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Have students work in pairs to create a map. Allow them time to practice giving directions with their map. Have students share their screen with their map to the whole class and practice giving directions with the class. Give feedback based on skills and language covered in class.

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Find a map that you can use in the class. Consider using a simplified map of a NY neighborhood most students are familiar with. Write out directions and go over them as a class, emphasizing the language used for directions. Have students take the map and write out their own directions. Have students exchange with a partner to check directions.

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Choose a menu from a NY restaurant. Go over the menu as a class and discuss the items on the menu. Choose another menu, create a list of questions about the menu. Have students work in groups to answer questions about the menu. If students are able, consider having them create a role play about the menu where the customer asks the waiter/waitress questions.

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What?

Interactive reading and listening comprehension tasks should be designed and carried out using authentic cultural texts of various kinds with appropriate scaffolding and follow-up tasks that promote interpretation. Authentic texts are defined as "written by members of a language and culture group for members of the same language and culture group" (Galloway, 1998, p. 133, as cited in Glisan). Scaffolding refers to the support provided for learners to promote acquisition of skills and concepts. Follow-up tasks include activities that provide learners with the opportunity to apply or practice the new skill or concept.

Why?

Authentic materials provide real-life examples of language used in everyday situations. They can be used to add more interest for the learner. They can serve as a reminder to learners that there is an entire population who use the target language in their everyday lives. Authentic materials can provide information about the target culture and provide that culture's perspective on an issue or event. The rich language found in authentic materials provides a source of input language learners need for acquisition.

How?

The interpretive mode is receptive communication and the learner must negotiate meaning with the document itself. Since the reader, viewer, or listener is using both content and context to interpret and comprehend what they are reading, viewing, or listening to, learners benefit from making meaning from authentic cultural texts of various kinds with appropriate scaffolding and follow-up tasks that promote accurate interpretation.

Choose authentic texts that are

context appropriate

age appropriate

fit the students' linguistic level (with scaffolding as necessary)

Tailor the task to the proficiency level of the student (use the same text but change what you ask learners at each level to do with the text)

Give opportunities to make meaning with a text

Help learners use background knowledge, contextual cues, and interpretive strategies (many times the ones acquired in their first language) to construct meaning

Comprehension tasks might be done in the learners' first language if students are able to comprehend more than they can say. This is a limited use of first language in order for students to demonstrate their comprehension

Since the purpose of interpretive tasks is to assess learners' ability to deal with language that may be new for them in an authentic text, glossing or translating new words and expressions in the text should be avoided, as well as translation activities that do not demonstrate interpretation abilities. In authentic situations, students will not have such assistance, but use any strategy possible to make meaning to accomplish their purpose in the interpretive task

When giving feedback to students, they should have an opportunity to analyze their interpretation of the text so that they can see how well their strategies work. This involves examining the evidence that was used to make their conclusions about meaning or to verify an inference.

Find Out More:

Adair-Hauck, B., Glisan, E. W., & Troyan, F. J. (2013). Implementing Integrated Performance Assessment. Alexandria, VA: ACTFL.

Glisan, E. (2015). Core Practices Webinars. Alexandria, VA: ACTFL. Access at: https://www.pathlms.com/actfl/courses/2074

The National Standards Collaborative Board. (2015). World-readiness standards for learning languages. Alexandria, VA: Author. (See: http://standards4languages.org)

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Use of Authentic Texts in Language Learning

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Interactive reading and listening comprehension tasks should be designed and carried out using authentic cultural texts of various kinds with appropriate scaffolding and follow-up tasks that promote interpretation. Authentic texts are defined as "written by members of a language and culture group for members of the same language and culture group" (Galloway, 1998, p.

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There are several reasons for this, primarily a kind of fear that students will panic when faced with language that is largely unfamiliar, and a feeling that to prevent this the language should be edited to the students' level. This is an unnecessary fear, as using authentic materials can be rewarding and stimulating for both teacher and students.

Aren't authentic materials too difficult?

Dealing with unknown language

Sources
When people first think of authentic materials they usually assume that we are talking about newspaper and magazine articles. However, the term can also encompass such things as songs, web pages, radio & TV broadcasts, films, leaflets, flyers, posters, indeed anything written in the target language and used unedited in the classroom.

