ESL Activities for Speaking Practice
Causative Speaking Warm-up (Pair-work)
In this sentence transformation activity, students rephrase sentences by using the (active) causative verb form (help/let/have/get/make).
Speaking Activity: Mafia Game (ESL/EAP)
Play mafia in ESL/EAP class to practice justifying opinions, using critical-thinking skills, and to have fun. In the game, citizens and mafia members try to kill each other to save their town. Citizens must provide justification for their accusations and mafia members must use their cunning to survive.
Family Issues & Family Meeting Speaking Activity (General ESL)
In this activity, students think of family problems and then role-play a family meeting. Great speaking practice for giving advice, conditionals, & idioms
Health Problems: Describing Symptoms & Giving Advice (Speaking Activity)
Students tell stories to describe how they got a health problem. Their partner guesses the problem and gives advice. Activity for intermediate ESL class.
Vocabulary Review: Crossword Activity (Jigsaw Pair-work)
Students complete a crossword puzzle in pairs to review vocabulary. This is a 'jigsaw' style activity to allow ESL students to teach each other vocabulary.
Yes/No & Tag Question Bingo Game (Intermediate ESL)
A simple game where students ask yes/no questions to elicit an answer that matches a square on their card (Bingo). For intermediate ESL.
Speaking Activity: Making Plans for the Weekend (be going to)
Students practice 'be going to' for future plans by inviting classmates to an activity they have designed. Free worksheet for pre-intermediate ESL.
Speaking Activity: Giving Advice (Guess the Problem)
Students ask questions to each other to try to guess what problem they have. This activity practices language for giving advice.
Speaking: 'Use to / Be used to / Get used to' Pair-Work Activity (ESL)
Speaking activity to review 'use to / be used to / get used to.' Students work in pairs to rephrase their English sentences.
Speaking Activity: Asking Questions (Pair-work/Intermediate ESL)
Activity that reviews question forms. In pairs, students guess the question that matches an answer. For intermediate-level ESL students.
Discussion Topics for Agreeing & Disagreeing (ESL)
A list of discussion topics for speaking practice in ESL class. Good for debate, sharing opinions, speeches, or improving English conversation skill.
Reported Speech: Clarifying Questions (ESL)
Speaking activity to practice reported speech. Students clarify questions to each other and then answer. Free download. Upper-intermediate ESL.
Articles Review: Find the Mistake (Speaking Pair Work)
Speaking activity (pair-work) that reviews definite and indefinite article rules (a/an/the). For upper-intermediate ESL class.
Speaking: What Do You Say in These Situations? (General ESL)
Worksheet/discussion questions that asks students to write expressions for everyday situations in English. Good for all ESL levels.
Eavesdropping in ESL Class for Speaking and Listening
Eavesdropping is a great activity for speaking, listening, and writing. Use it to practice idioms, phrasal verbs, and more.
Corrupt a Wish (ESL Speaking Activity)
Fun speaking activity for practicing wish and the second unreal conditional. Good for English speaking and grammar class.
Causative: Family Meeting! (ESL Speaking Activity)
Students role play a family meeting and use the causative to discuss what their parents will let/make/have/get/help them (to) do.
Speaking Activity: Five High Fives (So, Too, Neither, Not Either)
ESL speaking activity to review so/too/either/not either. Students give a high five to students they have something in common with. Intermediate ESL/EFL.
So do I / Me too / Neither do I / I don't either (Speaking Activity)
Game for English students to practice so/too/either/neither. Students ask yes/no questions in order to use a certain addition/response. Intermediate ESL/EFL
Mr. Bean: A Fun Way to Teach Present Continuous (Present Progressive)
Mr. Bean videos are a fun way to teach the present progressive (present continuous) to ESL students. Read about this speaking activity for grammar practice.
Pairwork: Question Review Activity (Intermediate ESL)
Speaking activity to review WH and Yes/No questions with present simple, past simple, and past perfect. For Intermediate ESL class. Free download.
Speaking Activity: Find the Grammar Mistakes (Intermediate ESL)
ESL speaking activity for reviewing common grammar mistakes. Students are divided into pairs and correct grammar mistakes together.
