The most famous pirate in history — and a man who frightened people with his face before he ever used a gun.
Want more detail? Read this lesson at B2/C1 level →
Before we read, let's learn the important words. Match each word (1–8) to its meaning (A–H). Say your answers out loud — "I think 1 is D" — then check.
1 = B (a pirate) · 2 = F (a ship) · 3 = H (to blockade) · 4 = E (a hostage)
5 = A (a ransom) · 6 = C (to surrender) · 7 = G (a pardon) · 8 = D (famous)
Read each part. Then try the questions from memory, and talk about the last one.
We do not know much about Blackbeard. We are not even sure of his real name. People usually call him Edward Teach, but old papers spell it in different ways. He was probably born in England, around the year 1680.
About three hundred years ago, there were many pirates in the seas near America. In 1717, Teach and his men took a big French ship. He kept it, put many guns on it, and gave it a new name: Queen Anne's Revenge. Now he was a real pirate captain.
But Teach's strongest weapon was not his guns. It was his face. He had a big, black beard. Before a fight, he put small fires in his beard, so smoke went around his head. He looked like a monster! Many sailors were so afraid that they did not fight — they just gave him their things. That was exactly what Teach wanted.
1. What was the name of Blackbeard's big ship?
2. Why did Blackbeard put smoke in his beard?
1. Queen Anne's Revenge — a big French ship that he took and put many guns on.
2. To look frightening, like a monster. Then many sailors were too afraid to fight and just gave him their things.
In 1718, Blackbeard was very powerful. In May, he took his ships to a busy town called Charleston, in America. He blockaded the port — his ships sat in front of it, so no other ship could come in or go out. He did this for about a week.
He stopped many ships and took some rich people as hostages. Then he sent a message to the governor. But he did not ask for gold! He asked for a box of medicine. Maybe his men were sick. The town was afraid, so they gave him the medicine. Blackbeard let the hostages go and sailed away.
After this, the governor of North Carolina gave Blackbeard a pardon. This means the government forgave his crimes. Blackbeard promised to stop. But it was not true. Very soon, he started robbing ships again.
1. What did Blackbeard ask for at Charleston — gold or something else?
2. Did Blackbeard really stop being a pirate after his pardon?
1. Not gold — a box of medicine. (Maybe his men were sick.) The town gave it to him to free the hostages.
2. No. He promised to stop, but very soon he started robbing ships again.
The government wanted to stop Blackbeard. They sent a navy officer, Lieutenant Robert Maynard, to find him. On 22 November 1718, Maynard found Blackbeard at a quiet place called Ocracoke, near North Carolina.
Maynard was clever. He hid most of his men under the deck of the ship. Blackbeard saw an almost empty ship, so he climbed on board to fight. It was a trap! The hidden sailors came up and surrounded him. After a hard fight, Blackbeard died. To show that the pirate was really dead, Maynard cut off his head and hung it on the front of his ship.
Blackbeard was a pirate for only about two years. But people never forgot him. Three hundred years later, he is still in many books, films and stories — the most famous pirate of all.
1. How did Maynard trick Blackbeard?
2. Blackbeard was a pirate for only two years. Why do we still remember him?
1. He hid most of his men under the deck. The ship looked empty, so Blackbeard climbed on — and then the hidden sailors came up and surrounded him.
2. Because of his legend — the frightening image he made. He is still in many books and films, the most famous pirate of all.
To tell a story, we use these two past tenses together. One is the picture that was already happening. The other is the thing that happened — the big moment.
1. The merchant ships (sail) on the calm sea when a black flag (appear).
2. While the crew (sleep), Blackbeard (come) closer.
3. Blackbeard (fight) when the hidden sailors (surround) him.
1. were sailing / appeared (background + the thing that happens)
2. were sleeping / came (while + background; the finished action)
3. was fighting / surrounded (long action + short action inside it)
Use while for the longer action (was/were -ing) and when for the short, finished action. Write the right word.
1. Blackbeard's ships were blocking the port, no ship could go out.
2. The crew were sleeping the pirates climbed on the ship.
3. the smoke was going around his head, the sailors were afraid.
1. While (+ was/were -ing)
2. when (+ past simple)
3. While (+ was/were -ing)
Put the verbs in the past simple or past continuous. Then read it out loud.
One morning, the pirates (sleep) on their ship and the sea (be) quiet. They (not know) that the navy was near. Suddenly, the ships (arrive). Blackbeard (jump) up and (start) to fight.
were sleeping · was · did not know · arrived · jumped · started
The long "background" action is in the past continuous (was/were -ing); the sudden, finished actions are in the past simple.
There is a real podcast about Blackbeard. It is for native speakers, so it is fast and quite difficult — that is normal! You do not need to understand every word. It is also optional: you already have the full story here.
From the Noiser podcast network. Hosted by historians, roughly 50 minutes.
Listen on Spotify →Do all three tasks out loud. Use the timer to keep talking.
Tell the story of Blackbeard in your own words. Use these steps to help you: a sailor in England → he took a big ship (Queen Anne's Revenge) → the smoking beard → he blockaded Charleston and asked for medicine → his pardon → the last fight at Ocracoke.
For the big moments, first say what was happening (the calm sea, the sleeping crew), then say the thing that happened. Use the past continuous for the background and the past simple for the event, and some of the key words (pirate, ship, blockade, hostage, ransom, surrender, pardon).
Blackbeard frightened people with his face. Why are some bad or dangerous people so famous? Do you know any famous "bad" people from films, TV, or from your own country? Why do people find them interesting?
Tell the story of any famous person you choose — a singer, a sports star, a leader — who was very successful and then had a big problem or a "downfall". For the big moment, first say what was happening (everything was going well), then say the thing that changed it all. What happened?
Not sure what to talk about? Choose one: