Ghost, Horror and Mystery Stories.
simplified for
English language learners
The Signalman by Charles Dickens
A
man was standing by the red light near the tunnel.
‘‘Look out!" he was calling. "Hello! You down
there! Look out!'’
Print friendly PDF version has
a glossary, activities and notes. With links to text &
audio recording of original.
ESL Reading level guide
-
Intermediate (some unfamiliar vocab but
within narrow range). Length: 2,535 words
The Body Snatcher
by Robert Louis
Stevenson
A strange tale of grave robbing and murder in 1820's
Edinburgh.
ESL Reading guide
-
Intermediate (long but story easy to
follow). Length: 3,374 words
The Marble
Finger by Edith Nesbit
Why do the locals fear the two marble statues in a country
church?
Classic horror story from the writer of 'The Railway
Children.
ESL Reading level guide
-
Pre-Intermediate
The Same in
Japanese
The ghost of old Japan haunts modern Tokyo.
Length: 1,446 words
(Flesch Reading Ease 88.9 Flesch-Kinkaid Level 4.9)
ESL Reading guide: more descriptive and
atmospheric than story-based - upper
intermediate
The Mystery of the Mary
Celeste
In 1871 a deserted ship is
found drifting in the sea. The captain and the crew
have disappeared and nobody knows what has happened.
Length: 926 words
(Flesch Reading Ease 79.7 Flesch -Kinkaid Level 2.9)
ESL Reading guide
- story
will be familiar to most readers. Lower
intermediate+
