Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

Short Stories for Kids

Complete lesson plans, including stories, listening, classroom activities, quiz questions and more!

The Three Friendly Ghosts

Three friendly ghosts bring joy and laughter to a lonely boy, teaching him the power of true friendship.

Try this story at a different level?

 

In a small place, there were three nice ghosts named Casper, Jasper, and Hester. They liked to play and make people laugh, not scare them. They were best friends and loved to see new things together.

One day, they saw a boy named Timmy who was sad because he had no friends in the new place he moved to. The ghosts wanted to make him happy, so they became Timmy’s secret friends.

At the start, Timmy was scared because his toys moved and he heard funny sounds. But then he found out it was the friendly ghosts playing. Timmy liked their jokes and they all became best friends. They had fun adventures, like finding secret places and climbing big trees.

The ghosts helped Timmy and then went to make other people happy too. They always remembered their fun times with Timmy. The story tells us that friends can be from anywhere, even if they are ghosts, and sharing joy is the best thing.

🎧 Listen:

Slow

Normal

📖 Vocabulary:

1ghostsFriendly spirits that you can’t really see
2laughMaking sounds when something is funny
3adventuresFun trips where you do exciting things
4scaredFeeling afraid of something
5secretSomething you keep to yourself and don’t tell others
6jokesFunny stories or things that make you smile
7climbingGoing up something like a tree or a mountain
8rememberedKeeping something in your mind so you don’t forget
9sharingGiving some of what you have to others
10joyA very happy feeling

🤔 Comprehension Questions:

1. Who were the three nice ghosts in the story?
2. What did the ghosts like to do?
3. Why was Timmy sad in the beginning?
4. How did the ghosts become Timmy’s friends?
5. What did Timmy find out about the moving toys and funny sounds?
6. What did the ghosts do after helping Timmy?
Go to answers ⇩

🎧✍️ Listen and Fill in the Gaps:

In a small place, there were three nice ghosts named Casper, Jasper, and Hester. They liked to play and make people laugh, not scare them. They were (1)______ friends and loved to see new (2)______ together.

One day, they saw a boy named Timmy who was sad because he had no friends in the new place he moved to. The (3)______ wanted to make him happy, so they became Timmy’s secret friends.

At the start, Timmy was (4)______ because his toys moved and he heard (5)______ sounds. But then he found out it was the friendly ghosts playing. Timmy liked their jokes and they all became best (6)______. They had fun adventures, like finding secret places and climbing big trees.

The ghosts (7)______ Timmy and then (8)______ to make other people happy too. They always remembered their fun times with Timmy. The story tells us that friends can be from anywhere, even if they are ghosts, and sharing joy is the best thing.
Go to answers ⇩

💬 Discussion Questions:

Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.

1. What is a ghost?
2. How would you feel if you moved to a new place and didn’t have any friends?
3. Do you like playing jokes on people? Why or why not?
4. Do you think it’s important to help others? Why or why not?
5. How would you feel if your toys started moving and you heard funny sounds?
6. What is a secret friend?
7. Have you ever climbed a big tree? How did it feel?
8. Do you think it’s possible to be friends with ghosts? Why or why not?

📖💭 Vocabulary Meanings:

Match each word to its meaning.

Words:
1. ghosts
2. laugh
3. adventures
4. scared
5. secret
6. jokes
7. climbing
8. remembered
9. sharing
10. joy

Meanings:
(A) Something you keep to yourself and don’t tell others
(B) Fun trips where you do exciting things
(C) Friendly spirits that you can’t really see
(D) Feeling afraid of something
(E) A very happy feeling
(F) Making sounds when something is funny
(G) Going up something like a tree or a mountain
(H) Giving some of what you have to others
(I) Funny stories or things that make you smile
(J) Keeping something in your mind so you don’t forget
Go to answers ⇩

🔡 Multiple Choice Questions:

1. What are the names of the three friendly ghosts?
(a) Casper, Jasper, Hester
(b) Timmy, Watson, Smith
(c) London, Madrid, Berlin
(d) Singapore, Robert, Jones

2. What did the ghosts like to do?
(a) Play and make people laugh
(b) Scare people and make them cry
(c) Hide and make people angry
(d) Sleep and make people sad

3. Who did the ghosts want to make happy?
(a) Casper
(b) Jasper
(c) Timmy
(d) Hester

4. What did Timmy think at first when his toys moved and he heard funny sounds?
(a) He was happy
(b) He was angry
(c) He was scared
(d) He was sad

5. How did Timmy feel after he found out the friendly ghosts were playing with his toys?
(a) He was scared and ran away
(b) He was angry and told them to go away
(c) He was sad and cried
(d) He liked their jokes and became their friend

6. What did Timmy and the ghosts do together?
(a) Scare people and make them cry
(b) Hide and make people angry
(c) Sleep and make people sad
(d) Have fun adventures

7. What did the ghosts do after they helped Timmy?
(a) They went to sleep and never came back
(b) They went to make other people happy too
(c) They went to scare people and make them cry
(d) They went to hide and make people angry

8. What does the story tell us about friends?
(a) Friends can only be people who live in the same place
(b) Friends can be from anywhere, even if they are ghosts
(c) Friends can only be people who look the same
(d) Friends can only be people who are the same age

