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150 ESL Conversation Starters and Questions (The Essential List)

Do you want your students to be excited to speak with you in English?

Do you want to make sure you always know where the conversation is going and what to say next?

You need engaging content, interesting conversation starters, and questions that really reel them in.

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This list of 150 ESL conversation starters will give you everything you need to make sure you always have something interesting to talk about and never run out of things to say!

150 ESL conversation starters essential list for lessons

Why Every Teacher Needs a List of Starters

Conversation topics for adults and teens, conversation topics for kids, conversation topics for beginners, weird and funny conversation starters, controversial conversations topics, additional tips for your conversation lessons, final thoughts.

If you want to improve your student’s speaking ability you need to master the art of conversation. You need to know how to get your students speaking , move the conversation forward, provide feedback and make it all feel natural. You also need engaging topics and that is where this guide comes in.

One of the problems that can face a teacher is knowing what to talk about. What do you do when you’ve finished talking about work, the weather and then realise that only 5 minutes have passed!

This guide has everything you need to make sure you never run out of topics and most importantly you always have something interesting to say.

It is a good idea to pick a particular topic for a class (or even have your student pick if you want more engagement from them). Once you have that topic then move through the questions, trying to get as much from each one as possible. 

Browse our ESL teacher resources section for more tips and printable lesson materials.

Adults and teens usually know more about advanced topics than children (politics, religion, etc.) That being said, knowing more on these topics doesn’t necessarily translate to being able to speak about these things easily so don’t assume they can do everything. Be aware of your student’s level and be prepared to reframe a question if they are struggling to understand. 

  • Where do you work?
  • Do you enjoy your job?
  • Do you use English for your job?
  • Tell me about your last job.
  • What do you think is the most difficult job in the world?
  • What do you think is the easiest job in the world?
  • Where would you work if you could pick any job?
  • Would you still work if you won the lottery?
  • Do you think robots will replace all of the jobs in the future?
  • Which kind of job should have the highest salary?

In this post, you’ll get 20 topics and activities for Business English lessons.

  • Do you listen to music?
  • When did you start listening to music?
  • Do you play a musical instrument?
  • What do you think the future of music will be like?
  • If you could meet any musician, who would it be?
  • Why do people like music?
  • If you could erase a musical genre, which would it be?
  • Do you think musical success comes from working hard or luck?
  • What was the first album you bought?
  • Have you ever downloaded music illegally?
  • What is a holiday?
  • Do you often go on holiday?
  • Where did you last go on holiday?
  • Where would you like to go on holiday next?
  • Do you prefer relaxing or having an adventure on your holiday?
  • Is it weird to go on holiday by yourself?
  • What is the best food you’ve eaten while on holiday?
  • Can you imagine what holidays 500 years ago were like?
  • Would you like to go on holiday to space?
  • What do you think the future of the holidays will be like?
  • What is technology?
  • What do you think of when you hear the word ‘technology’?
  • How has technology changed in the past?
  • How has technology changed your life?
  • Could you live without technology?
  • Find the full list of technology questions here

In order to engage a child in conversation, you have to enter their world. What is fun for them? What do they like to do? Using words/phrases like “wow”, “That sounds tasty”, “Awesome” can show you are listening to them and make things more fun which will get them saying more!

  • Do you have a pet?
  • What do you think pets do in the day?
  • What do pets eat?
  • Are cats better or dogs?
  • What is the best name for a pet?
  • Would you like a pet spider?
  • Would you like to be an animal? Which one?
  • Why do we have pets?
  • Do you prefer cute or fun pets?
  • What is the best present for a pet?
  • Do you like school?
  • What is your favourite subject?
  • What is your least favourite subject?
  • Who is your favourite teacher?
  • Why do people have to go to school?
  • Do you like homework?
  • What would you do if you were the headteacher?
  • How could schools be more fun?
  • How long are the summer holidays?
  • Can you learn and have fun at the same time?
  • What is your favourite movie?
  • Who is your favourite character?
  • Who is your least favourite character?
  • Do you like disney movies?
  • What was the last movie you saw at the cinema?
  • How often do you watch movies?
  • Do you wish you could live in a movie?
  • Why do you watch movies?
  • Do you prefer reading books or movies?
  • Do you watch any movies in English?

Keeping the topics simple for beginners is a must at the start. Talking about their hobbies and family can help as these are areas they may have already experience in talking about. If a student is really struggling then giving them phrases to use such as “I like …” can help get the ball rolling.

  • What do you like to do?
  • Do you do any sports?
  • What types of movie do you like?
  • Do you play video games?
  • What do you usually do with friends?
  • Is learning English a hobby or work?
  • Do you have any unusual hobbies?
  • Do you have enough time for your hobbies?
  • What is a common hobby?
  • What do you think is a boring hobby?
  • Do you live with your family?
  • How many people are in your family?
  • Are you close with your family?
  • How often do you see your family?
  • What do you do with your family when you see them?
  • Is your family important to you?
  • Which is more important, friends or family?
  • Who is the weirdest person in your family?
  • Are families less important nowadays than in the past?
  • What would happen if we didn’t have families?
  • Where do you live?
  • What is there to do in your city?
  • What is your place like?
  • What is your neighbourhood like?
  • Are there any parks near where you live?
  • Have you ever lived elsewhere?
  • How many rooms does your place have?
  • If you moved, where would you like to live?
  • Would you prefer to live in the city or country?
  • Would you like to live abroad?

Use information gap activities to help your students practice speaking: read our guide.

Nobody wants to speak about the same mundane topics, especially if they’re an advanced student. Being able to mix it up is a great attribute to have as a teacher. Not only will you have memorable lessons with these conversation starters but it will really test the ability of the students to think about topics they aren’t used to (instead of rolling off easy answers about familiar topics.)

Zombie Apocalypse Plan

  • What is your zombie apocalypse plan?
  • Who would you take with you?
  • What would be your weapon of choice?
  • What would you do if a friend got bitten by a zombie?
  • What would you do if you got bitten by a zombie?
  • What food would you take with you?
  • Do you think governments should have a zombie apocalypse plan?
  • Do you think everyone should have a zombie apocalypse plan?
  • Is a zombie outbreak a likely scenario?
  • Why do you think there are so many movies and TV series based on zombies?

Superpowers

  • If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
  • What do you think is the weirdest superpower in comic books?
  • Are some superpowers too powerful?
  • Would you like a superpower where you could turn things into gold by touching them?
  • What is the weakest superpower in a comic book?
  • Have we already seen every kind of superpower possible in a comic book?
  • Are there some people in the real world that have superpowers? (doctors etc)
  • Would you like a superpower where you could turn things into chocolate?
  • Would it be better to be super strong or super smart?
  • Would you like the power to travel through time?
  • If you were granted 3 wishes what would they be?
  • Is wishing for more wishes cheating?
  • Should there be any other rules for people granted wishes?
  • Have you seen any movies with a magic lamp?
  • Do you think there is a better object that could house a genie?
  • Why are we interested in stories of people having wishes?
  • Have any of your wishes come true in real life?
  • Do you make a wish when you blow out the candles on a cake?
  • Is it bad luck to tell someone what your wish is when blowing out the candles?
  • What other ways do people make wishes?

These are topics that you need to be careful with and use your judgement based on the student’s background. You need to wait until you know a student to find out what material is appropriate for them. That being said, If used correctly, then these can be really interesting and get the student thinking about “real issues”. 

Death Penalty

  • What do you think about the death penalty?
  • Do you know which countries still use the death penalty?
  • Why do you think some countries use the death penalty?
  • Do you know of any famous executions?
  • Should the death penalty be outlawed?
  • If we removed the death penalty then what punishment should replace it?
  • What is the most humane form of execution?
  • What would your “last meal” be?
  • Does the fear of the death penalty reduce crime?
  • How has execution changed over the years?
  • What is abortion?
  • Should abortion be legal?
  • Why do you think some people are “pro choice”?
  • Why do you think some people are “pro life”?
  • What do you think of abortion in cases where the baby was conceived due to rape?
  • What do you think of abortion in cases where the Mother’s life is in danger (due to being pregnant)?
  • Should the father “get a say” in the matter of abortion?
  • What advice would you give to a family member who was thinking of getting an abortion?
  • Should people be allowed to protest against abortion?
  • What do you think the future laws on abortion will be?
  • What is corruption?
  • Is there corruption in your country?
  • Why does corruption exist?
  • Would you consider taking a bribe?
  • Would you consider offering a bribe?
  • Are some types of corruption better than others?
  • Which countries have the most corruption?
  • Which countries have the least corruption?
  • Are there any stories of corruption that you can remember?
  • Is it possible to get rid of corruption entirely?

Get a list of 110 “Would you rather” questions for your conversation lessons.

Here are some additional tips to make sure your students are getting the most out of their conversation lessons and will be excited about coming back for more. Some of these will take time to internalize and get right but be aware of them and experiment to get them just right.

Don’t feel like you have to stick rigidly to the list of conversation starters. If a question takes you down a different conversational thread then go with it. The important thing is that the student is talking, you can always return to “the script” later.

Correcting a student immediately can often be useful, but in conversation, it can really kill the flow as well as a student’s confidence if done too often. A good idea is to make notes of any major problems and then mention them after a particular section instead. On top of this, try not to interrupt a student once they are speaking. For each answer, try to milk everything out of them that you can before you have “your turn to speak”.

As well as the frequency of correction, consider the amount being corrected. Don’t feel like you have to correct EVERYTHING. Especially if a student is starting out and is a bit nervous. Pick a few problems areas and focus on that, if you mention too many things at once it can be overwhelming and can really lower a student’s confidence.

Be strict when a student gives you short answers. If a student gives you an answer like “yes” then force more out of them with “yes… because” or “no… but”. The idea is to get them using the language more.

Try to inject some personality when using these ESL conversation topics. It should feel more like a conversation rather than a robot giving an interview.

Some students will struggle with certain subjects as they just don’t know enough about the topic. If it’s a bit of a challenge then push through but if they can’t even talk about a topic in their native language then it may be an idea to move on to another subject.

Allowing a student to pick a topic can be a great way of engaging them more. This also has the added benefit of helping a younger student (such as a teenager) feel more empowered as they can make their own decisions.

Get 18 statesman tips on giving great conversation for teens and adults in this post.

There you have it!

All you need to make sure you never run out of things to say. Get these printed out as your go-to cheat sheets and bookmark this page so you can easily come back to them for future classes.

Hopefully, these ESL conversation starters and questions will spark your own ideas for topics you can use in class. If you are teaching one-to-one, you could even write niche topics especially for that student’s interests (e.g skateboarding, knitting or chess).

Remember, match the topics to the student’s level, keep it fun and once they start talking don’t get in the way!

3 thoughts on “150 ESL Conversation Starters and Questions (The Essential List)”

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Very interesting! Thank you.

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This is very useful for our speaking club. Thank you.

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Glad to hear, enjoy! :)

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ESL Speaking

Games + Activities to Try Out Today!

in Activities for Adults · Activities for Kids

20 Questions ESL Speaking Game | 20 Questions ESL Students

If you’re looking for a fun, simple ESL game that focuses on yes/no questions and answers, try out the 20 questions game. You can play the regular version, or adapt the game 20 questions to suit the age and level of students.

twenty questions

20 questions ESL speaking game

I’m sure you’ve played the game “20 questions” before. Someone thinks of a secret noun (person, place or thing) and the other team or person gets to ask up to 20 questions to figure out what it is. It’s a fun way to get ESL/EFL students practicing questions and working on some basic vocabulary.

For kids, I often narrow down the choices for them and sometimes will allow fewer questions. Perhaps 10 questions instead of 20. This is because it can get kind of boring with so many questions because each round takes so long. Also, for simple topics like animals, 10 questions is a nice challenge but 20 is far too easy.

Some topic examples that work well for 20 questions include animals , jobs or sports . It just depends on whatever you’re teaching in class that day.

20 Questions for ESL Students

Skills: Speaking/Listening Time: 20 minutes Level: Beginner-advanced Materials Required: Nothing

This is a “20 questions” style game, based on whatever you’re studying (Animals/Jobs, etc). For advanced students, you could just leave it open and use this as a bit of warm-up at the beginning of class instead of as a review activity.

In groups, the students ask the teacher a yes/no question. After the teacher gives the answer, the students can have one chance to guess the secret thing. Play a few rounds and the team with the most points is the winner.

The traditional way is that a guess counts as an answer in this question game. So you can either ask a question or guess what it is. The way you play is up to you and depends on the age and level of the students.

You can also have students take turns being the one with the “secret.” This is actually a bit better because it’s more student-centred. Students have to listen well, instead of just focusing on asking the questions. I usually make the student quickly tell me their secret thing so that I can assist if necessary and keep the game on track.

Overall, it’s an excellent way for students to practice asking questions in English. Just be sure that students are actually making sentences!

3 Rules for ESL 20 Questions Game

I put in a few rules that make things go more smoothly:

  • A guess counts as a “question” if you choose to play it this way. This prevents random guesses which don’t make the game very fun. Or, you can also play it where the team gets one question, and then one guess.
  • The team or person must use a full sentence to ask a question.
  • The questions have to be Yes/No ones.
  • For children, emphasize that they must tell the truth at all times! And, also they should choose something that everyone knows, instead of some obscure, random thing.

20-questions-game-questions

20 questions game for adults ESL

ESL Questions Game: Good for a Big Class?

This activity is ideal for small classes of up to 8 students. This way, everyone can play together.

However, if you have a very large class, divide the students up into smaller groups and have them play with each other. I find that groups of 4-6 work best for this.

Make sure you let your students know that you can help them if necessary. For example, if a student gets a question but they’re not sure about whether they should answer yes or no.

As a further requirement, you can have students take turns asking questions so that everyone gets a chance to work on their English speaking. If the students asking questions use up their 20 questions (or 10), then the person with the secret thing gets a point.

How to Adapt the Twenty Questions Game for ESL/EFL

Adapting the 20 Questions game for English as a Second Language (ESL) learners can be a fun and effective way to practice language skills. Here are some tips on how to do it:

Simplify Language

Use simpler language in your questions and answers. Avoid complex sentence structures and vocabulary that might be challenging for ESL learners.

Provide Examples

Before starting the game, give examples of questions they could ask. For instance, “Is it a person?”, “Can you find it in a house?”, etc.

Encourage Vocabulary Building

Choose categories that align with the ESL learners’ vocabulary level or the current lesson’s theme. This will help them practice words and phrases related to that topic.

Use Visual Aids

Consider using pictures or flashcards to accompany the object being guessed. Visual aids can help reinforce the understanding of the word.

Allow Extra Questions

If necessary, you could give learners a few more than 20 questions to work with, especially if they’re just getting used to the game.

Promote Group Discussions

Encourage learners to discuss possible questions in small groups before asking the official question. This can help them brainstorm and gain confidence.

Provide Feedback

After each round, discuss the questions and answers. Explain any mistakes or offer alternative phrasing to help them improve.

Practice Different Grammatical Structures

Incorporate different grammar structures into the questions. For example, “Does it have…?”, “Is it…ing?”, “Can it…?” This way, learners can practice various sentence forms.

Start with Familiar Topics

Begin with topics that are familiar to the learners, such as animals, colors, food, etc. This can make the game less intimidating.

Model Correct Pronunciation

While playing, pay attention to the learners’ pronunciation and provide correct models if needed.

Incorporate Review

If you’re teaching specific vocabulary or grammar concepts, choose objects related to those concepts to provide additional practice.

Rotate Roles

Have different learners take turns being the guesser and the one providing answers. This gives everyone a chance to practice both asking questions and responding.

Vary Difficulty Levels

Depending on the learners’ proficiency, you can adjust the difficulty of the objects being guessed. Start with easier objects and gradually introduce more challenging ones.

More ESL Activities

101 ESL Activities: For Teachers of Kids (6-13) Who Want to Have Fun, Engaging and Interactive...

  • Amazon Kindle Edition
  • Smith, Jennifer Booker (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 134 Pages - 03/31/2016 (Publication Date)

If you like this ESL question game, here’s something you need to check out.

You’re going to love this book over on Amazon : 101 ESL Activities: For Kids (6-13). It’ll be easier than ever to plan fun, engaging and interesting English lessons for your elementary or middle school kids.

The key to happy students is varied, challenging and interesting games and activities. This book will help you do that while making your lesson planning easier at the same time.

The good news is that the book is available on Amazon in both print and digital formats. The (cheaper!) digital copy can be read on any device by downloading the free Kindle reading app.

Keep a copy on your office bookshelf. Have a copy on your phone for lesson planning on the go.

