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in Activities for Adults· Learn English

ESL Short Stories for Intermediate: Stories about Life in Canada

Do you want to improve your reading comprehension skills for something like the IELTS or TOEIC exam with ESL short stories? Or, maybe you’re a teacher who’s looking for some interesting short stories at an intermediate level for your English learners.

This book has more than 20 ESL short stories intermediate about life in Canada, along with a variety of practice exercises.

esl short stories intermediate

ESL reading comprehension short stories for intermediate

You’re certainly in the right place for everything short stories for ESL learners. Check out these ESL short stories about life in Canada that are perfect for intermediate-level students. Improve reading comprehension in a fun, engaging way. Or, use this book to teach reading-focused lessons in a fun and engaging way.

ESL Short Stories: Improve Reading Comprehension

Short Stories in English for Intermediate Level ESL/EFL Learners: Improve Reading Comprehension with...
Short Stories in English for Intermediate Level ESL/EFL Learners: Improve Reading Comprehension with...
  • Amazon Kindle Edition
  • Bolen, Jackie (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 138 Pages - 11/01/2021 (Publication Date)
Check Price on Amazon

One of the best ways to improve reading skills is, of course, to practice! One of the problems is that it can be difficult for intermediate-level readers to find interesting and engaging things to read. Look no further! Short Stories in English for Intermediate Level ESL/EFL Learners is a nice solution. It can help you get a higher IELTS reading score. 

There are more than 20 stories about life in Canada and exercises to go along with them that test reading comprehension and assist with vocabulary acquisition. Students can use this book for self-study, or teachers can use this book as the basis for a reading-focused lesson (also see: ESL Reading Games). Either way, you’ll love this book filled with original stories about what is really like in Canada.

How to Improve Reading Comprehension With ESL Short Stories for Adults

If you’re at an intermediate level and want to improve your reading comprehension skills in a fun and interesting way, consider picking up these short stories about life in Canada. Here are some tips for using the book.

Find a Friend

I strongly recommend going through these stories with a friend or a tutor. It’ll be more fun to talk together about what you’ve read. It can really help with motivation in a big way.

Do the Exercises

This book comes with plenty of practice exercises that are perfect for intermediate-level English learners. Do them! They are extremely valuable when it comes to improving your reading comprehension skills.

Use a Language Learning Notebook

I always recommend that my students have a notebook where they write down new English things that they learn. It could be a grammar thing or a new word or phrase. That way, you can refer back to it later and not forget it.

Look up Things you Don’t Know

If there’s something you don’t know, a word, or a grammar thing, look it up online! But first, try to make a guess based on the sentence or the other words around it. Then look.

Use what you’ve Learned

You’ll forget what you don’t use. Make an effort to use the words and phrases that you learn from this book. Listen and look for them again in things that you listen to or read.

Follow these tips and you’re sure to improve your reading comprehension with these ESL short stories for adults.

Where Can I Find Short Stories for ESL Students?

It’s not that easy to find short stories for ESL students. Sometimes the vocabulary and grammar are too difficult for the level of students that you’re teaching. Or the grammar and vocabulary are fine but the story is just boring! We’ve all been there, searching around for something that works.

I have a few ideas for where to find short stories that are ideal for ESL teenagers or adults.

  • Pick up a copy of Short Stories in English for Intermediate Level ESL/EFL Learners. You can find it wherever you like to buy books.
  • Write your own short story, targeting the level and interests of your students.
  • Check out www.eslyes.com.
  • Have a look at the story zone from the British Council.

Where Can I Find Short Stories for ESL Kids?

If you’re looking for short stories for ESL kids, then consider the following resources:

  • Learning English Kids (British Council).
  • English Club.
  • Write your own stories for young learners.
  • Have students write a short story (with some assistance from the teacher) and use these in class.

Get these ESL Short Stories for Intermediate Learners

Short Stories in English for Intermediate Level ESL/EFL Learners: Improve Reading Comprehension with...
Short Stories in English for Intermediate Level ESL/EFL Learners: Improve Reading Comprehension with...
  • Amazon Kindle Edition
  • Bolen, Jackie (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 138 Pages - 11/01/2021 (Publication Date)
Check Price on Amazon

Sounds like exactly what you need to level up your reading? It can certainly help you get a higher IELTS reading band score. 

Or, you’re moving to Canada and would like to learn a little bit about the culture before you get there? Whatever the case, you’re going to love this book. Get your copy today and get ready to learn about what living in Canada is really like (Yes, it rains a lot in Vancouver!) Have some fun with these ESL short stories intermediate.

You can easily find the book over on Amazon, in both digital and print formats. Pick up your copy of Short Stories in English for Intermediate ESL/EFL Learners and get ready for some fun with English.
check-price-on-amazon-button

Why Use ESL Short Readings?

There are a number of reasons why teachers might consider using ESL short readings in their classes for children, teenagers or adults.

The first reason is that people like stories. They want to find out what happens, in the end and this can be motivating and give students a reason to read.

The second reason to use ESL short readings is that something like a novel can be quite a commitment and must be done over a number of classes. A short reading is ideal as a stand-alone class activity.

The final reason is that there are a number of post-reading activities that can be done. For example, a writing assignment, prediction about what happens next, discussion time, comprehension questions, etc.

ESL short readings

ESL Short Readings for Kids and Adults

FAQs for ESL Short Stories

There are a number of common questions that people have about improving their reading comprehension skills in another language. Here are the answers to some of the most popular ones.

How do ESL students improve reading comprehension?

The best way for ESL students to improve their reading comprehension is to read a variety of things, every single day! Learning more grammatical constructions as well as vocabulary can be useful as well.

Why are short stories best for English learning?

Short stories are the best for English learning because students can read them in under 30 minutes. This means that they can read stories with a variety of topics and be exposed to a lot of different vocabulary. Plus, interest and motivation will remain high.

Should ESL students read a short story more than once?

It’s common for ESL students to have to read a short story more than once. The first reading is usually an easy task like identifying the main characters or answering some simple true/false questions. The second reading will be more detailed.

How do ESL students improve reading comprehension?

The best way for ESL students to improve their reading comprehension is to read a variety of things, every single day! Learning more grammatical constructions as well as vocabulary can be useful as well.

Why are short stories best for English learning?

Short stories are the best for English learning because students can read them in under 30 minutes. This means that they can read stories with a variety of topics and be exposed to a lot of different vocabulary. Plus, interest and motivation will remain high.

Should ESL students read a short story more than once?

It's common for ESL students to have to read a short story more than once. The first reading is usually an easy task like identifying the main characters or answering some simple true/false questions. The second reading will be more detailed.

Join the Conversation: Short Stories for Intermediate English Learners

Do you have any comments about English short stories about life in Canada? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you.

Also be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. It’ll help other English learners, and English teachers find this useful resource for reading comprehension.

esl short stories

Short stories ESL intermediate

Last update on 2025-04-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 20 years to students in South Korea and Canada. She's taught all ages, levels and kinds of TEFL classes. She holds an MA degree, along with the Celta and Delta English teaching certifications.

Jackie is the author of more than 100 books for English teachers and English learners, including 101 ESL Activities for Teenagers and Adults, Great Debates for ESL/EFL, and 1001 English Expressions and Phrases. She loves to share her ESL games, activities, teaching tips, and more with other teachers throughout the world.

You can find her on social media at:
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