Short Stories In English: Stories To Kickstart Your English Learning

Have you ever picked up an English novel and tried to make sense of the language? Chances are, you had to work hard to get through it. 

Maybe you even gave up? And yet, reading in English is a vital skill, which you’ll need to succeed.

A great alternative is to dive into original, amusing short stories written for your learning level.

Here’s what I recommend:

• Short Stories In English For Beginners
• Short Stories In English For Intermediate Learners

In this article, I’ll tell you exactly what you can get out of these short story books. And I’ll explain why reading short stories is such a powerful way to improve your English language skills.

Why Learning Through Short Stories Is So Valuable

From all my years of language learning and teaching, one thing stands out. Hands down, I’ve found that learning through stories is the most potent method out there. 

You may never have considered learning English by reading short stories, but actually, it’s a rich and fulfilling way to get the skills you need.

You see, when you’re reading at the right level, it doesn’t feel like studying. Instead, you’ll be carried away on a gripping adventure. 

Here’s why stories are so compelling:

1. Meaning – it’s much easier to follow and understand a series of related events than a set of artificial exercises from a textbook. That’s why fiction is so perfect for language learning. 
2. Emotion – you’re emotionally engaged when you read a story, so study time is fun, and the language becomes more memorable. 
3. Context – When you read a story, you naturally come across new vocabulary and grammar structures. Because you see them in context, it’s easier for you to internalize English vocabulary and everyday language structures.

In a nutshell, stories help expand your English language knowledge and understanding because they draw you in. 

And, when you’re still learning the language, a series of short stories is far more manageable than a whole novel. 

They’re just the right length so you can read a chapter in one study session at the start. But, as you get used to the format, the stories hook you in. 

Before you know it, you’ve finished one story — and then the next. Suddenly you’ve read the whole book in English. What a sense of achievement! Or, as the English would say, “you’ll be over the moon.”

And that’s the best part about reading short stories when you’re learning a new language. You get entertainment and education all wrapped up in one, neat package.

Introducing… Short Stories In English

I’ve published two short story books in English::

• Short Stories In English For Beginners
• Short Stories In English For Intermediate Learners

You won’t find stories like these anywhere else because these books use my unique and natural StoryLearning® method to teach you English without stress or fuss.

Forget rules and practice exercises. Focus on fun and learning instead by reading words and sentences at your level.

StoryLearning® books have stories pitched at Beginner and Intermediate levels to provide a stepping stone into easy reading.

The eight stories in the English beginner book are written especially for students from beginner to intermediate level (A2-B1 on the Common European Framework of Reference).

The Intermediate book focuses on language for students working at a low-intermediate to intermediate level (B1-B2 of the Common European Framework of Reference).

It’s so wonderful to be reading without stress and frustration. 

Instead of feeling overwhelmed by a wall of text, you see simple sentences, illustrations and words that you understand. 

Reading in English becomes easy and enjoyable, instead of a chore to avoid.

Click here to purchase your copy now.

What You’ll Find In The Short Story In English Books

These stories have everything you need to get the most out of your learning time.

Here’s what’s inside:

• Entertaining reading practice, written for your level (beginner or intermediate) so you won’t spend all your time diving into the dictionary.
• Controlled language. Book 1 contains the 1,000 most frequently used words in English, while Book 2 introduces thousands more.
• Authentic spoken dialogues which introduce you to conversational expressions, improving your speaking ability even while you read.
• Accessible grammar — you’ll learn new structures naturally, as they really occur in everyday English.
• Chapter summaries and comprehension questions. Unlike textbook exercises, these aids are designed to guide you through the story to follow the plot from one chapter to the next.
• Vocabulary lists let you quickly check on unfamiliar words without interrupting your flow.
• Beautifully hand-drawn illustrations embed the stories in your memory. 

To make these English stories even more useful, we now have high-quality new audiobooks available as a separate purchase. You can improve your English listening skills while you read.

You could also download a handy, interactive app onto your phone, so you can read, listen and learn on the go. 

Don’t wait for a second longer! Let our short story series enhance your English learning today.

Click here to purchase your copy now.

About The Author

In case you’re new here, let me introduce myself. My name is Olly Richards and I’m a language educator, author and polyglot from the UK, who speaks 8 languages.

I’ve created dozens of critically acclaimed language courses and published a bestselling series of short story books in sixteen languages.

I’ve also been featured widely in international press from the BBC to the Independent, and am a regular speaker at international language events.

What Do Readers Say About These Short Story In English Books?

Students from around the globe love learning with my short story books. But don’t take my word for it.

Here’s how readers describe the experience of learning with short stories: 

Language Teachers Love These Short Story In English Books Too

As you can see, language learners around the world love learning with Short Stories in English. But they’re not the only ones…

Language teachers often tell me how much they enjoy using these stories in their lessons because they make learning fun and minimise all those hours of stressful lesson prep.

Supplementary teaching materials are available to accompany these books for teachers who want quick, easy, and engaging supplementary materials for their lessons.

If you’re a teacher, click here to find out more.

Short Stories In English: A Great Way To Learn Fast & Have Fun!

As you can see, reading short stories in English is one of the best things you can do to improve your language skills.

And best of all… it allows you to learn the language in a fun and natural way, without memorising long lists of words and grammar rules.

So what are you waiting for?

Head on over to Amazon or your favourite local bookshop and grab your copy of my English short story books now!

Click the link below to purchase your copy (available in Kindle & Paperback):

• Short Stories In English For Beginners
• Short Stories In English For Intermediate Learners

Happy reading!

Olly Richards

Creator of the StoryLearning® Method

Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearning® method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.

Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.

When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preaches—he speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.