You can check out the book for yourself over on Amazon, but only if you want to make your life easier:

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Game 20 Questions FAQs

There are a number of common questions that people have about the game twenty questions. Here are the answers to some of the most popular ones.

What is the 20 Questions game?

It’s a guessing game where one person thinks of an object, and the other players have 20 yes-or-no questions to figure out what it is.

How many questions do players get?

Players get 20 questions to guess the object.

Can the questions be more complex than yes or no?

No, only yes/no questions are allowed in the twenty-question game.

What happens if the guess is correct?

If the guess is correct, the game ends, and the guesser wins.

What if the guess is incorrect after 20 questions?

If the guess isn’t correct after 20 questions, the guesser loses, and the object holder wins.

Can players repeat questions?

Players can’t repeat the exact same question, but they can ask similar ones.

Is there a time limit for each question?

There’s usually no strict time limit, but the game should progress at a reasonable pace.

Can the object be anything in the world?

Yes, the object can be anything that the players can ask yes-or-no questions about.

Is it better to ask broad or specific questions?

It’s often better to start with broader questions and narrow down as more information is gathered.

Can the object holder give hints?

No, the object holder can only answer “yes” or “no.”

Is this game suitable for any age group?

Yes, it can be adapted for various age groups and levels of difficulty.

Is the game limited to physical objects?

No, the game can also involve concepts, places, animals, and more.

What’s the strategy for being a good guesser?

Start with broad categories and then ask questions that help eliminate possibilities.

Can the object be fictional, like from a book or movie?

Yes, the object can be fictional or real.

Is the game competitive or cooperative?

It can be played both competitively and cooperatively, depending on the group’s preference.

Are gestures or charades allowed?

Typically, gestures and charades aren’t allowed; the game relies on verbal questions.

Is the game more about deduction or luck?

The game heavily involves deduction and logical thinking rather than luck.

Have your Say about 20 Questions

What do you think about this ESL speaking and listening activity? Leave a comment below and let us know.

Oh, and don’t forget to share this on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest.

Last update on 2024-02-01 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

esl activities questions

About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 15 years to students in South Korea and Canada. She's taught all ages, levels and kinds of TEFL classes. She holds an MA degree, along with the Celta and Delta English teaching certifications.

Jackie is the author of more than 100 books for English teachers and English learners, including 101 ESL Activities for Teenagers and Adults and 1001 English Expressions and Phrases . She loves to share her ESL games, activities, teaching tips, and more with other teachers throughout the world.

You can find her on social media at: YouTube Facebook TikTok Pinterest Instagram

esl activities questions

Love the idea of using this game for ESL students too with a few adaptations for lower-level students!

esl activities questions

Love the idea of turning this game into an ESL version. Or, just playing the regular way with more advanced level students.

esl activities questions

I do twenty questions with a few objects in a bag. One student selects an object and the others ask questions.

As a warm-up I might put an example out and ask them to write all the words they can think of to describe the object (ball of string, toy car, comb, earring etc). Useful for eliciting adjectives and correcting spelling.

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Kitchen Vocabulary Memory Game for ESL Practice

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Jobs Vocabulary Memory Game for ESL, EFL Learning

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Insects Vocabulary, ESL, Memory Game, mosquito, cockroach, bug, fly, bee, caterpillar

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Halloween Costumes ESL Vocabulary Memory Game

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Halloween Vocabulary ESL Memory Game - Ghost, Mask, Pumpkin

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Furniture Vocabulary Memory Game for ESL Practice

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Fruits Vocabulary Memory Game for ESL

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Fast Food ESL Vocabulary Memory Game - Hamburger, bread, hot dog

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Drinks Vocabulary Memory Game for ESL Learning and Teaching

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Days of the Week ESL Vocabulary Game

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Christmas ESL Vocabulary Memory Game - Christmas Tree Decorations

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Christmas Vocabulary Memory Game for ESL

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Countries ESL Vocabulary Memory Game with Flags - Medium

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Countries ESL Vocabulary Memory Game with Flags - Low

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Colors Vocabulary ESL Memory Game

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Clothes Vocabulary ESL Memory Game

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Body Parts ESL Vocabulary Memory Game

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Memory Game on Bird Vocabulary for ESL

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Birds Vocabulary ESL Memory Game

Crocodile board games for esl teaching and student practice, crocodile games.

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Time and Daily Routines ESL Interactive Board Game

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School Supplies ESL Interactive Vocabulary Crocodile Board Game

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Numbers 1 - 100 Vocabulary Sentences ESL Vocabulary and Grammar Interactive Crocodile Board Game

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Numbers one to ten ESL Vocabulary Croc Board Game

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Jobs, Places ESL Interactive Vocabulary Practice Board Game

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Fruits Vocabulary ESL Vocabulary Crocodile Board Game

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Food, Drinks Vocabulary ESL Vocabulary Crocodile Board Game

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Farm Animals Vocabulary ESL Interactive Crocodile Board Game

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Colors Vocabulary Crocodile Board Game

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Clothes and Colors ESL Vocabulary ESL Crocodile Board Game

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Body Parts Board Game for ESL Practice

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Bedroom Vocabulary ESL Interactive Crocodile Board Game

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Bathroom Vocabulary ESL Vocabulary, Interactive Crocodile Board Game

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Adjectives Antonyms Opposites ESL Vocabulary Crocodile Board Game

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Action Verbs, Noun Collocations ESL Vocabulary, Grammar Interactive Crocodile Board Game

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ESL Vegetables Vocabulary Interactive Crocodile Board Game

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Weather Vocabulary ESL Interactive Crocodile Board Game

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Comparatives and Superlatives, Zoo Animals Vocabulary, Grammar ESL Interactive Board Game

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How old are you, Age,ESL Interactive Crocodile Board Game

Sentence, grammar games & activities for esl classroom teaching, monkey games.

question-words-kangaroo

Question Words - What, where, Who, why, when, which, how, Grammar Activity

am-is-aux-verb-kangaroo

Verb - to be- Auxiliary Verb, am, is, are, ESL Grammar Activity

verbs-followed-by-prepositions-kangaroo

Verbs Followed by Prepositions, ESL Grammar Activity Online

time-words-kangaroo

Learn words and expressions of time, ESL Grammar Activity

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Time, Daily Routines Expressions, ESL Grammar Sentence Activity

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Food Partitives, Expressions of Quantity, a slice of, a piece of, ESL Grammar Activity

public-signs-basketball

Public Signs, Imperative Form and Sentences ESL Grammar Activity Online

present-progressive-race

Present Progressive Tense Use, Continuous, ESL Grammar Fun Game Online

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Prepositions Review ESL Grammar Activity Online

prepositions-of-place-basketball

Prepositions of Place ESL Fun Game Online, Grammar Practice

prepositions-of-time-kangaroo

Prepositions of Time, ESL Grammar Interactive Game

preposition-noun-collocation-kangaroo

Prepositions Nouns Collocations, by hand, on foot, by chance, ESL Fun Game Online

prepositions-high2-kangaroo

Prepositions,to,of, for, since, with, in, by, ESL Grammar Fun Activity

prepositions-high1-kangaroo

Prepositions, for, since, with, in, by, ESL Grammar Fun Game

past-simple-kangaroo

Past Simple, Irregular Verbs, ESL Grammar Interactive Activity Online

past-progressive-past-simple-kangaroo

Past Progressive, Past Continuous, Past Simple, Verb Tenses, ESL Grammar Interactive Activity

passive-voice-famousppl-race

Passive Voice, Past Passive, ESL Grammar Sentence Activity Fun Game Online

months-baker

Months and Ordinal Numbers ESL Vocabulary Game Activity Online

health-advice-basketball

Modal Verb 'Should', 'Shouldn't' for Giving Advice on Health Problems, ESL Grammar Activity

comparatives-zoo-kangaroo

Comparatives, Superlatives, Wild, Zoo Animals Vocabulary, Grammar, Interactive Monkey Fun Activity

comparatives-superlatives-geo-baker

Comparatives,Superlatives ESL Grammar, Nature, World Geography Vocabulary Fun Game

adjectives-prepositions-kangaroo

Adjectives Followed by Prepositions Sentences, ESL Grammar Fun Game

adjectives-easy-baker

Adjectives and Antonyms Sentences ESL Interactive Fun Game

actions-present-simple-tense-sentence-monkey

Present Simple Tense Action Verbs Interactive Monkey Game

Spelling games for esl teaching and student practice, spelling games.

esl activities questions

Practice Space, Planets, Solar System Vocabulary, Comparative, Superlatives Grammar ESL Hangman

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Places Vocabulary Hangman Game for ESL Vocabulary Practice

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Places Around ESL Vocabulary Interactive Hangman Game

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What's it made of? Passive Voice, Product Materials ESL Hangman

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Irregular Verbs Interactive Hangman Game for ESL Grammar

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Practice Irregular Verbs in the Past Simple, ESL Interactive Hangman

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Countries and Capitals ESL Hangman Game

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Adverbs of Frequency Hangman Spelling Game for ESL, EFL Practice

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Weather, Clothes Vocabulary Spelling Activity for ESL Practice

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Countries, Nationalities ESL Interactive Spelling Exercise Online

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Countries, Nationalities ESL Interactive Spelling Activity Online

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Jobs Vocabulary Spelling Exercise Online for ESL

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Learn to Spell Vocabulary Related to Jobs, doctor, Dentist, Chef , ESL Spelling Activity Online

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Irregular Past Simple, Spelling Activity Online for ESL

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Irregular Past Tense Verbs Spelling Activity Online

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Learn to Spell Names of Farm Animals, ESL Interactive Spelling Exercise Online

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Disasters Vocabulary Spelling Activity Online for ESL

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ESL Vocabulary, Countries, Capitals, Spelling Activity Online

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Spell Names of Countries and Capitals, ESL Interactive Drag and Drop Spelling Exercise Online

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Countries and Capitals Drag and Drop Spelling Game for ESL

Connector & matching games for esl teaching and student practice, connector games.

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Verbs Synonyms ESL Vocabulary Matching Game

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Practice Verb Opposites Vocabulary, ESL Matching Game

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Verb Opposites ESL Vocabulary Matching Game

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Countries, Capitals Vocabulary ESL Connector Matching Game

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Countries and Capitals ESL Matching Game

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Adjectives Opposites Antonyms, Synonyms ESL Connector Matching Game

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Adjectives Opposites antonyms ESL Matching Game 4

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Adjectives Opposites ESL Matching Game 3

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Practice Adjectives Opposites, Synonyms, ESL Matching Game

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Practice Adjectives Opposites ESL Connector Matching Game

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Adjectives, Extreme Form, ESL Vocabulary Interactive Matching Activity Online

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Adjectives Synonyms ESL Matching Activity, Connector Game

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100 ESL Games | Ready-To-Use ESL Activities For Your Class

Welcome to our ESL Games page, where you can find many games for teaching English. These ESL games are great for teaching English both in the classroom and online to kids and beginner English language learners. Our ESL games are absolutely FREE! Simply show them from this website or from our YouTube Channel. See below for all the latest ESL games available. And don’t forget to check out our other FREE resources including,  Flashcards ,  Board Games ,  Worksheets ,  Lesson Plans , and  PowerPoint Games .

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All ESL Games

Below you will find over 100 free ESL games on many different topics for kids and beginner English language learners. Browse through the games below, which are arranged alphabetically, or search our whole site for resources.

  • Action Verbs Game
  • Alphabet and Phonics Games – A to Z
  • Alphabet And Phonics Games – The Phonics Train Game
  • Animals – ‘What Am I? Quiz’
  • Animals Vocabulary Game
  • Animals Hidden Picture Game
  • Animals – How Many..?
  • Animals – Farm Animals Guessing Game
  • Animals – Sea Animals Guessing Game
  • Animals – Pet’s Guessing Game
  • Bathroom Vocabulary Game
  • Bedroom Vocabulary Game
  • Body Parts Game For Kids
  • Choose Your Gift Game – Adjectives
  • Christmas Game – Guess The Christmas Food
  • Christmas Game – How Many Snowmen?
  • Christmas Telepathy Game
  • Christmas Quiz – ‘What Am I?’
  • Christmas Vocabulary Game
  • Classroom Objects Game
  • Clothes Vocabulary Game For Kids
  • Clothes Guessing Game
  • Color Games For Kids
  • Compound Words Game – Guess The Emoji
  • Countries – Guess The Country From The Food
  • Countries – Guess The Country From The Picture
  • Countries – Guess The Country From The Map
  • Daily Routine Activity
  • Describing Appearance Game – Draw A Monster
  • Directions Games
  • Easter Game For Kids
  • Emoji Game – Spot The Odd One Out
  • Family Members Game
  • Feelings And Emotions Game
  • Food – Guessing Game 1
  • Food – Guessing Game 2
  • Food – Top Five Quiz
  • Food – ‘What Am I?’ Quiz
  • Fruit And Vegetables Guessing Game
  • Future Tense Activity
  • Hangman Alternative – Save The Teacher
  • Halloween Find The Odd One Out Game
  • Halloween Guessing Game
  • Halloween Game – Pass The Pumpkin
  • Hobbies and Interests Game
  • ‘How Much Is It?’ Game 1
  • ‘How Much Is It?’ Game 2
  • ‘How Often Do You…? – Adverbs Of Frequency Game
  • Idioms Guessing Game
  • Jobs – ‘What Am I?’ Quiz
  • Jobs Vocabulary Game
  • Jobs And Occupations Guessing Game
  • Jobs Telepathy Game
  • July 4th Game
  • Kitchen Vocabulary Game
  • Living Room Vocabulary Game
  • Logo Quiz – Odd One Out
  • Magic E Words Game
  • Musical Instruments Quiz – Guess The Instrument From The Sound
  • New Year’s Resolutions Game
  • Opposite Words Game
  • Parts Of The House Vocabulary Game
  • Past Tense Game – Mystery Box
  • Past Tense Irregular Verbs Game
  • Past Tense Regular Verbs Game
  • Person Place Or Thing Quiz
  • Phrasal Verb Quiz
  • Places Around Town Game
  • Prepositions Memory Game
  • Prepositions Of Time Game – At On In
  • Present Continuous Tense Activity
  • Present Continuous Guessing Game
  • Present Simple Tense Review Game
  • Present Perfect Tense – Review Game
  • Restaurant Vocabulary Game
  • Riddles For ESL Students
  • Rooms Of The House – Telepathy Game
  • Rooms Of The House – Vocabulary Game
  • Seasons Game For Kids
  • Some or Any – Review Game
  • Speaking Activity – Level Up Game
  • Sports Vocabulary Game
  • Sports – Winter Sports Vocabulary Game
  • Sports Quiz
  • Summer Quiz
  • Superlatives Quiz
  • Telling The Time Game
  • Thanksgiving Game – Guess The Thanksgiving Food
  • Thanksgiving Quiz – What Am I?
  • There Is / There Are Game
  • These / Those Game
  • This / That Game
  • This / That Telepathy Game
  • Top Five Quiz 1
  • Top Five Quiz 2
  • Top Five Quiz 3
  • Transportation Vocabulary Game 1
  • Transportation Vocabulary Game 2
  • Valentine’s Day Game For Kids
  • Verb ‘To Be’ Activity
  • Weather – How’s The Weather Game
  • ‘What Am I?’ Quiz – Easy
  • ‘What Am I?’ Quiz – Funny
  • ‘Whose Is It?’ – O/X Game
  • Winter Clothes Vocabulary Game
  • Winter Top Five Quiz

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On Games4esl you can also find many other kinds of ESL games and lesson materials including PowerPoint Games , Online Quizzes , Board Games and Board Game Templates ,

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39 Fun ESL Games and Activities for an Exciting English Classroom

Getting playful with the English language is a great way to push your students’ creativity and show them how useful their knowledge really is.

And the best way to do that is with fun ESL games for the classroom!

There’s nothing like a room full of friendly competition and laughter to make learning more fun.

Read on below for 39 ESL group activities that will get your students engaged and practicing their English. We’ll also discuss grouping strategies for effective gameplay.