The materials used, will of course, depend on the 'usual' factors:

topic

target language area

skills

students' needs and interests

Aren't authentic materials too difficult?
It's no good trying to get your students fascinated by a text on the latest art movie if they are all fans of action films. You might as well save your time and energy and just use the text book!

Yes they are, but that's the point! Your text, written or recorded, is likely to be too hard, even, in some cases, for advanced students. The trick, regardless of the text used, is not to edit and grade the text, but to grade the task according to your students' abilities. This is for three reasons: most importantly, it reflects the kind of situation your students may face in an English-speaking environment, it saves you time and energy (more of an added bonus than a reason) and lastly it encourages and motivates your students when they can 'conquer' a real text.

The same text could be used in a variety of different ways. Let us take a tourist information leaflet. This kind of authentic material has the added advantage that it can be easily and swiftly ordered for free and in multiple copies from tourist boards and agencies. This also removes issues of copyright, which is a common problem of using authentic materials and should be checked depending on your particular situation. (Some countries allow a small number of copies to be made for educational purposes, but this can vary.)

With a little pre-teaching a low level class can use the leaflet to find out key information, 'What is the telephone number for..?' or 'When is..?' and so on.

At higher levels the same text could be used together with similar or related texts to form part of a research project (in this case, web sites, posters and similar leaflets spring to mind).

Dealing with unknown language Conclusion
The question of levels
Naturally certain texts will lend themselves more easily to certain levels.

At lower levels some possibilities include leaflets, timetables, menus, short headline type reports, audio and video advertising, or short news broadcasts. The task should be simple and relatively undemanding, and it is important to pre-teach key vocabulary so as to prevent panic.

At more intermediate levels this list could be expanded to include longer articles, four or five minute TV or radio news reports, a higher quantity of shorter items, or even whole TV programmes, if your copyright agreements allow it. Again pre-teaching is important, although your students should be able to deal with unknown vocabulary to some extent.

At higher levels it's a case of anything goes. At an advanced level students should have some tactics for dealing with new vocabulary without panicking, but it's still useful to have a few quick definitions to hand for some of the trickier stuff!

As can be seen, a key skill here is dealing with unknown language, in particular vocabulary. It is hard to cover this topic here, as there are several methods, although one which seems immediately appropriate is the skill of ignoring it, if they can complete the task without it!

Especially with lower levels, it needs to be emphasised that students do not have to understand everything. I've found that students don't often believe you until you go through a few tasks with them. Teaching them this skill, and developing their confidence at coping with the unknown is an important element in their development as independent learners.

As can be seen, using authentic materials is a relatively easy and convenient way of improving not only your students' general skills, but also their confidence in a real situation. This is only a brief introduction to the ideas involved, but some of these ideas could easily be expanded to form part of a motivating and effective course.

If you have any suggestions or tips for using authentic materials in the class you would like to share on this site, contact us.

Sam Shepherd, Teacher, New Zealand

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There are several reasons for this, primarily a kind of fear that students will panic when faced with language that is largely unfamiliar, and a feeling that to prevent this the language should be edited to the students' level. This is an unnecessary fear, as using authentic materials can be rewarding and stimulating for both teacher and students.

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by Claudia Pesce 72,543 views

Reading is an essential skill, and the coursebook certainly offers plenty of dialogues and texts to read - but the problem is they are written specifically for ESL learners. The conversations often sound stilted and contrived. The reading passages are simply not "real" enough.

When you think of authentic reading materials, you probably automatically think of books, newspapers and magazines, which are fine and dandy for advanced learners, but too difficult for beginners to tackle. The good news is there are plenty of authentic texts ESL students can read - at any level. And here are just a few suggestions:

8 Authentic Sources of Reading Material for ESL Students

1. Takeout Menus
Restaurant takeout menus offer a wealth of authentic food-related vocabulary, and not just the food items themselves, but the ways in which they are prepared (sautéed, fried, baked, etc.)
Suggested Reading Activity: After making sure that any new food-related vocabulary has been properly introduced, divide the class into pairs or small groups. Tell them that they are going to order some takeout, but first they have to decide what they are going to eat. Hand out role cards to make it more challenging:

You are a vegetarian, but you don't like onions.

You're allergic to shellfish.

