Sample Worksheets

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Type:

An individual writing task

Level:

Starter

Time:

15 minutes

Skill:

Writing

Work:

Students work individually

Stage:

Controlled grammar writing practice

Focus:

Prepositions of Place

Maps and directions form the theme of this writing task using prepositions of place. Students complete short descriptions of places from a map of Canterbury, England.

1. Copy one sheet for each individual student and distribute them.

2. Focus students' attention on the instructions. Students must look at the map and write the location of the places using the prepositions of place given.

3. Monitor the students, and when appropriate provide any necessary individual language or vocabulary input.

4. Give students a warning when their time limit is about to expire and then insist on pens down and heads up.

5. For feedback, there are a number of options including students writing some/all of the answers on the board, students orally contributing their answers etc.

6. Draw the students' attention to any specific mistakes which seem prevalent through the work and offer language input.

Type:

A class mingle activity

Level:

Starter

Time:

25 minutes

Skill:

Speaking

Work:

Students work individually then as a whole group

Stage:

Controlled grammar speaking practice

Focus:

Have Got

This low level 'find someone who' handout focuses students' learning on 'have got' and everyday objects. Students write questions with 'have got' and the objects, later asking and answering questions, practising have got as a result.

1. Copy one handout for each individual student and distribute them.

2. Focus students' attention on the instructions. Students must first write questions with have got and the objects appearing in the pictures. Depending on the ability of the students, the questions can be checked at this stage.

3. Next, tell them to stand up and mingle and to get a different person to answer every question. Provide students with necessary examples to encourage them to speak. Allow students the time necessary to get the required amount of answers from their fellow students.

4. Monitor the students, providing language input or error correction when necessary.

5. Finally, elicit responses from some of the students and draw to their attention any appropriate vocabulary or serious language mistakes.

Type:

A vocabulary challenge

Level:

Starter

Time:

10 minutes

Skill:

Writing

Work:

Students work individually

Stage:

Vocabulary writing practice

Focus:

Past Simple Irregular Verbs

Perhaps you have just broken to everybody that many of the most important verbs in the past simple positive are irregular. Well, this vocabulary handout gets students practising this, and is grounded in solid methodology, requiring students to differentiate them with the past simple negative (which uses the infinitive).

1. Copy one handout for each individual student and distribute them.

2. Focus students' attention on the instructions. Students look at the negative and question forms in the past simple and write the affirmative form using the past simple verb and the pronoun.

3. Monitor the students, and when appropriate provide any necessary individual language or vocabulary input.

4. For feedback, ask students to contribute their answers by writing some/all of the answers on the board, or by orally contributing them as a group.

Type:

A pair work activity

Level:

Starter

Time:

10 minutes

Skill:

Speaking

Work:

Students work in pairs

Stage:

Controlled grammar speaking practice

Focus:

Imperatives

If you want to practise imperatives beyond the limitations of 'Simon Says' use this great handout that actually gets students using imperatives themselves. The emphasis is on accuracy here, with students correcting (obvious) mistakes in selected imperatives.

1. Copy one handout per pair of students, and cut the handouts up into A and B.

2. Put the students into pairs with an A and B student, and distribute the handouts.

3. Focus students' attention on the instructions and make sure students aren't looking at each other's sheets.

4. Get students to read the mistaken imperatives to their partner, who corrects the mistake in the imperative. Exemplify heavily to ensure understanding. Make sure students realise they have the correct answer written below in italics.

5. Monitor the students, providing language input or error correction when necessary.

6. Finally, draw to their attention any appropriate vocabulary or serious language mistakes.

Type:

A pronunciation activity

Level:

Starter

Time:

10 minutes

Skill:

Pronunciation

Work:

Students work individually

Stage:

Pronunciation practice

Focus:

/u:/, /ʌ/ and /ʊ/

For a maze that introduces three of the sounds commonly used with the letter 'u', this pronunciation handout makes great sense. Grant as much autonomy as you like with this fun activity practising the difference between /ʊ/ /ʌ/ /u:/.

1. Copy one handout for each individual student and distribute them.

2. Focus students' attention on the instructions and the start square. Drill with students the start word 'up' and the sound /ʌ/ necessary for them to complete the maze. Explain to students that they must find their way through the maze by using words only with the /ʌ/ sound.

3. When most students have finished, get them to guide you through it, using the opportunity as a chance to practise pronunciation through drilling.

Type:

A pair work activity

Level:

Elementary

Time:

20 minutes

Skill:

Speaking

Work:

Students work in pairs

Stage:

Controlled grammar speaking practice

Focus:

Possessive Pronouns

If students are overwhelmed by pronoun tables, then this handout has a lot to offer. Students read out loud and correct sentences together that contain obvious pronoun mistakes. The answers are given, allowing students to pair check.

