Listening is an essential skill for English learners, and practicing with real-life scenarios can help improve comprehension and vocabulary. This lesson focuses on a mystery story—an intriguing tale about a thief who strikes in the middle of the night.

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
✔️ Improve your listening comprehension
✔️ Learn new vocabulary related to crime and investigation
✔️ Understand past tense storytelling
✔️ Answer comprehension questions to test your understanding

Let’s begin!

Step 1: Listen to the Story

🎧 Instructions:

Listen to the audio story carefully.
Pay attention to keywords and phrases related to crime and investigation.
After listening, try to answer the comprehension questions below.

📌 Audio Script (A Thief in the Night)

*”It was a quiet night in the small town of Maplewood. The streets were empty, and only the sound of crickets filled the air. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson were asleep in their house at the end of Oak Street.

At exactly 2:30 AM, a shadow moved across the lawn. A man, dressed in dark clothing, crept toward the back door. With a single tool, he picked the lock and entered the house. The Thompsons’ dog, Max, growled but did not bark. The thief moved silently, taking a silver necklace, a few hundred dollars, and Mrs. Thompson’s handbag.

Just as he was about to leave, the floor creaked. Mr. Thompson woke up. ‘Who’s there?’ he called out. The thief ran, but as he stepped outside, the motion-sensor light turned on.

Max started barking loudly. Mr. Thompson rushed downstairs, but the thief was already gone. All that remained was a black glove on the floor. The police arrived soon after.

‘This isn’t the first time,’ Officer Reynolds said. ‘We’ve had similar break-ins this month. But this time, we have a clue.’ He picked up the glove and smiled. ‘Let’s catch this thief.’”*

Step 2: Comprehension Questions

Test your listening skills by answering the following questions.

Multiple Choice Questions

Where did the robbery take place?
a) In a bank
b) In a small town house
c) In a shopping mall
d) In a hotel
What time did the thief enter the house?
a) 1:00 AM
b) 3:15 AM
c) 2:30 AM
d) 4:00 AM
What did the thief take?
a) A laptop and a phone
b) A silver necklace, cash, and a handbag
c) Only a handbag
d) Jewelry and a painting
How did the thief get inside?
a) He broke a window
b) He climbed through the attic
c) He picked the lock on the back door
d) The door was already open
What did the police find as a clue?
a) A stolen wallet
b) A security camera recording
c) A black glove
d) A set of fingerprints

(Answer Key: 1-b, 2-c, 3-b, 4-c, 5-c)

Step 3: Vocabulary Practice

Here are some important words from the story. Learn their meanings and practice using them in sentences.

Word	Meaning	Example Sentence
crept	Moved slowly and quietly	The cat crept through the grass.
lockpick	A tool used to open a lock without a key	The thief used a lockpick to break in.
growl	A low sound made by an animal when it’s angry	The dog growled at the stranger.
motion-sensor	A device that detects movement and turns on a light or alarm	The motion-sensor light turned on when someone walked by.
break-in	The act of entering a place illegally	There was a break-in at the office last night.

✅ Exercise:
Fill in the blanks using the vocabulary words above.

The dog began to _______ when it saw the intruder.
The police are investigating another _______ in the neighborhood.
She _______ quietly into the room so she wouldn’t wake her baby.
The thief used a _______ to open the locked door.
The _______ light activated when someone approached the house.

(Answer Key: 1. growl, 2. break-in, 3. crept, 4. lockpick, 5. motion-sensor)

Step 4: Grammar Focus – Past Simple Tense in Storytelling

Most stories are told in the past simple tense because they describe events that happened in the past.

Examples from the Story:

The thief picked the lock and entered the house.
Mr. Thompson woke up when he heard a noise.
The police arrived and found a clue.

Past Simple Exercise:

Complete the sentences with the correct past simple form of the verbs in parentheses.

The thief _______ (run) away when the light turned on.
She _______ (hear) a noise and woke up.
The police _______ (find) a clue on the floor.
Max _______ (not bark), but he growled.
They _______ (search) the area but didn’t catch the thief.

(Answer Key: 1. ran, 2. heard, 3. found, 4. didn’t bark, 5. searched)

Step 5: Discussion Questions

Practice speaking by discussing these questions with a friend or writing down your answers.

Have you ever had an experience where something was stolen? How did you feel?
What do you think is the best way to prevent home break-ins?
Do you think Max, the dog, should have barked louder? Why or why not?
If you were Officer Reynolds, how would you catch the thief?
How do you think the story ends? What will happen next?

