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General English · Speaking · A2

Telling a simple story

Tell a short story with a setting, a problem and an ending.

Lesson 10 · About 18 minutes

Learn: your objectives

  • Help a listener follow the order of events.
  • Explain what changed and how the story ended.

Warm-up

Think about these questions. Say a short answer aloud.

  • Have you ever arrived at the wrong place?
  • What makes a short story easy to follow?

Useful language

Story steps

One day, …

Set a simple starting point.

One day, I took the wrong bus.

Suddenly, I realised …

Introduce a discovery or change.

Suddenly, I realised I was going away from the station.

In the end, …

Give the final result.

In the end, a driver showed me the right stop.

Notice: model speaking

Read aloud. Notice how the speakers use the phrases and respond to each other.

Mila: Did you find the art class easily?

Jasur: Not at first. I went to the old address. Suddenly, I realised the building was empty.

Mila: What did you do?

Jasur: I called the teacher. She gave me the new address, which was only two streets away.

Mila: Did you miss the class?

Jasur: No. In the end, I arrived just before it started.

Speaking strategy

Use four steps: where you were, what went wrong, what you did, and the result. Leave out details that do not help this story.

Pronunciation & fluency focus

Pause briefly before the surprising part and after the ending. Do not rush the final sentence; it tells the listener what happened.

Teaching guidance, not an analysis of your voice.

Use: controlled practice

Choose a useful response for each situation. Check when all questions are answered. These are phrase exercises, not a speaking assessment.

1. Which opening gives a clear setting for a story?
2. You discover your keys are missing. Introduce that change.
3. Which question asks for the next event?
4. Finish a story about finding a lost ticket.
5. Which detail best supports a story about missing a bus?

Build your answer

Write a few keywords. Then look away and speak. Notes stay on this page only.

Speak: your challenge

Tell a one-minute real or invented story about a small mix-up. Include a setting, a problem, your response and a clear ending.

Use first, then and in the end where they help; not every sentence needs a linking word.

Speak aloud. This page does not record, listen to or assess your speech. There is no automatic speaking score.

Self-check

Open to everyone. Answers, notes and checklists are not saved to an account. These original lessons use level labels to organize learning; completion is not official CEFR certification or proof of a level.