ESL Vocabulary and Spelling Games

1. vocabulary showcase game show, 2. how’s yours, 3. fly swat, 4. shiritori showdown, 6. jeopardy, 7. backdraw, esl listening games, 10. flash art, 11. find someone who…, 12. telephone, 13. song puzzle, esl games for communication and teamwork, 14. question volley, 15. my name is x, and i like x, 16. reporter, 17. secrets, 18. find a partner, 19. what sweet treat am i, esl speaking games, 20. who am i what am i, 21. question master, 22. time trials, 23. balloon truth or dare, 24. word warm ups, 25. mayor (a.k.a. don’t vote for me), 26. reading race, 27. i took a trip to the usa, esl games for creative thinking, 28. storytelling memory game, 29. two truths and a lie, 30. funny papers, 31. dictionary, 32. oral storytelling, 33. written storytelling, esl grammar games, 34. would you rather, 35. conjugation pyramid, 36. tic-tac-toe, 37. shootin’ hoops, 38. hot potato, 39. word chain, 4 ways to group your students, group by varying skill levels, group by same skill level, group by same first language, group by different first languages, why esl games are an essential part of the classroom.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

esl games

Best for: Big groups; communication

In the Vocabulary Showcase Game Show, students will learn new words through firsthand communication. Students must explain the chosen word to their teammate without saying the word.

All you need is a whiteboard, a timer and a list of vocab words that students already have a fairly good grasp on.

How to play:  

  • Review the vocabulary words if needed or desired.
  • Divide the class into two teams. Team A will choose their first contestant to start the game.
  • Student A from Team A will stand with their back to the whiteboard.
  • The teacher writes a vocabulary word on the board and starts the clock. Two minutes per word is best practice in order to get multiple students involved.
  • Once the clock starts, Team A will do their best to describe the vocabulary word. They cannot use the word or spell it out.
  • If Student A guesses the correct word, Team A gets a point.
  • Switch. Now Team B will send up their first member to guess a new vocabulary word. Same rules apply.
  • At the end, the team with the most points wins.

Best for: Small groups; beginners

This ESL game will have students guess the object everyone is talking about by asking the eponymous question: “How’s yours?”

You don’t need anything to play this game, though it may be helpful to have some slightly more challenging words to offer your students if they’re struggling as the game leader.

  • Select a student to go first (or ask for a volunteer).
  • This player is sent into the hall or somewhere out of earshot.
  • The teacher will be game leader first. Pick a body part, type of clothing, common person or common object and inform your students of the secret word. Possibilities might include: shoes, mouth, car, mother, teacher or ring.
  • The first player comes back into the room.
  • The player’s goal now is to figure out what the secret word is by asking each student, “How’s yours?” Each student should respond in just two or three words. Remind them—no pointing!
  • Once the first player has an answer from each student, they must guess what the object is. Use points or rewards as desired.
  • Continue by having the first player become the game leader; a new student will go into the hall and be the guesser.

Tip: Pick the shy students early so they can play more confidently after they’ve been the guesser.

The secret word is “teeth.”

When the player asks their question (“How’s yours?”), students might respond:

Best for: End of the lesson; practicing synonyms/antonyms/homonyms

This fun ESL game is a race to the board! Students will compete to be the first to find the answer and swat it with their fly swatter.

You’ll need two fly swatters, PowerPoint and a projector. You can substitute the PowerPoint/projector combo for a simple whiteboard, but just know you’ll probably have to do some rewriting throughout the game. It also helps to prepare your questions ahead of time.

  • Using PowerPoint, prepare a slide with vocabulary words scattered everywhere.
  • Split the class into two teams.
  • If needed, inform students they can only swat one word on their turn to make sure they really think about their answer.
  • In turns, each team sends up one person to the board. They are each given a fly swatter.
  • Read a question/definition aloud. The first student to swat the answer on the board wins the round!

Feel free to ask the same question more than once (repetition is part of the learning process!).

Best for: Warm ups; quick thinking

The word shiritori is Japanese for “chicken’s behind.” Each student will use the last letter of the previous word to make a new one. If the timer goes off—you’re out!

It can be played in any sized group, and the only thing you need is a timer.

  • Choose a student to start the game.
  • Enter the time on the timer, perhaps 1-2 minutes depending on the class. Begin.
  • The chosen student starts the game by saying any word they’d like.
  • The next student has to say a word that begins with the last letter of the previous word.
  • Play continues until the timer goes off.
  • The student who failed to think of a word may have to write on the board, or elimination can continue each round until there’s one winner.

(Teacher sets the timer to 30 seconds.)

Teacher: I’ll start. Mois t .

Student 1: Umm… T owe l .

Student 2: Hmm… L ik e .

Student 3: Like. Like. Like. Umm…

(Timer beeps. Student 3 is out.)

Best for: All lesson types

Hangman is an oldie but a goodie. Students must guess the letters of the alphabet to figure out a word or phrase before the hangman’s drawing is complete.

All you need is paper and pencils—or just a whiteboard if you want to play as a class. Let students take turns picking the word and drawing the blanks. Encourage using new vocabulary words so they can practice spelling.

(I found the original drawing inappropriate for younger students, so I usually drew my stick figure on the plank of a ship over a sea of monsters. As a bonus, students loved being chosen to draw one of the sea monsters on the board before the game began!)

  • The leader draws the setup and the blanks for the chosen word or phrase.
  • Students take turns guessing letters of the alphabet to fill in the blanks. Correct guesses are written into place in the blanks. For each incorrect guess, the leader adds one body part of the “hangman” to the drawing.
  • If the guessers get the correct word first, they win. If the picture of the person is completed first, the leader wins.
  • Switch out the leader and play again!

For extra fun, watch a video clip first, then play Hangman using only words from the clip. And for extra practice, at the end of each round, ask students to talk about the definition of the uncovered word or try to use it in a sentence.

Best for: Big groups; comprehensive review; critical thinking; speaking skills; teamwork

Jeopardy is another classic English classroom game that helps students build their confidence. You’ll set it up just like the TV show: a big board with answers and points, where students will need to provide the missing question.

For Jeopardy, you’ll need PowerPoint or an internet connection with an online jeopardy board, plus a projector.

  • Prepare a jeopardy board with questions on the chosen subject matter. You can do this on PowerPoint with a premade template , or use Jeopardy Labs  for easy set up.
  • Assign point values that align with the difficulty of each question to ensure a fair distribution of points. Don’t forget to include a “Daily Double” for extra fun!
  • In class, split the students into even groups of four, five or six. Adjust the number according to the number of students in the classroom. For the ideal playing situation, there should be 4-6 groups.
  • After the class has been split into groups, the first group chooses a subject and point value.
  • Read the corresponding question aloud. Anyone in class can raise their hand to answer the question.
  • The first hand up gets to answer. If they’re right, their group receives the points and gets to pick the next question. If they’re wrong, subtract the points from that team; another group gets a chance to answer.
  • The group with the most points at the end of the game wins!  

Note: You may want to select a spokesperson for each group to keep chaos to a minimum. Rotate the spokesperson every few turns so everyone gets the opportunity to speak.

Best for: Big groups; all lesson types; spelling and vocabulary skills

Backdraw is one of the most popular games in classrooms and works for any level. In this game, the students aren’t allowed to talk.

  • Put the students into equal teams and line them up facing the blackboard. All the students must face the blackboard and cannot turn around.
  • Inform the students that they cannot speak during the game, or their team is out.
  • Give a word to the last student in each team (the student furthest from the blackboard). Usually, it’s best to write the word down and have them read it, so nobody can overhear it.
  • When the teacher tells them to begin, the last student must silently write the word on the back of the student in front of them. Once they’re done, the next student then writes the word they “felt” on the student in front of them. This continues until the first student has the word.
  • The first student goes to the blackboard and writes the word, spelled correctly.
  • The first team to complete the task correctly is the winner.

Best for:  Big groups; teambuilding; from beginner to advanced students 

This game focuses heavily on spelling and team skills, and it’s a great way to cement the difficult words on your vocabulary list.

  • Divide the students into teams. The number of teams doesn’t matter.
  • Approach the first team and give them a word to spell. The following steps should be conducted with each team, one at a time. The other students may listen, or practice silently spelling the words, but there shouldn’t be talking from the other teams.
  • The first student on the team may only give the first letter.
  • The next student says the second letter, and so on.
  • Once the word is complete, the next student must repeat the whole word, to signal they’re done spelling.
  • Each correctly spelled word earns the team a point.

This game can also be made more or less challenging by choosing higher or lower level words. Also, for more advanced students, they can be asked to spell the word backward.

Best for: Beginners; big groups; pronunciation practice

This game is an excellent way to use physical activity in the classroom while also engaging the brain in language learning.

  • Line up the students in the front of the classroom. If you have a large classroom, have them line up in groups of six students at one time. While each group of six students plays, the other students are encouraged to watch and be engaged in the game.
  • Assign each student a different word. Encourage them to repeat the word back to you.
  • Now the game begins. The teacher (or a designated higher-level student) must say one word at a time.
  • The student who is assigned that word must repeat it back and do a squat right away. A deep squat means they hold their arms out in front of them and bend their knees until the thigh bones are horizontal.
  • If the student forgets, says the word incorrectly or is extremely late, they’re out and must sit down.

This game can be made more challenging by having the teacher speak faster, or having the students say and spell the word.

esl games

Best for: Creative students; reading comprehension practice

You’ll give your students scenarios in English and let them create quick interpretations through drawing. This ESL game offers a break from tough topics and traditional book learning.

For this game, you need plenty of paper and drawing materials like colored pencils, markers or crayons.

  • Decide whether you want to work on students’ listening comprehension, reading comprehension or both.
  • Say a scenario out loud or write it on the board.
  • Students will transcribe or copy the scenario on a piece of paper.
  • Give students an allotted amount of time to draw out the scenario on their paper.
  • At the end of the session, students may present their drawings. You may also have them vote on their favorite piece for each scenario.

Note: You may only have time to do one or two Flash Art scenarios per session.

Examples:  

  • There is a man running in a park. He is being chased by a dog.
  • A mother and daughter are baking cupcakes.
  • Many cars are stuck in traffic due to rain.

Best for: Big groups

Students must be quick to listen and comprehend the spoken statement, or they’ll end up in the middle where they’ll have to come up with the next statement themselves.

The teacher can have a prepared list of “Finds,” or students can make up their own in this fun ESL game.

  • Have everybody begin in a big circle.
  • The teacher calls out something like: “Find someone who… is wearing glasses.”
  • Everyone runs to grab the hand of a person wearing glasses. Assuming each student has two hands, only two people can be partnered with each glasses wearer.
  • Whoever is left without a hand to hold stands in the middle.
  • Select a student in the middle to call the next statement.

The possibilities are endless! Students can find someone who:

  • is wearing red.
  • has words on their shirt.
  • can curl their tongue.

Best for: Big groups; speaking skills; pronunciation practice

Telephone is another classic. Students will whisper a given phrase down the line. The last person will announce the likely convoluted sentence to the class for everyone’s amusement.

This ESL game is easy to play—no materials needed!

  • Have all of the students sit or stand in a straight line or a circle.
  • Make up a phrase or sentence and whisper it in the first student’s ear.
  • That student then whispers the phrase to the next person, and so on and so forth.
  • If a student would like the phrase repeated to them, they can say “Operator!” This can only be done once per person.
  • The last person to hear the phrase will repeat it out loud. It’s always funny to see how different the phrase turns out!

To make this game competitive, split the class into two teams and see who gets closest to the original phrase.

Best for: Small groups; sentence order review; listening practice; speaking skills

Song Puzzle is a fun ESL classroom game that will get your students jamming along to music. You’ll play a song while they arrange the lyrics in the proper order.

To set up this game, select an appropriate song (if you have young students, check out this resource for some suggestions). Print a copy of the lyrics for each small group in your class. Cut each one into strips to create a complete set of lyrics for each group.

  • Make sure all your materials are prepared before class begins (the song is printed and cut into strips, and you have enough sets for each group).
  • Separate students into small groups of two or three. Give each group a complete set of lyric strips.
  • Play the song. Groups will try to organize the lyrics into the correct order.
  • Continue replaying the song until a team is done. Check the order of their lyrics.
  • The first group to organize the lyrics correctly wins.
  • Continue playing until all groups have figured out the correct order of the lyrics.
  • Use the lyrics to sing the song aloud as a class!

Depending on the song you choose, you can use the lyrics to teach a specific set of vocabulary or a grammar concept. For example, check out this list of songs with passive voice in the lyrics !

esl games

Best for: Big groups; speaking skills

In Question Volley, students will ask and answer questions on the spot to boost their confidence in responding to questions naturally and quickly.

All you need for this fun ESL game is a small ball! For added fun, you can always change up what you’re tossing around: a potato, a soccer ball, a frisbee, etc.

  • Tell students the topic so questions remain relevant.
  • Teacher starts! Have a student toss you the ball and ask you a relevant question.
  • Answer the question.
  • Toss the ball to a different student. Ask them a question.
  • They will answer, and then pass to another student and ask them a question.
  • Continue passing, asking and responding until everyone’s had a turn.

Make sure to encourage quick questions and answers to give this a real-life feel.

If your lesson topic is sports, some questions might be:

  • What sports do you play?
  • What sports do you like to watch?
  • Who is your favorite athlete?

For more example questions, try this resource —and check out our dedicated post on ESL movie activities . 

Best for: Combining with a vocabulary lesson; big groups; speaking skills; memory recall

Students will introduce themselves and something they enjoy. Depending on the level of your class, they may learn introductions, transitive verbs and first- and third-person sentence structures.

You don’t need anything for this game, but note that the more randomly you call on students, the more likely they’ll pay attention to others’ responses instead of counting how many more turns until they have to participate.

For beginners:

  • Sit in a circle with your class.
  • Introduce yourself using this format: “My name is X, and I like X.” For example: “My name is Mr. Smith, and I like to read.”
  • Have the next student introduce themself using the same format.
  • Continue until every student has had a turn.

For more advanced students, include memory recall. Ask students to introduce themselves and the previous student. That is: “His/her name is X, and he/she likes X. My name is X, and I like X.”

The most advanced way to play this game is to include questions, like so:

  • Pick a student, either the next in a circle or at random.
  • Ask them: “What’s your name? What do you like?” and let them respond.
  • Introduce them in the format: “His/her name is X, and he/she likes X.”
  • That student will now choose a classmate and ask them the questions.
  • The student who asked the questions must introduce their classmate using the answers provided.
  • Continue until each student has asked questions and introduced someone.

Best for: Listening comprehension; conversation practice; speaking/writing skills

In Reporter, students will ask their partner questions in the form of an interview. You may ask them to present or submit their partner’s response in writing.

If you choose to focus on writing practice, you’ll need paper and pencils. Otherwise, simply have some sample interview questions prepared to get the class started with this game.

  • Brainstorm questions for 5-10 minutes, either individually or as a class.
  • Have students pair up.
  • During an allotted amount of time, students will ask their partner questions.
  • Students may need to write the responses, take brief notes or simply try to remember the answers.
  • After the time is up, switch the role of reporter and interviewee.
  • At the end, students may present their partners to the rest of the class using the answers provided during game time. Or, students can hand in their interview notes.

You can also turn this into a more elaborate game by assigning the interviews as homework.

In that case, have students present their partners to the class without giving the identity of the partner. The class has to guess who the person is based on the presentation.

Best for: Quiet/lethargic classes

Students will use questioning skills to work out whose secret they know. Get them moving around the room and chatting with this fun ESL classroom game.

You’ll need some slips of paper and something to hold them in—a hat or a small bowl will do nicely.

  • Ask each student to write down a secret on a piece of paper. Check that the secrets are written down correctly, but don’t betray students’ secrets to their classmates!
  • Have each student fold their paper and put it in a hat.
  • Each student will then draw a secret from the hat.
  • Once each student has a secret, they will walk around the classroom asking other students questions to find out whose secret they have. They can’t directly say what’s on the paper!

The secret says, “I have five cats.”

The person holding the secret might ask a classmate:

  • Do you like animals?
  • How many animals live in your house?

Best for: Big groups; speaking skills; combining with a vocabulary lesson

In this ESL game, you’ll give students a category. They’ll write their favorite thing in that category on a piece of paper. Then they’ll search for someone who wrote the same thing—without actually using any of the words they wrote down!

All you need for this one is some small pieces of paper.

  • Decide the topic (books, food, movies, etc.). Make sure it’s something that students can talk about in some detail.
  • Each student writes down their favorite book (or food, movie, etc.) on a piece of paper and hides it in their pocket or textbook.
  • Without using the words they’ve written down, students then go around the room, asking their classmates questions.
  • Students who think they’ve found a classmate with the same answer can sit.
  • Once everyone’s discovered a partner or once the allotted time is up, students reveal their papers to each other.

To make sure this game is working as intended, the teacher must moderate effectively. Walk the room to ensure students are practicing proper English. Correct them as needed based on topics you’ve covered in class.

Best for: Beginner and intermediate students; speaking practice

Students will take turns asking questions to figure out what sweet treat they are in this fun ESL classroom game.