Step 6: Writing Challenge

✍ Creative Writing Exercise
Imagine you are a detective working on this case. Write a short paragraph describing how you would solve the mystery. Use at least three vocabulary words from this lesson.

🔹 Example Start:
“Detective Carter arrived at the Thompson house early the next morning. He examined the motion-sensor light and found footprints leading to the backyard. ‘This thief made a mistake,’ he thought. Holding the black glove, he asked Mr. Thompson, ‘Have you seen anyone wearing gloves like this?’”

Conclusion

This listening exercise helps improve your comprehension, vocabulary, and grammar while making learning fun! By practicing past simple tense, crime-related words, and storytelling skills, you are developing stronger English skills.

✅ What to Do Next?

Listen to the audio again and try to understand more details.
Practice speaking by answering the discussion questions.
Challenge yourself to write a detective-style ending to the story!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the main objective of the ‘Listening Exercise: A Thief in the Night’ ESL lesson?

The primary goal of the ‘Listening Exercise: A Thief in the Night’ ESL lesson is to enhance your skills in listening comprehension using an intriguing mystery story as the teaching medium. This lesson is designed to simulate real-life scenarios that help learners better understand narratives, particularly those revolving around crime and investigation. By engaging in this lesson, you will encounter new vocabulary specific to criminal activity and investigative procedures, which enriches your linguistic repertoire and improves your ability to grasp spoken English. Additionally, you will gain a better understanding of past tense storytelling, which is critical for narrating events and actions that have occurred in the past. The lesson also includes comprehension questions, which are instrumental in testing and affirming the knowledge you acquire, helping you feel more confident in your English listening abilities.

2. How does the lesson help in learning vocabulary related to crime and investigation?

This lesson immerses you in a story centered around a thief, which inherently introduces a variety of vocabulary relevant to the themes of crime and investigation. As you navigate the story, you will find terms that describe various elements of a heist, words indicating actions taken by the thief, and language used in the investigation process. Acquiring these terms is advantageous because they not only expand your vocabulary but also enhance your ability to understand and partake in conversations where crime and investigative topics are discussed. The lesson is keen on contextual learning, which means you’ll see these words in action within the framework of the story. This contextual approach helps ensure that you don’t just memorize vocabulary but understand how it applies within the narrative, making it easier for you to recall and use it effectively in real conversations.

3. How does this lesson improve understanding of past tense storytelling?

The structure of ‘A Thief in the Night’ ESL lesson adopts a narrative that unfolds in past tense, which serves as a practical illustration of how English tenses are used to tell stories. The story’s framework provides ample examples of verbs and sentence structures that describe actions and events which have already happened. By listening actively to the story, you’ll have an opportunity to hear past tense verbs in their natural context. Repeated exposure and practice are essential for mastering these grammatical constructions, and this lesson provides both. Additionally, as you answer comprehension questions related to the story, you’ll engage directly with the past tense, reinforcing your understanding and application of it. This experience will aid you in communicating narrative sequences more effectively, both in writing and speaking.

4. What types of exercises are included in the lesson to test listening comprehension?

The lesson deliberately integrates a variety of exercises aimed at testing and enhancing listening comprehension. One of the pivotal components is the set of comprehension questions that accompany the listening exercise. These questions are designed to encourage reflection and ensure attention to detail as you listen to the story. They will typically cover key points such as identifying main characters, understanding the sequence of events, and recognizing specific vocabulary terms used in the story. Moreover, the lesson offers a practice quiz that allows you to apply what you’ve learned in a structured format, providing immediate feedback on your understanding. This interactive element of the lesson not only challenges your comprehension skills but also assists in reinforcing the knowledge gained during the exercise.

5. How can I take full advantage of this ESL lesson to improve my listening skills in English?

To maximize the benefits of this ESL lesson, it’s crucial to approach it with a strategy that involves active listening and engagement. Begin by allowing yourself to listen to the story all the way through to get a general sense of the plot and context. Then, listen again with closer attention, noting down unfamiliar words or phrases and considering their meaning in context. Don’t hesitate to pause and replay sections if needed, as repetition is key in language learning. Make full use of the glossary and vocabulary list that might accompany the lesson if you encounter difficult terms. Participate actively in the comprehension exercises and quizzes, ensuring that you understand each question and answer choice. It’s beneficial to supplement this exercise by discussing the story with peers or a language partner, if possible, as explaining what you’ve heard can reinforce your learning. Finally, integrate any new vocabulary into your daily conversations and writing, ensuring that what you’ve learned becomes a functional part of your language skills. By engaging with the lesson in these multifaceted ways, you can significantly improve your listening prowess and overall competency in English.