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5 Fun English Speaking Games To Help You Level Up Your Language Skills

English learning games can be a great way to develop your knowledge. They offer a refreshing break from traditional language learning methods by letting you engage with your classmates in enjoyable and entertaining ways.

In this article, discover 5 fun games to improve your English speaking skills and try them out with your friends or classmates!

Game #1: Picture Description

In this game, you’ll get the chance to improve your descriptive skills by learning how to paint a picture with words.

How to play

The players will need to find different pictures, print them out and fold the paper up to hide the picture. Place the folded pictures in a hat or the centre of a table and mix them up.

Then, each person will take a picture and describe it to the other players without them seeing it. Remember to focus on important details like colours, shapes, people, and places.

The other players then have to try and guess the picture based on your description. They can also ask you questions to get more clues.

Game #2: Taboo

Taboo is another exciting game that will put your descriptive skills to the test. It’s similar to the

popular board game Articulate , except this version allows you to play without spending any money!

The words for the game come from everyone in the group. Each person thinks of a noun or a proper noun, writes it down, and then all the words go into a hat.

To play the game, you will choose a word from the hat and describe it to the other players. But you also get a list of forbidden words that you are not allowed to use when describing your word.

The forbidden words all relate to your main word, so you have to think outside the box to explore other ways to describe it to your teammates. They then have to try and based on your clues.

Game #3: Mind Reader

Mind Reader is a thrilling and fast-paced game that’s designed to test your thinking and communication skills.

Write the name of a famous person on a post-it note and stick it to your teammate’s forehead without them seeing it.

Your job is to describe the famous person to your classmate without saying the famous person’s name. Your teammate then has to guess the person before time runs out – and they only get 30 seconds!

Game #4: The Yes/No game

This game is a fantastic way to improve your question-and-answer skills and your fluency while having fun. It encourages you to put on your thinking cap to find creative ways to give helpful answers.

Start by thinking of a word – but don’t tell anyone the word! Then, your teammates must take

turns asking you questions to guess the secret word.

But here’s the twist: when your teammates ask you questions, you can’t say “yes” or “no” (or use any similar words) in your answers. You also cannot nod or shake your head! The idea of the game is that you have to come up with clever and descriptive words to help your teammates correctly guess the word.

Game #5: Charades

Charades is a fun-filled game that can help you improve your English speaking and vocabulary skills. By acting out different words and phrases, you can improve your vocabulary and gain a better understanding of nuances and non-verbal communication.

Gather your friends and take turns ‘acting out’ various words or phrases without speaking. You can only use gestures, actions and body language to explain the word or phrase, while your teammates try to guess the word within the time limit.

Films, TV shows, and books are often popular choices to act out in a game of Charades.

Improve your English speaking skills with British Council

As well as suggesting games to improve your English speaking skills, we also offer live online English courses.

Specifically designed for English as a Second Language (ESL) students, these courses offer personalised learning experiences through small classes or one-to-one sessions with an experienced teacher.

Plus, you get the flexibility of 24/7 access to live classes so you can learn English anytime, anywhere.

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12 Fun Speaking Games for Language Learners

Activities that will get students talking in a language they’re still learning.

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When working with world language classes or English language learners, have you ever asked a question only to be answered with complete silence and blank stares? It’s a common issue—nearly every teacher has struggled with encouraging students to speak in a language they’re still learning.

A student may have a deep fear of making a mistake, or may be just plain shy, even in their native language. Whatever the reason, here is a list of a few fun activities to get your students to speak. This list is for more advanced students.

12 Ways to Get Language Learners Talking

1. Who’s Telling the Truth?  Have each student write three facts about themselves that nobody in the class knows on a piece of paper. Make sure each student includes their name on the top of the page. Collect the sheets of paper and bring three students to the front of the room. Read aloud one of the facts that is true for one of these three students. 

All three claim that the fact is theirs, and the class then proceeds to question them in an attempt to determine who is telling the truth and who is lying. Each student is allowed to ask one question to one of the three students. After a round of questioning, the students guess who is telling the truth.

2. Variations on the game Taboo: For variation 1, create a PowerPoint presentation with a noun on each slide. Have one student come to the front of the room and sit with their back to the PowerPoint. The rest of the students take turns describing the words on the slides, and the student at the front has to guess them.

For variation 2, separate the students into groups of four or five. Place a pile of cards with random nouns in the center of each group. Have students take turns describing a noun for their group members to guess. The group member who guesses correctly keeps the card, so there’s competition to see who has the most cards at the end of the game.

Variation 3 is for advanced speakers. Separate the class into two teams. Students are given a word to describe to their teammates, in addition to a list of words that they cannot use in their description. Each student should have two to three minutes to see how many words their teammates can guess.

3. Descriptive drawing activity:  Pair up the students and give each student a picture, placing it face down so partners cannot see each other’s cards. They must describe the picture for their partner to draw.

4. Comic strip descriptions:  Give each student a portion of a comic strip. Without showing their pictures to one another, the students should attempt to describe their image, and put the comic strip into the correct order. After about 10 minutes, the students can guess the order, show one another their portion, and see if they were correct.

5. Secret word:  Students are given a random topic and a random word that is unrelated to the topic. The students must hide the word in a speech about the topic—they’re trying to make sure the other students can’t guess the secret word. The other students listen carefully to the speech and attempt to guess the secret word.

6. Debates:  Give each student a piece of paper with “agree” written on one side and “disagree” on the other side. Read aloud a controversial statement, and have each student hold up their paper showing the agree or disagree side depending on their opinion. Choose one student from each side to explain their position and participate in a short debate.

7. Impromptu speaking:  Prepare a list of topics that students will be able to talk about. Split the class into two teams, and have each student choose a number—that’s the order they will go in. Each student will respond to a statement without preparation. They must continue speaking for 45 seconds. As the student is speaking, the other team listens for moments of hesitation, grammatical mistakes, and vocabulary mistakes. If the other team can correctly identify an error, they get a point.

8. Desert island activity:  Give each student a piece of paper and tell them to draw an item—any item. Collect the drawings and pass them out again; no student should receive their own drawing.

Next, tell the students that they’ve been stranded on a desert island, and only half of the class can survive and continue to inhabit the island. The only thing each student will have on the island is the item depicted in the drawing given to them, and their goal is to convince the class that they should survive based on that item.

9. Storytelling activity:  Bring four students to the front of the classroom. Three of them should sit in a row, and one should stand behind them and act as a controller. Give the controller a stack of cards with nouns written on them.

The controller will hand a noun to one of the three students, who will start to tell a story. The student continues telling the story until the controller decides to hand another noun to another student, who will then take over the story.

10. Two Truths, One Lie : Each student should write three statements about themselves on a piece of paper. Two of them should be true, and one should be a lie. Students read their three statements, and their classmates question them to try to determine which statement is a lie.

11. True/false storytelling:  Give each student a piece of paper with either “true” or “false” written on it. Each student should tell the class a story that is true or false, depending on which word they received, and the class must guess whether it’s true. To add to the activity, you can allow the other students to question the student telling the story.

12. I Have Never...:  All students in the class should start this activity holding five fingers in the air (you can use less fingers to do this more quickly). The student who goes first tells the class one thing that they have never done. The students who have done that activity should put a finger down, and tell the class a story about this activity. A student is out of the game when all of their fingers are down.

This piece was originally submitted to our community forums by a reader. Due to audience interest, we’ve preserved it. The opinions expressed here are the writer’s own.

12 Fun ESL Speaking Activities for Teens or Adults

Every language teacher knows that speaking is a core skill to teach and practice, but sometimes it can be challenging coming up with creative or engaging ESL speaking activities and games. You can use them to improve the community feeling inside the classroom , too.

They are designed to be high-quality and enjoyable – and mostly suitable for online lessons, too.

1. Interview Pop

Student level:  Pre-Intermediate to Advanced Type of Lesson:  Group or Individual

Students choose one person they want to interview. It can be anybody of their choice, and the person doesn’t necessarily have to be alive still.

They make a different question using one of their five verbs in each question; these questions are made for the person they want to interview.

While the students are making their questions, go through the class and help students fix the grammatical mistakes.

This is a great activity if you are practicing  question formation  as a grammar topic with your students.

So this means that each student answers the questions from the perspective of the person they wanted to interview, as their partner asks them the questions.

2. Word Racing

A very interactive and high-energy ESL speaking activity. Many students get so into it and excited that they won’t even notice they are speaking in a foreign language and won’t even have time to think about making mistakes.

All you need to prepare for the game is to write down 15-20 vocabulary terms you want to practice with your students, each term is written on a different small slip of paper. Give a stack of these slips to each group.

One player from the first group starts. This student then has one minute to explain or define as many words written on their slips to their own group as they can, without saying the word they have on the card.

Once the minute is over, the next group takes their turn.

After the minute is up, each group counts their points and the group with the most points wins that round.

An example might be that if the word on the card is ‘handcuff’ then they say the word ‘police’ and the other students have to guess the word ‘handcuff’.

In the last round, they act out or pantomime the words on their cards.

Here’s a list with even more fun ESL vocabulary games for adults and kids.

3. Guess Who or What I Am

It’s usually more suitable for lower-level students but can also be used in intermediate or upper-intermediate students, especially for the other variation of the activity described below.

In version one, one student thinks of a person – it could be someone in the class or a famous person, someone that everyone is likely to know – and the rest of the class asks them yes or no questions about the person until they can guess who it is.

In version two, one student goes in front of the door, while the rest of the class decides on a person. Then the student comes back in and has to ask the class yes or no questions until they can guess who the person is.

For example, if one student chooses ‘handcuffs’ they would say something like:

4. Would you rather…

Student level:  Intermediate to Advanced Type of Lesson:  Group or Individual

Go around the class and have a student draw a card, read it aloud, and then call on another student to answer it.

As stated before, you can make up your own. If you are doing a specific topic for your lesson, then you can try to make them as closely related to the topic as possible.

Give each group or pair of students the same card and have each of them state their opinion about the topic on the card.

You can give them a few minutes to take notes on their opinion and what they want to say before starting. Then students go around and say their opinion and support their argument.

In addition to this, you could also assign students to make their own “Would you rather…” topics for the class or other groups. Make sure they keep them appropriate!

Help facilitate the conversations and ask follow-up questions while students are speaking.

5. How-to Presentation

This activity is great for a number of reasons: it’s simple to assign and explain, effective for students to develop speaking, and fun because it’s on a topic they’re interested in.

In order to get students cooperating together, you could also put them in pairs and have them decide on and organize the speech together.

Have students prepare the speech at home or during the lesson, and then have them present their topic during the next lesson.

6. Living Memory

This is a game based on the classic board game “memory” designed for lower-level students.

Two students go out of the room (Student A and Student B). The rest of the class gets together in pairs.

To gain points, Student A starts off and asks any student in the class “What do you like eating?” and that student answers “I like eating…”, and then Student A asks another student what they like to eat.

You can make the game more interactive if students make gestures and movement demonstrating the type of food. For example, they gesture peeling a banana if the food they chose is ‘banana’.

7. Video Talk

Make some preview discussion questions about the topic presented in the video, go through them with students before watching, and then watch the video together.

Using video is effective because it brings the outside world to your students, and they can generate some great discussions in class, inspiring students to speak their mind and share their opinions and ideas.

8. Talk About Your Weekend

You need to be observant with this type of activity. Keep an eye on each student’s talk time. 

If you are finding some students are much more talkative than their partners, maybe set a time limit for how long each student can talk for before switching. This ensures that everyone gets a fair chance to practise.

9. Timed Discussion

This is another simple yet great activity for building confidence in speaking!

The student then has to talk about that topic for a chosen amount of time.

10. Debating Club

Split your students into pairs or small groups (each with an even number of students). Split each groups into two parties. Assign a topic to each group: each party has to hold an opposite view.

Give them some time to prepare arguments for their standpoint. 5 to 10 Minutes should be enough.

The debate is over after a set time – for example 5 minutes – or when the parties stated all their arguments.

After each debate, the whole class votes which party was more convincing and won the debate.

Make sure to prepare topics according to the fluency level of your students. The topics can be rather serious and controversial, or fun and weird.

11. Taboo Words

Now, one student has to take one card and explain the word to the other in their group. Here’s the catch: He must not use one of the words on the card (also, no parts or variations of the words.). He must not use gestures, facial expressions or voices. He has to circumscribe the word using other verbal expressions.

Count the points after each round. Then, the next group has its turn. The game is over, when each student in each group had their turn to explain words. Sum up the points; the group with the most wins.

12. Story Chain

This activity does not only help students develop their speaking and listening skills, it also fosters critical thinking skills, creativity, and imagination.

Jake Young is a creative teacherpreneur from Pennsylvania who lives in Prague, CZ. He’s the brain behind Fluentize.com – a resource dedicated to providing teachers with comprehensive and modern lesson plans based on real-world videos. He’s also a passionate language learner, fluent in Czech language and an intermediate Italian language speaker.

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Great… These activities are really interesting ones and are helping me a lot. Thank You So Much for Uploading….

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The Best Free Online Parts of Speech Games

These are taught through out every grade, with each level building on the knowledge from the previous levels.

We also have a parts of speech infographic to use and share if it is helpful to you, just remember to give us a credit if you do!

Below we have 10 of the best online parts of speech games that we have used and will continue to use in our classrooms . They are mixed to be super exciting and a little slower paced so you should be able to find something useful for teaching parts of speech to your students and children.

1. Parts of Speech Asteroids

This game is simply excellent. It allows the teacher to choose which part of speech to focus on, and has the elements of a space invaders game that is a sure fire (ha!) hit with the students and children.

2. Parts of Speech Selection

Education.com

Education.com make great games, and have thousands of resources, which come at a price. However there are plenty you can play for a while, or access for a while for free. If you are using different classrooms (as an ESL teacher for example) then it could work well for you.

3. Grammar Gorillas

Fun brain do nice simple games that are useful for a warmer or a cooldown in classrooms. They are text based so are not to exciting for students (needed sometimes if you have a lively class) They also have the choice, like AbcYa to choose if you want to focus on limited parts of speech or if you want to have questions on all of them.

Parts of Speech Worksheets

4. Sortify Parts of Speech

This game is for a little more advanced learners as it allows them to change the form of parts of speech, an adjective into an adverb for example. However to start you also have the option of using the simpler parts of speech terms by allowing students to drag the correct words into the correct buckets.

5. Parts of Speech Hopper

Turtle Diary

A nice steady and not to intense hopper game. We have these as well for phonics ( see here for those) Students simply look at the word and then categorize it as which ever floating log is the correct one. Then they press it to jump to it and wait for the next one.

6. Word Shark

In this online parts of speech game from Room Recess, students take the role of a grammar shark.

7. Parts of Speech Games- Selection

8. turtle diary – word maze.

Turtle diary has a great selection of online games to help teach English and it is worth spending a little time bookmarking some to use in class for other English subjects as well. They are free to play and are updating their games on a regular basis.

9. Parts of Speech Zelda

This game would be great to send home as homework as it is perfect for individual players to play, and it is a good enough game that happens to have parts of speech aspects that you know they will play it again and again.

