Students investigate a missing recipe book in a coastal café by reading clues, listening to witness statements, and comparing alibis. They also practice past simple, past continuous, and deduction language to explain what happened and build a final case report.
B1 Intermediate60 minutesEnglishTeacher
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1. Image
Welcome to Seabrook. Look at the café scene and notice any clues.
Teacher note: Welcome to Seabrook. Look at the café scene and notice any clues.
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2. Vocabulary
alibi
a reason and proof that you were somewhere else during a crime. *Example: Daniel said his alibi was washing pans in the kitchen.*
suspect
a person who may have done something wrong. *Example: Tomas became a suspect after he acted nervously.*
motive
the reason someone may have done the crime. *Example: A festival prize can be a strong motive.*
timeline
the order of events from start to finish. *Example: The team built a timeline from 5:30 to 6:15.*
clue
a piece of information that helps solve a mystery. *Example: A torn note was an important clue.*
contradiction
information that does not match another fact. *Example: Priya’s statement had a contradiction with the schedule.*
evidence
facts or objects that help prove something. *Example: The floor plan was useful evidence.*
missing
not there when you expect it to be. *Example: The recipe book was missing from the counter.*
stolen
taken illegally. *Example: The book was stolen before the festival.*
witness
a person who saw or heard something. *Example: Mia was the witness who noticed movement near the counter.*
recipe book
a book with cooking instructions. *Example: Mina’s recipe book contained the café’s best dishes.*
festival prize
the reward for winning a competition. *Example: The festival prize gave someone a clear reason to steal the book.*
must have
used to say something is very likely true. *Example: The thief must have known the café layout.*
might have
used to say something is possible. *Example: Tomas might have hidden the book near the back room.*
can’t have
used to say something is impossible. *Example: Daniel can’t have taken the book if he stayed in the kitchen.*
Teacher note: A focused investigation vocabulary set for the Seabrook café mystery, with simple B1-friendly definitions and examples tied to the missing recipe book.
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3. Text
Case File: Mina’s Lighthouse Café
The annual food festival in Seabrook begins tomorrow, and Mina’s Lighthouse Café has the best chance of winning the prize for the town’s signature dish. This morning, Mina opened the café and found something alarming: the handwritten recipe book was gone from the shelf behind the counter.
A few small details made the staff uneasy. The counter gate was not locked, a flour-covered footprint led toward the back corridor, and a torn corner of paper was found near the till. No one saw the book leave the café, but someone clearly had time, access, and a reason to act before the festival.
The first witness statements do not agree. One person says the kitchen door was open. Another says a staff member was near the storage shelf. A third mentions a quiet argument about the festival menu. For now, the team must build a timeline, compare the alibis, and decide which clue matters most.
Context note: In a whodunit, an alibi is the explanation a person gives for where they were when something happened.
Discussion questions
Which detail seems most useful at first: the footprint, the torn paper, or the open gate? Why?
What kind of person would care most about the recipe book before a food festival?
Teacher note: Short reading that sets up the café mystery, the festival deadline, and two early clues for the investigation.
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Listen carefully to the witness statement. Focus on the time, where people were, and any unusual details. Then answer the questions below.
What time does Mia mention?
Where was Mia working when she noticed the activity?
Who did she see near the service area?
What was one person doing near the entrance?
What detail suggests someone was behaving strangely?
What happened a few minutes later?
What does Mia say she did not see?
Tip: Listen for location words, time expressions, and actions in progress.
Teacher audio script
Mia: I was clearing the tables by the front window at about six o'clock. The café was already busy because the food festival had started early. I noticed Daniel in the kitchen, carrying plates toward the service area. Priya was near the entrance, checking the order sheet with a supplier. Tomas came in for a quick coffee, but he kept turning around and watching the room. A few minutes later, I went back to the counter and saw that the recipe book was gone. I did not see anyone leave the café with it.
Teacher note: Listening clip with one witness describing activity near the café entrance and counter; students identify time, people, unusual behavior, and what was not seen.
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Listen to the witness statement and choose the best answer for each question.
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Where was Mia when she noticed the unusual activity?
2.
Who did Mia see in the kitchen area?
3.
Who was Mia speaking to near the entrance?
4.
What detail did Mia mention about the timing?
Teacher note: Four multiple-choice questions check the first witness statement: where Mia was, who she saw, who was with the delivery driver, and the key timing detail.
Answer key (teachers only)
Students do not see this. Each line is the expected answer for that item.
Q1A. By the window tables
Q2A. Daniel
Q3C. A delivery driver
Q4B. It happened at about six o'clock
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Listen carefully to the short conversation. Focus on the time, where each person was working, and what is said about the back room and Tomas’s story.
After listening, answer the questions below:
What time does Priya mention first?
Where was Daniel working when the book went missing?
What detail shows that the back room was not completely closed?
What does Tomas say he was doing at the counter?
Which part of Tomas’s account sounds doubtful?
What can you infer about who had access to the back room?
Teacher audio script
Priya: At half past five, Daniel was setting up the dessert tray in the kitchen, and I was sorting the festival orders in the office. Tomas arrived a little after six and stood near the counter for a few minutes.
Daniel: I was washing pans when it happened, and I stayed in the kitchen the whole time.
Priya: The back room door was open for part of the evening, but only staff were allowed inside.
Daniel: Tomas said he was just buying coffee, but he kept looking toward the shelves and he left very quickly.