For this one, you’ll need tape and as many kinds of candy as you have students in class (so, 10 students means 10 different types of candy). Make sure it’s candy they’re familiar with.

  • Tape a candy wrapper to each student’s back.
  • Put the students in a circle.
  • Tell students how many questions they can ask before they’ll need to make a guess, and decide what will happen if they get it right/wrong (points, guess again, player is out, etc.).
  • Select someone to go first.
  • The first player stands up and turns around so everyone can see their candy wrapper.
  • The player can ask the group yes or no questions to get clues about their candy.
  • After the set number of questions, the player must guess.
  • Continue until all sweet treats have been guessed and revealed.

The standing player might ask some of the following questions:

  • Does it taste like strawberries?
  • Does it have chocolate?

esl games

Best for: Advanced students; practicing asking questions

This is a slightly more advanced version of the “What Sweet Treat Am I?” activity. It can be modified to include writing if you ask the students to create the cards, rather than doing it yourself.

How to play:

  • Before beginning the activity, you may want to brainstorm the types of questions that will help students figure out their cards. 
  • Using sticky notes or index cards, list common household or school-related objects on each one.
  • Have each student pick a card without looking at what it says.
  • Have them stick it to his or her own forehead.
  • Students then ask their fellow students yes or no questions in order to figure out what their card says. 

For more advanced students, cards can list literary characters, book titles or even idioms. Another option is to keep all of the cards related to one theme, like health words, clothing, colors or even slang.

Best for: Experienced speakers; creative thinking

Question Master helps your students figure out what to ask in a given situation. Set up the scenario and let them ask away!

All you need for this game is a timer. Any amount of people is good, but note that this ESL game works best with more experienced speakers who are comfortable creating sentences on the fly.

  • Choose a scenario for the class, like at a café, at the airport, or even on a date.
  • Set the timer. Begin.
  • Each student must ask a question relevant to the scenario. Encourage creativity with this one!
  • Continue until the timer goes off. The student is out or the game is over.

(Teacher sets the timer to a minute and thirty seconds.)

Teacher: Okay, the scenario is at a shop. Go!

Student 1: How much is this?

Student 2: Do you accept credit cards?

Best for: Individual students

Instead of racing against others, students are trying to get their own personal best time for English speaking. They’re aiming for speed and  precision.

While you could do this with an ESL class, it’s particularly helpful for individual learners. You’ll just need a topic and a timer that starts from zero.

  • Select something for the student to read/say. This could be anything! A passage in a book, a set of statements, etc.
  • Start the clock from zero once the student starts reading/speaking.
  • When the student is done, stop the timer.
  • Tell the student their time.
  • Give them tips on how to improve their speaking speed.
  • Have them practice, either in class or out, until they get to a more natural time.

Teacher: Okay, tell me your name, age, where you’re from, and what you do. Ready? Go! (Starts timer.)

Student: My name is… (continues talking)

(Teacher stops the timer when the student finishes.)

Best for: Outgoing students

This is a slight twist on the classic truth or dare. Inside balloons are truths (personal questions) and dares (silly actions), which students must complete in front of the class.

You’ll need balloons (at least enough for each student in the class) and slips of paper, as well as truths and dares. Feel free to adapt statements using vocabulary and grammar suitable for the level you’re teaching.

  • On slips of paper, write student-friendly dares and questions. Make sure they’re things that most students would be willing to do and answer.
  • Put each slip of paper inside a balloon and blow it up. You may want to color code (red balloons = dares, blue balloons = truths), or let it be random.
  • Scatter the paper-filled balloons around the room.
  • Select a student to go first. They will pick a balloon and pop it, then read their truth or dare aloud before completing it.
  • Continue having students choose a balloon, pop it, read the prompt and complete the task until everyone has gone.

A small tip: You may want to start with your more outgoing students. But don’t let your shy students be last either–try to call them out around the middle to help manage their anxiety.

For some possible dares, you might write:

  • Do a popular dance.
  • Sing a class song by yourself.
  • Pretend like you’re riding a horse.
  • Snore or snort.

And for some possible truths, you might write:

  • What did you look like when you were 10 years old?
  • If you could live anywhere in the world, where would you live?
  • When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up?

Best for: Warm ups; grammar review; creative thinking

In Word Warm Ups, students will attempt to use the given English concept in a sentence before time runs out.

You’ll need a timer. If the timer is your phone and you don’t want it passed around the room, you’ll also need a small ball or another easily passable item.

  • Set the rules for sentence structure. For example, students must make sentences using “should/shouldn’t.”
  • Enter a designated time on the timer. Begin the clock and hand the timer/ball to the first student.
  • The first student makes a sentence using the grammar construct, then passes the timer/ball to another student.
  • Students continue making sentences and passing the timer/ball until the timer goes off.
  • You can make additional consequences as desired for the student holding the timer/ball when it goes off.

Teacher: Okay, so sentences using the phrase, “even though.” Go!

Student 1: Hmm… I like Canada even though it’s very cold.

Student 2: Okay. Even though she’s only 30, she’s too old for me.

Student 3: Hmm, I… umm. Even though, umm…

(Timer goes off. Student 3 is out.)

Best for: Advanced students; speech-giving practice

Mayor requires both higher English ability and an appreciation of irony. If your class has both, this game may get shy students to take risks and even be a bit silly. Students will run to NOT become mayor.

No materials are needed. Note that you may want to lower the intensity for your shy students by having everyone stand at their desk to speak rather than the front of the classroom.

  • Explain that you’re going to have a mock election for mayor in your classroom, but it’s a job nobody wants. Each student must convince the class that they should NOT be mayor and why.
  • You may need to go first to show the possibilities.
  • Select the first student to give their speech. You can set a time limit so no one speaks too much or too little.
  • Continue until each student has given their speech.
  • The winner is the one who comes up with the best reason not to be mayor, which can be decided by vote. It’s an election, after all!

“I would hate to be mayor. Do not vote for me. I do not like to be around smelly, old citizens. Children are noisy. Who cares about education?”

Best for: Reading class; small groups; reading speed; pronunciation practice

This English classroom game will have students race against the clock to finish the reading passage. The key is that they must do so with no mistakes.

You’ll need a timer and reading material to play, so this game is especially great if your class has a reading text they’re working through. 

  • Provide students with the reading passage you want them to practice. Make sure everyone’s on the correct page.
  • Set the time and begin the timer.
  • Each student will attempt to read the next sentence (or the whole passage) perfectly .
  • If they mispronounce a word or rush through a sentence, correct them. They must start again from the beginning.
  • Once they’ve read the given part with no mistakes, it’s the next student’s turn.
  • The student who’s reading when the timer goes off is out!

(Teacher sets the timer to two minutes.)

Teacher: Okay, reading race, page 7. Ready? Go!

Student 1: (Reads passage perfectly)

Student 2: (Reads passage but has an error with pronunciation)

Teacher: (Tells student correct pronunciation) Sorry, reread!

Student 2: (Reads passage perfectly)

Student 3: (Reading but struggling a bit)

(Timer goes off. Student 3 seems to be having some trouble with these games! They’re out.)

Best for: Big groups; listening skills; memory recall 

This speaking game  puts an emphasis on listening , focus and memory-building skills while also encouraging students to recall vocabulary.

  • Teach the students the speech they must learn for every turn in the game: “I took a trip to the USA, and with me I took…”
  • The first student says the sentence, and names an object starting with an “A.” For example, “…and with me I took an apple.”
  • The next student must repeat the first word, then add a word that starts with a “B.” For example, “…and with me I took an apple and a banana.”
  • Every following student must repeat every word previously said, and add a word starting with the next letter of the alphabet. For example, “…and with me I took an apple, a banana, and a cat.”
  • The game continues until a word cannot be named or a word is forgotten.

This is a very flexible game that can be adapted to any classroom. First, be specific on wanting students to use articles and the word “and” before the last word. Also, you can give the classroom a category to follow, such as asking them to name animals or foods.

esl games

Best for: Speaking skills; memory recall; vocabulary building; sentence structure review

Together, the class will tell a story out loud by finishing each others’ sentences in this ESL game.

Smaller groups make this game easier, while larger groups will really test students’ memories. No materials needed!

  • Begin by sitting in a circle.
  • The first person (this can be you, but it doesn’t have to be) starts the story with a fragment, such as: “It was a dark and stormy night…”
  • The next person in the circle must repeat what the first person said and  add a phrase of their own.
  • Continue going around the circle until someone messes up. You can start over, prompt them or something else.
  • In the end, you could have students write down the story. Or write it on a poster board and hang it up in your classroom for students to remember and get a good laugh!

Teacher: It was a dark and stormy night…

Student 1: It was a dark and stormy night and no one was around.

Student 2: It was a dark and stormy night and no one was around. Suddenly, there was the sound of…

Best for: The first class; advanced students; speaking/writing skills; conversation practice

In this game, each student will present three statements about themselves—two are true, and one is false. Their classmates must ask questions in order to determine which statement is the lie.

Two Truths and a Lie only requires a whiteboard (or anything you can write on).

  • Ensure the class understands the meaning of both “truth” and “lie.”
  • You’ll go first as an example. On the board, write two truths and one lie about yourself.
  • Tell the class that one of the statements on the board is not true .
  • Students may ask you non-specific questions about what you wrote. You may want to give a question limit to raise the stakes of the game.
  • Once the questioning is over, students will write down which statement they believe to be the lie.
  • You can ask them to share their guesses and why they came to that conclusion.
  • Reveal the lie!
  • Select a student to take your place. The game repeats until everyone has had a turn.

One statement says: “I enjoy running every morning.”

Students may ask things like:

  • What kind of running shoes do you have?
  • What time do you begin your run?

Best for: Writing practice; collaboration; pair or small group play

Funny Papers is a fun ESL game where students are asked to fill in the blank speech bubbles of a comic strip.

Using the Sunday funny papers or some blank comic strips online , white out the text of each character’s speech bubbles or dialogue boxes. Make enough copies for your class.

  • Give your students an example. Show them the comic strip and ask what they think is happening in the scene. Write some of their responses in the speech or thought bubbles above each character.
  • Now, split the class into groups for the activity.
  • Hand out the comic strips and let each group create their own Funny Paper.
  • Visit each group to offer insight and answer questions they may have.
  • Once the comics are complete, students can present them to the class.

Best for: Any level; speaking skills; writing skills

If you know the game Balderdash , you’ll recognize Dictionary. One team member will lead the way. Players will guess the definition of a difficult word, and a judge will decide their favorite answer. In the end, someone wins a treat!

You’ll need dictionaries or vocabulary lists (with definitions) for this game. You’ll also need sticky notes for each group and some prize candy.

  • Split the class into groups of five or six students.
  • Give each group a packet of sticky notes and a dictionary/vocab list.
  • For each group, select a leader and a judge. (Tip: Try picking the shyest students to steer the groups first.)
  • The leader finds a word in the dictionary/on the list that they do not believe anyone else knows. The leader writes the correct definition of the word on the sticky note.
  • The leader spells the word out loud, and everyone except the judge writes it down on their own sticky note.
  • Everyone except the leader and judge will now make up their own definition of the word and write it on their sticky note as well. The students can come up with a silly definition, try to guess the correct definition or try to fool the judge with something that sounds convincing.
  • The leader collects the definitions and gives them to the judge.
  • The judge reads each definition out loud. (If your judge has a flair for the dramatic, all the better!)
  • After reading all the definitions, the judge decides which one they like best. The player who wrote it gets a piece of candy.
  • The roles switch. The judge becomes the leader and a new judge is selected.
  • Keep playing until every student has had a chance to be both the judge and the leader.

The leader picks the word “sundry.” She spells it out for the players.

The leader writes the correct definition on her note (“miscellaneous”).

One player thinks about the literal meaning and writes: “wet clothes left outside.”

Another player guesses: “popcorn.”

Another player decides to be silly and writes: “lying to your teacher.”

The leader mixes up the definitions and hands them to the judge. The judge reads each definition out loud, and everyone has a good laugh.

The judge decides she likes the “wet clothes left outside” definition. The player who wrote this gets the candy and then the leader explains that the correct definition is “miscellaneous.”

Best for: Listening comprehension; speaking practice

Students have to be able to follow along with the story, listening closely to what the people before them just said, and they have to think critically to build a correct sentence of their own.

For beginning ESL students, consider speaking sentences out loud yourself and asking them to add one word at a time. They could even draw or hold up pictures to add to the story.

  • Have students sit in a circle. Begin telling a story by speaking one sentence aloud.
  • The student on your left should add to the story by speaking a second sentence aloud.
  • The student to his or her left should speak the next sentence aloud, and so on. 
  • Keep the story going around the circle one sentence at a time until it comes to a logical conclusion.

Remind students that each sentence should build on the one before it.

It’s easy for students to add in something offbeat or random to try to be silly, but the goal of this lesson is to create a logical story. One way to keep the story on track might be to record it. 

Best for: Working as a team; writing practice

This is a bit like a word association game, but requires that the students expand on that to create a story.

For more advanced students, consider assigning topics that require students to discuss customs or cultural norms, like privacy, personal space, hygiene or dining.

How to play: 

  • Divide the class into small groups.
  • Each group gets to choose three random words from a bag and must incorporate each word into a short story. 
  • Depending on your students’ level, you can assign specific numbers of characters, amount of dialogue, length, etc. to be included in the story.
  • At the end of the lesson, groups can take turns reading stories aloud.
  • For increased participation and extra practice with speaking, you can ask the students who are listening to the story to comment on their classmates’ work. For beginning students, sentence starters like, “I liked….” or “what did you mean by…?” can be helpful to encourage feedback.

Both the written storytelling and the small group discussion that follows are valuable practice time. Together, they’ll help students practice written and spoken English in one swoop. 

Teacher standing at whiteboard

Best for:  Making learning conditionals fun and and lively

This classic sleepover and bus trip game, ideal for getting participants to know more about each other, can be a perfect giggle-inducing grammar game to reinforce recent lessons. The game is simple enough, driven by straightforward questions and answers.

The main use for this game in the ESL classroom is to practice using conditionals and discussing hypothetical situations ( would  you):

Would you rather  get stung by a bee  or  bit by a spider?

Would you rather  dance in front of ten thousand people  or  in front of the President of the United States?

How to Play:

  • Put students in pairs or play as a class.
  • Provide questions on handouts.
  • Let students answer the questions and make corrections if needed.

Example: “Sara, how many of your classmates would rather  dance in front of the President of the United States?” Then this student must tell you how many people chose this option in her group or in the class.

Best for:  Learning verb conjugations

Similar to blackboard race, the conjugation pyramid is a race-to-win classic that is beloved by language students everywhere. Set this one up for the very end of class when there are a few minutes remaining—this will really get the pressure cooking.

  • Draw a pyramid on either side of the board and break it up into blocks—kind of like a food pyramid, but with as many blocks as there are rounds in the game. So, if you want to go 10 rounds, draw 10 blocks in each pyramid.
  • Then you’ll give your students a verb and a person (first person singular, second person plural) and they will have to run to the board and conjugate the verb into each tense accordingly. 
  • Depending on the skill level of your students and what you’d like to practice, you can also choose a tense and have students conjugate the entire verb chart for that tense. The student who gets the conjugations right wins their team a block in the pyramid!
  • When a student wins a pyramid block, fill in that block with chalk or marker to indicate the progress.
  • The first team with enough blocks to build their whole pyramid wins!

Best for:  Learning parts of speech

  • Draw up the grid for tic-tac-toe on the board.
  • Divide students up into two teams.
  • Fill in each square of the grid with a part of speech you want students to practice. What exactly you choose to include here is totally flexible, and depends on what lessons you’d like to reinforce. If you’re studying verb conjugation in the present tense, for example, fill in the grid with verbs in their infinitive forms.
  • The first team goes by choosing a square from the tic-tac-toe grid. They have to figure out, as a group, how to properly conjugate that verb.
  • If they get the answer right, then they claim that square of the grid. If they get the answer wrong, then they lose their turn.
  • Keep playing until one team scores a tic-tac-toe!

Best for:  Getting students physical as they reinforce grammar lessons

Go down to the school’s gymnasium, playground or set up a makeshift basketball hoop in the classroom. You can manage this without damaging school property by simply setting up a hula hoop or other plastic ring as the “hoop” and by playing with a small inflatable or foam ball.

  • Break the students into two groups or have them play individually against the rest of their classmates.
  • There are two ways to go about playing this one. Before being allowed to take a shot, each student must either:
  • Answer a question with the appropriate featured grammar pattern.
  • Create a basic statement using the featured grammar pattern.
  • If the student gets their answer or statement wrong or doesn’t phrase it properly, they won’t get to take a shot.
  • If the student passes this part of the game, they get to take a shot. If they score, they get 2 points. If they don’t score but got the question right, they get 1 point.