10. Room Recess – Fools gold

Room Recess have another great, simple and effective parts of speech game here as well. The players have to grab the correct gold (word) and place it at the bottom. They more they get correct the faster it will go.

Not many jobs ask people to pay for the privilege, and we think that teachers give enough without their money as well!!

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• 5 fun speech games

Public Speaking Activities

5 fun speech games to build skills and confidence.

By:  Susan Dugdale  

There are five public speaking activities on this page, along with numerous spinoffs.

Their principal purpose is to develop speech fluency and confidence through fun!

You'll find they are easily adaptable to groups of all ages and skill levels: from newcomers to advanced.

I've used them all and know they work. People become so enjoyably engrossed in them, they forget to be fearful!

1. Interview Introductions

Interview Introductions are a great way to break the ice with a new group of people. The exercise has them finding out about each other and then introducing the person they interviewed to the whole group.

As it's a lot less threatening or scary to talk about someone else rather than yourself, you'll find people respond really positively as they're generally eager to represent the person they interviewed well.

Instructions

• Divide your group into pairs.
• Each person interviews the other in turn. The information gained forms the basis of a brief introduction speech they'll give to the whole group when the interviewing process is complete.
• Ask them to find out their partner's name, where they live/work, what hobbies they have, what their favorite book, film, song...is, what they're most proud of (an achievement perhaps), what they hope for from the class, something funny that happened in their childhood, where they go for holidays, what they think about the latest local issue ... Obviously they can't expect to cover all of that in detail inside the brief time they spend talking with each other. One or two interesting points is enough!
• Establish a time limit for the interviews. I've found 10 minutes works well. Keep track of the time and call change at the halfway point, 5 minutes, to ensure both people get an opportunity to be interviewed and to interview.  
• When the group comes back together the introductions begin: "This is Mary from Taupo. When she's not working for the Social Welfare Department as a community social worker she's collecting stamps. She says part of their charm is that they don't answer back and are quiet!"

2. Image Starters

Picture prompts or image starters are great for sparking  imaginative storytelling and conversations.

Either use my ready-made printable file of 40 picture prompts , (which you can find out more about by clicking the link), or gather up a collection of your own to use.

You'll need interesting images/photos from magazines or newspapers - enough for everybody to have one each and then a few spare.

Place them face down and have everybody pick one.

Using the image as a prompt, what can they share about it? 

Questions to get started are:

• Where is this photo/image from? (And the answer doesn't have to be true - merely plausible! Encourage imaginative creativity.)
• What's happening in this photo/picture?
• What feelings does the image evoke?
• Is there a season or time associated with it?
• What happened after or before the photo was taken?

5 activities using image starters

If you'd like specific instructions for five different activities based around images you'll find them here: picture prompts for impromptu speeches . 

They range from introductory 'show and tell', like the starter questions above, to more advanced. There are solo as well as group activities.

3. For and Against

'For and Against' encourages flexibility: the ability to see a topic from opposing sides.

A speaker has 30 seconds to talk 'for' a topic and then another 30 seconds to speak 'against' it.

Prepare and print out a selection of controversial speech topics. You'll need one per person.

Put the topics into a non-see through bag. Have each speaker select their topic when it's their turn to speak.

Ideally what's wanted is at least two or three good points supporting both sides: for and against.

Time the speech. Call start, the half way point and, stop.

Sample topics:

• money is the root of all evil
• a country gets the government it deserves
• ' green ' politics are just the current fashion
• pets in apartments should be banned
• marriage is essentially a business contract
• 'Religion is the opiate of the masses' : Karl Marx
• poverty is a state of mind
• euthanasia is unjustifiable
• global warming is media hype
• cloning animals should be banned
• animal testing is immoral

For variation split your group into pairs and extend the time limit to 1 - 2 minutes. One person takes the 'for' position, and other takes the 'against'.  

More 1 minute speech practice

For 150 1 minute speech topics with 3 example speech outlines following the PREP (Point, Reason, Example, Point) format, the full text of three speeches plus audio, visit:  1 minute speech topics .

Get instant organizers for impromptu speeches

For more on structuring impromptu speeches quickly and effectively go to impromptu speaking templates . You'll find 7 useful speech outline organizers explained (including PREP), alongside suggestions to banish impromptu speaking blues. 

4. The Object of my Affection

Gather up a collection of small objects, enough for one per speaker. For example: a vintage toy car, a can of sardines, a hair ribbon, an old black and white photographic portrait, a pair of baby shoes .... 

Put all of them into a non-see through bag.

Each speaker puts their hand into the bag and pulls out an object. Whatever they get forms the basis of their 1 - 2 minute speech.

Ideas to help the speakers get started:

• This ... { insert the name of whatever it is the speaker has in their hand } saved my life. It happened like this...
• Whenever I see a ...{ insert the name of whatever it is the speaker has in their hand } it reminds me of the time I...
• I collect ...{i nsert the name of whatever it is the speaker has in their hand } and this one is the prize of my collection. It used to belong to ...

5. Conducted Speech

This is a group public speaking activity. It is noisy, effective and outrageously good fun! 

Select a tongue twister from this page of  diction exercises  eg. " Sister Susie sat on the seashore sewing shirts for soldiers ".

Divide your class into groups of four. Three in each group will be the speakers and the fourth, the conductor.

The speakers repeat the tongue twister responding to the conductor's direction. He/she can make them go faster or slower, louder or quieter. The conductor could even decide to make it a round by staggering when each person begins! 

The goal of the exercise is to practice articulation coupled with vocal variety ie. speech rate and volume.

It also teaches cooperation and focus, or concentration. Let your mind wander, and it's game over! You've lost it, not only for yourself but your group as well.

Swap the conductor role around to give everybody a turn.

Once everybody is familiar with the activity, give the groups turns at demonstrating their prowess to the whole class. They'll love seeing and hearing each other perform. ☺

If you liked these speech activities ...

You'll love my ebook!

28  public speaking games  (with many more variations and extensions), full instructions, PLUS printable topic, tongue twister, poem and image sheets.

A complete  one-stop-select-print-go  public speaking resource for busy people.

Find out more >>

For more freebie public speaking activities:

• 10 activities for public speaking - a collection of tried and tested speech class activities for middle school upwards
• Another 7 fun-filled public speaking games for groups
• Improv games - a collection of 5 excellent drama games for groups
• Public speaking exercises - these focus on the individual speaker- how to breathe well, stand, use eye contact effectively...

What's the difference between these freebie activities and your ebook?

My ebook contains the best of all the games from these pages and then some more strictly Susan specials, PLUS detailed instructions on how to use them.

You'll find out how to select games for a class, introduce them for maximum effect, integrate them into your lesson plans, and so on.

It also has all the topics, tongue twisters, images etc you need to play available as printables.

It's a one-stop, time saving resource that you'll return to time, and time again. Why not check it out?

Your students will thank you for it!

• Return to the top of the public speaking activities page

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Welcome to the Language Playroom!

Language Playroom is a 100% FREE hub for online games and activities designed to grow communication skills with a 3,000+ word vocabulary. Left-side links organize the activities by developmental level, and right side links organize the activities by area of communication.

Speak and Play with Language Playroom!

Check out our boom cards.

Creations with the same images you see on this site can also be found in the author's Boom Cards store. Boom Cards are a great tool for online learning, with interative and appealing games that also track data and student responses. If you would like to support Language Playroom, please consider purchasing from the author on Boom Cards.

Great for Telepractice

Telepractice is the application of telecommunications technology (such as online classrooms and chat software) for the delivery of speech-language pathology services at a distance by linking the speech-language pathologist to their client or student from far away. It can be used for testing to determine speech therapy eligibility, as well as direct treatment of communication disorders and consultations with families. Telepractice applications can include schools, medical centers, rehabilitation hospitals, community health centers, outpatient clinics, universities, clients' homes, residential health care facilities, child care centers, and corporate settings. There are no limits to where telepractice can be implemented, as long as there is an internet connection, a speech-language pathologist, and a communication partner who is ready to learn. This can be especially helpful for individuals in rural areas, or where physical disabilities may limit access, or for students attending school from home.

Even though this site is designed for teletherapists, the exact same tools can be used in a face-to-face therapy setting with computer and internet access.

Great for families

Research shows that when school-aged children practice speech and language skills more often, they make more progress in their communication skills. Even practicing speech their five minutes a day will improve a student's carryover, where they learn to apply their skills in areas outside speech therapy sessions, such as in the classroom, on the playground, or at home.

Where to Start

The activities in this site are organized in two different ways: by developmental level and by area of communication. The left side of the menu at the top has speech and language activities organized by developmental level, or by certain milestones that children are expected to achieve by certain ages. The suggested ages given below are based on typical development, so some students with moderate to severe communication delays or disorders may need to work at a level that is below their real age. For older students, reading levels also may have an impact on what level is best for them.

• Emerging activities are targeted at students developing language for the first time, and would be great for preschool students. The vocabulary is simple and functional, including many household objects and core vocabulary. This section would also be a great resource for students using AAC devices and still learning the meaning of core vocabulary.
• Developing activities are targeted at students in grades K-2, who are learning early reading skills and seeing a wide expansion of their vocabulary. In this section, there is a broader set of terms that may support elementary science, history, or reading academic content.
• Expanding activities are targeted at students in grades 3-5, who are developing more reading skills and expanding their vocabulary into more specific and complex terms or concepts, especially ones that they may not have been exposed to before. Aside from additional vocabulary expansion, multicultural concepts are introduced in this section, and the activities demand a higher level of thought and complexity in each answer.
• Perfecting activities are intended for students in grades 6+, who should be reading at near-adult levels and able to engage complexly and deeply with content, and is asking students to engage with high-level concepts as well as develop tools to understand words or concepts they've never seen before using the skills they have.

The right side of the menu at the top has speech and language activities organized by area of speech. Speech-language pathologists are professionally trained to provide intervention in five domains of communication: articulation, language, fluency, pragmatics, and voice. Each section will have games and activities that target each area.

• Articulation contains activities to target issues with speech sounds, to support someone who is difficult to understand, can't pronounce certain words/sounds, leaves out sounds in words, or replaces one sound with another.
• Language contains activities to target expressive and receptive language, which would support someone who has difficulty with asking questions, answering questions, forming grammatically correct sentences, and finding relationships between concepts.
• Social contains activities to target pragmatic and social language, which would support someone who has difficulty talking to others their same age, staying on topic in conversation, appropriately adding to conversations, and solving social conflicts.
• Fluency contains activities to target stuttering, which would support someone who may repeat sounds in words, have blocks while talking where they're unable to speak, or insert sounds or pauses into their speech.

ESL Activities

ESL Games, Activities, Lesson Plans, Jobs & More

in Listening · Reading · Speaking · Writing

ESL Parts of Speech Activities, Worksheets & Lesson Plans

In English, there are 8 parts of speech: adjectives, adverbs, nouns, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions and interjections. In this article, you’ll find parts of speech activities and games, along with worksheets and lesson plans.

Why is it important for ESL students to understand part of speech? It’s so that students can work towards more complex language and sentence structure. As teachers, it’s very important to provide opportunities to practice these things through memorable activities, games, and worksheets. The goal is that students will understand the meaning of words, word function and also how to use these grammatically within a sentence.

ESL parts of speech

ESL Parts of Speech 

We’ve broken down some of the parts of speech into small subsections. For example, nouns or verbs are a big category and things like modal verbs or phrasal verbs are quite different things. You’ll find these interesting and engaging ESL activity ideas useful for beginner to advanced students. You may also find this one useful: List of Categories .

Adjectives describe nouns and are key for rich, varied English usage. They are also one of the most common parts of speech that even beginners will need to know. Check out some of the top game, activity, worksheet and lesson plan ideas:

ESL Adjective Activities

Also be sure to check out this simple comparative adjective quiz for students:

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Adjectives of Feeling and Emotion

Adjectives are an important part of speech for ESL and can be used to describe a lot of things, but these ones focus on feelings. Check out these parts of speech games and activities:

Feeling and Emotion Adjective Activities

In English, adverbs serve an important function int hat they describe or modify a verb, as well as certain other parts of speech. Check out some of the best activities for this:

Adverb Activities and Games .

Adverbs of Frequency

Adverbs are an important part of speech in English and one of the most common uses of them is with frequency. Basically, expressions with, “How often” fall into this category.

Adverbs of Frequency ESL Activities

• Amazon Kindle Edition
• Bolen, Jackie (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 87 Pages - 10/24/2019 (Publication Date)

Although not specifically a part of speech, articles are key because they combine with nouns and are a key part of correct sentence structure.

Articles ESL Activities and Games

Comparative and Superlative Adjectives

Comparatives and superlatives adjectives—an example is big, bigger, biggest. They are a very common English part of speech and our English learners need to master them early on. Here are some ideas for your lesson plans:

ESL Comparative and Superlative Adjective Games

Compound Nouns

Nouns are the most common English part of speech and within that category, you’ll see a ton of compound nouns. They’re basically two words that are joined together to have a possibly separate meaning from those two original words. For example snowstorm or water skiing.

ESL Compound Noun Activities

Conjunctions and Transitions

We use conjunctions and transitions all the time in English to make writing especially easier to read. They show the relationship between sentences and parts within a sentence.

Conjunction Transition Activities

You may also want to check out this sequence words list.

Countable and Uncountable Nouns

Check out these countable and uncountable noun activities that will help students figure out the difference between these two noun categories. They’ll also learn how to use them correctly in a sentence with a quantifier.

Countable and Uncountable Noun ESL Activities

Future Verb Forms

Talking about the future is a key part of mastering the English language. However, there are a few different ways to do that and it can be a little bit tricky for students to know when to use which one. Check out some of the best ideas here:

Future Verbs Forms ESL Activities

• 67 Pages - 10/26/2015 (Publication Date)

Imperatives

We use imperatives when we want to give a command, order or direction. Listen to a conversation between a teacher and student or child and parents and you’ll notice that the utterances are filled with them! Find out more:

ESL Imperative Activities and Games .

Indefinite Pronouns

We use an indefinite pronoun as a way to refer to something, but not to any specific person, amount or thing. Some common examples are nobody, somebody, everything, etc. We use them all the time in the English language which is why it’s vital to work on them with our students. Here are some ideas:

Indefinite Pronouns Activities .

Irregular Verbs

Unfortunately, English is filled with irregular verbs that don’t have the typical “ed” ending in the past tense (more ideas here: past continuous games and past tense ESL ). Students have to memorize them—there’s just no way around it. However, you can help your students become more proficient at this ESL part of speech by trying out some of the following:

ESL Irregular Verb Games.

Linking Verbs

A linking verb in English is also known as an auxiliary or helping verb. There are several functions, but they mainly serve to extend the meaning of the main verb. Check out some of the best ideas here:

Linking Verb Games .

Modal Verbs

Modals are words like can, might, should, etc. and they are important ESL part of speech. They can be used to express things like permission, ability, obligation, possibility, and more. Here are some of the top recommendations:

Modal Verb Activities and Games.

Passive Voice Activities

The passive voice is used in some very specific situations in English. For example, when the person doing the action isn’t important (She counted out the change for me) or when it’s obvious who the agent is (I was instructed to be friendlier to customers).

