ESL Reading Exercises and Worksheets

After teaching for many years, I have learnt that the most successful reading comprehension worksheets in the classroom for elementary to pre-intermediate English language students are comprehension exercises that relate to their personal experiences. Reading exercises about weekend markets (shopping), high school and university experiences, career ambitions and the effects of technology are a few of those topics.

1 The Intern

This is a reading/listening comprehension exercise about a day in the life of an intern and contrasts it with university life.

(download PDF)

(see the video on YouTube)

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2 Learning a New Language

Learning a new language has a lot of benefits for the learner.

(download PDF)

(see the video on YouTube)

3 The Influencer

This is reading comprehension exercise about a day in the life of an online influencer.

The Influencer (PDF)

(see the YouTube video)

4 The Digital Classroom

The digital classroom is the classroom of the future. This reading explores some of its impacts.

(download PDF)

(see the video on YouTube)

5 The Weekend Market (with answers)

This is an English language reading comprehension worksheet about  a visit to a weekend market.  It is an experience that almost every student in the world can relate to and so it’s extremely suitable for an English language class.  Click on the link or the image to download the PDF file. 

Weekend Market (PDF)

( see the YouTube video of “The Weekend Market”)

6 Air Tags

This is a reading comprehension about Apple’s latest innovation, Air Tags.

Air Tags (PDF)

Related Resources:

7 Lipstick

A short history of lipstick.

Lipstick (PDF)

8 Inventing a mRNA vaccine to save the world

Katalin Kariko and the story of mRNA

This is a reading comprehension exercise about the people who invented a vaccine for the coronavirus.

Inventing an mRNA vaccine (PDF)

9 Online  shopping assistant (with answers)

An online shopping assistant takes online orders and walks around a supermarket or department store and collects items to packed and delivered. This exercise is about the daily activities of a supermarket employee in this  line of work on the age of the coronavirus.  

Online shopping assistant reading comprehension (PDF)

 

10 Autonomous vehicles reading comprehension (with answers)

The arrival of autonomous vehicles is a topical issue of our times. It’s a great way to to engage in a discussion about the impacts of new technologies. 

Autonomous vehicles reading comprehension (PDF)

 

11 First Day at University (with answers)

I have found that another easy-to-teach topic is a student’s  first day at university. This is a an experience that university students can identify with and  works smoothly in the classroom.

First Day(PDF)

12 High School vs University (with answers)

This  reading exercise  focuses on the differences between high school students and university students.

High School vs University (PDF)

 

13  Christiane Amanpour (with answers)

This  reading  worksheet is  about the journalist Christiane  Amanpour.

Christiane Amanpour (PDF)

Related Resources:

10 opinion and argument writing worksheets

8 comparison/contrast templates and exercises

10 cause/effect writing activities

3 kinds of exercises for teaching transitions

6 memorable narrative essay writing practice exercises (PDF)

6 delightful descriptive paragraph and essay writing exercises  (PDF)

11 essential exercises for elementary writing students (PDF)

 

14  What effect has technology had on our lives? (with answers)

This is an English language reading comprehension worksheet about the effects of technology.  It is an excellent complement to any lesson focusing on technology and society. It also works well in a class  when the teacher is trying to determine students’ knowledge of computing and internet vocabulary. I used it in a class with Thai ICT students and I could quickly asses the different English language abilities of the students.

What effect has technology had on our lives? (PDF)

15  How to Entertain (with answers)

This is an English language reading comprehension worksheet about entertaining.

How to Entertain