Short Stories in English with Reading Comprehension Questions

You’re probably here because you want to improve your reading skills. Or, you might be a teacher looking for teaching materials for your reading lesson. Either way, you’re in the right place. Check out our short stories in English with morals, vocabulary lists, and reading comprehension questions.

ESL Short Stories for English Learners

One of the best ways to improve your score on the IELTS, TOEFL or TOEIC reading section is to practice reading some short stories. To accommodate all levels of readers, all of our English short stories have three different versions for beginner, intermediate, and advanced readers.

List of Short Stories in English

Check out this list of short moral stories in English. Each story will contain three different versions, a vocabulary list, comprehension questions and answers.

• A Bundle of Sticks
• The Hare and the Tortoise
• The Frightened Lion
• A Council of Mice
• The Fox and the Crow
• The Boy Who Cried Wolf
• The Bear and the Bee
• The Bell and the Cat
• The Lion and the Mouse
• The Frog Who Desired a King
• The Fox and the Hedgehog
• The Wolf and the Crane
• The Gnat and the Bull
• The Clever Woodcutter
• The Wind and the Sun
• The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs
• The Ant and the Grasshopper
• The Frog and the Ox

Reading Lesson Materials for ESL Teachers

If you’re an ESL teacher looking for additional teaching resources, here are a few different tips and tricks to incorporate into your class. These tips can be helpful for both one-on-one lessons and larger classes.

• Post-Reading Activities for ESL Students
• ESL Reading Games, Activities, Lesson Plans
• Story Timeline ESL Activity
• 71 Ways to Practice English Reading

Improve Reading Comprehension with Short Stories in English

If you want to improve your reading comprehension skills using short stories, follow these tips.

1. Preview the story by taking a glance and skiming through.
2. Read aloud to enhance comprehension and gain better retention.
3. Take notes of the key points (e.g., characters or important events) of the story.
4. Imagine the story in your head to visualize.
5. Try to identify the main idea or theme of the story.
6. Ask questions to yourself while reading the story.
7. Discuss your thoughts and questions with your friends or classmates.
8. If you don’t know the meaning of a word, infer or guess based on the context of the story.
9. Feel free to reread and go back to the points that were unclear.
10. Lastly, and most importantly, enjoy reading the fun short stories!

FAQs About ESL Reading Comprehension Short Stories

Here are answers to some of the most popular questions that people have about ESL reading comprehension stories.

What is reading comprehension?

Reading comprehension is the ability to understand and make sense of what you read. It involves grasping the meaning of words, sentences, and overall text to comprehend and interpret information.

How do I improve reading comprehension with short stories?

Actively engage with short stories by asking questions, making predictions, and summarizing key points. Visualize scenes and characters to enhance understanding. Take notes on key details, characters, and events to reinforce retention. Read aloud to involve multiple senses in the reading process. Discuss the story with others to gain different perspectives. Set clear goals for reading, whether it’s understanding the main idea or identifying specific details.

What are some short stories for enhancing reading comprehension skills?

To enhance your reading comprehension skills, we recommend reading our versions of “The Bear and the Bee”, “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”, “A Bundle of Sticks”, “The Hare and the Tortoise”, “The Frightened Lion”, “A Council of Mice”, and “The Fox and the Crow”.

What are common challenges in reading comprehension with short stories?

Understanding new words, identifying the main idea (e.g., the moral of the story), and making connections between details can be challenging in reading short stories. Additionally, visualizing scenes, analyzing characters, and using context clues may pose difficulties for some readers. Maintaining focus and summarizing key points are also common hurdles in short story comprehension.

How should I teach reading comprehension?

Guide your approach to teaching reading comprehension by prompting students to actively interact with texts, fostering discussions to encourage diverse perspectives. Emphasize the significance of visualization and connecting details for a holistic understanding. Introduce a variety of reading materials to cater to diverse interests and skill levels, ensuring well-rounded comprehension skill development. Additionally, provide constructive feedback to support their growth in comprehending different types of content.

Short Stories in English: Join the Conversation

Did you check out the list of our short stories in English? Which one was your favourite story? Let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear from you. If you want to challenge yourself with academic reading, try out our TOEFL reading practice test.