Passive Voice ESL Games and Activities

Past Tense Verb Activities

Verbs are a vital ESL part of speech. However, in the past tense, irregular verbs make this a little bit tricky for our students sometimes. Check out these ideas here:

Past Tense ESL Activities and Worksheets

Phrasal Verbs

One common verb type in English is a phrasal verb. This is where a verb is combined with an adverb or preposition and the resulting combination has a different meaning. For example: back off, call back, etc. They are a very common part of speech in English and something that our students need to master.

Phrasal Verb ESL Activities

• 108 Pages - 08/26/2021 (Publication Date)

Possessive Adjectives and Pronouns

Both pronoun and adjective parts of speech can be used to express ownership of something. Here are some of the best ideas for helping students with possessives:

ESL Possessives Activities and Games

A prefix is some letters at the beginning of a word that changes its meaning in some way. It could negate it, make it opposite or express a manner or time. Here are some recommendations:

Prefix Games

Prepositions

If you’re looking for activities, games, worksheets and lesson plans specifically for prepositions of place (in, on, at, etc.), then you’ll want to check out the following resource:

ESL Prepositions of Place

Present Perfect Verbs

The present perfect is a key verb tense for students to master. Verbs are a major part of speech in English and this is a commonly used tense.

Present Perfect ESL Games

Present Continuous

We use the present continuous to talk about things that are currently happening and will probably continue into the future. Have a look here:

Activities for present continuous .

Quantifiers

Any, some, much, many are all examples of quantifiers in English that deal with how much of something. Students need to master quantifier expressions in order to become proficient in English. Here are some recommendations for student-centred, fun activities to work on them:

ESL Quantifier Activities

Reflexive Pronouns

There are nine reflexive pronouns in English which are words that end in “self” or “selves.” For example, myself or themselves. They’re used when the subject and object of a sentence are the same.

Check out these recommendations:

Reflexive Pronouns Games .

• 146 Pages - 06/18/2020 (Publication Date)

Singular and Plural Nouns

English nouns are found in both singular and plural forms. It’s often one of the first concepts that beginners learn when they’re just getting started out with English.

Here are some of the best activities for teaching this important concept:

ESL Singular and Plural Nouns

Subject and Object Pronoun Activities

Subject and Object pronouns are an important part of speech that students need to master in order to become proficient in English. These student-centred ESL activities and worksheets will help students do that!

Subject-Object Pronoun ESL Games

Subject-Verb Agreement

Unfortunately for English learners, the verb form changes with the subject. It’s often a mistake that even more advanced learners can make when they’re not actively thinking about it. That’s why it’s key to provide opportunities for our students for lots of practice.

English Subject Verb Agreement Activities and Worksheets

Suffixes are letters that are added onto the end of base words to change the meaning or part of speech. For example, ed added onto the end of a verb makes it into the past tense. Or, ing plus a verb makes it into a continuous form. The good news is that there are specific rules for how suffixes function.

Suffix Games and Activities

Verb Activities

There are plenty of subcategories of verbs to consider when thinking about ESL parts of speech. However, if you want some general games and activities that focus on them, here is your best resource.

ESL Verb Activities

• 134 Pages - 02/23/2020 (Publication Date)

Verbs: Present Perfect For and Since

Verbs are a key part of ESL parts of speech and the present perfect is a vital thing for our students to master if they want to become proficient in English. It can be a little bit tricky because of the verb changes in this tense. Check out our recommendations here for mastering the present perfect with for and since:

ESL Present Perfect Activities

WH Question Games and Activities

Okay, so “WH” questions aren’t exactly a part of speech in English! However, they are certainly important in English and something that students need to master. You’ll certainly want to spend some time working on them with your students. All the details here:

ESL WH Questions Games and Activities

English part of speech activities

Yes/No Questions 

Yes/no questions are one of the first grammar concepts that beginners learn. For example:

• Do you like ice cream?
• Are you 10 years old?

Find out some of the best ideas for teaching them here:

Yes/No Question Games .

What are some Common Language Teaching Methods?

There are various approaches and methods for teaching language, ranging from grammar-translation to the communicative language approach to task-based learning. Have a look here for all the details:

Methods and Approaches in Language Teaching . 

Parts of Speech ESL Activities

If you’re looking for some ESL parts of speech activities and games, here are a few of the best options:

• Odd one out 
• Fill in the blank activities
• Word categories 
• Videos in the ESL classroom
• Use a reading lesson plan
• 3 things writing activity
• Word association

More Ideas for Teaching English

• 211 Pages - 12/22/2022 (Publication Date) - Independently published (Publisher)

If you want to brush up on English teaching methodology and practice, then you’ll definitely want to check out this book. I put my 20 years of classroom experience into a single book—the result is a very practical, helpful guide to teaching ESL/EFL.

Pick up a copy of the book today, and get ready for better English classes tomorrow:

ESL Parts of Speech FAQs

There are a number of common questions that people have about English parts of speech, along with activities and games to practice them. Here are some of the most popular ones.

What are the 10 parts of speech?

In English, there are 10 main parts of speech. They include the following:

• prepositions
• conjunctions
• interjections
• articles/determiners

What are the four main parts of speech?

In English, the four main parts of speech are nouns, verbs, adverbs, and adjectives.

How do you teach parts of speech?

Teaching parts of speech can be quite a difficult task if done together. That’s why most ESL textbooks and English teachers teach small parts of them in sequence. For example, a lesson on the simple past, then one on pronouns, usage of articles, then adjectives, etc. Once students are more advanced, lessons focused on identifying the various parts of speech in a sentence can be a useful exercise.

How do you identify a noun?

In English, a noun is considered to be a person, place, thing or idea. It can be found in various parts of the sentence and can be the subject, object, indirect object, complement, object complement, appositive, or adjective.

What is basic English grammar?

Basic English grammar involves the following word order in a sentence: subject, verb, object. There are other parts of speech used at various points including adjectives, adverbs, articles, etc to form more complex sentences.

How to teach parts of speech in a fun way?

It’s possible to teach parts of speech in a fun way by using various ESL games and activities. Some of the best ones include Bingo, running dictation, charades, mixed up sentences, dictation activities, videos, songs, chants, and more.

ESL Parts of Speech Worksheets

If you’re looking for some parts of speech ESL worksheets, check out some of the top options:

ISL Collective

English for Everyone

English Worksheets

Parts of speech ESL worksheets

Have your say about these ESL Parts of Speech

Do you have any recommendations for resources to help our students with parts of speech ESL? 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 teachers, like yourself find this useful teaching resource.

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About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 20 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 Business English Vocabulary Builder , 67 ESL Conversation Topics ,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.

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English with Miranda

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• Jul 19, 2022

15 Games To Make ANYONE Speak English!

Updated: Sep 30, 2023

Why you have to speak

Role plays and speaking games force you to speak English!

When it comes to English, or any foreign language, the most important skill to work on is speaking. The word language comes from the Latin word lingua meaning tongue or speech. Think of English not as a science but as a tool that you use to communicate. When you write, you have time to consider your words carefully, but speech requires a set of skills that you can apply spontaneously. Speech requires the ability to use appropriate vocabulary, register and tone on impulse. The more you practice, the better you will be able to communicate effectively in spoken situations.

Why are games the most effective tool to make people speak?

First of all, games are fun! Games also add an element of healthy competition to the learning experience. When learners feel competitive about the game, they forget their fear of speaking English and become talkative. Especially in a team, people tend to become more outgoing and focus less on any grammar mistakes they may make while speaking. This is great for fluency and building confidence. It’s all about having fun, supporting the team and winning the game. The perfect recipe is a game where players need to speak fast and spontaneously to score points and win.

Here are the games I use to get any group talking in no time

Some of the links below are affiliate links. By shopping through one of these links, it will not change your shopping experience at all, but I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I recommend the games because I have used them in the classroom and find them fun and useful.

1. So… cards

This game is a set of philosophical getting-to-know-you questions. I would recommend it for upper-intermediate to advanced learners.

This game is a great way to start conversation and discussion with a group, or even in pairs. Most of the questions use the second or third conditional, so it’s a great activity for more advanced students.

2. Scrabble and Scrabble Junior

Although this game is about words and spelling, it can lead to discussion of English words and vocabulary as well. Scrabble is an appropriate game for any age and level of English. Scrabble Junior is developed for learners 5 and up and includes both regular and advanced game options. 2 – 4 players (if you have more players, the hands can be played in pairs.

Players take turns creating words from the tiles marked with letters of the alphabet. Each letter carries points depending on how rare it is. The player with the most points when all 100 letter tiles have been played wins! Words can be challenged and players may have to check the dictionary for spelling or to verify if the word actually exists.

3. Off Topic

This is a great party game for a group of 2 to 8 players. Due to the adult nature of some of the topics, I would recommend this game for adults only.

How To Play: Draw a card to set the topics, and roll the die to set the letter that your responses must start with. Flip the sand timer and write down answers for each topic that begin with the letter rolled. Debating answers with your friends, classmates or family is where the real fun happens! The pace is quick and games can last between 30 and 90 minutes!

4. Guess in 10

Suitable for 2 to 6 players aged 6 and up. It works with English learners of any age, also adult English learners.

This card game can be played anywhere and is great for reviewing question forms and expanding vocabulary. Players ask up to 10 questions to guess the animal on the Game Card! Is it a carnivore? Is it a domestic animal? Does it live in groups? Think hard, ask intelligent questions and be the first player to win 7 Game Cards!

5. Guesstures

4 or more players aged 8 and up.

This highly interactive game includes 320 cards and offers easy, medium and difficult challenges of charades. Players have to act out the words given for their teammates to guess. The game is exciting and fast paced!

6. Scattergories

This is an individual or team game recommended for ages 13 and up. Intermediate English to advanced.

This game is great for building vocabulary and increasing fluency. Choose a category card, then roll the die to see which letter shows up. Then, think of answers for each category that begin with the given letter. You can only score points if your answers are different from the other teams’. Players can also challenge answers and vote on whether words are acceptable or not.

7. Guess Who?

This game is fun for language learners at any age. It can be played in pairs or teams. I would recommend this game for beginner to intermediate English learners as the questions produced will be in the present simple and continuous.

This guessing game is great for students who need practice describing people and using the present continuous. Players, or teams, take turns guessing which person the opposing team has selected by asking yes/no questions, such as “is the person wearing a hat? Is the person blonde?” etc.

8. Been there, Done that

The game is appropriate for any age, but recommended for 13 and up. Perfect for Intermediate to advanced English speakers.

This is a game of conversation starters and icebreaker questions. It’s great for practicing the past tense and present perfect through discussing what the players have and haven’t done during the given time period.

9. Say anything

4 to 8 players. This game is suitable for teens and adults.

Players are read a question and everyone thinks of a witty, absurd or unusual answer. This game is especially suitable for a creative group and is sure to spur discussion. It works fantastically as an online lesson, too!

Sample questions:

What is the worst place to go on a first date?

What would be the weirdest animal to ride in a parade?

What would be the worst pizza topping?Learn English with Say Anything

10. Black Stories

This is a guessing game for intermediate to advanced students. Personally, I would recommend this game for adults as kids could find the topics a bit scary.

In this game, players hear about a death or accident and have to ask yes/no questions to figure out what happened. The game is always suspenseful and players have fun asking complex questions to find out what happened. This game gives players the opportunity to really work on question forms!

This game works perfectly as an online activity!

11. Don’t say it

2 or more teams of players aged 6 and up.

Players get their teammates to guess the given word, but are not allowed to say 4 “forbidden” words. If the players are beginners, the game can be tweaked so that one or more of the forbidden words are allowed.

This game has three levels, so any English learner can play. It’s fantastic for speaking practice and vocabulary building. Players get carried away with speaking as they try to go through as many cards as you can before the buzzer sounds. The first team to earn 100 points wins!

12. Pictionary

3 or more players aged 8 and up.

This guessing game is a classic! Basically, players try to get their teammates to guess the word by drawing it on paper or dry board (depending on which version you have). Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a great artist to play. Sometimes the simplest drawing works best!

The game is similar to Taboo, but players draw the word instead of describing it. this could make the game easier for more beginner players.

Learn English with Pictionary

4 or more players aged 13 and up.

Players get teammates to guess the word without saying the forbidden words on the cards.

Taboo is a game that makes anyone competitive. In fact, the game includes 260 cards with over 640 Guess words.

14. Word teasers

This game is suitable for all ages and is very educational. Particularly, I would recommend this to teens, young adults or any non-native English speakers interested in learning about idioms.

Players will have fun learning and discussing English idioms and their origins. The cards can be used as a party game, a conversation starter or discussion topic. Although the rules to the game are simple, players get to actually use the learned idiom.

Example Card:

Who among your friends is most likely to get your goat?

Meaning: To make someone angry or upset; to annoy.

In the early 1900s, horse trainers would reportedly put a goat in the stall with a high-strung racehorse as a way to calm the horse. Opponents would sometimes steal the goat at night (get one’s goat) as a way to make the race horse upset and ultimately lose the race.

15. Liar Liar

This game is suitable for teens and adults. 3 or more players.

This is a super fun game. In each round, all players answer a question about themselves and the others try to guess who’s lying. In other words, players tell a truth or a lie depending on their assigned role and can score points when others incorrectly identify their truth as a lie – or their lie as a truth.

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23 ESL Speaking Activities for Adults

ESL class is the perfect place to make English mistakes. But speaking out loud in front of other people—especially in a second language—can be nerve-wracking for many adults.

Keep reading to find out all you need to know about ESL activities for adults.

4. I Like People

5. sentence auction, 8. news brief, 9. running dictation, esl discussion activities, 10. surveys and interviews, 11. show and tell, 12. short talks, 13. video dictionary, 14. pechakucha, 15. two texts, 16. discuss and debate, 17. untranslatable, 18. skill share, activities to build speaking confidence, 19. reading aloud for fluency, 20. mimicking public figures, 21. sharing struggles with a trusted person, 22. reflecting on successful past english classes, 23. reading stories of progress.

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

This well-known ESL game is great speaking practice for adults. The teacher tells the class that a particular crime has been committed. For fun, make it locally specific. For example:

“Last Friday night, sometime between ___ and ___, someone broke into the ____ Bank on ____ Street.”

Depending on the size of your class, pick several students as “Suspects.” The “Police” can work in groups of 2-4, and you need one Suspect for each police group. So, for example, in a class of 20 you could choose four Suspects and then have four groups of four Police for questioning.

Tell the class: “___, ___, ___ and ___ were seen near the scene of the crime, and the police would like to question them.”

The Suspects go outside or to another room to prepare their story. They need to decide all of the details about where they were during the time of the crime. For example: If they were at a restaurant, what did they eat? What did it cost? Who arrived first?

1. The Police spend some time preparing their questions.

2. The Suspects are called back in and go individually to each police group. They’re questioned for a few minutes, and then each one moves on to the next group.

3. The Police decide whether their answers match enough for them to have a reasonable Alibi. (Maybe up to five mistakes is reasonable.)

Many people think of this game as a listening activity, but it can very quickly become a speaking activity.

