Emma turned eighteen last month and wanted to learn how to drive. She signed up for driving lessons at a local driving school. Her instructor was a patient man named Mr. Hansen. On her first lesson, Emma felt very nervous. Her hands were shaking when she sat in the driver's seat. Mr. Hansen smiled and said, 'Don't worry, everyone feels this way at first.' He explained the basic controls: the steering wheel, pedals, and mirrors. Emma learned that the car had three pedals: gas, brake, and clutch. The clutch was the most difficult for her to understand. She had to press it gently to change gears smoothly. During the first lesson, Emma practiced starting and stopping the car. The car stalled several times because she released the clutch too fast. 'That's normal,' Mr. Hansen said encouragingly. After the first lesson, Emma felt tired but excited. She couldn't wait for her next driving lesson. In the following weeks, Emma practiced driving on quiet streets. She learned how to turn left and right at intersections. Parking was another challenge she had to master. She practiced parallel parking in an empty parking lot. It took many tries before she could do it correctly. One day, Mr. Hansen took Emma to drive on a busy road. She felt scared with all the cars around her. 'Stay calm and focus on the road,' her instructor reminded her. Emma took a deep breath and continued driving. She managed to merge onto the main road without any problems. After two months of lessons, Emma felt more confident. Her father let her practice driving his car on weekends. He sat next to her and gave her useful tips. 'Always check your mirrors before changing lanes,' he told her. Emma's driving test was scheduled for a Friday morning. The night before, she could hardly sleep from nervousness. Her mother made her a good breakfast to give her energy. 'You've practiced hard. You will do great,' her mother said. At the testing center, Emma met the examiner. He was a serious-looking man with a clipboard. The test began, and Emma tried to stay focused. She drove through the city, followed all traffic rules, and parked perfectly. When the test was over, the examiner looked at his notes. 'Congratulations, you passed!' he said with a small smile. Emma couldn't believe it - she had her driver's license! She called her parents immediately to share the good news. Her father promised to take her car shopping that weekend. Emma felt proud of what she had accomplished. Learning to drive was not easy, but she never gave up. Now she could drive anywhere she wanted, and that felt like real freedom.
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Learning to Drive
English Story for Elementarys (A2)
This A2 English story is designed for elementarys learning English. It includes simple vocabulary and short sentences to help you improve your reading and listening skills. Click any word to see translations and hear pronunciation.
About this story
Emma, who just turned eighteen, signs up for driving lessons at a local driving school. Her patient instructor, Mr. Hansen, teaches her the basics: steering, pedals, and how to use the clutch. After weeks of practice on quiet streets and busy roads, Emma takes her driving test. Despite her nervousness, she passes and gets her driver's license. She feels proud of her accomplishment and excited about the freedom driving brings.
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Vocabulary
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