ESL Reading Practice — Leveled Passages & Graded Readers
Free, leveled reading for English learners from CEFR A1 to C1 — everyday basics, dialogs, easy news, short stories, mini-biographies, IELTS/TOEFL-style exam practice, and full public-domain classics. Beginner passages and stories also come as slow read-along videos:
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12:12
English Reading Practice for Beginners — 6 Everyday Topics in One Video (A1–A2)
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8:03
Michael Jackson — His Life in Simple English (B1) · Biography 9
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7:43
Isaac Newton — His Life in Simple English (B1) · Biography 8
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5:45
At the Hotel — Slow English Reading Practice for Beginners (A1) · Lesson 16
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7:46
Charlie Chaplin — His Life in Simple English (B1) · Biography 7
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5:42
At the Airport — Slow English Reading Practice for Beginners (A2) · Lesson 15
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8:13
Marie Curie — Her Life in Simple English (B1) · Biography 6
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5:33
Bank & Post Office — Slow English Reading Practice for Beginners (A1) · Lesson 14
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5:45
Seasons & Holidays — Slow English Reading Practice for Beginners (A1) · Lesson 13
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7:53
William Shakespeare — His Life in Simple English (B1) · Biography 4
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7:43
Steve Jobs — His Life in Simple English (B1) · Biography 5
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5:53
Sports & Exercise — Slow English Reading Practice for Beginners (A1) · Lesson 12
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7:44
Bruce Lee — His Life in Simple English (B1) · Biography 3
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5:42
Hobbies & Free Time — Slow English Reading Practice for Beginners (A1) · Lesson 11
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5:29
Phones & Messages — Slow English Reading Practice for Beginners (A1) · Lesson 10
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7:45
Cleopatra — Her Life in Simple English (B1) · Biography 2
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7:51
Albert Einstein — His Life in Simple English (B1) · Biography 1
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5:34
Family & Friends — Slow English Reading Practice for Beginners (A1) · Lesson 9
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5:33
Small Talk & Weather — Slow English Reading Practice for Beginners (A1) · Lesson 8
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5:27
Health & Appointments — Slow English Reading Practice for Beginners (A1) · Lesson 7
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5:27
Travel & Directions — Slow English Reading Practice for Beginners (A1) · Lesson 5
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5:35
Shopping & Money — Slow English Reading Practice for Beginners (A1) · Lesson 6
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5:21
Daily Routine — Slow English Reading Practice for Beginners (A1) · Lesson 1
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5:31
Home & Chores — Slow English Reading Practice for Beginners (A1) · Lesson 2
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5:37
School Day — Slow English Reading Practice for Beginners (A2) · Lesson 3
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5:17
Food & Café — Slow English Reading Practice for Beginners (A1) · Lesson 4
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14:27
Learn English with 8 Short Stories 🎧 Slow English Listening (A1–A2)
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5:50
Learn English with a Very Easy Story — The Weekend Market (A2 Elementary)
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6:42
Learn English with a Very Easy Story — The Library Mystery (A2 Elementary)
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5:55
Learn English with a Very Easy Story — Snow Day Neighbor (A1 Beginner)
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5:44
Learn English with a Very Easy Story — The Little Plant Shop (A1 Beginner)
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6:39
Learn English with a Very Easy Story — The Midnight Train (A2 Elementary)
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5:55
Learn English with a Very Easy Story — The Street Musician (A2 Elementary)
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6:00
Learn English with a Very Easy Story — The Lost Wallet (A1 Beginner)
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5:36
Learn English with a Very Easy Story — Phone Left Behind (A1 Beginner)
🎧 Just want to listen? Slow English long plays — a whole series in one video, read slowly (A1–A2)
🖼️ Picture Stories with Audio: Illustrated A1–A2 readers — every scene pictured, every sentence read slowly Famous Lives in Simple English (B1)
Everyday English
Practical, real-life reading at A1–A2 — the situations you meet every day.