There are a number of ESL websites that will allow you to quickly create a set of Bingo cards containing up to 25 words, phrases or even whole sentences. They’ll allow you to make as many unique cards as you need to distribute a different card to each student in the class. Each card can contain the same set of words arranged differently, or you can choose to have more or less than 25 items involved.

Rather than having students mark up their cards, you can give them markers (such as stones or sunflower seeds) to place on each square as they recognize it. This way the markers can be removed and the game can be repeated.

For the first round, the teacher should “call” the game. The first student to get five markers in a row in any direction shouts out “Bingo!” Then you should have this student read out every item in their winning row.

The winner is congratulated and then rewarded by becoming the next Caller. This is a great speaking opportunity. Everyone removes their markers and the game starts again. Every expression that’s called tends to be repeated quietly by everyone in the room, and by the end of a session, everyone can say all of the expressions on the card.

In this game, one player has a card listing four words:

• The first word is the secret word. The aim of the game is to get another player to say this word. The student with the card will need to describe this word until another student figures out the secret word.
• The other three words are the most obvious words that you might use to explain the secret word. They are all “taboo” and cannot be used in the student’s description of the secret word.

This game can be played between two teams. It can also be played between partners. You can create your own sets of words based on what you’ve been studying , or you can find sets in your textbook and on the internet.

Taboo is great for challenging students to expand on the vocabulary they would usually use, and helps them to think outside of the box. You can try timing them for an extra challenging element, or even play it as a whole class to get everyone involved in trying to guess the word on the card.

Students will have great fun playing, while also improving their speaking and communication skills, making it an ideal ESL game.

Adults do like to have fun, as long as they aren’t made to feel or look stupid. This is a brilliant game for helping them think quickly and speak more fluent English (rather than trying to translate from their native tongue).

1. Students sit on chairs in a circle, leaving a space in the circle for the teacher to stand.

2. First, they’re asked to listen to statements that the teacher makes and stand if it applies to them, such as: “I like people who are wearing black shoes,” “I like people who have long hair,” etc.

3. Next, the teacher asks standing students to change places with someone else who’s standing.

4. Now it becomes a game. The teacher makes a statement, students referred to must stand and quickly swap places. When the students move around, the teacher quickly sits in someone’s spot, forcing them to become the teacher.

5. The students quickly get into the swing of this game. Generally, they’ll quickly notice a “cheating” classmate who hasn’t stood up when they should have, and they’ll also eagerly encourage a shy student who finds himself standing in the gap with no ideas.

This game has no natural ending, so keep an eye on the mood of the students as they play. They may start to run out of ideas, making the game lag. Quickly stand and place yourself back into the teacher position and debrief (talk with them about how they felt about the game).

Create a list of sentences, some correct and some with errors.

• The errors should be related to a language topic you’re teaching
• The number of sentences will depend on your students’ abilities. 20 is a good number for intermediate students.
• The ratio of correct and incorrect is up to you, but it’s a good idea to have more than 50% correct.

Next to the list of sentences draw three columns: Bid, win, lose.

You can set a limit for how much (imaginary) money they have to spend, or just let them have as much as they want.

They need to discuss (in English) and decide whether any sentence is 100% reliable, in which case they can bid 100 dollars (or whatever unit you choose). If they’re totally sure that it’s incorrect, they can put a “0” bid. If they’re unsure, they can bid 20, 30, 40, based on how likely it is to be correct.

• When all of their bids are written in, get pairs to swap their papers with other pairs for marking.
• Go through the sentences, discussing which are correct and why.
• For correct sentences, the bid amount is written in the “win” column. For incorrect sentences, it’s written in the “lose” column.
• Both columns are totaled, and the “lose” total is subtracted from the “win” total.
• Papers are returned, and partners discuss (in English) how their bidding went.

This game can be played with a class as small as three, but it also works with large classes.

1. On the board draw a grid of boxes (e.g. 6 x 6). Mark one axis with numbers, the other with letters.

2. On a piece of paper or in a notebook (out of sight) draw the same grid. On your grid, fill in scores in all of the boxes. Most of them should be numbers, and others will be letters. It doesn’t matter which numbers you choose, but it’s fun to have some small ones (1, 2, 3, etc.) and some very big ones (500, 1000, etc.). About one in four boxes should have the letter “T” for “Typhoon.”

3. Mark a place on the board to record each team’s score.

4. Ask questions to each team. If they answer correctly, they “choose a box” using the grid labels. The teacher checks the secret grid, and writes the score into the grid on the board. This score also goes into the team’s score box.

5. If the chosen box contains a number, the scores simply add up. But if the box contains a “T,” the team then chooses which other team’s score they want to “blow away” back to zero.

You can spice it up by adding different symbols in some of the boxes. I use:

• Swap: They must swap their score with another team’s score.
• S: Steal. They can steal a score.
• D: Double. They double their own score.

Here’s an example of one Typhoon variation:

1. Devise several scenarios with two or more characters and a premise. These could be something simple, like someone going to a bakery to buy a cake or visiting a museum with an unusual exhibit.

2. Divide your students into teams, with one student per role.

3. Give your students the premise for the scenario they’re going to act out. For example, you might say, “You’re a father at a bakery, trying to buy a cake with your child’s favorite cartoon character. The baker has never heard of this character. You need to describe how the character looks so that the baker can create the cake you want.”

4. Each team member will have about five minutes to prepare their part of the skit. Ask each student to prepare separately. That way, the other students they are interacting with must react spontaneously to their questions and statements.

5. Each team will perform their vignette in front of the whole class. Limit the time to play out each scenario to five or ten minutes.

6. At the end of each round, the non-performing class members can ask questions of those performing their roles. The performing students should respond in character to the questions.

This activity will help students react to impromptu situations.

Prepare a number of short news stories for different students to read. You can use stories directly from a source like:

• The Times in Plain English
• Breaking News English
• News in Levels
• FluentU (Each video on FluentU has transcripts, so you can let your students read the transcripts as an alternative to watching the clip.)

1. Divide the class into teams of four or five students. Each team will read one of the short news stories you’ve prepared.

2. One student on the team will pretend to be a news anchor reporting on the story. Another student can play a field reporter, who will interview the remaining students. The remaining students can play either passers-by or eyewitnesses to an incident.

3. You can prepare multiple stories for each team. With each new story, students should exchange roles, so that they each have a chance to practice different kinds of speaking.

Students playing the “eyewitnesses” will get the opportunity to answer spontaneously, especially if they’re not privy to the reporter’s questions ahead of time. The news anchor and reporter roles will require more formal, neutral English.

The interviewees will also have more opportunities to practice speech that expresses emotion, since they’ll be communicating their opinion on a hot topic.

To stretch out this activity into multiple lessons, consider assigning your students a writing exercise in which they “manufacture” their own news stories.

These news stories can have a humorous angle which could afford students the opportunity to explore satire using English.

This useful activity requires students to use all four language skills—reading, writing, listening, and speaking—and if carefully planned and well-controlled can cause both great excitement and exceptional learning.

Pair students up. Choose who will run and who will write. (At a later stage they could swap tasks.)

Print out some short texts (related to what you’re studying) and stick them on a wall away from the desks. You should stick them somewhere out of sight from where the students sit, such as out in the corridor.

There could be several numbered texts, and the students could be asked to collect two or three each. The texts could include blanks that they need to fill in later, or they could be asked to put them in order. There are many possibilities here!

The running students run (or power-walk) to their assigned texts, read, remember as much as they can and then return to dictate the text to the writing student. Then they run again. The first pair to finish writing the complete, correct texts wins.

Be careful that you do not:

• Let students use their phone cameras to “remember” the text.
• Let “running” students write—they can spell words out and tell their partner when they’re wrong.
• Let “writing” students go and look at the text (or let “running” students bring it to them).

Becoming competent at asking and answering questions is invaluable in language learning. It is helpful in a range of contexts, including anything from speaking exams, to casual conversation.

In the simplest form of classroom survey practice, the teacher hands out ready-made questions—maybe 3 for each student—around a topic that is being studied.

For example, let’s say the topic is food . Each student could be given the same questions, or there could be several different sets of questions such as questions about favorite foods, fast foods, breakfasts, restaurants, home-style cooking, etc.

Then each student partners with several others (however many is required), and asks them the questions on the paper. In each interaction, the student asking the questions will note down the responses from their peers.

At the end of the session, students may be asked to stand up and summarize what they found out from their survey. This helps them to consolidate a range of opinions based on the same topics. You can change the difficulty of the topics based on the level of your students, and center it around what you are focusing on in lessons.

This makes it a great exercise to use for all your classes and is easily customizable based on the needs of your students.

Students can be asked to bring to school an object to show and tell about. This can be anything from a favorite item of clothing , to a souvenir they picked up on an interesting trip. This is lots of fun because students will often bring in something that’s meaningful to them or which gives them pride. That means they’ll have plenty to talk about! Encourage students to ask questions about each other’s objects.

Instead of having students bring their own objects, you could provide an object of your own and ask them to try to explain what they think it is and what its purpose is. Another option is to bring in pictures for them to talk about. This could be discussed with a partner or in a group, before presenting ideas in front of the whole class.

Generate a stronger discussion and keep things flowing by asking students open-ended questions. Speaking for an extended period about one object will help students challenge themselves to say different, and more creative things. The exercise can also be easily repeated by asking students to bring in different objects the next time, or by providing a selection of your own objects to inspire them.

Create a stack of topic cards for your students, so that each student will have their own card.

Each student draws their card, and then you assign them a time limit—this limit may be one minute initially, or maybe three minutes when they have had practice. This is the amount of time that they’ll have to speak about their given topic.

Now, give the students a good chunk of time to gather their thoughts. You may want to give them anywhere from five minutes to half an hour for this preparation stage. You can let them write down three to five sentences on a flashcard to remind them of the direction they’ll take in the course of their talk.

To keep listening students focused, you could create an instant “Bingo” game. The class is told the topic and asked to write down five words that they might expect to hear (other than common words such as articles, conjunctions and auxiliary verbs). They listen for those words, crossing them off as they hear them and politely raising a hand if they hear all five.

You can adjust the complexity of the task depending on your students, and gradually increase the difficulty if you play more regularly to ensure you are stretching their skills.

The authentic English videos on FluentU —with its built-in vocabulary lists—can be catalysts for conversation practice. Every word used in a video has a definition, plus extra usage examples.

In this activity, students will learn some vocabulary words from the videos, then create their own definitions or usage examples for those words.

Select several FluentU videos for teams of your students to watch, according to their level. Then, You can then use the built-in vocabulary list to select the words you’d like your students to learn.

In the example below, you might target certain words in the Vocab list, such as “anecdote,” “engaging” and “brisk.”

Divide your class up into teams of about three or four students apiece and have them watch the selected videos. Students will work together to come up with new usage examples or definitions to illustrate the vocabulary words from their chosen video

Teams will then take turns presenting words (and their own examples or definitions) to each other. Students on each team should take turns presenting their example sentences or definitions.

Students can also be given time for discussing the words they learn, having conversations about what the words mean and how to use them.

After watching the other teams’ presentations, students who didn’t watch the video can take the accompanying quiz on FluentU, to see how well they learned the target words from their fellow students.

If your students have laptops (or a computer lab they can use) and are reasonably familiar with presentation software (such as PowerPoint), then all that’s left to acquire for this activity is access to an LCD projector.

Students can have a lot of fun speaking while giving a presentation to the class. Using projected images helps to distract some attention away from the speaker and can be helpful for shy students.

The “PechaKucha” style of presentation * can give added interest with each student being allowed to show 20 slides only for 20 seconds each (the timing being controlled by the software so that the slides change automatically) or whatever time limit you choose. You could make it 10 slides for 15 seconds each, for example.

You could also add rules such as “no more than three words on each slide” (or “no words”) so that students must really talk and not just read the slides. They need to be given a good amount of time, either at home or in class, to prepare themselves and practice their timing. It can also be prepared and presented in pairs, with each partner speaking for half of the slides.

* PechaKucha originated in Tokyo (in 2003). The name means “chitchat.”

“Nowadays held in many cities around the world, PechaKucha Nights are informal and fun gatherings where creative people get together and share their ideas, works, thoughts, holiday snaps—just about anything, really.”— the PechaKucha 20×20 format .

This challenging task is great for more capable students and it involves reading. Having texts in front of them can make adult students feel more supported.

Choose two short texts and print them out. Print enough of each text for half of the class. Create a list of simple questions for each text and print out the same quantity.

Divide the class into two groups and hand out the texts. Hang onto the question sheets for later. One group gets one text, the second group gets the other text. The texts can be about related topics (or not).

Group members then read their texts and are free to talk about them within their group, making sure they all understand everything. After five minutes or so, take the papers away.

• Each student is paired with someone from the other group. Each student must tell their partner everything they learned from their text. Then they must listen to (and remember) what the other student tells them about their group’s text.
• Students return to their original groups and are given a list of questions about their original text.
• Students are paired again, this time with a different person from the other group. Each student must test their partner using the questions about the text—which their partner never read and was only told about. Likewise, the students quizzing their partners must answer questions about the text they were told about.

On another day, use two different texts and try this activity again. Students do remarkably better the second time!

More mature students can discuss and debate issues with a partner. They can even be told which side of the argument they should each try to promote. This could be a precursor to a full-blown classroom debate.

Working with a partner or small group first gives them an opportunity to develop and practice the necessary vocabulary to speak confidently in a larger forum.

It would be a good idea to debate something relevant to the topics you are studying currently, as it will mean that your students have a bigger bank of information and vocabulary to pull from and keep the conversation flowing.

You could have smaller groups debate in front of the rest of the class, and have the other students decide on who they think won the debate by the end of it, explaining their reasons why. This ensures that both their speaking and listening comprehension skills are being tested, and keeps the whole class engaged.

Depending on the level of your students, you can change the level of the debate topics you assign them. This makes it a great accessible option for a range of learners, which you can easily customize based on the needs and interests of your students.

If you happen to have students in your classroom with different native languages, they’ve almost certainly stumbled across words without direct English translations. You can use your students’ expertise in their own languages to spark conversation in the classroom.

1. Divide the class into small groups of students—preferably, each group of students will represent two or more native languages.

If the students in a group all speak the same native language, no worries—there are still different dialects, regionalisms and variations in individual experiences to drive conversation about each “untranslatable” word and its possible English definition.

2. Ask each student to come up with a small handful of words that they cannot translate directly into English.

3. Students will then take turns presenting to their respective groups, pronouncing each featured word and explaining—to the best of their ability—what it means in English.

4. After the presentation of each word, the other students will have the opportunity to ask questions, to clarify the word’s meaning and usage.

5. Where possible, each student who hears a presentation can also be asked to think of a word in their own language that means the same as the presenter’s “untranslatable” word.

6. Depending on the skill level of your students, they can also participate in an open discussion of the featured word and its meaning after the presentation.

This activity encourages students to conceptualize the meanings of words in both their native language and English.

1. Ask each student to come up with a hobby or skill they can share with the rest of the class in a short presentation. You can give them several days to prepare ahead of time.