Best for:  Encouraging quick thinking about grammar points

  • Use a foam or inflatable ball, and start up a fast-paced round or two of hot potato.
  • The objective, of course, is to pass the ball around in a circle as fast as possible.
  • Before passing the ball to the next student, the student holding the ball must show off their English grammar skills.
  • When a student catches the ball, they must quickly think up a word that fits your given criteria, spit it out and pass the ball before the allotted time runs out.
  • This is super flexible and can be adjusted to practice virtually any bit of grammar you’ve recently introduced or would like to review.

Example: Tell students learning the present tense that they must each say  one verb conjugated in the present tense, using first person singular or “I form.”  Each student will then have to say something like, “I run,” “I dance” or “I cry.” The ball gets passed around and around, with students being eliminated whenever they draw blanks or conjugate their verbs wrong.

For easier games, give each student 6-8 seconds. For harder, faster paced games, give students 2-3 seconds. You can also start slower and gradually increase the pace of the game as it progresses.

Best for:  Thinking quickly and creatively

  • Start the class off by giving them a word which fits your desired theme.
  • Restrict them to only certain parts of speech, such as nouns or verbs. For an extra challenging session, limit the words to certain moods and tenses. 
  • The student who starts off the game will have to think of a word that begins with the last letter of the word you provided.
  • If you’re practicing nouns and say “food,” then the student could say “dog” or “dish.” If you’re practicing with adjectives and started with “beautiful,” then the next student might say “lazy” or “loud.” 
  • Go around the classroom playing this way and eliminating students who can’t think up words quickly enough.

Students grouped around a table

You’ve got your pockets full of group ideas that work in class. But believe it or not, how you group your students might be more important than the actual activities you do.

But what’s the secret to grouping students the right way?

Here are four ways you can put your students together and why you might choose to group them each particular way.

Did you know that even native speakers change the way they talk based on who they’re talking to and that person’s language use? It’s part of the feedback mechanism of the brain and why you might acquire a bit of a Southern accent when talking to your friend from Alabama or why you might start dropping final g’s if you hang out in New York for any length of time.

Because when you group lower level students with higher level students, they’ll automatically and subconsciously improve their English usage just by hearing and talking to more advanced students . Crazy, isn’t it?

While a more advanced student will likely speak more like their lower level student partner, too, they aren’t losing out on the deal.  We learn more when we teach . And when you group advanced students with lower level students, they’ll learn by teaching the other members of their group even if they don’t realize what’s happening. If you have a mixed level class, don’t despair. Your students can learn as much from each other as they do from you when they’re in these types of groups.

While students can learn a lot by working with classmates at different language skill levels, that isn’t always the way you want to partner up your students. Sometimes mixed level groups can be dominated by advanced speakers and beginning students can get lost in the mix.

Not so when your groups are selected for their similar language proficiency.

In a group of all beginners, someone will have to speak up, and that means your lower level students will be talking more in class. In your group of all advanced students, everyone may want to drive the conversation. That means the members of that group will have to work on their discourse skills like taking turns speaking and using  active listening . If you have students who dominate the conversation in class, this might be the right type of group for you.

Have you ever heard that grouping students with others who speak the same first language is taboo? Forget about it. Your students will actually be able to help each other in very unique ways when they’re grouped with others that speak the same first language.

More advanced students understand the specific language struggles faced by beginning students and can help them through struggles that they themselves have already overcome. Your advanced students can also explain using their native language which is a great advantage when you’ve tried everything to communicate to your students and they still aren’t getting what you’re trying to say.

Grouping by the same first language is also an advantage when you’re discussing some sensitive topics, those that might hit a cultural hot button. While not every speaker of a language comes from the same culture, many do, and if you’re afraid of cultural flare-ups because of a certain topic, try grouping your students this way to minimize the drama that might otherwise come up.

Have I convinced you that grouping by the same native language is a good thing? Well, stop it. At least sometimes. Because mixed L1 groups are useful to students in other ways. When all the members of a group speak different first languages, they’ll all be forced to speak English in order to work together.

This is particularly useful if you have students that just won’t speak in English because they always have the chance to speak their first language. A mixed L1 group also gives your students the chance to experience different accents in English and as a result improve their listening skills. Culture can also come into play in these groups. By talking with people from different areas of the world, your students can develop a better appreciation for each other and their home cultures. It’s a great way to learn about people around the globe along with their traditions.

ESL games are as versatile as they are fun! They’re also a super important part of your lesson plans. Here’s why:

  • They’re invaluable for building on your presentation (the first part of your PPP lesson plan ).
  • They’ll help your students cultivate essential skills, both directly and organically.
  • They’ll often get your students up and moving, which helps get the brain working.
  • They’ll help your students internalize grammar and vocabulary through usage.
  • They’ll aid the development of students’ English listening, reading, speaking, writing and thinking skills.
  • They’ll improve your students’ communication, collaboration skills and confidence.
  • They’re usually active —great for both classes that need somewhere to direct their energy and classes that need to kick it up a notch.
  • They can be used at any time during class: as a beginning warm-up, as an end-of-class time-filler or in the middle as the bulk of your lesson.

Games can be implemented alongside any other teaching tools as well.

They’re useful during difficult or frustrating lessons to supplement traditional book learning time. They can also be used in conjunction with videos to keep your classes engaged from start to finish.

For level-appropriate videos with helpful tools, the FluentU  language learning program uses authentic clips made by native speakers to teach your students English.

The clips are organized by content and level, so you can ensure they’re the right amount of challenging for your class. The videos also have interactive subtitles, so students can hover over a word to see its definition or click on it for more information, including example sentences and contextual notes.

As the teacher, you can assign FluentU videos for homework, track student progress and create vocabulary lists for students to review with the digital flashcard feature. Then in class, you can practice the vocabulary together using one of the games listed above.

Working some fun ESL classroom games into your lesson plans every week creates an atmosphere of enthusiastic learning. Your students will have a blast while working on their English skills!

From artistic creativity to comedic scenarios, your students can experience English in a whole new way through these games. Even grammar can be exciting with games !

So, get started with these fun ESL games and bring learning to life!

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esl activities questions

All ESL

17 ESL Activities for Engaging Classes

esl activities

17 Essential ESL Activities that are Fun, Relevant and Engaging

Fun, relevant, and engaging ESL activities are the nitrous of every successful lesson. Through hundreds of successful ESL classes, we know what does and does NOT work.

ESL exercises are a controlled way to practice a particular language aspect. Instead, ESL activities engage in discussion and communication focused on a goal.

For example, you can cut our ESL discussion topics into bite-size papers and have them communicate in pairs. And this is just 1 of 17 ideas waiting for you to build these ESL activities into your classes and to perfection,

Ready to get started? Let’s jump in.

1. 101 ESL Discussion Topics: Free-Talking

esl activities questions

If you’re struggling to energize your classroom with discussion and debate, these free-talking topics have been tested to keep them engaged.

Depending on the class, the free talking topics worksheet can keep things fresh. Print them off. Cut them up. Put it in a hat. Select a topic at random and let your students talk in pairs or together as a classroom.

If you’re looking for the whole package, here are 101 ESL conversation topics . Like an open microphone, there’s something in this list that will break the classroom silence.

2. Reverse Jeopardy: Formulating Questions

Reverse Quiz Show- Quiz Questions

Instead of answering questions like in a quiz show, students are making the questions. Each card has a word with a point value. Similar to Jeopardy, you create 5 categories. Each category has 5 questions with harder cards as a higher point value.

In groups of 4, students pick the category and point value. After flipping over the card, the fastest group to raise their hands make a question. Give a countdown for how fast they have to respond. Don’t be afraid to give negative points if they are too slow to respond or make an incorrect question.

Students get quite competitive when you tally points. Out of all the ESL activities, this one never fails me. Not. A. Single. Time.

3. Lost in Kansas: Asking for Directions

Asking for Directions Map in Wichita, Kansas

In this map of Wichita Kansas, students practice turning left and right. In addition, they learn to move backwards and forwards.

First, put students into pairs. Next, they ask each other how to get to the destinations on the map. They can practice both asking and giving directions in this worksheet.

For traveling, this is an incredibly useful skill to get familiar with. Beforehand, practice the essentials like “turn left”, “go straight” and “number of blocks or intersections”.

4. Let Me Introduce Myself: Self-Introductions

Student Business Card

How many times have you introduced yourself in your lifetime? For example, you introduce yourself to friends, in business meetings, and during round tables.

Using the business card template, ask your students to fill these out. In the next class, they can practice self-introductions by walking around the classroom and greeting fellow students.

Not only does this help students break the ice, but teachers get to put a name on each student’s face. And if they don’t have a photo, just have them draw a picture of themselves.

5. Timeless Timelines: History Exploration

Timeless Timeline Worksheet - History Timelines for Kids

From the start of human civilization, we remember some of the most famous people and inventions. Using this timeline worksheet , students arrange the timeline according to their birth date and the invention year.

From youngest to oldest, the teacher will go through the correct order in the history timelines for kids. For example, paper was invented more than 1300 years earlier than the printing press.

The teacher then helps everyone by giving the correct answers. Further to this, ask questions about inventors:

  • Who else belongs in the list?
  • What other inventions are important enough they should be added?
  • Or what are future inventions you want to see on this list in the future?

6. Einstein’s Riddle: Detective-Style Logic Activity

Einstein Riddle Worksheet

Einstein’s riddle is a challenging detective-style activity where students have to use logic to solve the nationality, pet, drink, color, and hobby of each homeowner.

It’s believed that at a young age, Albert Einstein created this riddle. Eventually, it made its way as a head-scratcher activity that even challenges your brightest students.

Because of its difficulty, we have provided answers to Einstein’s riddle below. But if you’re brave enough, you can give it a shot with just the clues.

7. Cultural Dictionary

Cultural Dictionary Worksheet

Have you ever wanted to live in another country just for a sense of culture shock? The purpose of this ESL activity is to transform your class into a cultural exchange.

One of the best parts of teaching English abroad is the cultural exchange between you and where you teach English abroad. And don’t forget that culture exchange is two ways. Not only do your students learn about your culture, but you can learn about theirs.

Ask students to write down one culturally significant item about their country. Ask for volunteers to share. Once you collect all the students’ answers, you can compile everyone’s ideas in a culture exchange dictionary that you can keep in class.

8. Group Charades: Action Verbs

Group Charades Ideas

Charades works for outgoing classes. But for introverted classes, it can be an epic failure. However, suddenly for group charades, introverts become extroverts and they’re much more likely to be more relaxed.

First, split the class into groups. For example, if you have 30 students, make 6 groups of five. Rather than one person acting out, the entire group acts it out, and one person guesses. In the group charades worksheet, there are tons of ideas to get started.

This is why reverse Charades can put a well-needed twist on the instant classic.

9. The Classroom Movie: Dialogue Practice

Green Screen Classroom Movie

It’s amazing what a green screen can do in an English class or club. I brought one into class. All of a sudden, students were making up their own English movie ideas. And the ideas were pretty awesome – one took place at the Eiffel Tower!

When students start taking control of their own fate, their own English improves 10 fold. The classroom movie activity has the potential to do that.

From your typical everyday students to Hollywood movie stars. And it’s all because you came prepared with a green screen.

10. Your Dream Job: Job Interview Practice

Job Interviews Practice - Dream Job Worksheet

If you want to get serious about students’ future, this dream job worksheet might be the answer.

In pairs, students ask each other the list of questions on the sheet. After answering all the questions, everyone can find out their perfect job by counting how many “YES” answers.

Now that students have learned about different job types, it’s time for students to prepare for a job interview. Using the job interview worksheet , students can imagine they have landed interviews for their dream job.

With the set of questions in the handout, students can write down answers to the interview questions. Finally, they can practice with each other for their dream job.

11. Multi-purpose Items: Informative/Explanatory Writing

Explanatory Writing - Multipurpose Items

First, the teacher gives the class an object, any object. Next, give the students a couple of minutes to think of all of the different uses for that item. After about five or six minutes, the teacher asks students to share what they have come up with.

For example, you can use forks to eat food, comb your hair, open cans, mix ingredients, and clean pans. Not so bad for a simple fork. The “Multi-purpose Items” encourages creativity and it’s fun to hear what they come up with.

The purpose of informative/explanatory writing is to explain why or how something works the way it does. In this informative/explanatory writing worksheet, we engage in giving informative answers for multi-purpose items.

12. Rhyme Time: Activity Sheet

Rhyme Time Brain Storming

First, put your students into groups. Next, hand out the Rhyme Time activity sheet. Now, bring out your stopwatch and get your students to think of as many rhymes as possible for each group. Finally, the group with the most rhymes wins.

Your students are poets and they don’t even know it. Review the rhymes and have a classroom discussion on rhymes. For example, when do you hear rhymes? How about in songs or poems?

12. Simon Says: Imperatives

Simon Says Ideas

Only when the teacher says “Simon Says”, students can complete the action. For example, if you only say “Touch your nose”, students should do nothing.

But if you say “Simon says touch your nose”, students should actually touch their nose. This is how to play Simon Says.

If you’re looking for Simon Says ideas, we have provided a worksheet below that you can use. For example, students can touch their noses, jump up and down and run in a circle.

13. Pushy Salesperson: Advertisement Ideas

Pushy Salesperson - Advertising Ideas for School Project

Have your students sell something that nobody wants to buy like a pushy salesperson. There are tons of advertisement ideas for a school project in this worksheet.

For example, you can use forks to eat food, comb your hair, open cans, mix ingredients, and clean pans. Not so bad for a simple fork. The “Multi-purpose Items” encourages creativity and it’s fun to hear what they come up with.

14. Pass the Ball: Vocabulary Brainstorming

Pass the Ball - Talking Timebomb Vocabulary Worksheet

One of the best parts about “Pass the Ball” is that you need practically no preparation time at all. Also, you can practice anything from rhyming to vocabulary to types of things.

First, the teacher comes up with a topic or idea. In the worksheet below, there are some ideas but they can be anything. Next, the teacher starts the music, and students have to think of as many words as they can for that topic.

Someone starts with a ball. When they come up with a word, they pass the ball to another student. This process continues but they can’t repeat something that has already been said.

When the music stops, whoever is holding the ball loses. And the punishment can be anything. For example, they must speak for one minute about a topic the teacher gives them.

This activity was previously called “Talking Timebomb” because you used a timer. Whoever was left with the ball at the end of the music lost the game.

15. Pronunciation Game: Minimal Pairs Pyramid

Pronunciation Game - Minimal Pairs Pyramid

Minimal Pairs are words that sound similar but one phonological element is different in the two words. For example, glamour and grammar sound extremely similar. But they are different with the /r/ and /l/ sounds.

In the pronunciation game, students have to keep a keen ear for what they hear. For example, we use minimal pairs which are similar sounding words with one different phonological element.

First, they start at the top of the pyramid. Next, the teacher says the word, and students have to circle it. Meanwhile, this process continues until everyone reaches the bottom. Finally, there’s only one spot where everyone should finish.

As the teacher, you have to keep track of where the final landing spot should be. Check your students’ understanding. Finally, review the minimal pairs by practicing each sound together as a classroom.

16. Tongue Twisters: Pronunciation Practice

Tongue Twisters Worksheet

Tongue twisters are an effortless way to challenge students at pronunciation. The nice thing is that they have so much fun doing it that they don’t even notice they are speaking English.

I like to start this class by doing a tongue twister in their native language. If I mess up, it gets students laughing. But nothing to worry about because mistakes are OK. Point proven!

First, practice the tongue twister with “repeat after me” style drills. Next, have students practice in pairs, but don’t give them too much time. Finally, open the classroom up for volunteers who can say the tongue twister the fastest.

You might be surprised to see the shyest student in class get in the action! They’re challenging themselves to speak faster. And they are having fun doing it. This is a good recipe for success.

17. Talktastic: The Free-Talking ESL Board Game

Talktastic - ESL Game Board

This free-talking ESL board game “Talktastic” requires a game board and dice to play. But with a bit of preparation, students will be asking each other questions and answering in no time.

First, the teacher makes groups of two. Next, students roll the dice and move their game pieces. When they land on a square, they’ll ask their partner the question in the box. Accordingly, their partner responds until they go around the entire game board.

Even if you have rules to only speak in English in class, this activity is one of those times you should enforce this. Overall, this ESL Board Game lasts for a good 15 minutes and is a lot of fun for students.

