A2 short stories in English
Short stories at A2 (Elementary) level, newest first. Press play to hear a story, read along, then write it down as a dictation.
The Ferry Hat Surprise
Strong wind blew my yellow hat off my head. It landed on a bench beside the ferry snack counter. I looked under the seats, but it was gone. A little child came back with my hat. A tiny crab sat near the edge of the hat. I held still while it waved one small claw. Then the child and I put it back in the water. I wore my hat home, but kept checking inside.
Write this story as a dictationBread Takes A Chill
After breakfast, I found half a loaf in the fridge. The slices felt hard, though the bag was closed. Cold makes bread go stale faster, not fresher. So I wrapped the other half and froze it. On Tuesday, I thawed two slices for breakfast. They were soft again, so I toasted them quickly. My brother asked if we could freeze the toaster next.
Write this story as a dictationSurprised Egg Toast
Crack two eggs into a small blue bowl. Add a spoon of milk and a pinch of salt. Beat the eggs until small bubbles appear on top. Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Pour in the eggs and stir them slowly. Add a few green peas, but save two for later. Spoon the eggs onto toast, leaving room at one end. Add two peas for eyes, and breakfast looks surprised.
Write this story as a dictationThe Hen and the Map
Our bus by the sea passed a tiny pear farm. The driver saw that one of the bus tires was flat. While we waited, a hen climbed aboard and stole our map. The farmer lured her back with a ripe pear. Then he shared warm pears with all twelve passengers. The driver changed the flat tire before rain began. We missed our boat, but nobody minded the delay. Our map came back with one tiny beak-shaped hole.
Write this story as a dictationThe Laundry Room Mix-Up
On Saturday, Mara carried her laundry downstairs. She put her white shirts in the wrong machine. Her neighbor filled it with red towels. Mara and her neighbor saw pink water through the glass. The shirts came out pale pink, but Mara stayed calm. Her neighbor said sorry and offered to help wash them. They washed them again, but the pink stayed. At work, Mara learned everyone picked pink for the team photo.
Write this story as a dictationHow to learn English with short stories
Short stories are one of the easiest ways to practise listening: they are short enough to finish, and the story helps you guess the words you don’t catch. Listen once without reading, then listen again while you read, and notice the words you missed.
When a story feels familiar, write it down as a dictation. You type each sentence as you hear it, and every word is checked, so you see exactly which sounds still slip past you. Every level gets a new story each day.
Where can I find short English stories with audio?
Here, for every level from A1 to C1. Each story has its own recording and full text, and new stories are added every day.
Are these stories good for beginners?
Yes. A1 stories use short sentences, common words and slow, clear speech. Start there, and move up when you understand most of a story on the first listen.
Should I read the text while I listen?
Listen once without the text first, so you train your ear. Then read along to check what you missed, and listen a last time without it.