2. If you have a larger class, you can divide your students up into teams to allow each student more time to present in a smaller group setting. You can also pair off your students, so one student will take turns presenting to one other student only.

3. Students will take turns making a short presentation to their respective audience. In their presentation, they should explain their chosen hobby, skill or activity in clear terms that can be easily understood.

4. Within their presentations, students will also give simple, step-by-step instructions, to teach their audience members the target skill.

5. After each presentation, the student’s audience must ask the presenter at least one relevant question pertaining to the skill or activity in question. The questions should clarify their understanding of the process.

6. When the presentations and “Q & A” sessions are done, students can pair off with other partners or form new teams.

Variation :

Audience members can use the information they’ve gleaned from a teammate’s presentation to explain the process they’ve learned to someone in the class who didn’t hear the original presentation.

The original presenter can act as a subject matter expert, prompting their former audience member (as needed) to explain the process more clearly.

All you have to do is select a piece of text, which students will practice reading out loud until they can read it fluently. The goal is to work towards reading the text in front of an audience.

Short pieces like poems work best here, as students tend to memorize them easier. The websites Poetry Out Loud and Classic Poetry Aloud  are great for finding such poems.

Don’t forget to have the students focus on body language as well as how they speak. If they don’t know how to appear confident, start with a small lesson about body language. Give them a checklist so they can use it as a reference. For example:

• Are you standing tall?
• Are you looking at the audience?
• Are you speaking loudly enough?
• Are you enunciating your words?
• How is the tone of your voice?
• Are you smiling?

Once your students understand how to speak and focus on body language, have them read the text in front of a mirror. When they feel they are ready, have them read it in front of you, then work up to reading with a partner.

You can track their progress in class by filming their speeches so students can see the progression. Let them know that no one else will see what you filmed.

An activity like this should last no longer than a month, or else students might get bored of it. At the end of the month, students can present their poems/texts to the class.

Watching videos of public figures can help students see good examples of how to appear confident. Public figures can include news anchors, politicians or even famous celebrities.

Start off by doing a class activity where the students analyze why the public figure they are watching is so confident. You could use a checklist, and have students look for each element while they’re watching, or leave it open-ended.

While the students are discussing, write their answers on the board. You can watch a few short videos at a time for your student to see if there any commonalities. John F. Kennedy and Steve Jobs are great examples of speakers to observe in your class.

Once you’ve identified the qualities of confident speakers, students can then begin mimicking. Start off with a short video or give the students a choice between several. Students should simply mimic what they see on the video—including body language and tone.

It’s easiest to copy the speaking if there’s a transcript or subtitles available, so a short fragment from a TED Talk, captioned YouTube video or an exciting video from FluentU would be a suitable idea.

Have your students move on to longer videos when they are ready. Depending on your class, you can have them show you what they’ve done and conference with you about how it has helped them before moving on to longer videos.

Having students share their struggles with you is great for building rapport and trust between teacher and student. The more they trust you, the more feedback you can get about your lessons. Students might also come up to you and ask for help, which in turn help them get extra practice.

Don’t introduce this activity until you’ve known the students for at least a month. You want them to be familiar with the class and you before asking them to reveal their feelings. Any sooner and it may backfire on you.

To begin, tell a story about something you’ve struggled with (it doesn’t have to be academic, as long as it’s a skill you were trying to learn) where sharing your woes helped you push on. Give them time—a week or so—to think about what they’ve been struggling with and to record it somewhere.

After a week, tell your students that you will start conferences with them and in groups. Make sure they don’t feel pressured to share all their struggles in the beginning, even something small will help them.

Don’t fall into the trap of allowing students to complain or compare themselves with other students. If they do this, it will only make them feel worse about themselves. If you see this happening in groups or during your conferences, redirect the conversation to focus on just the student who is sharing.

Sometimes students are so focused on what they have to achieve that they forget how far they’ve come already. Asking your students to reflect on past English classes forces them to see where they used to be and where they are now.

In fact, many of your students will probably be very surprised at how much they have progressed. This serves as a confidence booster, and also as motivation to continue pushing themselves.

Some ideas for how to have your students reflect include writing in a journal , keeping a learning log, collecting works in a portfolio and periodically filming them thinking or reading out loud.

Set aside some time to conference with students regularly about their progress—every two weeks or monthly. Make sure you keep your own conference notes so you can also see how the student has progressed.

Take a look back through the lessons you taught at the beginning of the course as a class to show your students what you were doing as a class then, versus now. Reassure them that they will continue to learn, and that in a few months they will look back on the challenging material they are studying now and find it much easier.

When your students are feeling discouraged, it’s a great confidence booster to see how other people have also struggled yet improved and grown. Make sure not to label these “success stories” though, as you don’t want to give students the false view that their English (or anything!) is either a failure or a success.

The most important takeaway is that learning is a journey where you’re constantly developing and progressing. Mistakes and weaknesses are not “failures,” but natural and necessary. Reading stories of others’ struggles and progress helps students to see that it will take time—they just need to persevere and put in continual effort.

If possible, invite some of your past students to share their stories with your current class. If this is not possible, look for written articles or stories that you could base a lesson on—such as stories of famous celebrities whose first language isn’t English.

For example, Arnold Schwarzenegger immigrated to the United States and commonly shared how hard he worked on his pronunciation when he was trying to break into Hollywood. Penelope Cruz didn’t begin learning English until age 20, and in several interviews, she mentions common English mistakes she made when first arriving in the USA.

The above ESL activities for adults are sure to help your students come out of their shells and practice their speaking skills—all while having fun! 

Check out this article next: 

Wondering how to teach ESL to adults? While your lessons might be a bit less chaotic than with younger students, they don’t have to be dull or boring. Everyone enjoys…

Related posts:

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ESL Speaking Games for Adults: The Key to Breaking Language Barriers

In this lesson, we share a list of fun and productive ESL speaking games for adults to help break down language barriers.

In addition, you will find practical examples of how each game can be used.

Lesson Table of Contents

1) Two Truths and a Lie

    Example Dialogue of Playing Two Truths and a Lie

    Example Dialogue of Playing Taboo

3) Story Starters

    Example Dialogue of Playing Story Starters

4) Guess Who

    Example Dialogue of Playing Guess Who

5) Desert Island

    Example Dialogue of Playing Desert Island

6) Call My Bluff

    Example Dialogue of Playing Call My Bluff

7) Role Play

    Example Dialogue of Playing Role Play

    Example Dialogue of Playing Debate

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

ESL Speaking Games

Two truths and a lie.

In this game, each student shares three statements about themselves,  but one of them is a lie.  The rest of the class has to guess which one is fake. This game is perfect for practicing simple present tense and getting to know each other.

An example dialogue of playing Two Truths and a Lie:

Teacher:  Alright, let's play "Two Truths and a Lie." I'll go first. (clears throat) Okay, here are my three statements: I have traveled to five different continents, I can speak three languages fluently, and I once competed in a hot dog eating contest.

Student 1:  Hmm, I think the lie is that you've traveled to five different continents.

Teacher:  Nope, that one is actually true! The lie is that I can speak three languages fluently. I wish I could, though.

Student 2 :  Alright, my turn. Here are my three statements: I have a pet parrot, I've never been skydiving, and I can play the guitar.

Student 1:  I think the lie is that you've never been skydiving.

Student 2 :  Nope, that one is actually true. The lie is that I can play the guitar. I'm terrible at it.

And so on! This game is a great icebreaker and a fun way to get to know each other while practicing English skills.

In this game, one student is given a word to describe, but they can't use certain "taboo" words to do it. This game is great for practicing vocabulary and descriptive language.

An example dialogue of playing Taboo:

Teacher:  Okay, let's play "Taboo." 

Teacher whispers to student 1:  The word you need to describe is "beach," but you can't use the words "ocean" or "sand."

Student 1:  Okay, it's a place where people go to swim and sunbathe. There are waves and seagulls and people build castles there.

Student 2 :  Is it the ocean?

Teacher:  No, that's one of the taboo words.

Student 3:  Is it a lake?

Student 1:  No, it's not a lake. It's a long strip of land next to the water.

Student 2 :  Oh, is it a coastline?

Teacher:  Close, but not quite. Keep going!

Student 1:  Okay, you can play volleyball there and sometimes there are lifeguards. It's also a great place to watch the sunrise.

Student 3:  Oh, I know! It's a beach!

Teacher:  That's right! Great job, everyone. Now, let's switch roles and have another student give a word to describe.

And the best part is that as you keep playing, you'll get better at using words creatively and describing things without relying on the usual suspects. Plus, it's a great way to have fun and get to know other students better!

Story Starters

In this game, one student starts a story and passes it on to the next student to continue. This game is perfect for practicing past tense and storytelling skills.

An example dialogue of playing Story Starters:

Teacher:  Alright, let's play "Story Starters." I'm going to give each of you the beginning of a story, and then you're going to take turns adding to it. Who wants to go first?

Student 1:  I'll start.

Teacher:  Okay, your story begins with: 

"The sun was shining and the birds were singing, but..."

Student 2 :  "...I was feeling miserable. I had just failed an important exam."

Student 3:  "I walked home, kicking rocks as I went. I didn't want to face my parents and tell them the bad news."

Student 1:  "But when I got home, I found a letter in the mailbox. It was from my favorite aunt, inviting me to visit her for the summer."

Student 2 :  "I hesitated for a moment, but then I realized that this was exactly what I needed. A change of scenery, some time away from my problems."

Student 3:  "So I packed my bags and hopped on a train to my aunt's house. And that's where my summer adventure began."

This game is an excellent way to develop storytelling, creativity, and critical thinking skills while having a good time.

"Guess Who" is a speaking game where one student chooses a famous or historical person without telling the others, and the rest of the group takes turns asking yes or no questions to try and guess who the person is.

The student who chose the person can only answer "yes" or "no" to each question.

The game continues until someone correctly guesses the person, or until everyone has had a chance to ask a question.

This game is a fun way to practice descriptive language, asking questions, and critical thinking skills, while also learning about famous or historical figures.

An example dialogue of playing Guess Who:

Teacher:  Let's play "Guess Who." I have thought of a famous person, and you have to guess who it is by asking me yes or no questions. Who wants to start?

Student 1:  Is the person male?

Teacher: Yes.

Student 2 :  Is the person an actor?

Teacher:  No.

Student 3:  Is the person still alive?

Student 1:  Was the person a musician?

Teacher:  Yes.

Student 2 :  Did the person play the guitar?

Teacher: No.

Student 3:  Did the person have a hit song in the 1980s?

Student 1:  Is the person Bruce Springsteen?

Student 2 :  Is the person Freddie Mercury?

Teacher: Yes, you got it! Great job, now it's your turn to think of a famous person.

And so on! This game is a fun way to practice asking questions, critical thinking skills, and learning about famous figures.

Desert Island

"Desert Island" is a speaking game where each student has to choose three items they would want to have with them if they were stranded on a desert island.

The items can be anything, but they have to be practical and useful for survival.

After each student has chosen their items, they have to explain why they chose them and how they would use them to survive on the island.

The game can also be played with variations such as choosing three people or three songs instead of items.

"Desert Island" is an interesting way to practice speaking skills, critical thinking, and creativity, while also learning about each other's preferences and priorities.

An example dialogue of playing Desert Island:

Teacher:  Let's play "Desert Island." Imagine you are stranded on a desert island, and you can only bring three items with you. What would you choose? Who wants to start?

Student 1:  I would bring a knife, a water filter, and a fire starter.

Teacher:  Great choices! Why did you choose those items?

Student 1:  Well, I'm not trying to recreate Rambo on this island, but a knife would be handy for slicing up some coconuts and building a nice treehouse. You can't survive long without water, so that filter is a no-brainer. And who doesn't love a good old fire? I'll be able to warm myself up, cook up some stuff, and hopefully flag down passing ships for a ride home.

Student 2 :  I would bring a satellite phone, a solar-powered charger, and a waterproof tent.

Teacher: Another great set of choices! Why did you choose those items?

Listen, that satellite phone is going to be my ticket off this island. And who wants to be stuck with a dead phone battery during an emergency? Not me. That's why that solar charger is coming with me. I'm not a fan of the whole "sleeping in the rain" thing, so that waterproof tent is going to be helpful on the island.

Student 3:  I would bring a fishing net, a pot, and a hammock.

Teacher:  Those are some unique choices! Why did you choose them?

Student 3:  The fishing net would help me to catch fish for food. The pot would allow me to boil water and cook food. And the hammock would provide me with a comfortable place to sleep and relax.

This game serves as an effective tool for practicing various speaking skills, such as descriptive language and persuasive reasoning, while also improving critical thinking and creative problem-solving abilities.

Call My Bluff

"Call My Bluff" is a fun and challenging speaking game that can help students improve their vocabulary and critical thinking skills.

To play, the teacher or one of the students selects a word from a dictionary that most of the group is unlikely to know.

The person who selected the word reads to himself the definition and then makes up two false definitions for the word.

The other students then have to guess which definition is the correct one.

The student who guesses correctly gets a point, selects a new word and the game continues.

This game can be played in teams or individually, and it's a great way to learn new words and their meanings while also having fun and improving speaking skills.

An example dialogue of playing Call My Bluff:

Teacher:  Okay, the word for this round is "flummox." (Reads to himself?: and the definition is "to greatly confuse.")

Teacher (out loud):  Possible definitions of "flummox": (a) to make something shiny or bright, (b) to make someone very happy, (c) to confuse someone very much.

Student 1:  Okay, I'll go first. It's (a), to make something shiny.

Student 2 :  Hmm, I think it's (c) to confuse.

Teacher: Correct! That's one point for you. Now it's your turn to select a new word.

Student 2 :  Sure, the next word is "collywobbles." (The real definition is "a feeling of discomfort or anxiety in the stomach.")

Student 2 (out loud):  Alright, Collywobbles: (a) a type of candy, (b) a feeling of discomfort or anxiety in the stomach, (c) a type of bird.

Student 1:  I'm pretty sure it's (b) a feeling of discomfort or anxiety in the stomach.

Student 3:  That's right! How did you know that?

And so on, with players taking turns and trying to guess the correct definition. 

In this game, students are given a scenario and assigned roles to play out. This is a useful way to practice specific language functions, such as making a complaint, giving directions, or ordering food at a restaurant.

An example dialogue of playing Role Play in an ESL class:

Teacher:  "Today, we're going to practice some role plays. Let's start with a common scenario: ordering food in a restaurant. Student 1, you'll be the waiter, and Jay, you'll be the customer. Ready to start?"

Student 1:  "Yes, I'm ready."

Student 2 :  "Sure, let's do this."

Teacher: "Okay, go ahead!"

Student 1:  "Good evening, and welcome to our restaurant. What can I get for you today?"

Student 2 :  "Hi there, I'd like to order a steak, medium-rare, please."

Student 1:  "Great choice! Would you like any sides with that?"

Student 2 :  "Yes, I'd like some mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables."

Student 1:  "Excellent. And would you like anything to drink?"

Student 2 :  "Yes, I'll have a glass of red wine, please."

Student 1:  "Wonderful. Your order is complete. Thank you for choosing our restaurant."

