The Man Who Sold the Brooklyn Bridge

Learn English Through Story

A con man from New York called George C. Parker "sold" the Brooklyn Bridge many times, but he never owned it. A con man tricks people to get their money.

This page tells a famous story from New York in easy English for learners, with a video, new words and a quiz.

Watch the video first. Then read the story, learn the new words, and take the quiz.

English level: A2 (Level 2)

Would You Buy the Brooklyn Bridge? A Famous Story in Easy English

Click Here for Step-by-Step Rules, Stories and Exercises to Practice All English Tenses

Next steps:

1. Read the story.

2. Learn the new words.

3. Take the quiz and check your answers.

4. Read the questions and answers.

Story Text

A cartoon man in a green coat talking to a man in a flat cap in front of the Brooklyn Bridge

A man in a green coat sold the Brooklyn Bridge. And the buyer paid him, in cash.

The bridge was famous, and thousands of people crossed it every day. So the man in the green coat printed papers that looked official, with stamps and big names.

Then he waited at the harbor, for people who had just arrived in America.

He said to one of them, "I own that bridge. But I am tired, and I want to sell it."

The buyer laughed and said, "A whole bridge, this cheap? I'm robbing you!" The man in the green coat just smiled.

But then the buyer got nervous. How do you make money from a bridge?

So the man in the green coat whispered, "Put a gate on it, and every person who crosses will pay you a coin." And the buyer relaxed.

You see, a liar tells you what you are buying. But a good liar tells you how rich you will be.

So now the buyer was sure, and he paid for the bridge. And the man in the green coat walked away with the money.

The next morning, the buyer started to build a little gate, in the middle of the bridge. And the police came.

He said, "This is my bridge. I bought it yesterday." And they told him, "Nobody can sell this bridge."

But the name on the paper was not real, so nobody could find the seller.

And across the city, a new ship was coming in, full of new people. The man in the green coat was waiting for them, to sell the bridge again.

New Words from the Story

to cross

to go from one side to the other side

From the story: The bridge was famous, and thousands of people crossed it every day.

official

from the government or from people in charge

From the story: So the man in the green coat printed papers that looked official, with stamps and big names.

a stamp

a mark that you press onto a paper with ink

From the story: So the man in the green coat printed papers that looked official, with stamps and big names.

harbor

a safe place by the sea where ships stop

From the story: Then he waited at the harbor, for people who had just arrived in America.

to arrive

to get to a place

From the story: Then he waited at the harbor, for people who had just arrived in America.

to rob

to take money or things from a person in a way that is not fair or not legal

From the story: A whole bridge, this cheap? I'm robbing you!

nervous

worried or afraid

From the story: But then the buyer got nervous.

to whisper

to speak very quietly

From the story: So the man in the green coat whispered, "Put a gate on it, and every person who crosses will pay you a coin."

a gate

a door in a fence or a wall, outside

From the story: The next morning, the buyer started to build a little gate, in the middle of the bridge.

a liar

a person who says things that are not true

From the story: You see, a liar tells you what you are buying.

Brooklyn Bridge Story Quiz

Choose the right answer. You will see at once if you are right.

1. Where does the story happen?

2. What did the man in the green coat print?

3. Where did he wait for a buyer?

4. Why did the buyer laugh?

5. How did the buyer plan to make money?

6. Why could nobody find the seller?

Questions and Answers

Who sold the Brooklyn Bridge?

George C. Parker "sold" the Brooklyn Bridge many times. He never owned it.

Is the story of the man who sold the Brooklyn Bridge true?

Yes, the main events are true. The spoken words, the green coat and the one buyer are part of our version.

Who was George C. Parker?

George C. Parker was a con man from New York City. He was born in 1860.

How did he trick people?

He used fake papers that said he owned the bridge. People believed him and paid him thousands of dollars.

Was the Brooklyn Bridge ever really for sale?

No, the Brooklyn Bridge was never really for sale. Parker did not own it.

What happened to George C. Parker?

In 1928, a court sent him to prison for life. He died in Sing Sing prison in 1937.

What does "I have a bridge to sell you" mean?

People say "I have a bridge to sell you" to someone who believes things too easily. It means they think that person is easy to trick.

Talk About It

Would you have believed the man in the green coat? Why, or why not?

Tell us in English in the comments under the video.

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