Priya: Yes, and that is strange, because he told me he was waiting for a friend outside.
Daniel: So his story does not match.
Priya: Exactly. We need to check the timeline again.
Teacher note: A two-person listening scene about the staff schedule and access to the back room, with a small contradiction in Tomas’s account for learners to catch.
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At 5:45, Priya ___ the festival invoices in the office.
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While the customers were talking near the counter, Daniel ___ plates in the kitchen.
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The recipe book ___ on the shelf because Mina found the shelf empty five minutes earlier.
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Tomas ___ a coffee when Mia saw him by the front door.
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The back room light was on, so someone ___ inside recently.
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Daniel said he ___ the sink when the alarm started.
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Mina heard footsteps in the hallway, but she ___ anyone leave the café.
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The torn note was under the sugar jar, so the thief ___ it there by accident.
Teacher note: Grammar practice for the Seabrook mystery: learners choose between past simple, past continuous, and deduction modals in eight B1-level multiple-choice items.
Answer key (teachers only)
Students do not see this. Each line is the expected answer for that item.
Q1B. was checking
Q2B. was washing
Q3C. can’t have been
Q4B. was buying
Q5A. must have been
Q6B. was cleaning
Q7C. didn’t see
Q8B. might have hidden
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Class speaking activity — read, then practise aloud with your teacher or partner
Team Investigation: Who Looks Most Suspicious?
Work in pairs or small groups. Use the witness statement, the floor plan, and the staff schedule to build your case. Your goal is to decide which suspect looks most suspicious and explain your reasoning clearly.
Step 1: Compare the facts
Take turns answering these prompts:
What was each person doing when the book disappeared?
Which places in the café seem important for the theft?
Which detail from the evidence does not fit a story or alibi?
What does the timeline show about the moment of the theft?
Step 2: Test the alibis
Discuss each suspect one by one:
Daniel: What was he doing, and does his story fit the evidence?
Priya: Where was she, and is there anything unusual in her account?
Tomas: What makes his movements interesting or doubtful?
Step 3: Make deductions
Use these sentence starters in your discussion:
He / she must have ...
He / she might have ...
He / she can’t have ...
That could be a contradiction because ...
The strongest evidence is ...
The alibi is weak / strong because ...
Step 4: Reach a team verdict
Choose one suspect and explain:
why you think this person is the most suspicious
which two clues support your decision
which detail is the biggest contradiction
Useful speaking challenge
If another student disagrees, ask for proof:
What makes you say that?
Which clue supports your idea?
How does that fit the timeline?
Can you show me the evidence on the floor plan?
Final speaking task
Give a 30-second team conclusion to the class: name your suspect, describe the motive, and say what you think happened in the café.
Teacher note: Pair and group speaking task for comparing alibis, spotting contradictions, and making a justified accusation using deduction language.
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Match each clue to the suspect or place it supports.
Column A
Column B
Teacher note: Matching task for the Seabrook café mystery: learners connect six clue phrases to the correct suspect or location using simple evidence-based language.
Answer key (teachers only)
Students do not see this. Each line is the expected answer for that item.
1. Was polishing glasses in the office area →Priya
2. Stayed by the counter after six o'clock →Tomas
3. Was cleaning pans in the kitchen →Daniel
4. The book was gone from here →counter
5. Staff paperwork was checked here →office
6. The open storage area behind the café →back room
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Students write a short detective case report about the Seabrook café mystery. They must name the most likely culprit, explain the motive, describe at least two clues, and use past simple, past continuous, and deduction language such as must have, might have, and can’t have. Keep the tone clear and adult-friendly.
Aim for at least 70 words.
Teacher note: Students write a short detective case report about the Seabrook café mystery, naming the likely culprit, motive, and evidence with clear past tense and deduction language.
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Record a voice message of 45–90 seconds as if you are reporting your conclusion to Mina, the café owner.
In your message:
say who you think took the recipe book
explain the motive
mention two pieces of evidence from the investigation
use deduction language such as must have, might have, and can’t have
speak in complete sentences and try to sound clear and confident
Tip: Organise your message like a mini case report: verdict, motive, evidence, and final conclusion.
Tap to record
Up to 90 seconds
Teacher note: Students deliver a short spoken accusation, naming the suspect, the motive, and two key pieces of evidence with clear deduction language.
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The recipe book was taken by Tomas. He had a clear motive: winning the festival prize for his own bakery. The evidence points to him because he was near the counter at the right time, and his story does not fully fit the timeline. He said he left quickly, but the witness noticed movement toward the back of the café. That means he must have known where to hide the book. He might have used the busy counter area to distract staff, but he can’t have left the café empty-handed in front of everyone.
The book was hidden in a surprising place: inside the dry-goods cupboard behind the sugar bags. Mina found it there later, wrapped in a tea towel.
Grammar in the report
Past simple: for finished actions — Tomas took the book.
Past continuous: for actions in progress — Mia was clearing tables when she noticed the movement.
Deduction modals: for logical conclusions — He must have planned it. / He might have waited for the right moment. / He can’t have expected Mina to check the cupboard first.
Quick discussion
·Which clue was the strongest proof?
·What contradiction made Tomas look guilty?
·Why was the hiding place clever?
·How would you explain the verdict in one sentence?
Teacher note: Closing reveal text for the Seabrook café mystery, confirming the culprit, motive, and hiding place with a brief evidence-based summary and a few discussion questions.
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