Engaging ESL activities are one of the most essential elements of teaching an effective lesson.

These ESL activities aim at boosting awareness and increasing English as a Second Language in an effortless, fun sort of way.

Are you ready to take action? These ESL activities are all free to download and print to teach within your class today.

Let me know what you think with a comment below.

Thank you very much for these lessons

Great collection of activities! Thanks!

Thank you very much. These are some very interesting ideas.

Great ideas for our ESL table for our upcoming Curriculum Night.

These ideas are amazing. I’m so excited to try them with my teen and adults students

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What's the Question

Asking Questions

Charades for Kids - How to Play

Free Talking Topics

Group Charades

Elephant In The Room - Have you ever questions

Have You Ever?

No Roleplay Activity in the Classroom -Subtitles Voice Over Actors

No Subtitles

Talking Time Bomb

The Classroom Movie

What's In the Box

What’s in the Box ?

html5

Questions Game

Updated May 2022 - let me know if there are any problems.

You can set this page as a homework task for a group of students; doing so will give you a record of who has completed the task. Visit the teacher's section for more information.

You can share this page by using the link below.

https://www.gamestolearnenglish.com/questions/

Update January 2021 The game was updated and should now work on older browsers. Also, the audio should work on all devices.

This is a simple game for practicing question forms in English. The aim is to give ESL students practice in the correct use of question words, specifically: "What", "When", "Where", "Who", "How", "Do", "Is", "Are", "Can", "Does" and "Would".

There are 3 parts to the game. The first part aims to practice the different question words in a clear context. You are presented with an image to represent meaning and an incomplete sentence. You have to click on one of 5 words to complete the phrase. The second part aims to reinforce the link between meaning and question form. You are presented with a full question and then have to click on the image that matches. The third part displays responses to the questions. You are show different questions and then have to move the answers to match.

The second and third parts include a countdown timer; the purpose of this is to add some excitement or challenge to the game. My worry here is that without the timer students might find the game boring. If you dislike the timer, you can remove it by clicking on the settings button in the bottom left.

In this game learning will, hopefully, take place through exposure and use of question language. Students will use the language in a context of questions and answers. In doing so, it is hoped that this will reinforce an association between question meaning and language.

There are 2 difficulty levels to choose from - easy and difficult. There is not much difference between them, but they do use different content. Each level has 5 sets of 8 questions and it is also possible to use all sets by clicking on "all". The sets cover a good range or question types: each typically has one question starting with each of the following "What", "When", "Where", "Who" and "How". Then 3 questions starting with any from the following "Do", "Is", "Are", "Can", "Does" and "Would". There is some progression in terms of difficulty as you move through the set, but that is typically more about the easy questions being at the start.

This game uses a different development framework to all the other content on this site. So, it is possible that some things may not work properly or at all. Please email me with any feedback by using the contact form, or you can leave a comment below.

woww i love this game

God game perfect game excellent game.

Excellent games.

- Lina Potes

- Alejandra

I don't like this game. it is boring. i already can english since i was two years old.

- unknown student

Games to Learn English

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ESL Activities

Ideas for activities and games in the English language classroom

10 Tips for Games in the ESL Classroom From the creator of the world’s best-selling ESL board game—ten practical ideas on using games when teaching English

On Using Games in the ESL Classroom Matt Errey looks at competitive versus co-operative games, and healthy versus unhealthy competition

PDF Activity Sheets

Free downloadable and printable two-page activity sheets that encourage students to practise their English skills both alone and working with a partner. Each student activity sheet comes with one page of teacher's notes giving clear directions and answers.

  • Grammar Activity Sheets - with teacher's notes
  • Vocabulary Activity Sheets - with teacher's notes

Mixed-level Activities

Ideas for activities that you can adapt and use at different levels:

Various ESL Activities (elementary to advanced)

Activities by Level

These ideas and activities are mainly appropriate for the following levels:

  • Authentic Cooking Experience Imperatives used for instructions; vocabulary for food and cooking; adverbs of sequence
  • Animal Adventures
  • Beat the Teacher Objective: lesson revision
  • Ring-a-Word
  • Typical Day
  • Noun Game Practises: Vocabulary
  • Odd-One-Out Practises: Vocabulary
  • Vocabulary Cards Practises: Vocabulary
  • When You Turn Off the Light Practises: Vocabulary for giving directions
  • Songs for All Practises: Vocabulary
  • Hello Bingo! Practises: Speaking
  • Secret Code Practises: Speaking, Socialising
  • Verbs and Tenses Practises: Sentence building, Syntax
  • What am I Wearing? Practises: Vocabulary

Pre-intermediate

  • Double Jeopardy
  • Secret Word

Intermediate

  • Driverless Cars Coming Soon Practises: Reading, Speaking
  • Consonant Or Vowel
  • Improvisations
  • Delivering a Persuasive Speech Practises: Speaking Skills and Body Language
  • Alternative Assessment Practises: Vocabulary
  • Book Cover Practises: Reading, Expression
  • Categories Practises: Vocabulary
  • Controversial Statements Practises: Speaking
  • Distractors Practises: Questions (and Patience!)
  • Reading Comprehension Practises: Reading Comprehension
  • Saint Valentine's Day Practises: Listening, Speaking, Writing

Upper-intermediate

  • Vacation Fun

Matt's ESL Games and Quizzes - for immediate download

Activities which may be a success in a Californian encounter group are unlikely to work in the majority of ESL/EFL contexts. Nick Gadd

ESL Activities

ESL Games, Activities, Lesson Plans, Jobs & More

in Speaking

Conversation Questions for ESL: 67 Topics x 15 Questions

If you’re an English teacher, then I’m sure that you are quite familiar with conversation questions ESL. They’re the heart of many of our lessons with teenagers , university students, or adults . But, where to find these English conversation questions?

Sure, you can make your own questions but that takes time that many of us don’t have. Or, you can search around on the Internet for ESL conversation questions but there are often lists with 20, 30, or even more questions. It can be overwhelming when you just want something to print off and take to class. We have a solution so your students are ready with questions other than “how are you” or “ how have you been ?”

conversation-questions-esl

ESL conversation questions

What’s the solution? This book with 67 universal topics, each with 15 interesting and engaging questions. Just the good stuff without all the fluff. You’ll be able to find what you’re looking for in seconds and then head to class for some interesting conversations with the students. Or, even better is to print off copies of these questions, put students into pairs, and let them get to talking.

The ultimate solution for free-talking, conversation , or speaking classes for English learners ? I certainly think so and my guess is that you’ll agree. Keep on reading to find out more about one of my favorite resources for teaching English.

1005 Conversation Questions for English Learners

1005 ESL Conversation Questions: For English Teachers of Teenagers and Adults Who Want to Have...

  • Amazon Kindle Edition
  • Bolen, Jackie (Author)
  • English (Publication Language)
  • 86 Pages - 07/02/2020 (Publication Date)

If you want to have a ton of conversation questions ESL right at your fingertips, then you’ll want to pick up this book over on Amazon: 1005 ESL Conversation Questions for Teenagers and Adults.

Keep a copy on your phone or tablet in case of emergency—those last-minute classes that can get thrown at you. Pull out these questions and it’ll be perfect for a discussion of 30 minutes to an hour with teenage or adult students. There are 67 topics with 15 questions each so you’ll be able to find the perfect one for your group.

Or, get the physical copy of the book and copy the questions before heading to class. Students can easily do some “free-talking” with a partner. The topics are timeless and correspond to what you can find in many ESL textbooks so they make a nice activity for the end of class. Or, use them as a standalone lesson too.

Whatever the case, get ready for some ESL teaching awesome in your life with these interesting, engaging, and detailed questions about a variety of topics. Head over to Amazon to pick up the book today:

shop-now-amazon

Can I See a Sample from the Book? 

Sure, I know that there are a ton of people who like to try before they buy. If you’re that kind of person, have a look here at one of the topics and ESL conversation questions from the book.

1. Are birthdays important to you? Why or why not?

2. How are birthdays usually celebrated in your country?

3. How do young kids celebrate their birthday at school in your country?

4. Have you ever thrown a surprise birthday party or had one thrown for you?

5. Have you ever forgotten an important birthday of someone close to you?

6. Do you have a memorable past birthday memory? What made it memorable?

7. Do you have any bad birthday memories? What happened?

8. Do you prefer to organize your own birthday party or have someone else organize it for you?

9. Are birthdays in your family important? How do you celebrate them?

10. What do you think about elaborate, expensive birthday parties for little kids (1-5 years old)?

11. Do you think turning 40, 50, or 60 is exciting or depressing? Or, some other adjective?

12. What are some memorable birthday presents that you’ve received?

13. How much do you usually spend on a birthday present for a family member?

14. What do you think about birthday cards? Nice, or a waste of money?

15. Does anyone famous have the same birthday as you? Or a friend or family member?

Or, check out these questions:

Age and Aging English Conversation Questions

english-conversation-questions

English conversation questions

Have your Say about Conversation Questions ESL 

Do you have any go-to sources for English conversation questions for adults? Leave a comment below and let us know. We’d love to hear from you.

Also be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. It’ll help other busy English teachers, like yourself, find this useful resource.

Last update on 2022-07-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

esl activities questions

About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 15 years to students in South Korea and Canada. She's taught all ages, levels and kinds of TEFL classes. She holds an MA degree, along with the Celta and Delta English teaching certifications.

Jackie is the author of more than 60 books for English teachers and English learners, including Business English Vocabulary Builder and 39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Speaking Activities for Teenagers and Adults . She loves to share her ESL games, activities, teaching tips, and more with other teachers throughout the world.

You can find her on social media at: YouTube Facebook Pinterest TikTok LinkedIn Instagram

Top Selling ESL Activity Book

39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Speaking Activities: For Teenagers and Adults (Teaching ESL Conversation and...

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

More ESL Activities and Games

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What is the Relationship Between Language and Culture?

describing people ESL

Describing People’s Appearance ESL Games, Activities, Lessons

mystery-box-activity

Mystery Box Game For Kids | Guess What’s in the Box Activity

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Animals that Start with T | Names, Pictures, Fun Facts

About, contact, privacy policy.

Best-selling author and English teacher Jackie Bolen has been talking ESL activities and games since 2015. The goal is to bring you the best ideas, lesson plans, and activity recommendations for your TEFL classes.

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Email: [email protected]

Address: 2436 Kelly Ave, Port Coquitlam, Canada

Making English Fun

Making English Fun

15 Of The Best ESL Speaking Games And Activities.

For English language learners speaking is probably one of the most important and most feared language skills they have to learn . They may be shy, in both languages, or they may be afraid of making a mistake in front of their friends or classmates.

One of the best ways to overcome this is to use English games and activities , introduce some fun into the lessons and these fears suddenly become less important.

We have been teaching English for a lot of years and here are 15 of the best English Speaking games and activities we have researched and trialed in our classrooms. They have been massively useful to us over the years, so we hope they are for you as well.

We have researched English Speaking Games for all levels, backgrounds and ages of students. Activities like the ”Yes/No game. Call My Bluff, On Call” can all be scaled to address student needs. Utilizing speaking games for students is a proven way of maximizing participation and retention of language.

It is important to try to over come students initial fears of speaking, No one likes to make mistakes or look foolish so creating a risk free and non judgmental environment in your classroom is vitally important.

I often try to speak in the students first language to show them that of course people make mistakes, and that is perfectly acceptable , of course some times funny, and nothing NOTHING to worry about!

This is a more difficult task with adult learners, but still achievable highlighting their motivations for learning the language and how it can benefit them at the beginning of sessions helps with this, especially if you go on to highlight how speaking is going to be the most important skill in the vas majority of these situations. In careers, social occasions and travel.

Speaking is the most important skill they will learn. One thing both younger and older students have in common? We all like to have fun. These speaking games below can all be adapted to suit either a Kindergarten classroom, ESL or otherwise, or a boardroom training session. There is something for every classroom situation.

Also where we have them on our site we will link to the files for you to download to make it more convenient for you. If you want to jump to a specific game just click on the list below .

Just before we jump into these 17 ESL Reading Games and Activities we have the four skills covered on the site. Speaking, Reading, Writing and Listening.

You can access the pages from the links below or click on the image to download them all in one PDF file for $2.99 or the price of a coffee ( a good one we admit! )

The Best ESL Games and Activities – 4 Booklets in 1
  • The Best ESL Listening Games and Activities.
  • The Best ESL Speaking Games and Activities.
  • The Best ESL Writing Games and Activities.
  • The Best ESL Reading Games and Activities.

English Speaking Games and Activities

  • 30 Second Speech
  • Logic Game – Downing Street
  • ESL Directions Game
  • Speaking Activities – Expressions
  • Speaking Activities – Responses
  • Mallets Mallet – Word Association Speaking Game
  • Make a Wish – Speaking Game
  • YES / NO Speaking Game.
  • Pictionary – English Speaking Game
  • Call My Bluff / Would I lie to you
  • Show and Tell

39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Speaking Activities: For Teenagers and Adults (Teaching ESL Conversation and Speaking)

1. 30 Second Speech

This English speaking activity is both fun and useful. The aim is to get students to speak for 30 seconds about topics that may or may not be out of their comfort zone. We have a list of topics here for you to choose from, and of course you can think of your own.

There are two ways to approach this, you can introduce the task by asking them to work individually first, or move straight onto the game below.

  • Introduce the idea to the group and say that we will be focusing more and more on their speaking and presenting skills and that this lesson will be a bit of fun and good practice.
  • Ask how long 30 seconds is…. Is it a long time? (Relative of course!)
  • Say that they are going to be talking for 30 seconds about something they know about and that they have only 1 minute to prepare.
  • You can work your way around the class, or split your class into teams to do this depending on
  • Work your way round they class giving people a go at trying to speak for 30 seconds.

The 30 Second Speech game

As they practice the task above write the rules on the board and split class in half

  • 1) Pick a subject
  • 2) Talk for 30 seconds
  • 3) No hesitation or repetition ( although of course they are learning so be lenient with this!)
  • 4) If you can’t talk for 30 seconds the other team will get a chance to finish your time.
  • 5) If they can finish the time they will get the points instead.

Adaptations:

  • You can change the amount of time depending on the age and abilities of your students.
  • You can choose topics that will appeal to your students, if professional students you can choose topics from their careers for example.
  • To do this with varying abilities it is possible to change all aspects. From length of time speaking to the topics chosen.
  • you can work as teams and make it competitive or run it as a whole class activity.

2. Logic Speaking Lesson – Downing Street

esl activities questions

These type of activities used to be in puzzle magazines all the time. There sis a fair deal of explaining required to them but basically it s a logical fill in the blanks. It is better suited to higher level students, but its a great English Speaking game when adapted properly.

We have a separate page for the full details, and it is in this speaking exercise book ( free download ) but will highlight the basics here to see if it is something that fits your teaching needs.

The aim is to fill in the table with all the information so you know everything about the residents of Downing street. However you have to walk around and ask the rest of the class for that information, only once you have spoken to everyone will you be able to work it out . This is a great English speaking game that gets the whole class taking to each other, and forgetting about the language they are doing that in!

You will need the table worksheet for students to fill in and the list of information and clues both on the links includes here

  • Pass out one clue and a table worksheet to fill in to each Student.
  • If you have fewer than 20 participants, give each person more than one clue until you run out.
  • If you have more than 20 students, cut up more than one copy of each and pass out duplicates to the group
  • Do not let participants read each other’s clues.
  • As they get the information they can start to fill in their table.
  • They must speak and listen to identify, as a group, what they learn from each clue.
  • The teachers role is to make sure they are speaking English and to point in the right direction if it gets a little confusing.

Once your students have the answers then it can be gone through together on the board or white board and it adds another speaking element to the lesson. This is a great speaking game for ESL students and other. It really encourages them to speak to each other. As an added bonus for teachers we get to act as facilitator rather than be stuck at the front of the classroom.

Adaptations: It is possible to add clues (carefully to make sure they fit the answers) doing this makes it much easier. The aim is to get the students speaking to each other not just the logic side of the activity.

esl activities questions

3. Giving Directions Lesson plan

esl activities questions

Ask and respond activities give students the comfort of a script to follow, which means those who are a little self conscious have some scaffolding to work from. It also means these activities are suitable for lower level students who need that extra help

Resources •A copy of a town map, or any town map printable from google for groups of students, a list of place names for students to pick from. We have one designed for younger learners here.

The activity.