1. Copy one handout per pair of students, and cut the handouts up into A and B.

2. Put the students into pairs with an A and B student, and distribute the handouts.

3. Focus students' attention on the instructions and make sure students aren't looking at each other's sheets. Students must read their mistaken sentences to their partner who must correct the pronoun errors.

4. Monitor the students, providing language input or error correction when necessary.

5. Finally, elicit responses from some of the students and draw to their attention any appropriate vocabulary or serious language mistakes.

Type:

A class mingle activity

Level:

Elementary

Time:

20 minutes

Skill:

Speaking

Work:

Students work together as a whole group, then individually

Stage:

Controlled grammar speaking practice

Focus:

Present Simple with He, She, it

Everyone speaks to everyone with this classic class mingle that deals with the third person aspect in the present simple. Time to get the dreaded 'S' sorted out for good with this communicative activity that involves students reporting what they have found out in the class mingle to their partner.

1. Copy one handout for each individual student and distribute them.

2. Focus students' attention on the instructions in part A. Students must must find twelve different people who can answer 'yes' for each other statements 1-12. If your students are weak with question forms, get them to write questions using the pronoun 'you' in the present simple.

3. Next, tell them to stand up and mingle and to get a different person to answer every question. Provide students with necessary examples to encourage them to speak. Allow students the time necessary to get the required amount of answers from their fellow students.

4. Next, get students to do part B, the actual practice of the present simple third person. Encourage them to tell a partner what they found out in the third person with 'he' and 'she'. Ensure students tell the extra information too for more practice.

5. Monitor the students, providing language input or error correction when necessary.

6. Finally, elicit responses from some of the students and draw to their attention any appropriate vocabulary or serious language mistakes.

Type:

A crossword activity

Level:

Elementary

Time:

10 minutes

Skill:

Writing

Work:

Students work individually

Stage:

Vocabulary writing practice

Focus:

Jobs Vocabulary

An excellent recap or test on jobs. This basic crossword comprises of clues written in the present simple.

1. Copy one sheet for each individual student and distribute them.

2. Focus students' attention on the instructions and the clues. Students can complete the crossword individually or in pairs.

3. For feedback, students can write the answers on the board or contribute them orally.

Type:

A pair work activity

Level:

Elementary

Time:

15 minutes

Skill:

Speaking

Work:

Students work individually then in pairs

Stage:

Controlled grammar speaking practice

Focus:

This, That, These, Those

Behold! This is an excellent grammar speaking practice of those pillars of English; this, that, these, those. One of the hardest grammar areas to find supplementary handouts for, you need only refer to this fun and motivating task to get students discussing 'how expensive is this bag?

1. Copy one handout per pair of students, and cut the handouts up into A and B.

2. Put the students into pairs with an A and B student, and distribute the handouts.

3. Begin with part A, where students complete 'how + adjective' questions using one of the words from the box. Students should choose a word with the correct singular/plural agreement with the verb. They should then choose the correct modifier 'this', 'that', 'these', or 'those'. Again, emphasise to students the singular/plural agreement, but also make sure they realise the 'distance' aspect of 'that' and 'those'.

4. Second, get students to ask their partner the questions, which are answered (hopefully) using full sentences with 'this', 'that, 'these', and 'those'. Hint to students that they can use finger or hand gestures to accompany the use of the words for clarification.

5. Monitor the students, providing language input or error correction when necessary.

6. Finally, elicit responses from some of the students and draw to their attention any appropriate vocabulary or serious language mistakes.

Type:

A pair work activity

Level:

Elementary

Time:

15 minutes

Skill:

Speaking

Work:

Students work individually then in pairs

Stage:

Controlled grammar speaking practice

Focus:

Possessive Adjectives

If you have learners baffled by the difference between 'my' and 'mine', 'its' and 'it's', or if they don't know when to use 'their', employ this productive speaking handout that tasks pairs of students to discuss a range of low-level issues involving possessive adjectives.

1. Copy one handout per pair of students, and cut the handouts up into A and B.

2. Put the students into pairs with an A and B student, and distribute the handouts.

3. Focus students' attention on the instructions in part A. In this section, students read their questions and choose the ONE correct possessive adjective for the follow-up questions. Note, there may be a different correct possessive adjective depending on the context. Check their accuracy if necessary as a whole class.

4. Next, get students to ask and answer all the questions in pairs. Both students should aim to use possessive adjectives where they can in their answers.

5. Monitor the students, providing language input or error correction when necessary.

6. Finally, elicit responses from some of the students and draw to their attention any appropriate vocabulary or serious language mistakes.

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