Coming soonHistorical · Audiobook read-along
A Tale of Two Cities
Love and sacrifice in London and Paris on the eve of the French Revolution.
Reading A Tale of Two Cities in English
Best for: C1–C2 (Advanced–Proficient), with read-along support
Set against the terror of the French Revolution, Dickens weaves together lives in London and Paris through one of the most famous opening sentences in English literature. The prose is rich and deliberate, with long periodic sentences, irony, and a narrator who steps back to pass judgement on whole societies. Readers at this level will find it a rewarding stretch that sharpens their feel for complex syntax and historical register.
What you'll practise
- Long periodic sentences with embedded clauses and apposition
- Dickens's ironic narrative voice and rhetorical repetition
- Vocabulary of the law courts, the aristocracy, and revolutionary Paris
- Read along as each word is highlighted — useful for tracking Dickens's longer passages aloud
How to read it here: we're producing the narration — it will appear here with full read-along support soon.
New to reading along? How reading while listening works →
Common questions about reading A Tale of Two Cities
What level of English is A Tale of Two Cities best for?
A Tale of Two Cities suits C1–C2 (Advanced–Proficient) learners. With read-along audio and tap-to-define vocabulary, you can read it a little above your comfort level without getting stuck.
Is A Tale of Two Cities free to read in English?
The free interactive read-along is coming to this page soon.
Does A Tale of Two Cities come with audio?
Yes. Every book on The Reading Corner is narrated, with the words highlighting in time as you listen and every difficult word explained on tap — so you read and hear English together.
