The Leaky Faucet
A free A1-level English story for language learners, readable online in English, with an option to listen via the free Storyteller app.
Tom's kitchen faucet keeps him up at night, so he learns to fix it himself.
Tom lived alone in a small house. He liked his house neat and quiet. One night, he heard a strange sound.
He got out of bed slowly. He walked to the kitchen in the dark. The sound got louder near the sink.
A drip fell from the kitchen faucet. It went drip, drip, drip all night. The kitchen faucet leaked again.
Tom put a bowl under the drip. He went back to bed. He could not sleep well. In the morning, he looked at it closely.
Water dripped from a small rubber part inside. Tom did not know the name of the part. He decided to ask someone at the store.
Tom drove to the hardware store nearby. He showed the old part to the clerk. "You need a new washer," the clerk said. Tom bought one and a small wrench.
Back home, he turned off the water first. He took the faucet apart slowly. He removed the old, worn washer. He put the new washer in its place.
Tom turned the water back on. He waited and watched the faucet closely. No drip came from the tap.
Tom smiled and dried his hands. He put his tools back in the drawer. He made a cup of tea and sat down. The kitchen was finally quiet again.