Etc...

2. Classified Ads

Folks who place classified ads have to pay per line, which makes abbreviations absolutely necessary. But some are quite cryptic. With the use of classified ads you can give students a reading task that is challenging but not too difficult.

Suggested Reading Activity: First, go over a list of abbreviations; don't tell them what each one means - have them guess. Include several like: a/c, furn., bdrm., kit., bath., lg., sm., etc... Then, give each student a real ad that they must decipher: 1 BR apt. in downtown Manhattan, near subway, lg. kit, central a/c, 2000/mo. They must answer questions about the property in question: How many bedrooms/bathrooms does it have? What are its main features?

3. Company Websites
Company websites provide opportunities to read about and discuss services and what people/companies do.
Suggested Reading Activity: Hand out role cards that include specific information your students have to look for: Go to (a moving company's website) and find out if a) they offer services to your area; b) if they can take care of the packing, and c) if they can move pianos.

4. E-commerce sites or Print/Online Catalogs
Put your students to the test, and see if they can find the item they're looking for, with the characteristics they seek.
Suggested Reading Activity: Give your students print catalogs or direct them to an e-commerce site like eBay. Hand out cards that specify what they have to look for: You want a medium-sized, v-neck sweater in navy blue; you're allowed to spend up to 30 dollars.

5. Travel Brochures
With an assortment of travel brochures, you can not only practice reading comprehension, but also grammar like conditionals: Where would you go if...
Suggested Reading Activity: Have students sit in a circle on the floor and place a variety of travel brochures in the center. Students pick up and read the brochures. When they find a place that interests them, they must each say: a) what place they picked for a vacation; b) why they picked it; and c) which features of the location/hotel/attraction mentioned in the brochure they like best.

6. Resumes/CVs
Professional CVs/resumes give students the chance to practice reading skills and vocabulary they'll need for job hunting.
Suggested Reading Activity: Print out several different CVs. There are plenty of websites that have great samples for a wide range of careers. Divide the class into pairs; one student will be the job applicant, and the other will conduct the job interview. The student conducting the interview will have to read the CV/resume and ask the applicant questions about his/her background.

7. Movie/Theater Showtimes
Students will need to carefully read the showtimes to decide which show/movie to see and when. www.google.com/movies is a great resource and shows listings for your area, as well as information about each film.
Suggested Reading Activity: Hand out copies of newspaper clippings that show what's playing that week. In pairs, students must read them and decide what movie they'll see and when.

8. Magazine Ads

You'd think that the best texts for reading tasks are the magazine articles themselves, but they're often too long and filled with vocabulary students find hard to grasp. Read the ads instead!

Suggested Reading Activity: Choose an ad from a magazine; make sure it has plenty of text, describes features/advantages, etc...Students read the ad and discuss the product's characteristics. A great alternative is to give students different role cards:

You love to try out new types of exercise.

You are an outdoorsy type who loves mountain climbing and trekking.

You are an executive in a top firm and love to buy electronic gadgets.

Give the class a pile of magazine ads to look through; they must read them and find a product they would love to have. And be ready to tell the class why.

Authentic reading is not just about reading long newspaper articles or blog posts. Students must also learn to apply the reading skills that will get them what they need. The beauty about these real reading sources is that you'll have the chance to give even real beginners, real texts to read.

What is your experience using authentic reading materials in an ESL class?

Share it below!

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Keepin' It Real: 8 Best Authentic Sources of Reading Material

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by Claudia Pesce 72,545 views Reading is an essential skill, and the coursebook certainly offers plenty of dialogues and texts to read - but the problem is they are written specifically for ESL learners. The conversations often sound stilted and contrived. The reading passages are simply not "real" enough.

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Do a pre-listening activity where students talk about the topic of the listening. Have students listen and write down key words they hear from the listening. After the listening, have students work in groups to create a summary of the listening. Share as a class.

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ELLLO - 50 High-Beginner Listening Lessons

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50 free ESL listening lessons for beginner students featuring naturally spoken English. ESL students and teachers can access free listening lessons that come with audio, script, quiz and vocabulary support.

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Below is a list of words that vary only by one having the sound /b/ and the other the sound /v/.

You can use this list to practise the sounds, or as a list of words to be careful in pronouncing.