Teacher:  "Great job! Now let's switch roles. Jay, you'll be the waiter, and Student 1, you'll be the customer."

And the role play continues with different scenarios, allowing students to practice real-life situations and improve their language skills.

In this game, students are given a controversial topic and assigned to argue for or against it. This allows students to practice persuasive language and logical reasoning.

An example dialogue of playing Debate : (Topic: Is it better to work for a large company or a small one?)

Teacher:  Okay, let's begin the debate. Mark, you will be arguing in favor of working for a large company, while Jay will be arguing in favor of working for a small company. You each have two minutes to make your arguments. Mark, you may begin.

Mark:  Thank you. I strongly believe that working for a large company is the better option.

Large companies have more resources, which means more opportunities for growth and development.

They also offer better benefits and job security. With a large company, you have more chances to network and meet new people, which can lead to more career opportunities.

Jay:  Yeah, I get where you're coming from, but let me give you my take on this. Working for a small company is far better. In a small company, you have the chance to wear many hats, learn various skills and take on more responsibilities. You are not just another cog in the machine. You have a greater sense of ownership over your work and the company, which makes the job more fulfilling.

Mark:  That may be true, but in a small company, you have fewer resources, less job security, and limited opportunities for growth. Large companies have more support systems in place, such as training programs and mentorship opportunities, which can help employees develop and advance in their careers.

Jay:  But in a small company, you have more autonomy and freedom. You are not restricted by strict rules and regulations like you are in a large company. In a small company, you can make a real impact and effect change.

Mark:  I totally get it. But I think there's another side to this debate that we should consider. Working for a large company provides stability and security. In a small company, you may not have that same level of job security or stability, especially if the company is not doing well financially.

Jay:  I understand your point that working for a big company is more stable, but I disagree. Sometimes, big companies are not financially secure, and small companies can be more adaptable to market changes, which can lead to long-term success and job security. We need to consider other factors beyond company size for job stability and security.

Teacher:  Okay, thank you both for your arguments. It seems that both of you have made valid points. I'll let the class vote to determine the winner. 

Teacher (to the class): Who had the more convincing arguments?

Let's take a quick poll by raising our hands.

This concludes this list of ESL speaking games for adults. Use these games in class and watch your students' speaking skills improve. 

Remember to mix things up and try new games from time to time to keep your classes fresh and engaging.

In addition to using these games, don't forget to encourage your students to speak as much as possible in class. Create a positive and supportive environment where students feel comfortable practicing their language skills  without fear of making mistakes . 

Praising their efforts and offering constructive feedback can go a long way in boosting their confidence and motivation to learn.

Lastly, consider  using short stories to enhance your ESL classes . We have many storybooks and workbooks available that can help you create engaging and productive lessons.

So if anyone tells you that learning a new language has to be boring, just give them a wink and say "I've got a game for that!"

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ESL Speaking

Games + Activities to Try Out Today!

in Activities for Kids

Kids ESL Speaking Games & Activities | English Speaking Games Children

Let’s be real. Teaching English to kids sometimes isn’t easy. They are often not that interested in speaking English to each other, or to you! That’s why you’ll need a variety of speaking activities for kids to keep things fresh and interesting.

Check out these fun ESL speaking games for children that are engaging, interactive and student-centred. Your students will love them and keep coming back for more of these speaking games for kids.

Kids ESL Speaking Activities and Games

A variety of fun, engaging speaking games for kids is the key to success. Keep on reading for my top picks for speaking games for kids that are proven to work in the ESL classroom.

Best Kids ESL Speaking Games

If you’re looking for some fresh new ideas for Kids ESL speaking games, you’ve come to the right place. Here are my top games that I like to use in my own classes. These ESL activities for children are guaranteed to make your life easier because you can plan interesting, engaging and fun lessons without spending a lot of time on it.

I know you’re tired of searching around on the Internet for the good stuff, right? Search no more for kids speaking activities.

Try out some of these kids ESL speaking games in your classes today! Your students will be happy, engaged and learning English. You’ll be able to plan your lessons quickly with a few top-quality ESL activities in them. Let’s get to the best TEFL talking games for kids.

#1: Password

Password is a fun ESL speaking game that is challenging, interesting and fun. It makes an excellent way to review some vocabulary that you’ve taught at the end of the class. You can also use this a warm-up at the beginning of the next one. I love to review vocabulary with my students and this is a great way to do that.

Check out this post for more details: Password ESL Speaking Game.

#2: Disappearing Text

If you’re looking for a fun filler activity that helps students remember vocabulary and sentence structure, try out this game. You write up a full sentence on the board, and gradually erase it, word by word. The challenge is that students have to remember what disappeared and say it back to you. It’s also an excellent way to catch any sort of pronunciation mistakes that your students might be making.

More details: Disappearing Text Game.

• Amazon Kindle Edition
• Smith, Jennifer Booker (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 86 Pages - 12/24/2015 (Publication Date)

#3: Charades Kids Speaking Game

If you’re looking for a fun ESL game for a party or activity class, you’ll need to try out charades. It’s a sneaky way to review some vocabulary as well and is probably more beneficial for the students than just playing Uno or something like that. I love to review in a fun, engaging way and this ESL game does just that.

More details about how to set this activity up: Charades ESL Speaking Game.

Speaking activities for primary students

#4: Find Someone Who Speaking Bingo

If you want to have some fun and help your students get to know each other at the beginning of the semester, you’ll need to try out this version of Bingo. It’s one of my favourite Kids ESL speaking games and I use it in most of my classes. It’s a nice variation on traditional Bingo because the kids are up out of their seats, moving around and talking to their classmates. It actually requires students to be active, instead of being very passive as they usually are in traditional Bingo.

More details: Find Someone Who Bingo Game.

#5: ESL Board Games

I love to play board games in real life, so I make my students play ESL ones in my classes. They always have a really fun time and want to play again the next time! You can make ESL board games for just about any sort of grammatical concept and they only take a few minutes to make once you get the hang of it.

Quick tips: have a small prize for the winner in each group to make it a bit more fun. To “roll” the dice, it can be pretty loud with actual dice. I get each group to use two coins instead. 2 heads =5, 1 head, 1 tail = 3, 2 tails = 1.

Check out this short video where I explain how I use ESL board games in my own classes.

#6: Chain Spelling

A fun way to review key vocabulary words is to play chain spelling. Not only is it great for review but it also has the added advantage of requiring absolutely nothing in the way of preparation or materials. It’s always nice to have a few of these in the back pocket, right?

Want to know more? Here are the details you need:

ESL Chain Spelling Activity for Kids .

#7: ESL Presentations for Children

If your students are a bit older and more advanced in their English skills, then you might consider incorporating some presentations into your classes. Even simple ones that require speaking for 30 seconds to 1 minute can be a valuable exercise.

There are plenty of topics and ideas for presentations to choose from here:

ESL Presentations .

• Bolen, Jackie (Author)
• 53 Pages - 09/11/2015 (Publication Date)

#8: Would You Rather ESL Speaking Game for Kids

If you’re looking for a quick speaking activity that’s ideal for a warm-up, then consider trying out Would you Rather? For example, would you rather break your right arm or left leg?

The way it works is that students have to choose between two options and then explain why they made that choice. Students can make their own questions for a partner or you can make a list for them to ask each other. Want to know more? Find out all the details here:

ESL Would You Rather Speaking Activity .

#9: ESL Pronunciation Activities and Games

A big part of English speaking is pronunciation. After all, you can know the word but if you can’t say it correctly, your conversation partner won’t be able to understand you.

The good news is that there are lots of ESL speaking games for kids that deal with this important area. Check out some of our top choices here:

ESL Pronunciation Games .

#10: Hot Potato Speaking Activity for Children

If you want to create a bit of a buzz in your classes, then consider trying out one of my favourite kids’ ESL speaking games. It’s exciting, can be used for a variety of topics and is an ideal way to get your students to speak English.

The way it works is that students have to pass around an object of some kind and then when the music stops, or the timer goes off, the person holding it has to do a speaking task of some kind. Learn more here:

Hot Potato Game .

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#11: Telephone ESL Speaking Game for Kids

I love to share games and activities that require absolutely nothing in the way of preparation or materials. Telephone is one such activity and the even better news is that you can tailor it to whatever theme, grammar point or vocabulary set that you want.

Have some fun with your kids today with this speaking, listening and pronunciation game:

ESL Telephone Game for Children .

#12: Running Dictation 

#13: likes and dislikes.

A very common grammatical structure for kids to learn is like/dislikes and I find that it usually goes over very well. Most kids have strong preferences for foods, sports (more ideas: Sports ESL Games ) and people they either like or don’t like which makes it a great conversation activity for kids.

Here are some of the best ideas for how to get the conversation ball rolling:

ESL Like/Dislike Activities .

#14: Draw a Picture

This is a fun speaking activity for children that you can try out in your classes. The way it works is that one person has a secret picture that they need to describe, using English to their partner who draws it. Things like monsters or aliens work quite well for this purpose.

It’s fun, interactive and ideal for working on both speaking and listening skills. The results are usually hilarious too! Learn how to do it here:

Draw a Picture Speaking Activity.

• 144 Pages - 03/31/2016 (Publication Date)

#15: Flashcards Talking Game for Kids

In my opinion, flashcards are one of the most underutilized ESL teaching tools. They can be used for so many purposes and there are lots of talking games that can be played. To find out some of the ways to use them in  your classes, have a look:

ESL Flashcards.

#16: More Ideas for Teaching Young Learners on Let’s Talk TEFL

#17: dialogue substitution.

In most ESL textbooks, new vocabulary or grammar are introduced through a reading passage. But, maybe your students are kind of like mine and just blow through them without really paying attention to what they’re reading. Of course, it’s not their fault. It’s that they don’t really have a reason to pay attention to what they’re reading.

Instead, a better way is to remove some of the words. Then it turns it from strictly a reading activity to one that’s focused on meaning, as well as conversation because students have to listen to what their partner is saying.

Have a look at this English speaking for kids activity:

Dialogue Substitution .

#18: Picture Prompt

An excellent way to get the conversation started with kids is to use some pictures. Then, depending on the level of the students, you can elicit some words, ask what the people are doing, or get students to relate their own lives to the picture in some way. Here are some more ideas:

ESL Picture Prompt.

#19: How to Teach Kids New Words

#20: animal esl activities and games.

If you want to get kids speaking English, then talk about animals! Young learners love this and I find that this unit is one of the best in terms of engagement and interest.

The good news is that are so many interactive and fun things you can do related to this unit. Here are some of the best ideas:

ESL Animal Activities and Games .

ESL speaking games for children

#21: Typhoon

This is a fun review game that students of all ages love. It’s best for the class before an exam of some kind and for smaller classes so that everyone can participate.

Whenever I play it, the students talk about it for weeks and keep asking me to play again! Try it out for yourself:

#22: ESL Basketball Challenge, a Talking Game for Kids

This basketball game is one of the most fun speaking games for kids and I’m sure your students will love it as much as mine do. It’s ideal for reviewing vocabulary or simple grammatical structures. Learn more about it here:

Basketball ESL Game .

#23: Vocabulary Quiz for Children

#24: classroom expressions and phrases.

I love to spend time at the beginning of the semester teaching classroom English. It just makes the rest of the course go that much more smoothly if students are able to understand basic directions in English, as well as ask to go to the bathroom, etc. Have a look here at some of the activities I use to teach this:

Classroom Language ESL .

#25: Show and Tell

Have students bring an object from home and talk about it in English, describing what it is, why they like it, and any interesting details.

#26: Role-Play

Create scenarios like ordering food at a restaurant or buying tickets at a movie theater. Students practice conversations and interactions in a fun way.

#27: Story Starters

Begin a story and have students take turns adding sentences or paragraphs, building a collaborative story.

• 249 Pages - 09/11/2023 (Publication Date)

#28: Interviews

Pair students and have them interview each other using prepared questions. They then introduce their partner to the class.

#29: Barrier Games

Set up a barrier between two students. One describes a picture or scene, and the other tries to recreate it based on the description.

#30: Guess the Sound

Play various sounds (animals, objects, etc.), and have students guess what’s making the sound.

#31: ESL Teaching Topics for Kids

Not sure what to talk about during your TEFL classes with children? Here are some of my favourite topics:

#32: Time Capsule

Ask students to select items that represent their lives now. They explain their choices to the class.

#33: Nature Walk Commentary

Take a short nature walk and have students comment on what they see using English.

#34: Showtime

Allow students to put on short skits, acting out different scenarios or stories.

#35: Guess the Price

Guess the Price Game: Students present items, and the rest of the class tries to guess the price.

ESL Activities for Kids FAQs

There are a number of common questions that people have about fun ESL games and activities for children. Here are the answers to some of the most popular ones.

How can I sound like a native English speaker?

How can i teach esl to kids.

It’s possible to teach ESL kids in an engaging and interactive way by using some of the following ideas:

• Have a routine to start class off with.
• Use hands-on-activities that get students moving around the class.
• Consider videos, songs, and chants.
• Use lots of review.
• Always set the context for any lesson.
• Get students to use self-discovery of new vocabulary and grammar.
• Use actual objects in the classroom whenever possible.

How do you deal with difficult ESL students?

You may run across difficult ESL students occasionally. Here are a few tips for getting back on track.

• Try to figure out where things went wrong with that specific student.
• Talk to the student in private.
• Have a system with clear rules and punishments.
• Never play favourites.
• Use lots of positive reinforcement.
• Get help from other teachers or administration.
• Plan interesting lessons.

How can I teach ESL to beginners?

Teaching ESL to beginners can be a little bit difficult but keep in mind the following things:

• Use a routine and stick to it!
• Make sure instructions are very simple and use ICQs
• Listening and reading come before speaking and writing.
• Use lots of drills and review.
• Teach classroom language explicitly early on.
• Avoid metalanguage.

How can I make English fun for kids?

It really is possible to make learning English fun for kids. Just be sure to include lots of songs and chants into lessons, always set the context for new grammar and vocabulary, encourage movement in the classroom and be sure to use a variety of interactive and student-centred ESL activities and games.

Why are speaking activities important for ESL kids?

Speaking activities help kids practice and improve their verbal communication skills in a fun and interactive way.

What are some popular ESL speaking games for kids?

Games like “Simon Says,” “20 Questions,” and “Story Cubes” are engaging and effective for ESL speaking practice.

How can we make speaking activities enjoyable for kids?

Incorporate colorful visuals, props, songs, and interactive games to make speaking activities exciting and enjoyable for kids.

How do speaking activities enhance language learning for kids?

Speaking activities promote vocabulary expansion, sentence formation, and boost confidence in using the English language.

What are some group speaking activities for ESL kids?

Group activities like “Role-Play Conversations,” “Debates,” and “Show and Tell” encourage collaborative speaking and interaction among kids.

Like These Kids ESL Speaking Games for Children? 

• 75 Pages - 07/12/2015 (Publication Date)

Did you find these kids ESL speaking games useful? Then you’ll need to check out 39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Speaking Activities: For Kids (7+) . It’ll make your lesson planning easier, guaranteed.

I wrote the book because I was so sick of searching around on the Internet for some fun, engaging and awesome ESL games and activities but finding only junk. I wasted so much time that it was ridiculous! This book has 39 ESL activities that you can actually use in your classes to add some variety and keep your students engaged and interested in your lessons.

How are the Speaking Activities Organized?

Each activity starts off with a brief overview so that you can see, at a glance whether or not it’s the right one for your students. Then, it gets into the detailed, step-by-step instructions that start off with the prep you need to do before class (usually very minimal), then what happens during the activity with the students, and then some optional follow-up.

Of course, don’t forget to read the teaching tips. They’ll help make the speaking game even better. And, they’ll also help you to avoid some of the most common things that can go wrong with each specific one.

Where Can I Get it?

Does it sound like the book of speaking activities for kids that you need in your life? It probably is if you teach English to kids!

You can get the book on Amazon, in both digital and print formats. The (cheaper!) digital book can be read on any smartphone, tablet, Mac or PC simply by downloading the free Kindle reading app. It’s some ESL teaching awesome, guaranteed!

Tips for Teaching ESL to Kids

Check out these tips for teaching English to children.

Use Visual Aids

Kids respond well to visual stimuli. Use flashcards, pictures, and videos to help them understand new words and concepts.

Make it Fun

Incorporate games, songs, and activities into your lessons. This will help keep the kids engaged and make learning more enjoyable.

Use Repetition

Children often need to hear and practice new words multiple times before they fully grasp them. Be patient and use plenty of repetition in your lessons.

Encourage Interaction

Encourage the kids to speak as much as possible. Create activities that require them to interact with each other in English.

Keep it Simple

Use simple, clear language that is appropriate for the kids’ age and language level. Avoid using complex grammar or vocabulary that may be confusing.

• 88 Pages - 09/28/2020 (Publication Date) - Independently published...

Provide Positive Reinforcement

Praise the kids for their efforts and achievements, no matter how small. This will help boost their confidence and motivation.

Use Real-life Contexts

Teach English in contexts that are relevant to the kids’ lives, such as daily routines, hobbies, and interests.

Be Creative

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and try new approaches to teaching. Every child is different, so what works for one may not work for another.

Learning a new language takes time, especially for young children. Be patient and understanding, and remember that progress may be slow but steady.

Create a Positive Learning Environment

Make sure the classroom is a welcoming and supportive environment where kids feel comfortable expressing themselves in English.

Have your Say about these Speaking Games for Kids

Do you have a go-to speaking activity or game for kids? Any tips or tricks for doing it the awesome way? Leave a comment below and let us know.

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

Fun speaking activities for kids

Last update on 2024-08-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 20 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 , Great Debates for ESL/EFL , and 1001 English Expressions and Phrases . She loves to share her ESL games, activities, teaching tips, and more with other teachers throughout the world.

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Speak Clearly: 15 Fun and Effective Articulation Activities for All Ages

Hrideep barot.

• Communication , Public Speaking

Discovering the art of clear and confident speech involves diving into articulation activities, those nifty exercises designed to spruce up how we talk. These activities focus on getting speech sounds just right, covering everything from repeating single sounds to playful games and even reminiscing sessions. Why bother? Well, t hey’re a game-changer for folks dealing with speech quirks, offering a path to better communication, less social jitters, and a confidence boost.

Now, let’s talk about X fun activities for all ages. Kids can enjoy games like Articulation Bingo and Sound Scavenger Hunt. For the middle-aged crew, Word Puzzles and Conversation Cards add a fun twist. Senior citizens can relish Reminiscence Therapy and cozy reading aloud sessions. Each activity isn’t just about talking; it’s a mix of fun, socializing, and honing speech skills.

But the speech journey doesn’t stop there. Tips for speaking clearly and confidently roll in, from regular practice to focusing on pronunciation and even recording yourself. It’s a gradual process, but hey, progress is progress. If you’re serious about levelling up your speech game the following will help.

• What Are Articulation Activities?
• 15 Fun And Effective Articulation Activities For All Ages

Games That Can Elevate One’s Communication Skills.

Why should one practice articulation activities, what are articulation activities .

Articulation activities are exercises or tasks designed to help individuals improve their speech and pronunciation , particularly in terms of producing specific speech sounds accurately. These activities are often used in speech therapy, language development programs, or by educators to address difficulties with articulation, phonological disorders, or speech sound disorders.

Articulation activities may involve various techniques and tools to target specific speech sounds or patterns. Here are some common types of articulation activities:

Isolation Exercises:

These activities involve focusing on a single speech sound in isolation, without combining it with other sounds . This allows individuals to concentrate on the specific movement of the articulators (e.g., lips, tongue) required for accurate production. For example, saying the target sound (/r/, /s/, etc.) repeatedly in isolation.

Syllable and Word Repetition:

This step involves practicing the target sound within syllables and words. This helps individuals integrate the correct sound into different linguistic contexts. For instance, repeating syllables like “ba,” “be,” “bi,” or words like “cat,” “dog,” “ball” containing the target sound.

Minimal Pairs:

Minimal pairs are pairs of words that differ by only one sound (e.g., “bat” vs. “pat”) . Practicing minimal pairs helps individuals distinguish between similar sounds and develop the ability to produce the correct one through auditory discrimination.

Sentence and Phrase Practice:

Extending the practice to sentences and phrases helps individuals use the target sound more naturally and communicatively. This can involve constructing sentences or responding to prompts that incorporate the target sound .

Reading Aloud:

Reading aloud provides a contextualized approach to articulation practice . Individuals read passages, stories, or sentences that contain the target sounds. This helps bridge the gap between isolated practice and using the sounds in real-life situations.

Articulation Games: Making learning enjoyable, games can include board games, card games, or online activities that encourage the repetition of target sounds in a playful manner. This fosters engagement and motivation, especially in younger individuals.

Use of Visual Aids:

Visual aids, such as mouth diagrams or videos, offer a visual representation of correct articulatory movements . This visual feedback enhances understanding and awareness, aiding individuals in mimicking the correct mouth and tongue positions.

Mirror Exercises:

Observing one’s articulatory movements in a mirror provides immediate visual feedback . This self-monitoring approach helps individuals become more aware of their articulation and assists in self-correction.

Role-Playing:

Engaging in role-playing scenarios involves using the target sounds in real-life, communicative situations . This activity not only targets articulation but also integrates social and pragmatic aspects of speech.

Articulation activities are often tailored to an individual’s specific needs and may vary based on the severity and nature of the articulation difficulty. Regular practice and consistent feedback from speech-language professionals or educators are crucial components of successful articulation therapy.

15 Fun And Effective Articulation Activities For All Ages 

Some of the most fun and effective articulation activities are divided into groups based on age ranges – children , middle-aged people, and senior citizens:

For Children:

1. articulation bingo:.

Create Bingo cards with colorful images representing words with the target sound.

Use a variety of words to keep it engaging and diverse.

Encourage children to say the word aloud when marking it on their cards, reinforcing articulation.

2. Sound Scavenger Hunt:

Provide a list of target words, and children can check them off as they find corresponding objects.

Include a mix of common and challenging words to maintain interest.

Make it a collaborative activity, fostering teamwork and social interaction.

3. Story Cubes:

Use story cubes with a variety of images to spark creativity.

Discuss the story together, emphasizing the articulation of words containing the target sound.

Rotate roles, allowing each child to contribute to the story.

4. Silly Sentences:

Encourage creativity by having children come up with their silly sentences.

Provide a mix of words with the target sound and other sounds to create a balanced challenge.

This activity can be turned into a game with points for the silliest sentences.

5. Articulation Charades:

Include a mix of easy and challenging words in the charades game.

This game promotes movement, making it an active and enjoyable way to practice articulation.

Rotate roles so that everyone has a chance to act out and guess.

Check this out for more information and this video to know some fun strategies for children- 

For Middle-Aged People:

6. word puzzles:.

Tailor puzzles to the interests of the group (e.g., themed puzzles related to hobbies or current events).

Provide hints or clues related to the target sounds to make the activity more engaging.

Collaborative puzzle-solving can foster a sense of community.

7. Conversation Cards:

Create cards with open-ended questions that naturally incorporate the target sounds.

Encourage participants to share personal stories, ensuring the use of the target sound in context.

Use a variety of topics to keep conversations interesting and diverse.

8. Tongue Twisters:

Start with simpler tongue twisters and gradually progress to more challenging ones.

Practice each tongue twister multiple times, gradually increasing speed.

This activity enhances articulatory agility and control.

9. Role-Playing Scenarios:

Tailor scenarios to situations commonly encountered in daily life.

Use role-playing as an opportunity to practice articulation in realistic, everyday conversations.

Provide constructive feedback to reinforce correct articulation.

10.Memory Game:

Include images along with words on the memory cards to make it more visually engaging.

As individuals turn over cards, encourage them to say the words aloud and emphasize the target sounds.

Adjust the difficulty level by increasing the number of pairs or using more challenging words.

For Senior Citizens:

11. reminiscence therapy:.

Incorporate prompts related to different life stages to facilitate reminiscence.

Encourage individuals to articulate memories with clarity while engaging in a meaningful and nostalgic activity.

Create a relaxed and supportive environment for open sharing.

12. Reading Aloud:

Choose reading materials that align with the interests and preferences of the group.

Allow individuals to take turns reading paragraphs or pages.

Discuss the content, promoting articulation in a context that fosters comprehension.

13. Sing-Alongs:

Select familiar songs with clear lyrics and melodies.

Singing together provides a social and enjoyable way to practice articulation.

Consider incorporating hand movements or gestures to enhance engagement.

14. Poetry Recitation:

Choose poems with rhythmic patterns and rhymes.

Break down longer poems into smaller sections for easier recitation.

Discuss the meaning of the poems, adding depth to the articulation practice.

15. Articulation Meditation:

Integrate relaxation techniques with articulation practice.

Guide participants through deep breathing exercises while enunciating words with the target sound.

Emphasize the calming and therapeutic aspects of combining mindfulness with speech practice.

Remember, the activities can be adapted based on individual preferences, needs, and the severity of articulation challenges. It’s always beneficial to consult with speech-language professionals for personalized guidance.

1. Among Us:

Among Us, a popular online multiplayer game, requires players to work together on a spaceship while identifying impostors among them. Effective communication, persuasion, and critical thinking are crucial as players discuss suspicions and observations to deduce the impostors.

2. Codenames:

Codenames, a captivating word-based party game, challenges players to connect words using clues provided by their team’s spymaster. The game encourages strategic thinking and improves verbal communication by requiring players to convey information while avoiding confusion.

3. Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes:

Keep Talking and Nobody Explodes is a unique cooperative game simulating bomb defusal. Effective communication is essential for conveying complex information quickly and accurately, promoting teamwork, time management, and clear information sharing.

4. Pictionary:

Pictionary, a classic drawing and guessing game, relies on non-verbal communication and creativity. It encourages players to express ideas visually and interpret visual cues, making it a fun and interactive way to improve both artistic and communicative skills.

5. Escape Room Games:

Escape room games, in board or digital form, provide an immersive experience requiring teamwork, problem-solving, and effective communication. Players must share information and ideas to uncover hidden clues, fostering collaboration within a team.

Practicing articulation activities is important for several reasons, particularly for individuals with speech sound disorders or difficulties . Here are some key reasons why one should engage in articulation activities:

Communication Skills Improvement :

Articulation activities aim to enhance an individual’s ability to produce speech sounds accurately. Clear and precise articulation is crucial for effective communication , as it ensures that spoken words are easily understood by others.

Enhanced Speech Intelligibility:

Correct articulation contributes to improved speech intelligibility. When individuals can articulate sounds properly, it minimizes the risk of miscommunication and allows listeners to comprehend spoken language more easily.

Building Confidence :

Regular practice of articulation activities, especially when combined with positive reinforcement and support, can boost an individual’s confidence in their speech abilities. Increased confidence can lead to more willingness to engage in communication.

Reduced Social Anxiety :

Individuals with speech sound disorders may experience social anxiety due to concerns about being understood or judged. Articulation activities help address these concerns by improving speech clarity, thus reducing anxiety in social interactions.

Academic Success :

Clear and effective communication is essential for academic success. Articulation activities can benefit students by improving their speech skills, leading to better participation in class, understanding of instructional materials, and overall academic achievement.

Prevention of Academic and Social Challenges :

Articulation difficulties can sometimes lead to academic and social challenges. Addressing these challenges early through articulation activities can prevent potential issues and help individuals thrive academically and socially.

Enhanced Self-Expression:

Clear articulation allows individuals to express themselves more accurately. This is crucial in various aspects of life, including personal relationships, work environments, and social interactions.

Speech Development:

For children, engaging in articulation activities is a fundamental aspect of speech development. The correct production of speech sounds during early years lays the foundation for effective communication and language skills.

Improved Overall Communication Competence:

Articulation activities contribute to the overall development of communication competence. Individuals who practice articulation exercises are likely to develop better phonological awareness, auditory discrimination, and overall communication skills.

It’s important to note that the effectiveness of articulation activities often depends on the individual’s specific needs, the severity of their speech sound disorder, and the consistency of practice. Speech-language pathologists and educators may tailor articulation activities to address the unique requirements of each individual.

In summing up our exploration, getting the hang of clear and confident speech involves diving into the world of articulation activities, understanding their importance, and enjoying the perks of regular practice. These activities, ranging from tongue twisters and syllable repetition to engaging games like Articulation Bingo and Memory Games, form the foundation for getting the pronunciation right and building a base for effective communication. The fun and effective articulation activities we’ve explored aren’t just limited to kids; they cater to individuals of all ages , ensuring that the journey toward clear speech is both personalized and enjoyable.

Digging into the ‘why’ behind articulation activities reveals a host of benefits, from improved communication skills and enhanced speech clarity to boosted confidence and reduced social anxiety. The positive effects stretch to academic and professional success, making articulation exercises a handy tool for individuals aiming to excel in various aspects of life. To speak with clarity and confidence, individuals are encouraged to embrace a holistic approach, including regular recording, mindful pacing, and the artful use of pauses. The journey towards articulate and confident speech is unique for each person, marked by dedication, positivity, and the celebration of milestones . Seeking guidance from speech-language professionals can provide invaluable support along this fulfilling and ongoing journey toward improved communication skills.

Dive into this link for an abundance of information that will leave you enlightened and intrigued. Click now for a journey into the world of knowledge!

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Matching Pairs: Parts of Speech Game 1

Match each word on the right with its part of speech.

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Parts of Speech Games

There are three articles in the English language - a, an, & the. They are divided into two subgroups - definite & indefinite. Just because the word starts with a consonant or vowel does not mean you know which article to use. Be sure to think about the sound the word makes when you say it, and use that to choose which you need - a or an.

Identifying Articles Part 1

Identifying Articles Part 2

Rewriting the sentence using articles correctly.

A and An are indefinite articles and essentially the same word, but are used in different ways in order to help us to pronounce words easier. Indefinite means that it shows something not specific. They can be used directly in front of a singular, countable noun or another adjective.