  • Chose a student from each team (make three teams if you can.) who will come to the front and pick a place to start from the bag and then will pick a place to finish.
  • The students mentions the start building and then has to give directions to their team.
  • His/her team has to follow as they describe the directions (obviously they cant say the name of the place or the building that they are supposed to go.) If the team has it right they get points.
  • You can pre teach turn left, straight on, turn right as needed of course.
  • Offer points as you see fit for each team
  • Make sure as many get a chance to come to the front and speak as possible.

It is possible to actually have the directions already prewritten for students. This means they can practice reading, speaking and listening in one activity.

Also it is possible to have your class spend a lesson coming up with the directions themselves and then putting them all in a box or bag at the front for the whole class to use. This means you add writing and they are actually using their own work to prepare a lesson.

4. Speaking lessons – Expressions

One of the main problems when teacher oral English speaking lessons is that the class invariably turns into robots. This is not intentional, so much effort goes into speaking in another language that putting emotion and expression into what they are saying comes way , WAY down the list.

esl activities questions

So sometimes a little nudge in the right direction is all they need. We have designed an ESL speaking game and lesson to do just that.

  • We have a worksheet we have prepared for you with some sentences that will require a lot of expression.
  • Write the word expression on the board and ask what is says and what it means
  • Explain that although this word can mean making your voice have feeling or emotion, it is also your facial expressions.
  • Show them what a voice without expression sounds like (you tube most boring voice in the world or something) or demonstrate yourself.. Let them know intonation and expression are SO important in English that they should try to think about them more.
  • Give out the work sheet with examples of sentences on and see let them work out how they should say each sentence to make it more natural.
  • Father TED Video here is a reasonable example of boring and dramatic voice. ( there is a bra in it in the first 5 seconds so set it up first if it is likely to cause problems )
  • Remind them to try to use not only expression in their voice but in their face as well. Demonstrate how difficult it is to sound sad when you look happy and that by using facial expression it actually makes speaking English easier!
  • Have the group work through the sayings and ask them to perform them together.
  • As a fun activity write something random on the board (I like peas, where is my pen, I have won the lottery) and have emotions and feelings written on the board. Choose a student number and have them say a phrase normally and then point at a different emotion and see if they can say it like that. If you want to make it a competition see if the rest of the class can work out what emotion they are trying to act out.
  • E.g.: Sad but won the lottery, happy but lost their pen etc.

Adding expression to their speech is a large step towards sounding natural and developing English fluency.

5. Responses Lesson

In English to sound more natural we have a set of almost automatic set of responses on hearing good, bad or surprising news. It doesn’t take much to teach these in ESL Speaking lessons and for ESL Students in particular it is a definite confidence builder for them.

  • Greet the class and walk around offering compliments to people, you look nice; I like your hair, nice shirt…etc. See what responses you get from this.
  • Write RESPONSES on the board and see if they have seen the word and if they can tell you what it means.  Write up congratulations on the board and ask when they would say this. Illicit ideas from the group.
  • Repeat but with my cute little rabbit died yesterday and see what they think the correct response should be.
  • Give out the worksheet and ask them to work in pairs to see if they can write the correct response to the appropriate sentence. Give them a couple of minutes to do this. Longer if needed. Then choose a student to say one and another student / group to try to give the answer. Work through them all.
  • Give life to the responses and let them know if they say sorry their voice has to mean it otherwise it might sound sarcastic. Same with congratulations etc.  So expression is very important in English to make sure the correct meaning is conveyed!
  • There are two spaces at the bottom for two sentences for them to write a sentence and then the appropriate response.

As a game you can then repeat the same sort or exercise as the activity above. Have a selection of sentences than usually require a response and then ask for the incorrect response. No one expects you to say congratulations when you tell them your little rabbits died yesterday!!!

esl activities questions

6. Word Association Speaking Game

This English Speaking game, together with the YES/NO game below are tied for my favorite game to play with any age student ESL or other wise. They can, and have been, played with second language kindergarten students all the way up to native speaking business people with the same amount of fun. The language from the business people was perhaps a little ruder than the kindergarten children but only a little!

It is a superb English speaking game for ESL students and native speakers. It gets really REALLY competitive. you will need an inflatable hammer they have packs of 12 on amazon for about 12 dollars and that’s it!

This game is based on a old TV show from the UK called Wacaday. In it they had a rather colorful character called Timmy Mallet who, among other things, played a game called mallets mallet. In this game the players, always children, had to think of a word associated with whatever Timmy said. There was no hesitation, repetition, or ummm or errrrrs allowed or they got a bonk on the head. (softly of course) the winner was the one who didn’t get hit!

This is easier to show you than explain so here is a video of it! ( it was the 1980s so excuse the poor quality of the video, and of course the hair styles!)

Two students at a time come to the front and the teacher/helper gives them a word. They have to say a word related to the previous word in 3 seconds or less. They can not repeat, pause or say something unrelated.

If they get it wrong they get a ‘bonk’ on the head and 3 times bonked and a new pair or students comes up or you could even play winner stays on. For fun they can play against the teacher as well.

Here are some ideas.

  • MacDonald’s

Water, drink, tea, coffee, sugar, sweet, sour …..

You can make this much slower than the video if you are working with second language or ESL students, and if you don’t want a hammer you can use a rolled up piece of paper or just play it as a point game without the hammer. (its more fun with one of course!)

7. Wish Speaking and Writing lesson.

This is a take on the TV Show Call my Bluff, where contestants have to guess who is lying. In this version students have to guess who wishes / wants what. They can do this by picking and reading a wish out of the bag and then trying to guess who it belongs to. They hav to give a reason why they think that.

Note: I have done this, or a version of this, many times without issue. However there was one time when a student wrote that they wished their parents would get back together which was pretty heartbreaking. Although it is superb to share, in front of a class of other students may not be the time or place. I did of course talk to her after and sought some help from others in the school. It may be worth while including instructions to keep it light.

  • I do this by telling the class that i am not their teacher now, I am the genie from Aladdin and that I am going to give them three wishes, but one has to be to make the world a better place, one has to be for their family or friends and the last one can be for them. (And it can’t be I will have x more wishes)
  • Give out some scrap paper and let them have a few mins to think about it then they have to write the wishes down but no names.
  • Once completed say that we are going to have an activity. The class will have to guess whose wishes are whose.
  • You will have three people at the front and need to mix up the pieces of paper. then hand them back to the students. Maybe they are mixed maybe they are not.
  • One student at a time will read one of the lists of wishes and the rest of the class have to guess who they think the wishes belong to.
  • You can continue till all the students have had a try.

Adaptations: This is also great as an Icebreaker activity for students and teacher to get to know each other. You can keep the activity as wishes or ask them to write three things about themselves. You can even change it to two things true and one lie to add some fun and creativity. ( and to create another English Speaking game called ”would I lie to you” or Call my Bluff.

8. Yes – No Game – Speaking Lesson 

When I said that The Word Association game above and this game were tied as my favorite English Speaking game I lied. This is my number one game. It is just perfect for all levels of English learner. It can be made easier for younger and ESL students and learners and more difficult for higher levels. No matter what level of learner is in the class you can use this game.

Now watch the video to see someone very VERY good at asking the questions in action. (these are native speakers so of course he tries very hard to catch them out and speaks very quickly)

It is better to teacher this to students with at least a basic abilty, but it doesnt have to be high level as you can level the wuestion you ask.

Write up questions on the board and say that today we are going to look at question that are answered with yes/no. .

  • The yes no game is from a TV show around the world, people have to come out and answer the questions the teacher (at first) asks. These will nearly all be yes or no questions.
  • The student must not answer with yes or no, or nod their head or shake their head, or say uh huh etc etc.
  • It sounds easy, but it isn’t!
  • They will get carried away with this so take time to calm them down between students, and it is excellent practice for adding language to answers.
  • Once they have the hang of it students can also be brought up to ask the questions. The activity then becomes student led and the teacher can observe and advise.

Tips: Ask questions starting with do you, can you , will you etc usually catch students out. Also you can repeat the students answer and add yes, or no to the end and it might catch them out to nod or repeat you.

It is simply awesome to play this and as I said earlier even 5 and 6 year olds quickly grasp this English speaking game. Once i have played it with my students it is the most requested speaking game every lesson following that.

9. Pictionary – English Speaking Game.

Allowing your students to communicate with each other takes off some of the pressure of a whole class environment and allows them to risk take with their English speaking in a less public arena 

In this game, each student in the pair draws a picture, keeping their paper shielded from the eyes of their partner. Ideally, pictures should be fairly simple. Once the picture is complete, they explain to their partner, using words only, how to replicate the image this can be done at a desk or as a whispers type activity across school halls if you want a more physical speaking game.

For example, if a student has drawn the stereotypical square house with a triangle roof, he might say: “draw a house, with a red roof and blue door. He may miss out how many windows, the family in front of it or all manner of details.

This allows the teacher to compare the two drawings with the students and ask what language they could have added to get more details into the picture. This really enables students to start to think about expanding and adding to the phrases they say.

The goal of this game is for each partner to replicate the other’s drawing by listening and understanding these spoken directions. The difference in drawings is often pretty funny as well.

esl activities questions

10. Guess who 

Although you can use the Guess Who board game if you have it, its about 15 USD on Amazon if you have a need! It is probably easier and more adaptable for the culture or location you are teaching in to make a simple version with famous people from your area.

Students simpley draw the name of a famous person and photo if needed out of a hat (you’ll need to prepare these slips in advance!) and their partner or the rest of the class tries to guess who is on the paper by asking a series of yes/no questions.

it is a fun and engaging English speaking game that tests questioning knowledge.

11. Call My Bluff / Two Truths and A Lie

This is a similar game to the Make a Wish game above, but Call My Bluff is a more difficult and fun game which is perfect at the start of term as a ‘getting to know you’ kind of game. It is also a brilliant ice breaker between students if you teach classes who do not know one another — and especially essential if you are teaching a  small class size .

The game is excellent for practicing English speaking skills , though make sure you save some time for after the game to comment on any mistakes students may have made during the game. (I generally like to reserve this for after the game, so you don’t disrupt their fluency by correcting them as they speak).

With older groups you can have some real fun and you might be surprised what you’ll learn about some of your students when playing this particular EFL game.

  • Why use it?  Ice-breaker; Speaking skills
  • Who it’s best for:  Appropriate for all levels and ages but best with older groups

How to play:

  • Write 3 statements about yourself on the board, two of which should be lies and one which should be true.
  • Allow your students to ask you questions about each statement and then guess which one is the truth. You might want to practice your poker face before starting this game!
  • If they guess correctly then they win.
  • Extension:  Give students time to write their own two truths and one lie.
  • Pair them up and have them play again, this time with their list, with their new partner. If you want to really extend the game and give students even more time to practice their speaking/listening skills, rotate partners or run as a whole class activity.
  • Bring the whole class back together and have students announce one new thing they learned about another student as a recap

12. Doctors In

esl activities questions

Actually this stems for a party (or drinking) game at universities and can be adapted to what ever vocabulary or topic you are teaching at the time. In the university version we all stick a post it to our foreheads and have to guess the famous person we are. Similar to the Guess who game above. In ESL or Classroom use we can do this with Jobs , animals, furniture, absolutely anything all you need are some post its or similar to stick to peoples heads or backs – anywhere they can not read it. It is a great ESL speaking game for classrooms with limited resources.

  • Write the terms, problems or vocabulary you want on to Post It Notes and stick to the students back.
  • The Students must walk about asking questions of their students on the word, yes and no questions work better, but longer ones can be used.
  • Hopefully Students will be able to get enough information to guess what their word is.
  • This game can be adapted for old or young students, or even university students 😉

13. Show and Tell

This classic classroom activity still has a place in modern classrooms. Students simply bring in something they would like to Show and Tell to their classmates. It practices students speaking ability, and their ability to prepare short written scripts that they will have to read. For those not talking it practices their listening ability, especially if you add a could of quiz questions at the end of each show and tell part.

You can change this by having a mystery box and they have to describe the item with out looking to their classmates and have them try to guess ( or the student of course) what it is.

Maybe its because i am writing this just a couple of days after Christmas, but I notice there are a lot of party games in this list. It might be that, but it might also be because they just work. Everyone, young and old, likes to have fun and these games provide that in abundance. Taboo is no exception.

It is simply a deck of cards, you can make your own or pick up a glossy set on Amazon for not much. On the card they have one target word and four words underneath. The player, in one minute or what ever time limit you decide to set has to try to explain what the target word is with out mentioning it, or the four related words underneath.

The beauty of this game is that you can adapt it to whichever topic you have been studying and make it easier or more difficult depending on the age and abilities of your students. It works in ESL and native speaking classrooms.

esl activities questions

15. Think Fast

This is a nice physical game for warm up or for end of class consolidation. You just need a bean bag and some ideas.

It is similar to the Mallets Mallet Word assocation game above but involves the who class rather than pairs at the front.

  • First have your students stand facing each other in a circle, or as much of one as you can make if you are in a classroom.
  • Then explain that you are going to say a topic, maybe animals, or colors anything.
  • When you do you are going to throw the ben bag or ball at a student ( to catch not hurt!) and when they catch they have to then say something in that topic,
  • Then throw the ball on to another student in the circle.
  • That student has to do the same, but it has to be a different word. If they get it wrong, pause or repeat they have to sit down and wait fo the next round.

This is great fun and students of ALL ages get into it very quickly. You can also allow then to pick their own subjects after a few goes.

The simple fact is that students of all ages learn better when they are having fun. If you can try to incorporate some of these English Speaking games and activities into your lessons then you will find that more and more your students are willing to engage and practice the language you are teaching them. There are hundreds more activities, but these are our favorites. We have a booklet of ten of them for free download if you want an idea of some of the resources behind them, but we will also be putting them up on the site as time goes by so you can take them individually as you need.

Hope these helped you as much as they have helped us!

About Making English Funn

Hi I’m Marc. A teacher of over 15 years, English, General Studies and Outdoor Education. Thought it was about time to sharing both what I have learnt during that time and the resources I have put together. On this site we aim to teach the theory and share our thoughts, but also go that one step further and give you access to the hard resources you need for your class or for you children

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Making English Fun!

esl activities questions

I have been a teacher of English for over 15 years, in that time i made hundreds and thousands of resources and learnt so much i think its worth sharing. Hopefully to help teachers and parents around the world.

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17 Best ESL Icebreaker Questions and Activities

ESL Icebreaker Questions

First day of class? Have a new group of students and want to break the ice?

When we start a new class, we will likely want to introduce icebreaker questions and activities.

This breaks the tension and helps the students become acquainted with each other and the lessons.

Let’s look at some of the best ESL icebreaker questions and activities that can be incorporated into the classroom:

1. Small Talk

You can get to know ESL students by asking them questions and encouraging them to speak about random topics. This is a simple icebreaker yet an effective one.

Some potential questions you could ask them:

  • What do you like to do in your free time?
  • What languages do you know how to speak?
  • Have you ever lived in a different country?
  • What was the last movie you saw?
  • What is your talent?

2. Have You Ever…?

You can ask the students “have you ever” questions. Students like to talk about themselves and their experiences. Students also get to practice the present perfect.

For example:

  • Have you ever met a celebrity?
  • Have you ever won a trophy?
  • Have you ever been on TV/the radio?
  • Have you ever played a musical instrument?
  • Have you ever run a marathon?
  • Have you ever locked yourself out of the house?
  • Have you ever had to go to the hospital?

3. Would you rather…?

You can also ask students “ would you rather ” questions. This activity works well with students who know how to use the conditional structure, making it a perfect icebreaker for advanced students.

  • Would you rather be able to take to animals or speak many foreign languages?
  • Would you rather it rained cats or dogs?
  • Would you rather be invincible or be able to stop time?
  • Would you rather have no homework or no tests?
  • Would you rather be a pirate or be a ninja?
  • Would you rather be rich or find love?

Find more Would You Rather” questions here.

4. Find Someone Who…

This is an excellent introductory icebreaker you can play with students.

For example, you can ask students to find someone who…

  • Has traveled to the most countries
  • Has attended a language school before
  • Has an interesting hobby
  • Was born in August
  • Plays a musical instrument

Give the students time to find someone in the class who fits the description and ask the students for their answers at the end.

You can find many exercise sheets at ISL Collective.

pexels monstera 6237988

5. Ball Toss ESL Icebreaker

This icebreaker can be used for groups of kids or adults. All you need is a lightweight ball, like a beach ball.

Form a circle. You can ask a question and throw the ball to a student. The student answers the question and asks a question before throwing the ball to another student.

Encourage them to form a different question to ask the next student. If they are a lower level, they can ask the same question.

You can also give the students a topic or grammar pattern to encourage them to ask different questions.

