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The Mystery of the Library's Hidden Footprints

Preview

Elementary (A2 Low) CEFR A2

The Mystery of the Library's Hidden Footprints

Duration

5 min read

Length

215 words

Story

4 paragraphs

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Story Excerpt

Sample preview reading passage

Paragraphs 1–2 of 4

Zia loved the old library near her house. Every Saturday, she went there to read books about stars and space. She liked to look at the constellations, which are groups of stars that make pictures in the sky. One day, she noticed something strange on the floor. There were tiny footprints in the dust, and they were very small.

Zia followed the footprints past tall shelves of books. The footprints went around a corner and then stopped in the middle of the room. Zia could not see where they went next. She looked up and down, but there was nothing. "I can find the answer," she said to herself. She felt curious and a little scared.

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Educational Objectives

Story Details

Grammar focus and learning objectives covered in this story.

Grammar Level

A2 · Can for ability, Past Simple, prepositions of place

Learning Outcomes

Use 'can' to talk about abilities in simple sentences.
Recognise and use past simple verbs like 'went' and 'stopped'.
Identify prepositions of place such as 'in', 'on', and 'under'.
Answer comprehension questions about a short mystery story.

Grammar Focus

Can for ability: can + base verb

Use 'can' to talk about what someone is able to do. Put 'can' before the main verb.

“ I can find the answer.

Tip: Remember: 'can' never changes. Do not add 's' or 'ed'.

Past Simple: regular and irregular verbs

Use the past simple to talk about finished actions in the past. For regular verbs, add -ed. Some verbs are irregular, like 'went' and 'stopped'.

“ She went there to read books about stars and space.

Tip: Learn common irregular verbs like 'go-went' and 'stop-stopped' by heart.

Prepositions of place: in, on, at, under, near

Use prepositions of place to show where something is. For example, 'in the dust' means inside the dust.

“ There were tiny footprints in the dust.

Tip: Picture the position in your mind to choose the right preposition.

Reading tip

Daily Habit

Say new words out loud or use them in your own sentence — actively using a word moves it into lasting memory.

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