Spot the Part of Speech

The job or function of a word is what gives the label for its part of speech. English has eight parts of speech which are: 1. Noun 2. Pronoun 3. Verb 4. Adjective 5. Adverb 6. Preposition 7. Conjunction 8. Interjection

Identifying Part of Speech for a Given Word Part 2

Identifying part of speech for the underlined word part 1, identifying part of speech for a given word part 3, identifying part of speech for the underlined word part 2, car race multiplayer.

Rev up your engines for this intense multiplayer game! Practice your typing, math, and language skills through this race to the end. Correct answers make your monster truck go faster - the faster you answer, the faster you'll go! Boost power with consecutive right answers, or opt to slow other players down. Hit the gas!

Ninja Multiplayer

Hi-ya! Get your ninja ready to battle against monsters. Race against another player to answer questions and destroy the monsters. The quicker you answer, the more power you have. Consecutive correct answers power up your ninja skills - attack with fury or retreat to save yourself.

Multiplayer Basketball

Dribble, dribble, shoot! Get your court skills primed for a competitive game of hoops with friends! Choose your subject area from math, English, or typing skills, and jump in the game. Answer questions quickly to earn your spot on the foul shot line. Shoot to win!

Sling Game Multiplayer

Face off against your opponent armed with a slingshot. Answer questions in math, language, or use your typing skills to get ahead. Shoot stones at the correct answer bubble to pop it and score! Be careful...those bubbles will come faster the further you get into the game!

Hangman Multiplayer

Can you figure out the missing word by guessing letters? Think hard, and try to fill in the missing letters in your mind. Select the letters to fill in the blanks. Correct guesses fill in the missing tile, but incorrect answers reveal a part of the monkey! Answer before your opponent does!

Climbing Stickman Multiplayer

Who will make it to the top first? Climb faster than your friends by answering questions either in math, language, or using your typing skills. Correct answers propel your stickman towards the top of the rope. Answer consecutively to earn sliding props to make your opponent slip back down their rope!

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19 Parts of Speech Activities That Will Up Your Grammar Game

It’s time to think beyond Mad Libs.

Learning nouns, verbs, adjectives, and other parts of speech can seem boring to kids. It’s one of those basic skills that they need to master grammar, but it doesn’t always seem like much fun. For years, teachers have used Mad Libs to spice it up, but there are plenty of other engaging parts of speech activities out there to try. Here are some of our favorites.

1. Color a parts of speech picture.

Coloring pages are really popular parts of speech activities, with hundreds of them available online. Try this one for free at the site below.

Learn more: A World of Language Learners

2. Make parts of speech signs.

Cut out the large letters and break your class into group by parts of speech. Have each group fill the letters with definitions and examples of their assigned part. Hang up their creations as part of your classroom decor!

Learn more: Panicked Teacher/Instagram

3. Play parts of speech bingo.

This free printable bingo game can be used over and over again in your classroom. Use it with vocabulary or spelling words, or terms from your current lessons in other subjects too.

Learn more: 123Homeschool4Me

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4. Re-purpose a set of UNO cards.

Replace the numbers on a set of UNO cards with words instead. The game play is the same, but instead of numbers, players much put down a matching color or part of speech.

Learn more: Best Teacher Resources Blog

5. Build sentences with LEGO bricks.

Sort LEGO bricks by color, then write words on them using masking tape. Use one color for all the nouns, another for verbs, and so on. Then, build sentences with the bricks, identifying each part of speech as you go.

Learn more: There’s Just One Mommy

6. Throw darts and give examples.

Snag a Velcro dart board at the dollar store and label the different sections with parts of speech. Kids throw a ball or dart, and have to give an example of the part they land on in order to get the points. Fun!

Learn more: The Kinder Teacher/Instagram

7. Face off in tic-tac-toe.

Label the parts of a tic-tac-toe board with various parts of speech. To get the square, the player must give an example of that type.

Learn more: Teacher Thrive

8. Bag it up.

This is really several parts of speech activities in one. Label a series of bags with the parts of speech, and have your class define each one as you go. Have students write a series of words on index cards (try using vocab or spelling words), then sort them into the correct bags. Finally, pull a word from each bag one at a time and ask a student to use it in a sentence.

Learn more: Education.com

9. Dress up a sentence.

Take a very basic sentence and dress it up using various parts of speech. Teachers and kids both love this one, since it really emphasizes practical application. Get a free printable worksheet to use with this here.

Photo: Teach Starter/Instagram

10. Use parts of speech clip cards.

Parts of speech activities like this one are perfect for independent learning centers. Visit the link for a free printable set of cards.

Learn more: This Reading Mama

11. Hunt and sort eggs.

Fill plastic eggs with a variety of words and hide them around your room (or even the playground). Send kids out to find them, then open and sort them into the correct bucket. ( Find more fun plastic egg activities for the classroom here. )

Learn more: For the Love of First Grade

12. Go on a parts of speech scavenger hunt.

Grab a stack of old magazines and send students on a hunt to find the various parts of speech. They can cut them out and glue them to posters to hang around the room.

Learn more: Miss Gorton’s Class/Instagram

13. Add a grammar twist to Jenga.

Use colored Jenga blocks to help kids review the parts of speech. Get the full rules and free printables at the link below.

Learn more: Teaching With Jennifer Findlay

14. Learn the Parts of Speech Poem.

This anonymously-written poem has been around a long time. Have your students learn it, and they can use it as a guide during all sorts of parts of speech activities.

Learn more: Teaching With Miss Cooper/Instagram

15. Play Hangman with parts of speech.

Put a grammar spin on Hangman by giving students a clue about the part of speech being spelled out.

Learn more: Crafting Connections

16. Make your morning message more meaningful.

Take a few moments to analyze your morning message (or any other memo or handout kids receive or read) to look for various parts of speech.

Learn more: Learning Like Littles

17. Match up parts of speech dominoes.

Make free printable word dominoes, then match a part of speech with an example word on each turn.

Learn more: Homeschool Giveaways & Freebies

18. Sort magnetic poetry words and make sentences.

If you’ve got magnetic poetry words on hand, they’re ideal for parts of speech activities! Sort them by type, then make sentences that fit specific patterns (e.g. “article + adjective + noun + helping verb + verb” etc.)

19. Sort vocabulary words with a free printable.

Use our free customizable printable to sort vocabulary words from your current lessons. Grab it here.

Looking for more ways to mix up your grammar lessons? Try these 6 Ways to Make Teaching Grammar Fun.

If you’re tired of hearing kids grumble when it’s time to talk poetry, check out these entertaining Poetry Games and Activities .

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6 Ways to Make Teaching Grammar Fun (I’m Serious)

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| | | | | | | | Listen and click on the correct images. Click to make correct sentences. Look at the images and make sentences. Practice vocabulary and phrases for daily activities. Look at the images and guess the adjectives. Click on the images to see the body parts. Look at the images to practice adverbs. Practice adverbs of frequency. Move the letters to make the vocabulary items. Click the words to practice making phrasal verbs. Practice present simple tense verbs. Guess the job and practice job language. Listen and click on the correct food images. Look at the image and then spell the word. Practice the 12 months of the year in English. Interactive clock to practice telling the time. Describe the images by making sentences. Find the words to match the images. Practice spelling. Practice future tense sentences with 'Going To'. Practice making sentences in past tense. Find the matching pairs of images and words. Look at the images and make comparatives. Listen to the numbers and move the monster. Click on the words and make questions. Guess the word or phrase as the image is revealed. Make conditional phrases to match the images. Read the description and click on the matching image. Guess letters to spell out a hidden word. Speaking practice. Say the vocab items. Speaking practice. Say the phrases. Guess the animal by forming questions. Listen to the words and click on the images. Move the objects to match the prepositions. Move the clouds to make sentences. Practice vocab for family members. Practice making sentences in perfect tense. Listen and move the weather images to the countries. Read the sentences and move the clothes. Practice days of the week in English. Reveal the images and click on the words. Click and drag the words to match the images. A fun quiz to practice simple English. Games to Learn English Content made with PixiJS Charlie Blackmon's pregame speech before last game Charlie Blackmon addresses the Rockies' fans prior to his last career game before receiving the first pitch from his family More From This Game Colorado Rockies Charlie Blackmon ceremonial first pitch team featured 201 IMAGES this is a board game to help students consolidate reported speech in a Top Speaking Games/ Activities! ESL WAS/WERE 8 Parts of Speech in English Grammar 8 Parts of Speech in English and its Types with Examples FREE Parts of Speech Bingo Game VIDEO 'Part of Speech' game, (English Grammar) Simple ESL Vocabulary Games: Give Me a Clue, Please! Games with Luke's English Podcast Speech On Value of Time in English Play an English Vocabulary Game with us! English Speaking Games for Beginner Learners COMMENTS 15 Of The Best ESL Speaking Games And Activities. 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. Public Speaking Games: Speech Activities for Confidence and Skills 7. In the News Today. In the last activity making up of this collection of 7 public speaking games, your class/group are broadcasters, anchor people for a news show. The news is whatever has happened during the day. It could be an event on the way to school like a traffic jam. 5 Fun English Speaking Games To Help You Level Up Your Language Skills Game #5: Charades. Charades is a fun-filled game that can help you improve your English speaking and vocabulary skills. By acting out different words and phrases, you can improve your vocabulary and gain a better understanding of nuances and non-verbal communication. Public speaking activities and games Oink, Connect the dots, Story starters, End lines, The BIG fat lie, plus two more games. There's loads of public speaking fun here! This is another page that has been shared thousands of times. The skills focused on in this group of games are: content structure, transitions, fluency, body language, and flexibility. 12 Fun Speaking Games for Language Learners The controller will hand a noun to one of the three students, who will start to tell a story. The student continues telling the story until the controller decides to hand another noun to another student, who will then take over the story. 10. Two Truths, One Lie: Each student should write three statements about themselves on a piece of paper. 12 Fun ESL Speaking Activities for Teens or Adults 1. Interview Pop. This is a great one for students to have fun and be creative. Put students in pairs, or you could also carry this one out in a one-one lesson. Students choose one person they want to interview. It can be anybody of their choice, and the person doesn't necessarily have to be alive still. The Best Free Online Parts of Speech Games Parts of Speech Worksheets. English has eight parts of speech: nouns, pronouns, articles, verbs, adverbs, adjectives, prepositions and conjunctions. Parts of speech are important in helping learners understand the English that we read and hear. Students of English will be introduced to these at a very early stage of English instruction. Public Speaking Activities There are solo as well as group activities. 3. For and Against. 'For and Against' encourages flexibility: the ability to see a topic from opposing sides. A speaker has 30 seconds to talk 'for' a topic and then another 30 seconds to speak 'against' it. Prepare and print out a selection of controversial speech topics. Language Playroom Welcome to the Language Playroom! Language Playroom is a 100% FREE hub for online games and activities designed to grow communication skills with a 3,000+ word vocabulary. Left-side links organize the activities by developmental level, and right side links organize the activities by area of communication. Learn More. Parts of Speech ESL Games, Activities & Lesson Plan Ideas ESL Parts of Speech Activities, Worksheets & Lesson Plans. In English, there are 8 parts of speech: adjectives, adverbs, nouns, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions and interjections. In this article, you'll find parts of speech activities and games, along with worksheets and lesson plans. Why is it important for ESL students to understand ... 15 Games To Make ANYONE Speak English! Learn English with Pictionary. 13. Taboo. 4 or more players aged 13 and up. Players get teammates to guess the word without saying the forbidden words on the cards. Taboo is a game that makes anyone competitive. In fact, the game includes 260 cards with over 640 Guess words. Learn English with Taboo. 14. ESL Speaking: Games, Activities, and Resources for English Teachers Here are some of the most popular articles for teaching children. You can find English conversation games, activities for very young learners, and ideas for teaching children how to speak English in a fun way. Hot Potato Game. ESL Kindergarten Games and Activities. TEFL Speaking Games for Kids. 23 ESL Speaking Activities for Adults Conversation Class Lesson Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide ». ESL activities for adults are a great way to build your students' speaking confidence. Read this guide to find out about 23 great activities, including "Sentence Auction," "Video Dictionary," "Running Dictation," "News Brief" and more. Our guide has all the instructions you need ... ESL Speaking Games for Adults: The Key to Breaking In this lesson, we share a list of fun and productive ESL speaking games for adults to help break down language barriers. In addition, you will find practical examples of how each game can be used. Lesson Table of Contents. 1) Two Truths and a Lie. Example Dialogue of Playing Two Truths and a Lie. ESL Activities for Kids Draw a Picture Speaking Activity. 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) 144 Pages - 03/31/2016 (Publication Date) Check Price on Amazon. Speak Clearly: 15 Fun and Effective Articulation Activities for All Effective communication is essential for conveying complex information quickly and accurately, promoting teamwork, time management, and clear information sharing. 4. Pictionary: Pictionary, a classic drawing and guessing game, relies on non-verbal communication and creativity. Matching Pairs: Parts of Speech Game 1 England • since 1997. In this mobile-friendly English game you find words that go together. This English Club game helps you improve your grammar and vocabulary. Parts of Speech Game 1 for ESL learners. Parts Of Speech Games Spot the Part of Speech. The job or function of a word is what gives the label for its part of speech. English has eight parts of speech which are: 1. Noun 2. Pronoun 3. Verb 4. Adjective 5. Adverb 6. Preposition 7. Parts of speech games Adjectives 1 Whack-a-mole. by Serni. 2nd Grade Parts of Speech vocabulary. Prevocalic R Spin the wheel. by Holly17. articulation Speech Speech therapy. Function of Object (field of 3/4) Quiz. by Wileyspeech. Kindergarten 1st Grade 2nd Grade 3rd Grade speech. 19 Parts of Speech Activities That Will Up Your Grammar Game 1. Color a parts of speech picture. Coloring pages are really popular parts of speech activities, with hundreds of them available online. Try this one for free at the site below. Learn more: A World of Language Learners. 2. Make parts of speech signs. Cut out the large letters and break your class into group by parts of speech. Have each group ... Parts of Speech Panda Pop Verbs Game. Adjectives Game. Adverbs Game. Parts of Speech Game. Grammar Tutorial. Learn about the Parts of Speech the fun way in this fun grammar game. Online ESL Games A fun quiz to practice simple English. This is a free site for students to learn English online. There is a selection of games that students can use to practice learning English in a fun way. It is primarily aimed at ESL students, but young children may also benefit from them. Antonio Pierce's locker room victory speech vs. Browns Go inside the locker room for Head Coach Antonio Pierce's postgame victory speech following the Raiders' 20-16 win over the Cleveland Browns in Week 4. Charlie Blackmon's pregame speech before last game Charlie Blackmon addresses the Rockies' fans prior to his last career game before receiving the first pitch from his family Tickets. Single Game Tickets 2025 ... Charlie Blackmon's pregame speech before last game Dodgers @ Rockies. September 29, 2024 | 00:01:11. Reels. Share. Charlie Blackmon addresses the Rockies' fans prior to his last career ... Is the killing of Hassan Nasrallah a game changer? He led Hezbollah for more than three decades and made it into a military and political force to be reckoned with, in the long-running conflict in the Middle ... assignment essay homework paper phd report resume review speech thesis