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A teaching pathway · grammar progression

Suggested Teaching Order

Both story series — Short Stories and Short History — re-sequenced by the grammar they teach, so each lesson builds on the one before. Pick a series and a level, then work top to bottom.

The library is arranged by story; this page arranges it by grammar. Read in this order, the lessons climb a single ladder — from the foundations of the past tense up to the trickier transformations of conditionals, the passive and reported speech.

Nothing here is compulsory: every lesson still stands alone. This is simply the route to take if you want the grammar to accumulate rather than arrive at random.

🔎 Looking for one structure? Open the grammar index: every grammar point, A–Z and by topic →

FOUNDATIONS↓ADVANCED TRANSFORMATIONS
1Narrative past — telling the storyB2
01
How Much Land Does a Man Need?Narrating the past — the narrative tenses
Open → 02
The Last LeafPast continuous vs past simple
Open → 03
The Signal-ManPast perfect & sequencing
Open → 04
Evelineused to & would — past habits
Open →
2The future, seen from now and from the pastB2
05
The Story of an HourFuture-in-the-past & past perfect
Open → 06
An Appointment in Samarrawas to / was going to / bound to
Open → 07
The InterlopersFuture forms & predictions
Open →
3Richer sentences — clauses & patternsB2/C1
08
The Two Kings and the Two LabyrinthsRelative clauses
Open → 09
The Cask of AmontilladoPurpose & result clauses
Open → 10
The Nightingale and the RoseGerunds & infinitives
Open → 11
Miss BrillAdjectives, adverbs & word order
Open →
4The unreal — wishes, regrets & conditionalsB2/C1
12
The NecklaceWishes, regrets & conditionals
Open → 13
The BetRegret & conditionals
Open → 14
The VergerConditionals & reported speech
Open →
5Voice, report & deductionC1
15
LuckReported speech & framed narrative
Open → 16
A Piece of StringThe passive & impersonal report
Open → 17
The EggModals of deduction
Open →
The hinge: The Verger (14) carries both conditionals and reported speech, so it closes Stage 4 and opens the door to Stage 5 — teach it as the bridge between the unreal and the reported.
EASIER · A2↓HARDER · B1
1Building the pastA2 → A2/B1
01
The VergerPast simple — regular & irregular
Open → 02
The BetPast simple + ago / for / since
Open → 03
The Signal-ManPast simple + before / after
Open → 04
The Cask of AmontilladoSequencing: first / then / finally
Open → 05
The Last LeafPast simple vs past continuous
Open → 06
The Story of an HourPast simple vs past continuous · revision
Open → 07
Evelineused to — past habits
Open →
2Describing the worldA2
08
How Much Land Does a Man Need?too much / too many / enough
Open → 09
Miss BrillAdjectives & word order
Open → 10
The Nightingale and the RoseVerb patterns: -ing / to
Open →
3Talking about the futureA2/B1
11
The Interloperswill & going to
Open → 12
An Appointment in Samarrawill & going to · revision
Open →
4The B1 transformationsB1
13
The NecklaceFirst conditional — if sentences
Open → 14
A Piece of StringThe passive
Open → 15
LuckReported speech
Open → 16
The EggModals of deduction: must / might / can't
Open →
Revision pairs: steps 05→06 and 11→12 (shown dashed) deliberately repeat a grammar point — teach the first, then consolidate with the second. Flexible start: Stage 2 (describing) is all solid A2 and can be taught before Stage 1 if you'd rather open with the present than the past.
FOUNDATIONS↓ADVANCED
1Telling the past — time & aspectB2
01
The Kray TwinsNarrative tenses
Open → 02
The TitanicPast perfect & sequencing
Open → 03
BlackbeardPast simple vs continuous
Open → 04
Pompeiiused to / would
Open → 05
The Great Fire of LondonTime & sequence clauses
Open → 06
The Terracotta ArmyPast perfect continuous
Open →
2The future & the unrealB2/C1
07
Shackleton and the EnduranceFuture-in-the-past
Open → 08
The Moon LandingFuture perfect & continuous
Open → 09
The Wright BrothersFuture forms (will / going to)
Open → 10
CleopatraSecond conditional
Open → 11
The Cuban Missile CrisisThird conditional & unreal past
Open → 12
The RomanovsMixed conditionals
Open → 13
Marie Antoinettewish & if only (regret)
Open → 14
The Spanish ArmadaConditional linkers (unless / as long as)
Open → 15
The Gunpowder PlotFirst conditional & future time clauses
Open → 16
The Tudorswould rather / it's time / had better
Open → 17
Harry Houdinibe about to / be on the verge of
Open →
3Stance, emphasis & certaintyB2/C1
18
Joan of ArcPast modals of speculation
Open → 19
Nikola TeslaCleft sentences (emphasis)
Open → 20
Emperor NeroInversion for emphasis
Open → 21
Marco PoloDistancing (apparently / allegedly)
Open → 22
Amelia EarhartPresent perfect & past simple
Open → 23
The Great Wall of ChinaPresent perfect: for / since
