The Thirty-Nine Steps
- Approximate level
- B1
- Length
- 41,777 words
- Reading time
- 3 h 29 min
- Chapters
- 10
- Language
- English
- On Project Gutenberg since
- 1996
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This novel follows Richard Hannay, a man who finds himself entangled in a dangerous conspiracy shortly after returning to London from South Africa. Written in 1915, the book features early twentieth century British English. You will encounter colloquial expressions and descriptive language typical of that era. The sentences are moderately long and often contain complex structures. This story is a good choice if you want to practice reading fast paced adventure narratives while exploring historical vocabulary and formal social conventions.
61,200 downloads on Project Gutenberg
Subjects
- World War, 1914-1918 -- Fiction
- Spy stories
- Hannay, Richard (Fictitious character) -- Fiction
- Intelligence service -- Great Britain -- Fiction
Questions about this book
What level of English do I need for this book?
The estimate is B1, based on how common the words are and how long the sentences run. It is an approximation, not a test result. With a translation under every sentence you can start one level earlier than you would with a paper copy.
Is this book really free?
Yes. The text is in the public domain and comes from Project Gutenberg, so it costs nothing. In Lingo7 you open the book and read the first page for free; a subscription unlocks the whole library, the audio and the word practice.
How does reading with a translation work?
Lingo7 shows the original sentence and, right under it, the same sentence in your language. Tap a word to see what it means, hear it, and save it for practice. The translation is made while you read, so it works for any book and for 49 languages.
How long does it take to read?
About 3 h 29 min at a native pace, spread over 10 chapters. In a foreign language plan for more: half an hour a day finishes a book of this size in a few weeks.
Similar books
Same language, close to the same level.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain.