Free ESL Reading Comprehension Exercises
Practise your English with short texts and reading comprehension questions. Choose beginner-friendly everyday topics or explore news and real-world texts for intermediate and advanced learners.
Intermediate & advanced reading comprehension
Explore 72 reading exercises on news and real-world topics, including politics, science, the environment, health, and culture. This collection is intended for B1–C1 learners; difficulty varies by text.
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English reading comprehension for beginners
Start with ten short reading exercises about everyday life and modern topics. Choose an A1/A2 or A2 text for easier practice, or try an A2/B1 or B1 text for a little more challenge. Each exercise includes a reading passage, multiple-choice questions, and an answer check.
How to improve your reading comprehension
Before you read: Look at the title and think about the topic. Choose a text that feels manageable for your level.
While you read: Read once for the main idea, then look more closely at the details. Try to work out unfamiliar words from the sentences around them before using a dictionary.
After you read: Answer the questions and check your results. For each mistake, find the part of the text that explains the correct answer. Then summarise the passage in two or three simple sentences.
Preparing for an English proficiency exam?
Use the intermediate and advanced exercises to practise finding key details, understanding the main idea, and working out implied meaning. These skills are useful for English proficiency exams, but the passages and questions here are general reading practice, not official exam materials or complete practice tests. Exam formats and requirements differ, so combine these exercises with preparation for your chosen test.
Visit our Exam Prep section to find relevant reading, vocabulary, grammar, and listening practice.
& learning materials
Phrasal verbs
Varieties of English
Travel English
Language-specific grammar
Created by Armen Abalian, Rob McAlister & Michael French · ESL educators · Est. 2006