6. Group Therapy

If you have teens or adults, you might like trying to ask the students to share their fears about learning English.

Students can share the skills they are lacking or what they find difficult.

This can help build a supportive, helpful classroom environment. You can also use an example of your own language learning struggles.

It would also be a good idea to ask students why improving their English is important and what goals they are trying to attain.

These personal questions will help keep them focused and reinforce why they joined the English class in the first place.

You may also be interested in: 19 ESL Warm Up Activities (Simple and Fun)

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7. Superlative Icebreaker Questions

Adding superlatives is a great way to create more exciting and engaging icebreaker questions. It can reveal a great deal more about the students. Superlative questions can include words like the best, the worst, the funniest, the most important, the oldest.

  • What is the best present you have ever received?
  • What is your earliest childhood memory?
  • What adjectives best describe you?
  • What is the scariest situation you have ever been in?
  • How old is the oldest thing in your wardrobe?

Find more superlative questions here.

8. Twenty Questions

Give the students a category, like “food.” Students ask the teacher twenty questions to try to find out what food they are thinking of.

This also works for larger classes. You can put the students in smaller groups or pairs, and they have to try the icebreaker game with each other.

9. Two Truths One Lie

We can get the students talking with “two truths one lie.” Students think of three statements about themselves, one of which is a lie.

The other students have to guess which statement is a lie. This can be played in small groups and is a great icebreaker that involves literally no preparation.

You may also be interested in: Best Free ESL Worksheets for Kids

10. Deserted Island

Tell the students they will be trapped on an island for a year, and they can only take five things with them.

On the deserted island, they can already find monkeys, coconut trees, freshwater, and fish.

Students think about what five things they bring and why. They must explain the importance of the items to the class.

pexels katerina holmes 5905448

11. Riddles

You can ask the students to solve some popular riddles, such as the “Chicken, Fox and Corn” riddle.

Put the students in groups of three to four, so they can figure out the riddle and bounce ideas off each other.

12. “Facts About You” Paper Airplane Activity

Students write four or five facts about themselves on a piece of paper. If they are creative, they can make it into a paper airplane.

Everyone should fly their paper airplanes to the middle of the room. Students pick up the paper airplane that landed nearest them.

Students take turns reading the facts on their page and try to guess who wrote it.

You can also tailor this activity based on what topic or grammar point you are studying.

13. “Where are you from” Map ESL Icebreaker

If you have students from many different countries in a class, this could be a good ESL icebreaker to try!

Give students two pushpins each. One student can go up to the map. The other students may guess their home country and where they would like to visit.

If they are at a higher level, you could get them to use modal verbs in their answer and phrase their guesses as statements rather than questions. For example, “Lucinda might be from Spain” or “Maria probably chose Ireland because her great grandparents are from there.”

14. Four Corners

Four Corners is an icebreaker for intermediate and advanced level students. This is an effective exercise in getting the students to know each other more and provides great conversation practice in a short space of time.

Label the corners of the room one through four.

Ask getting-to-know-you questions, such as “what is your favorite food?” Give students four options– one is chicken curry, two is pizza, three is steak, four is hamburger.

Other possible questions:

  • “What is your favorite music?”
  • “What is your favorite job?”
  • “What is your favorite sport?”
  • What is your favorite color ?

Student moves to the corner that best represents them. This helps the students find things they have in common and develops relationships.

15. Speed Dating Icebreaker

For speed dating, you can arrange the chairs in two lines facing each other so that students can talk together in pairs.

Introduce an icebreaker question and give students a minute to answer. The students from one line should move up a seat, so they are facing a new partner.

Keep going until the student is back facing their first partner, or you run out of time.

This introduces some real-world conversation and builds students’ confidence as they get to know each other.

16. Ice Breaker Jenga

Jenga is a super fun game to play. You can also incorporate it into your ESL classroom for an interesting ESL icebreaker.

Write an icebreaker question on each block. When the students pull a block, they have to answer whatever question is on it.

pexels anastasia shuraeva 8466159

17. Student Bingo

This ESL icebreaker requires a little preparation, but it is a great game that can be used year on year. This is similar to Find Someone Who, except it is a little more competitive.

Prepare some bingo boards or cards and write phrases on the boxes such as:

  • Likes football
  • Speaks three languages
  • Has a big family
  • Has been to London

The students have to get five squares boxes in a row before they can call bingo.

Other Random ESL Icebreaker Questions:

Simple questions for younger students and beginners:

  • What do you like?
  • How old are you?
  • What grade are you in?
  • What color do you like?
  • What food do you like?
  • What sport do you like?
  • What is your favorite book?
  • What is your favorite game?
  • What is your favorite animal?
  • What season do you like best? Why?
  • What is your favorite holiday?
  • What TV show do you like?
  • Why are you learning English?
  • Do you have any brothers and sisters?
  • What do you learn at school?
  • What do you do every day?
  • Do you have any pets?
  • What do you do at the weekend?
  • When is your birthday?
  • What is your favorite kind of ice cream?
  • Where does your mum work? Where does your dad work?
  • What do you play with your friends?

List of icebreaker questions for teens and adults who are more advanced speakers:

  • What are your hobbies ?
  • When was the last time you laughed so much you cried?
  • Have you ever met someone famous?
  • What would you do if you won five million in the lotto?
  • If you could live anywhere, where would it be and why?
  • Describe your dream house.
  • What actor would play you if they made a movie about you?
  • What is your favorite chore? What is your least favorite chore?
  • Who annoys you most?
  • What is a funny movie you saw?
  • What movie have you seen most recently?
  • Would you describe yourself as a quiet or loud person? Why?
  • What job would you like to have? Why?
  • Would you like to be famous? Why/ why not?
  • If you had three wishes, what would you wish for?
  • If you could buy anything right now, what would it be?
  • What types of music do you like or dislike?
  • If you had more free time, what would you do?
  • How much sleep do you usually get?
  • What risks have you taken in life?
  • What do you do when you feel demotivated?
  • What crime is common in your country?
  • What kind of dreams do you have?
  • What will shopping be like in the future?

In Conclusion

An effective icebreaker should help students open up and help them get to know their fellow classmates.

There are tons of icebreakers an ESL teacher can add to the lessons to keep students engaged and ready for class.

The games above should give you many ideas for your next class!

What ESL icebreaker questions or games do you incorporate into your lessons? Let me know in the comments section!

Useful Links

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Caitriona Maria is an education writer and founder of TPR Teaching, crafting inspiring pieces that promote the importance of developing new skills. For 7 years, she has been committed to providing students with the best learning opportunities possible, both domestically and abroad. Dedicated to unlocking students' potential, Caitriona has taught English in several countries and continues to explore new cultures through her travels.

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esl activities questions

  • ESL Conversation Questions

Conversation questions worksheets for ESL students, teachers, and general English discussion. These worksheets can be used for a variety of English levels and from large to one-on-one classes.

You can browse the topics here by the thumbnail of the worksheets. If you are looking for a faster way to find things to talk about check out the conversation topics page which acts as an index for all the speaking worksheets and questions here at ESL Vault.

25 conversation questions about boredom

25 Conversation questions about boredom

A list and free PDF of conversation questions about boredom for English discussion.

how much how many questions

33 How much how many questions

A free PDF and list of discussion questions that use how much and how many.

25 conversation questions about tourism

25 Conversation questions about tourism

A free printable discussion activity about tourism for ESL and general English conversation.

25 conversation questions about moving

25 Easy conversation questions about moving

A list of discussion questions about moving home with a free PDF.

25 conversation questions about communication

25 Conversation questions about communication

A free PDF and list of discussion questions about communication.

25 new year conversation questions

25 New Year conversation questions

An interesting set of discussion questions about new year for ESL and general English conversation.

25 love conversation questions

25 Unique love conversation questions

An interesting collection of questions about love for ESL and general English conversation

25 military conversation questions

25 Great military conversation questions

A list and a free PDF worksheet of military conversation questions for ESL and general English discussion.

25 entertainment conversation questions

25 Fun entertainment conversation questions

A list and free PDF worksheet of entertainment conversation questions for English discussion.

25 personality conversation questions

25 Personality conversation questions

A free PDF and list of personality conversation questions for a fun discussion activity.

25 advice conversation questions

25 Advice conversation questions

A free PDF and list discussion questions about advice for English conversation activities.

25 conversation questions about patience

25 Conversation questions about patience

A free PDF and list of discussion questions about patience for English conversation.

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esl activities questions

Questions ESL Printable Worksheets and Exercises

Question words esl grammar exercise worksheet.

esl activities questions

Echo Questions Multiple Choice ESL Exercise Worksheet

Answer Key Included

Question Words Multiple Choice Test ESL Worksheet

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QUESTIONS SIMPLE PAST AND PRESENT PERFECT

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  1. Question forms: What's the Question?

    esl activities questions

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  4. Pin on TEACHING ENGLISH ESL

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COMMENTS

  1. Wh Questions ESL Games Activities Worksheets

    Tell me more ESL Wh Questions Game - Grammar and Speaking: Asking Questions from Prompts - Group Work - Elementary (A1-A2) - 20 minutes In this creative Wh questions speaking activity, students play a game where they ask Wh questions in order to find out more details about a sentence. Write a sentence on the board, e.g. 'The report is on the desk'.

  2. 150 ESL Conversation Starters and Questions (The Essential List)

    150 ESL Conversation Starters and Questions (The Essential List) By Jonathan Race / July 15, 2019 Do you want your students to be excited to speak with you in English? Do you want to make sure you always know where the conversation is going and what to say next?

  3. Question Words ESL Activities Games Worksheets

    ESL Question Words Activity - Grammar, Writing and Speaking: Completing, Writing and Answering Questions - Group Work - Pre-intermediate (A2) - 30 minutes In this engaging question words activity, students write questions using different question words and phrases for other students to answer.

  4. WH Question Activity and Game Ideas

    Do you want to try it out? Have a look at this fun ESL review activity here: Rock-Scissor-Paper ESL Game. #2: Board Games In real life (not when I'm teaching!), I like to play board games. I like them a lot actually! So, I like to bring them into my classroom as well.

  5. 20 questions ESL Speaking Game

    Time: 20 minutes Level: Beginner-advanced Materials Required: Nothing This is a "20 questions" style game, based on whatever you're studying (Animals/Jobs, etc). For advanced students, you could just leave it open and use this as a bit of warm-up at the beginning of class instead of as a review activity.

  6. Question Words, Activity, for ESL, Online Learning

    Question Words Activity for ESL Online Learning, What, Who, Where, When, Why, How - Fun Games These are direct links to all the Question Words Online Activities on this site Question Words Interactive Games Question Words - What, where, Who, why, when, which, how, Grammar Activity Related Activities

  7. 100 ESL Games

    Describing Appearance Game - Draw A Monster. Directions Games. Easter Game For Kids. Emoji Game - Spot The Odd One Out. Family Members Game. Feelings And Emotions Game. Food - Guessing Game 1. Food - Guessing Game 2. Food - Top Five Quiz.

  8. WH Question Games and Activities

    Teaching WH questions to English learners can be done by first focusing on the forms and meaning of these kinds of questions. Then, use a variety of interactive and engaging games and activities so that students can practice asking and answering WH questions. Information gap activities, find someone who bingo, and surveys work particularly well.

  9. 8,886 Questions English ESL worksheets pdf & doc

    8,886 Questions English ESL worksheets pdf & doc SORT BY TIME PERIOD All-time radiosushi Questions, Questions A reading and speaking worksheet for higher level students that focuses on question formation and in particular the more unusual, personal types of question... 759 uses Agula63 questions questions Make a few copies.

  10. ESL Question Answer Games

    Button Up ESL Answering Questions Game - Speaking: Answering Questions - Group Work - Any Level - 15 minutes This fun Q and A game can be used to practice a variety of question and answer structures. You can also use the game in any situation where you want to elicit answers from students such as with flashcards.

  11. ESL Discussions: English Conversation Questions / Debates: Speaking

    ESL Discussions: English Conversation Questions / Debates: Speaking Lesson Activities * 709 discussions. * Ready-to-print handouts. * Everyday & controversial topics. Abbreviations / Acronyms Bin Laden (Osama) Aliens (easier)

  12. 39 Fun ESL Games and Activities for an Exciting English Classroom

    1. Vocabulary Showcase Game Show 2. How's Yours? 3. Fly Swat 4. Shiritori Showdown 5. Hangman 6. Jeopardy 7. Backdraw 8. Sparkle 9. Squat ESL Listening Games 10. Flash Art 11. Find Someone Who… 12. Telephone 13. Song Puzzle ESL Games for Communication and Teamwork 14.

  13. 17 ESL Activities for Engaging Classes

    2. Reverse Jeopardy: Formulating Questions Instead of answering questions like in a quiz show, students are making the questions. Each card has a word with a point value. Similar to Jeopardy, you create 5 categories. Each category has 5 questions with harder cards as a higher point value. In groups of 4, students pick the category and point value.

  14. 105 Fun ESL Warm-Up Questions and Activities for Adults

    Look no further! This collection of 105 fun ESL warm-up questions and activities for adults will help you break the ice, boost students' confidence, and set the scene for a successful and enjoyable lesson. These ESL warm-up questions can be used at the beginning of each class. They are a good way to introduce a new topic, review material from ...

  15. Questions

    The aim is to give ESL students practice in the correct use of question words, specifically: "What", "When", "Where", "Who", "How", "Do", "Is", "Are", "Can", "Does" and "Would". There are 3 parts to the game. The first part aims to practice the different question words in a clear context.

  16. ESL Activities

    Free downloadable and printable two-page activity sheets that encourage students to practise their English skills both alone and working with a partner. Each student activity sheet comes with one page of teacher's notes giving clear directions and answers. Grammar Activity Sheets - with teacher's notes

  17. Conversation Questions for ESL: 67 Topics x 15 Questions

    There are 67 topics with 15 questions each so you'll be able to find the perfect one for your group. Or, get the physical copy of the book and copy the questions before heading to class. Students can easily do some "free-talking" with a partner. The topics are timeless and correspond to what you can find in many ESL textbooks so they make ...

  18. 15 Of The Best ESL Speaking Games And Activities.

    it is a fun and engaging English speaking game that tests questioning knowledge. 11. Call My Bluff / Two Truths and A Lie. This is a similar game to the Make a Wish game above, but Call My Bluff is a more difficult and fun game which is perfect at the start of term as a 'getting to know you' kind of game.

  19. 17 Best ESL Icebreaker Questions and Activities

    1. Small Talk You can get to know ESL students by asking them questions and encouraging them to speak about random topics. This is a simple icebreaker yet an effective one. Some potential questions you could ask them: What do you like to do in your free time? What languages do you know how to speak? Have you ever lived in a different country?

  20. ESL Conversation Questions Archives

    You can browse the topics here by the thumbnail of the worksheets. If you are looking for a faster way to find things to talk about check out the conversation topics page which acts as an index for all the speaking worksheets and questions here at ESL Vault. 25 Conversation questions about boredom

  21. Conversation Questions for the ESL/EFL Classroom (I-TESL-J)

    Home | Articles | | Techniques | Questions | Games | Jokes | Things for Teachers | Links | Activities for ESL Students Accidents at Home Adoption Advertising Advice Age: Youth & Old Age Airplanes Amusement Parks Anger Animals & Pets Annoying Things Arguing Art The Art of Conversation Bags and Purses Baseball Basketball Beach

  22. ESL Conversation Questions

    A Part of Conversation Questions for the ESL Classroom . Free Time Do you have enough free time? Do you have free time on Sundays? Do you have much free time during the day? Do you have much free time in the evenings? Do you have much free time in the mornings? Do you like to watch movies? (...like to play tennis, ...)

  23. Questions ESL Printable Worksheets and Exercises

    Questions Free ESL Printable Grammar Worksheets, Eal Exercises, Efl Questions, Tefl Handouts, Esol Quizzes, Multiple Choice Tests, Elt Activities, English Teaching and Learning Resources, Information and Rules for kids

  24. How to Teach ESL Students to Ask Questions Effectively

    A third way to teach ESL students to ask questions is to use authentic and relevant materials. Authentic materials are materials that are not designed for language teaching, but for real-life ...

  25. QUESTIONS SIMPLE PAST AND PRESENT PERFECT

    Liveworksheets transforms your traditional printable worksheets into self-correcting interactive exercises that the students can do online and ... QUESTIONS SIMPLE PAST AND PRESENT PERFECT ... Country code: EC. Country: Ecuador. School subject: English as a Second Language (ESL) (1061958) Main content: QUESTIONS SIMPLE PAST AND PRESENT ...