Open → 24
Genghis KhanModals of ability
Open → 25
HiroshimaModal perfects of regret
Open → 26
RasputinEmphasis: do + so / such / too
Open → 27
Easter IslandReporting verbs (suggest / claim / deny)
Open →
4Building richer sentencesB2/C1
28
The Taj MahalRelative clauses (defining vs non-defining)
Open → 29
The ColosseumPurpose & result clauses
Open → 30
Marie CurieParticiple clauses
Open → 31
The Rosetta StoneCause & result connectors
Open → 32
Vincent van GoghConcession & contrast
Open → 33
The Forbidden CityGerunds & infinitives
Open → 34
The MayaAdvanced relative clauses
Open → 35
The Roman RepublicDiscourse markers & linking
Open → 36
AngkorNominalisation
Open → 37
The Trojan Warmake / let / help / get
Open → 38
The Black DeathDependent prepositions
Open → 39
The Wild WestPhrasal verbs
Open → 40
The Scramble for AfricaBalancing ideas (both…and / neither…nor)
Open →
5Describing & quantifyingB2
41
The VikingsArticles & determiners
Open → 42
The Great DepressionQuantifiers & quantity
Open → 43
Alexander the GreatComparatives & superlatives
Open → 44
The GladiatorsAdjective order & description
Open → 45
The ConquistadorsComparison nuances
Open → 46
The Spanish FluDeterminers (all / every / each)
Open →
6Voice, report & obligationC1
47
StonehengeThe passive & deduction
Open → 48
TutankhamunThe causative (have sth done)
Open → 49
The Salem Witch TrialsReported speech
Open → 50
Machu PicchuPassive reporting (it is thought…)
Open → 51
The SamuraiObligation & permission
Open → 52
The AztecsThe subjunctive
Open → 53
Pearl HarborReported questions & commands
Open → 54
ChernobylGet-passive & passive reporting
Open →
Six grammar families, fifty-four stories: every lesson teaches its own distinct point — the families group them by type, not strict difficulty. Pick the point your student needs next, and mix freely with the Short Stories series.
EASIER · A2↓HARDER · B1
1Telling the past — time & aspectA2/B1
01
The Kray TwinsPast simple & continuous
Open → 02
The TitanicPast perfect (had done)
Open → 03
BlackbeardPast continuous vs past simple
Open → 04
Pompeiiused to (past habits)
Open → 05
The Great Fire of LondonSequencing (as soon as / after)
Open → 06
The Terracotta ArmyPast perfect continuous (had been doing)
Open →
2The future & the unrealA2/B1
07
Shackleton and the Endurancewill & going to
Open → 08
The Moon Landingwill have done / will be doing
Open → 09
The Wright Brotherswill & going to
Open → 10
CleopatraIf + past, would (2nd conditional)
Open → 11
The Cuban Missile CrisisIf sentences (would)
Open → 12
The RomanovsLooking back (if … had …)
Open → 13
Marie AntoinetteI wish / if only
Open → 14
The Spanish Armadaif / unless
Open → 15
The Gunpowder PlotFirst conditional
Open → 16
The Tudorshad better / would rather
Open → 17
Harry Houdinibe going to / be about to
Open →
3Stance, emphasis & certaintyA2/B1
18
Joan of Arcmust / might / can't have
Open → 19
Nikola TeslaEmphasis (It was … who …)
Open → 20
Emperor Neroso / such … that
Open → 21
Marco Poloapparently / people say
Open → 22
Amelia EarhartPresent perfect & past simple
Open → 23
The Great Wall of Chinafor / since (how long)
Open → 24
Genghis Khancould / was able to
Open → 25
Hiroshimashould have done
Open → 26
Rasputinso / such … that · too … to
Open → 27
Easter Islandsay / tell / think that
Open →
4Building richer sentencesA2/B1
28
The Taj MahalRelative clauses (who / which / where)
Open → 29
The ColosseumPurpose (to / so that) & result
Open → 30
Marie CurieJoining actions with -ing
Open → 31
The Rosetta Stonebecause / so / as a result
Open → 32
Vincent van Goghalthough / but / despite
Open → 33
The Forbidden City-ing or to?
Open → 34
The Mayawho / which / where / whose
Open → 35
The Roman RepublicLinking words (however / so)
Open → 36
AngkorNoun phrases (the rise of…)
Open → 37
The Trojan Warmake / let / help
Open → 38
The Black DeathDependent prepositions
Open → 39
The Wild WestPhrasal verbs
Open → 40
The Scramble for Africaboth…and / either…or / neither…nor
Open →
5Describing & quantifyingA2/B1
41
The Vikingsa / an / the / no article
Open → 42
The Great DepressionQuantifiers (much / many / a few)
Open → 43
Alexander the GreatComparatives & superlatives
Open → 44
The GladiatorsAdjective order
Open → 45
The ConquistadorsComparisons (as … as)
Open → 46
The Spanish Fluevery / all / some / no
Open →
6Voice, report & obligationA2/B1
47
StonehengeThe passive (was / were + done)
Open → 48
Tutankhamunhave something done
Open → 49
The Salem Witch TrialsReported speech (say / tell)
Open → 50
Machu PicchuIt is said that …
Open → 51
The Samuraimust / have to / not allowed to
Open → 52
The Aztecsdemand / order that … (must)
Open → 53
Pearl HarborReported commands & questions
Open → 54
ChernobylThe passive (was done)
Open →