Go to answers ⇩

🕵️ True or False Questions:

1. Timmy is a boy who feels sad because he doesn’t have any friends in his new home.
2. They have boring adventures together, like finding ordinary places and climbing small trees.
3. At first, Timmy is excited because his toys move and he hears funny sounds, but then he discovers that it’s the mischievous ghosts playing.
4. Casper, Jasper, and Hester are three mean ghosts who like to play pranks and make people cry.
5. Timmy enjoys the jokes and becomes best friends with the ghosts.
6. The ghosts not only help Timmy, but they also go on to make other people happy, always remembering the fun times they had with Timmy.
7. The ghosts decide to become Timmy’s secret enemies to scare him.
8. The ghosts are best friends and enjoy exploring new things together.
Go to answers ⇩

📝 Write a Summary:

Write a summary of this story in two sentences. Here are some hints:
Who are the main characters?
What happens in the story?

Answers

🤔✅ Comprehension Question Answers:

1. Who were the three nice ghosts in the story?
The three nice ghosts in the story were Casper, Jasper, and Hester.

2. What did the ghosts like to do?
The ghosts liked to play and make people laugh.

3. Why was Timmy sad in the beginning?
Timmy was sad in the beginning because he had no friends in the new place he moved to.

4. How did the ghosts become Timmy’s friends?
The ghosts became Timmy’s friends by secretly playing with him and making him happy.

5. What did Timmy find out about the moving toys and funny sounds?
Timmy found out that the moving toys and funny sounds were made by the friendly ghosts playing.

6. What did the ghosts do after helping Timmy?
After helping Timmy, the ghosts went to make other people happy too.
Go back to questions ⇧

🎧✍️✅ Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:

(1) best
(2) things
(3) ghosts
(4) scared
(5) funny
(6) friends
(7) helped
(8) went
Go back to questions ⇧

📖💭✅ Vocabulary Meanings Answers:

1. ghosts
Answer: (C) Friendly spirits that you can’t really see

2. laugh
Answer: (F) Making sounds when something is funny

3. adventures
Answer: (B) Fun trips where you do exciting things

4. scared
Answer: (D) Feeling afraid of something

5. secret
Answer: (A) Something you keep to yourself and don’t tell others

6. jokes
Answer: (I) Funny stories or things that make you smile

7. climbing
Answer: (G) Going up something like a tree or a mountain

8. remembered
Answer: (J) Keeping something in your mind so you don’t forget

9. sharing
Answer: (H) Giving some of what you have to others

10. joy
Answer: (E) A very happy feeling
Go back to questions ⇧

🔡✅ Multiple Choice Answers:

1. What are the names of the three friendly ghosts?
Answer: (a) Casper, Jasper, Hester

2. What did the ghosts like to do?
Answer: (a) Play and make people laugh

3. Who did the ghosts want to make happy?
Answer: (c) Timmy

4. What did Timmy think at first when his toys moved and he heard funny sounds?
Answer: (c) He was scared

5. How did Timmy feel after he found out the friendly ghosts were playing with his toys?
Answer: (d) He liked their jokes and became their friend

6. What did Timmy and the ghosts do together?
Answer: (d) Have fun adventures

7. What did the ghosts do after they helped Timmy?
Answer: (b) They went to make other people happy too

8. What does the story tell us about friends?
Answer: (b) Friends can be from anywhere, even if they are ghosts
Go back to questions ⇧

🕵️✅ True or False Answers:

1. Timmy is a boy who feels sad because he doesn’t have any friends in his new home. (Answer: True)
2. They have boring adventures together, like finding ordinary places and climbing small trees. (Answer: False)
3. At first, Timmy is excited because his toys move and he hears funny sounds, but then he discovers that it’s the mischievous ghosts playing. (Answer: False)
4. Casper, Jasper, and Hester are three mean ghosts who like to play pranks and make people cry. (Answer: False)
5. Timmy enjoys the jokes and becomes best friends with the ghosts. (Answer: True)
6. The ghosts not only help Timmy, but they also go on to make other people happy, always remembering the fun times they had with Timmy. (Answer: True)
7. The ghosts decide to become Timmy’s secret enemies to scare him. (Answer: False)
8. The ghosts are best friends and enjoy exploring new things together. (Answer: True)
Go back to questions ⇧

📚 How about these other Level 1 stories?

The broken letterbox becomes a source of laughter and connection as the townsfolk turn it into an interactive game for a mischievous squirrel named Nutkin.

The Broken Letterbox

The people in the colorful town found their broken letterbox and played a fun game to fix it.

A magical swan named Saffron and a brave boy named Milo embark on a journey to defeat an evil sorcerer and teach a lesson about friendship.

The Saffron Swan

A shiny swan named Saffron and a brave boy named Milo became friends and stopped a bad man together.

Lily discovers a hidden door in the enchanted forest and befriends a sparkling fairy named Hazel.

The Fairy’s Secret

Lily found a secret door in the woods and met a fairy named Hazel. They danced with fairies and made the woods pretty again.

A mischievous penguin named Percy and a wise snow owl named Oliver form an unbreakable friendship on their journey to the legendary "Penguin Parade."

The Penguin Parade

Percy the penguin found a secret map and went on an adventure with his new friend Oliver.

Feedback