Reported Speech Bingo - Speaking Activity (ESL/EFL)
A bingo game for practicing reported speech (indirect speech). Students report their partner's information to each other. Intermediate.
Speaking Activity: It must have been written by ... (Past Modals)
Using modals of past speculation (must have/might have/may have/could have), students guess which of their classmates wrote certain answers.
Comparatives & Superlatives: Discussion Questions Activity (ESL)
In pairs, students ask discussion questions to practice superlatives and comparatives. A fun speaking (and grammar) activity for ESL students.
Superlatives: Class Awards Speaking Activity (ESL/EFL)
A basic speaking activity in which students give awards to each other using superlatives. Suitable for pre-intermediate or high beginner ESL.
WH-Questions: Speaking Activity (Beginner ESL)
Basic speaking activity for asking WH-questions (what/who/where/why/how). For beginner ESL students.
Job Posting Template for Job Interview Practice (ESL)
A sample job posting/advertisement and a template students can fill out to interview each other. Great for job interview practice for intermediate ESL/EFL.
Speaking Activity: Entrepreneurs' Conference (Passive Causative)
Upper-intermediate / advanced speaking activity about outsourcing services for practicing the passive causative (or active). Business-English focus.
Icebreaker: Two Truths and a Lie (Speaking Activity) ESL
Speaking activity for English class in which students decide which sentences are true or false about their classmates. Good icebreaker for all ESL levels.
Activity: What Do You Have in Common? (Pre-Intermediate ESL)
Students ask each other questions to find out what they have in common. Easy ice-breaker activity for pre-intermediate ESL speaking class.
Telephone Dialog: Ordering Food from a Restaurant Menu (ESL/EFL)
A telephone conversation between a restaurant worker and a customer who is ordering food from a take-out menu. For pre-intermediate English class.
Kids Camp: English Activities & Ideas (ESL)
A list of games and activities for English kids camp. Useful for elementary students in grades 1 to 4 (beginners).
True or False Guessing Game for Children (ESL/EFL Activity)
Play the "Rope of Death" true or false guessing game with your elementary school class. Fun classroom activity for beginner ESL/EFL students. Rope optional.
Classroom Activity: Shopping for School Supplies Role-play (ESL/EFL)
Shopping ESL role-play activity/game for elementary/Junior high school. Students practice shopping and selling school supplies in English. Fun & practical.
Sheet: Action Cards for Teaching Verbs & Gesture Game (Beginner ESL)
Cards for teaching verbs to beginner ESL students. Great for activities like gesture games, Simon Says, Bingo, etc. 32 basic verbs per page.
English Scavenger Hunt! ESL Activity
How to run a scavenger hunt in school. Great activity for ESL/EFL class (grades 5+). Includes fun scavenger hunt ideas for questions, clues, & riddles.
The Tale of The Bamboo Cutter (Taketori Monogatari) English Script
A free English translation of the Japanese fairytale "The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter" (a.k.a. Taketori Monogatari, or The Bamboo Princess).
Travel Agency: Class Role-play Activity (Jr. High/High School)
Students role-play as travel agents and customers buying travel tickets. ESL/EFL for Jr. High/High School class. Includes activity worksheets & dialogues.
Classroom Activity: Speaking Marathon (Warm-up)
Speaking activity for English class in which paired students see who can speak the longest. Great for classroom warm-up & building speaking confidence.
Speaking Activity: Meeting of Ministers (ESL/EFL)
Students propose ideas in meeting of cabinet ministers. Fun speaking activity for practicing English for meetings and warm-up.
Speaking Activity: Giving Advice (ESL)
Simple speaking activity for giving advice (making suggestions). For ESL/EFL class. Practices the use of "should", "suggest", etc. Good for class warm-up.
Warm-up: Exaggeration Story (Telephone) Activity
ESL warm-up "telephone" where students exchange exaggerated stories in pairs. Great warm-up for intermediate-advanced ESL conversation class.
Simple Idiom/Phrasal Verb Speaking Activity
Simple role-play activity (pair work) for practicing idioms and phrasal verbs.
Warm-up: Picture Story Using Key Vocabulary
ESL warm-up activity where students make a story in groups using pictures and key vocabulary from the previous class(es). For ESL conversation class.