Basics (16) 🖼️ All illustrated
Emails & Messages (8)
How-To & Instructions (6)
Dialogs (14)
- Doctor Appointment (Patient & Doctor)
- Shopping for Clothes (Customer & Salesperson)
- Phone Support (Customer & Agent)
- Café Order (Customer & Barista)
- Train Tickets (Traveler & Clerk)
- Open a Bank Account (Customer & Banker)
- Apartment Viewing (Renter & Landlord)
- Post Office: Send a Package (Customer & Clerk)
- Job Interview (Applicant & Manager)
- Returning a Faulty Product (Customer & Manager)
- At the Restaurant (15 Short Conversations)
- At the Bank (15 Short Conversations)
- At the Hotel (15 Short Conversations)
- At the Airport (15 Short Conversations)
Common Phrases in Context (24)
- “I’m afraid…” — Softening Bad News
- “Do you mind if…?” — Asking Permission
- “Could you please…?” — Polite Request
- “I’m looking for…” — Finding Things
- “That sounds great!” — Accepting an Idea
- “Let me know…” — Follow-Up and Plans
- “I’d like to…” — Polite Intention
- “I’m not sure…” — Uncertainty
- “How about…?” — Making Suggestions
- “What time does…?” — Schedules
- “Is there…?” — Asking About Existence
- “I don’t understand.” — Clarification
- “Could you repeat that?” — Hearing Again
- “How do you say… in English?” — Vocabulary Help
- “Can you help me…?” — Asking for Help
- “I think so / I don’t think so.” — Simple Opinions
- “It depends.” — Giving Conditions
- “I’m just browsing.” — In a Store
- “I’ll take this one.” — Buying
- “I’m here to…” — Stating Purpose
- “I’m running late.” — Delay Notice
- “I’m on my way.” — In Transit
- “Sorry for the delay.” — Apology
- “No worries.” — Reassuring Someone
News, stories & people
Short readings to build fluency — everyday news, fiction, articles, and real lives.
Everyday News Stories (6)
Mini Biographies (15)
- Marie Curie (1867–1934)
- Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519)
- Ada Lovelace (1815–1852)
- Jane Austen (1775–1817)
- Albert Einstein (1879–1955)
- Isaac Newton (1642–1727)
- Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
- William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
- Cleopatra (69–30 BC)
- Steve Jobs (1955–2011)
- Muhammad Ali (1942–2016)
- Mahatma Gandhi (1869–1948)
- Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977)
- Bruce Lee (1940–1973)
- Michael Jackson (1958–2009)
Grammar in Context (8)
Short Stories (14)
Stories for Young Readers (12)
Short Articles (19)
- Street Food Around the World
- Emoji: A New World Language
- The Story of Coffee
- Why Sleep Matters
- How to Learn a New Language
- A Short History of Video Games
- The Story of Hip-Hop
- How Anime Went Global
- Sneaker Culture: More Than Shoes
- How Habits Work
- Why Cities Are Planting More Trees
- A Short History of the Internet
- Why We Forget (and How to Remember)
- The True Cost of Cheap Clothes
- Why Games Are Hard to Put Down
- The Science of Scrolling
- Why We Love Scary Movies
- Esports: When Gaming Became a Sport
- How to Read a College Financial Aid Offer Letter
Exam preparation
Academic passages with IELTS & TOEFL-style questions — True/False/Not Given, matching headings, and summary gap-fill.
Exam Reading Practice (10)
Classic books (public domain)
Full-length public-domain novels, chapter by chapter — open a book for its chapters, level, and reading times.
Frequently asked questions
- What CEFR level should I start reading at?
- Start where you understand most words without stopping. Absolute beginners should begin with A1 Basics; if those feel easy, move up to A2, then B1. In ESL Reader you can tap any hard word to hear it, translate it, or see a definition, so it is fine to stretch a little.
- Is ESLDesk reading free?
- Yes. Every passage, dialog, news story, and full public-domain classic is free to read, with no sign-up and no paywall.
- Can I listen to the text and translate words as I read?
- Yes. Open any passage in ESL Reader, then tap a word or sentence to hear it read aloud, translate it into your language, or look up a definition — one tap at a time.
- Which classic books can I read in English here?
- You can read full public-domain novels chapter by chapter: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Dracula, Frankenstein, The War of the Worlds, and The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, plus The Velveteen Rabbit.