In the past, I’ve found it difficult to find satisfactory ways of practising the present continuous in a real-time situation. I find miming activities don’t always suit adult classrooms, and describing what is happening in pictures produces only a limited range of language. However, with the introduction of a large screen, there are a lot more […]
Collaborative crosswords, also known as half-crosswords, are an engaging pair-work speaking activity that challenges students to give clues to their partner to help them complete their half crossword. This exercise improves confidence, builds vocabulary, and increases fluency as students find synonyms and get creative in their communication. Explore 25 Pre-Prepared Collaborative Crosswords and Vocabulary Picture […]
The aim of this activity is to use minimal pairs to draw the attention of learners to problems they may have distinguishing and reproducing similar consonant and vowel sounds. Online Minimal Pairs Game Visit our partner site for an online minimal pairs activity. Minimal pairs are pairs of words that differ in only one phonological […]
Writing is an area of English teaching which is often neglected. However, it is a vital skill to practise and a fantastic way to observe students’ progress and identify their areas of weakness. Doing writing exercises in class can feel like a waste of good speaking time. Students can write anywhere, but the classroom is […]
Show and Tell is one of those great activities that motors along under its own steam without needing much direction from the teacher. I really enjoy being able to sit back and listen to the students’ stories, jumping in when there are difficulties or adding appropriate vocabulary. If there are grammar points which need addressing […]
Who lives in a house like this? is based on an old BBC TV show Through The Keyhole where the host walks around a celebrity’s house trying to establish their identity from his or her interior design choices. You can do this activity with a laptop and a projector or a smart screen. Or you […]
This is a fantastic activity for giving your students practice in asking and answering questions in the third person singular. How to Run the Present Simple Interviews Activity By following these steps, your students will get plenty of practice in using the third person singular form of the present simple while having fun and engaging […]
Word mazes are a word puzzle where students must follow the correct sequence of words to make their way from the start of the maze to the finish. The correct choice is vertically or horizontally connected to the previous word. Diagonal moves are not allowed. Word Stress Awareness of stressed syllables is crucial in helping […]
This four in a row game (similar to the popular Connect 4 game) is an activity for groups of three students. Each pair is given a puzzle sheet (see below) comprising of a grid of words, they compete to connect four of the grid-squares vertically, horizontally or diagonally. The third person in the group acts as […]
Picture taboo is a fluency focused activity in which students practise describing objects. This activity builds vocabulary, fluency and listening skills and acts as an introduction to a theme. Picture Taboo has one important difference to regular word Taboo (See this post for how to play regular Taboo as well as some printable Taboo cards). […]
