abou ben Adhem.
- The Story of Bishop Hatto....
- An epic poem by Robert Southey.
- the Inchcape Rock (story)...
- The story version of the epic poem.
- A Boy's Story...
- A story of a family told by two children.
- The Jogger...
- A story of a mysterious runner in the park.
- Generosity.
- A Christmas story about generosity.
- A1, A2 Carlos and his English.
- A children's story with illustrated book for learning English.
- The Winds of Bolonia.
- A short story about what freedom really is.
- After Twenty Years.
- A short story about what happens when friends meet up after twenty years.
- The Attic.
- A short story about a girls looking for accommodation in New York in the early 20th century.
- Friendship.
- Two very different civilizations come into contact in friendship.
- Hattie Weatherpoon.
- A meeting between two people on a cliff path. NEW!
B1 to B2 level stories
- The Tudor conspiracy - chapter 1...
- Isabel Gavira is a brilliant undergraduate from Spain, where she is studying English literature. She comes to London on an Erasmus programme and finds an internship position with an elderly profesor in his antique bookshop. The routine of Isabel's job changes completely one day when the professor sends her on a curious and intriguing mission to bring back a newly discovered play by Shakespeare. A combination of Tudor history, a secret sect and fanatical criminals make this book a historical thriller you must read. This story was written for strong B1 students studying for a B2 level. (You can listen to this story for free. There are paperback and digital book versions to read of The Tudor Conspiracy you can buy here...
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- Mr Bates and his hammer...
- Doctor's surgery and parts of the body vocabulary.
- The story of English tea...
- The history of tea with relevant vocabulary.
- Nasreddin and the dinner party...
- Subject and object questions.
- The last straw...
- 'Going to' for future predictions.
- Mr Knott and the phone call...
- Confusion of words and phonetics...
- Tea with the neighbours...
- Polite language...
- Dave and Philomena...
- Polite language in a restaurant...
- My Holiday in Scotland...
- Use of comparatives and superlatives... NEW
B2 level stories
- Mr Briefcase...
- Physical descriptions of people (amusing joke).
- The magician...
- Ability in the past - could, couldn't, managed to (amusing joke).
- Cheapo Airways...
- Modifiers with comparatives and superlatives (amusing joke).
- The story of Babouscka...
- Vocabulary about keeping warm in winter (Christmas story).
- The Inchcape Rock...
- A poem by Robert Southey to demonstrate the rhythm of English.
- Talking with Bhuddha...
- Prepositions following adjectives and verbs.
- Larry the Kid...
- Uses of the passive and active.
- Peter and the pencil...
- Accidents and injuries language...
- God's Judgment on a Wicked Bishop (poem)...
- Intonation practice...
- The Green Door...
- A short story by the American writer O. Henry re-written for B2 level English.
- Three mini stories and one short story...
- Story 1 - The Black Asteroid. Story 2 - The Hunter. Story 3 - The Meeting. Story 4 - What a difference a Day Makes.
- One mini story and one short story...
- Mini story - Addiction. Short story - Mysteries of the Universe.
- Idioms (part 1) with four stories.
- Find the idioms in these stories
- Idioms (part 2) with two stories.
- Find the idioms in these stories. NEW
C1 level stories
- Tom and the gorilla...
- Phrasal verbs, verbs and interesting expressions (amusing joke).
- The man who could work miracles - part 1...
- Short story in English by H. G. Wells in four parts (adapted for learners of English).
- The Fat One (The Spanish Christmas lottery)...
- Selection of interesting verbs, adjectives and idiomatic expressions.
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