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Fun ESL Writing Activities (See Activities)

Fun ESL Writing Activities

There are many kinds of ESL Writing tasks, such as free writing, creative writing, and guided writing (i.e., an essay).

 

Jump to ESL Writing Activities

 

I like to get my students started with free writing at the beginning of each class to encourage creativity and relieve pressure of making mistakes.

 

Steps to Free writing

  • Suggest the topic for Free writing.
  • Suggest the time limit (e.g., start with five minutes for higher level students and three minutes for lower level students). Try to increase the time each week.
  • Get Ready, Get Set, START WRITING!

 

Four Rules of Free writing

1. Keep writing! Don’t stop! 

Write as much as possible! Aim for quantity over quality. If you can’t think of anything, then simply write, “I can’t think of anything to write.”

 

2. No dictionaries! 

Looking words up in the dictionary takes a lot of time. If you don’t know a word, they write the word in your language, try to explain it in a different way, or skip it and move on.

 

3. Don’t worry about mistakes! 

The goal is to write as much as possible without worrying about grammar mistakes or vocabulary. Don’t worry about spelling, word usage, etc. Just write!

 

4. No talking! 

Free writing is a time for you to write. Don't talk until the Free speaking time is finished.    

 

Ideas for Free writing

  • Tell each student to write one word on the board. Then, tell the students to create a story using the words. It’s not necessary to use all the words.
  • Students write about their weekend to practice using past tense verbs.
  • Give students a topic each week similar to Free Speaking (e.g., Hometown, Food & Restaurants, etc.).

Try Our Fun ESL Writing Activities

Icebreakers

Warmers & Fillers

Correct The Errors

Correct The Errors

Students work in pairs to correct sentences from a handout. A pairwork and whole class activity for ESL writing.
ESL Boggle Game

ESL Boggle Game

Students make words using the popular Boggle game. An ESL writing warmer to practice vocabulary and vocabulary building.
ESL Spelling Bee

ESL Spelling Bee

Students compete against each other in this spelling activity. One student from each team goes to the board to correctly spell a word.
Four Squares Incorrect Sentences

Four Squares Incorrect Sentences

Students correct sentences from a handout in teams. Teams get one square on a game board for correctly making the sentence. The goal is to get four squares in a row.
Give A Reason Because

Give A Reason Because

Students write reasons for sentences on the board. They work in teams to quickly think of reasons beginning with "because". An ESL writing warmer to practice giving reasons.
Rhyming Words Activity

Rhyming Words Activity

Students compete in groups to brainstorm and write rhyming words. The group with the most correct words is the winner.
Running Dictation

Running Dictation

Students work in pairs. One student reads sentences around the room and dictates them to the other student to write. 
Telling Jokes With Homonyms

Telling Jokes With Homonyms

Students learn about homonyms, homographs, and homophones. They make jokes using the homonyms with a partner.
Top English Words

Top English Words

Students brainstorm and write what they think are the top 25 most common words in English. An ESL writing warmer for students of all levels.
Translation Game

Translation Game

Students translate a sentence several times to and from English and their native language. An ESL writing warmer ideal for monolingual classes.
True Definition

True Definition

Students write definitions for a given word, one true and the others not true. Other students listen and decide which is the true definition. An intermediate ESL word definition game.
What's The Question?

What's The Question?

Students at the board listen to the answer to a question and compete against each other to write the correct question. An ESL writing warmer to practice question forms.
Matching Opposites

Matching Opposites

Students review vocabulary by matching words with opposite meaning using a concentration board game.
Tic Tac Toe

Tic Tac Toe

Students review vocabulary words using a Tic Tac Toe board game. Also called noughts and crosses or Xs and Os.

Activities by Topic

Teacher Submitted Activities

Becki

Hi fellow EFL Sensei!

I'm Becki, the Co-Founder and the one who put up all these great speaking activities. We’re here to provide enjoyable lessons for teachers like you! Learn more

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