How I go take practice my English after I read dis story?

After you read am, try shadow reading: read one paragraph out loud, den play am back and repeat. Also, write wetin each person talk say dem dey do, den change am to present tense. Dis go help you master past tense and present continuous for English.

Wetin be di difference between "was cooking" and "cooked" for dis story?

"Was cooking" mean di person dey cook at dat time — na past continuous. "Cooked" mean di person don finish di cooking — na simple past. For di story, Ada talk say "she was cooking" to show wetin she dey do when di thing happen. Dis grammar point dey very important for English.

Why di story talk say "The key was still in the lock"?

E dey show say nobody carry di key comot. If key still dey inside lock, e mean say di door lock from inside, and nobody fit lock am from outside. Dis small detail na important clue for mystery story. Na common style for English detective story to hide clue for simple sentence.

Na wetin be "house girl" for Nigerian English?

"House girl" na Nigerian English word wey mean young woman wey dey work for house — she dey cook, clean, and help di family. For oda English, dem dey call am "housemaid" or "domestic worker." Dis word dey show how Nigerian English dey take local expression enter di language.

readin English → Naijá reading practice

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The Locked Room in Yaba

Di Room Wey Lock for Yaba

A2-B1 WAEC WASSCE English Language / WAEC West African Senior School Certificate Examination English La... › SS1 Foundation / WAEC SS1 Foundation Mystery 239 words 📅 10 Sẹptẹ́mba 2026

A man is found dead in a locked room. Four people were inside with him, and nobody could leave. Each person tells a different story about what they were doing. The key is still in the lock, the window is too small to pass through, and the door is too strong to break. Someone in the room is lying. But who? This short English story uses simple past tense and everyday vocabulary to build a mystery that will keep you reading until the last line.

Dis story na about one room wey lock from inside, and one man wey lie dead for floor. Four people dey inside wit am, and nobody fit comot. Each person talk wetin dem dey do, but one of dem dey lie. You go learn how English dey take describe body, cloth, and place wit simple words. Di story go make you think say who among dem do am. Read am well well — di answer go surprise you.

💡 Tap any word to see translation and pronunciation

The door was locked from inside. Mr. Bello lay dead on the floor. Four people were in the room with him. Nobody could leave. The key was still in the lock.

Ada was his house girl. She said she was cooking in the kitchen. Tunde was his driver. He said he was washing the car outside. Mrs. Bello was his wife. She said she was sleeping in the bedroom. Kola was his brother. He said he was reading a book in the parlour.

Ada showed her hands. They were wet with water. Tunde showed his shirt. It was wet with soap. Mrs. Bello showed her feet. They were bare and warm. Kola showed his book. It was open at page ten.

The window was small. A child could not pass through it. The door was strong. Nobody could break it. So how did the killer leave? The answer was simple. The killer did not leave. The killer was still inside.

Ada cooked rice and stew. Tunde washed the car. Mrs. Bello slept. Kola read his book. But one of them was lying. One of them held the key. One of them locked the door. The room was a trap, and the trap was for Mr. Bello.

Mrs. Bello looked at the others. Her eyes were cold. "One of us did this," she said. "And one of us will talk." The room was quiet. Outside, the rain started to fall.

🌐Full translation for your native language▼

Di door lock from inside. Mr. Bello dey lie dead for floor. Four people dey inside di room wit am. Nobody fit comot. Di key still dey inside di lock. Ada na im house girl. She talk say she dey cook for kitchen. Tunde na im driver. He talk say he dey wash di car outside. Mrs. Bello na im wife. She talk say she dey sleep for bedroom. Kola na im brother. He talk say he dey read book for parlour. Ada show her hands. Water don make dem wet. Tunde show him shirt. Soap don make am wet. Mrs. Bello show her feet. Dem no wear shoe and dem warm. Kola show him book. E open for page ten. Di window small. Pikin no fit pass through am. Di door strong. Nobody fit break am. So how di killer take comot? Di answer simple. Di killer no comot. Di killer still dey inside. Ada cook rice and stew. Tunde wash di car. Mrs. Bello sleep. Kola read him book. But one of dem dey lie. One of dem hold di key. One of dem lock di door. Di room na trap, and di trap na for Mr. Bello. Mrs. Bello look di others. Her eyes cold. "One of us do dis," she talk. "And one of us go talk." Di room quiet. Outside, rain start to fall.

📝 Important phrases

locked from inside → lock from inside — dem lock am from inside di room

lay dead → lay dead — dey lie down as dead body

house girl → house girl — woman wey dey work for house

pass through → pass through — waka go inside or cross something

one of us → one of us — one person among we

looked at → looked at — face person or something and watch am

started to fall → started to fall — begin to drop down

❓ FAQ

How I go take practice my English after I read dis story?: After you read am, try shadow reading: read one paragraph out loud, den play am back and repeat. Also, write wetin each person talk say dem dey do, den change am to present tense. Dis go help you master past tense and present continuous for English.
Wetin be di difference between "was cooking" and "cooked" for dis story?: "Was cooking" mean di person dey cook at dat time — na past continuous. "Cooked" mean di person don finish di cooking — na simple past. For di story, Ada talk say "she was cooking" to show wetin she dey do when di thing happen. Dis grammar point dey very important for English.
Why di story talk say "The key was still in the lock"?: E dey show say nobody carry di key comot. If key still dey inside lock, e mean say di door lock from inside, and nobody fit lock am from outside. Dis small detail na important clue for mystery story. Na common style for English detective story to hide clue for simple sentence.
Na wetin be "house girl" for Nigerian English?: "House girl" na Nigerian English word wey mean young woman wey dey work for house — she dey cook, clean, and help di family. For oda English, dem dey call am "housemaid" or "domestic worker." Dis word dey show how Nigerian English dey take local expression enter di language.

⚡ About di story

Who e good for
Naijá (Nigerian Pidgin) speakers wey dey learn English — from beginner to intermediate level

How e hard
Easy to medium — simple sentence, common vocabulary, but past tense and continuous tense need small attention

Main vocabulary words
120 words

Grammar wey important
Past continuous tense (was cooking, was washing), simple past tense (cooked, washed, slept, read), and prepositions of place (inside, outside, in, on)

Reading goal
Make you fit understand and use past tense to describe wetin happen, and learn how English dey take tell story wit simple words.

“A man is found dead in a locked room. Four people were inside with him, and nobody could leave. Each person tells a different story about what they were doing. The key is still in the lock, the window is too small to pass through, and the door is too strong to break. Someone in the room is lying. But who? This short English story uses simple past tense and everyday vocabulary to build a mystery that will keep you reading until the last line.”

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