The Letter in the Guitar Case (B1 Reading Story)
Daniel returns to his childhood home after twelve years away. An old guitar case and a letter bring back the music competition that ended a friendship.
Author: Khamis Maiouf
I'm Khamis Maiouf. I'm studying Health and Social Care and have completed Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Level 3 Hairdressing. I have taught ESOL in my community and helped students with GCSE English. I run English Teacher Site to help people learn and practise English.
The Night of the Golden Bird (A2 Reading Story)
Amira feels alone in her new town. Her neighbour makes beautiful paper lanterns. Working together on a lantern for the festival gives Amira a chance to belong.
Modal Perfects: Must Have, Can’t Have, Needn’t Have
Quick answer A modal + have + past participle can express a deduction, possibility, expectation or judgement about the past. Must have left expresses a strong deduction; might have left expresses a possibility. Needn’t have gone says the action happened unnecessarily. Didn’t need to go says there was no necessity; context tells us whether the…
Sami and the Silver Key (A1 Reading Story)
Sami keeps his money in a jar. He wants a new bicycle for his long trip to work. A wallet at the market brings a difficult choice.
The Unsent Letters (C2 Reading Story)
A parcel from a deceased friend’s estate reaches Gwen in Wales. Unsent letters reopen a history of literary ambition, friendship and the things neither woman said aloud.
The Weaver of Borrowed Hours (C1 Reading Story)
In this folk tale, a weaver sells shawls containing an hour from someone else’s life. Desire for borrowed happiness unsettles the village and exposes the cost of her bargains.
The Overtime Ledger (B2 Reading Story)
Warehouse worker Marcus notices that his payslip is short. Keeping his own record of overtime leads to difficult questions about trust, money and speaking up at work.
Two Names on the Door (B1 Reading Story)
Maya and Tom have saved for years to open a bookshop together. As their dream comes closer, money worries and a secret test their long friendship.
The Message in the Window (A2 Reading Story)
Tomas cleans windows high above the city, where nobody seems to notice him. A message from someone inside an office makes his lonely working day different.
Formal Discourse Markers: Moreover, Nonetheless, Conversely
Quick answer Discourse markers help a reader follow relationships between ideas. Moreover adds a point; nonetheless marks an unexpected contrast; conversely introduces an opposite case; consequently expresses a result. Choose the relationship your evidence and argument actually support. Read the Relationship, Not Just the Word These examples describe different facts and relationships. Their purpose is…