/b/ has the same mouth position as /p/, but using your voice. Try saying /p/ and then holding your neck to make sure that your voice is being used when you say /b/. There should be a sudden release of air as you say the sound, meaning that it is impossible to extend it.

/v/ has the same mouth shape as /f/, but using your voice. Put your top teeth on your bottom lip. It is possible to extend this sound for as long as you like.

If you are practising on your own, try saying both words and making sure your pronunciation of each is different, for example by looking at your mouth shape in the mirror.

Elementary

B V

berry very

Pre-Intermediate

ban van

bat vat

beer veer

boat vote

bowl vole

serb serve

Intermediate

bars vase

best vest

bet vet

bowels vowels

gibbon given

Upper-Intermediate

bale veil

bent vent

bury very

bow vow

Advanced

bane vein

bat vat

beer veer

bid vid

bile vile

biz viz

bolt volt

bowels vowels

bowl vole

broom vroom

curb curve

dribble drivel

dub dove

fibre fiver

jibe jive

lobes loaves

rebel revel

verb verve

Next: /b/ and /p/

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Below is a list of words that vary only by one having the sound /b/ and the other the sound /v/. You can use this list to practise the sounds, or as a list of words to be careful in pronouncing. /b/ has the same mouth position as /p/, but using your voice.

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How many berries could a bare berry carry,

if a bare berry could carry berries?

Well they can't carry berries (which could make you very wary)

but a bare berry carried is more scary!

Vivacious Vivian loved to voice vigorous verses vociferously.

Engoo is a service that offers lessons for those learning English. Although the lesson materials can be used for self study, they are intended for use with a teacher. To book a lesson with one of our professional teachers, please visit Engoo.

© 1998 - 2022 DMM.com LLC. All Rights Reserved.

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How many berries could a bare berry carry, if a bare berry could carry berries? Well they can't carry berries (which could make you very wary) but a bare berry carried is more scary! Vivacious Vivian loved to voice vigorous verses vociferously. Engoo is a service that offers lessons for those learning English.

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Listen to the tongue twisters below, practice saying them out loud

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If your mother tongue is Spanish, you may confuse the sounds /v/ and /b/ in English. Listen to these two words:

https://thesoundofenglish.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/vorb1.mp3

So what is the difference?

/b/ is a plosive sound - you block the air fully with both lips and then release it.

/v/ is a fricative sound - you squeeze the air between the top teeth and lower lip.

Both sounds are voiced.

English indicates which of these sounds is to be pronounced in the spelling (except 'of' pronounced /əv/).

Drill: Sounds

ba aba ab
va ava av
bavab vabav

https://thesoundofenglish.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/vorb2.mp3

Drill: Words

bowel vowel
vine bine
ban van
vroom broom
jive jibe
rove robe

https://thesoundofenglish.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/vorb3.mp3

Drill: Sentences

A very beautiful berry.
Hoover the bathroom.
I love to rove the Balkans.
Basically, we've broken the blind.
It's vastly better than before, Vicky.

https://thesoundofenglish.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/vorb4.mp3

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If your mother tongue is Spanish, you may confuse the sounds /v/ and /b/ in English. Listen to these two words: https://thesoundofenglish.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/vorb1.mp3 /b/ is a plosive sound - you block the air fully with both lips and then release it. /v/ is a fricative sound - you squeeze the air between the top teeth and lower lip.

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Create an interactive way to teach the prepositions you'll cover in class (limit it to 5-10). DO a low-stakes activity where students practice using the prepositions you've taught. Have students work in pairs to describe pictures that require the use of prepositions in their descriptions.

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Prepositions are a very common topic in many beginner ESL or EFL textbooks, especially for children. A preposition is a word that basically indicates a location or some other kind of relationship between nouns or pronouns. It can't actually be considered a preposition unless there's a related noun or pronoun that goes with it, which is called the object of the preposition.

Here are some of the most common prepositions that you may want to teach your English students.

Are you looking specially for activities that are related more to giving directions to find a location like the bank or a person's house? Then you'll want to check this article out: Giving Directions ESL Games, Worksheets, Maps and Lesson Plans.

Top 16 ESL Preposition Games

These are only a few of the most common English prepositions-there are quite literally hundreds of them! Now, let's get into the preposition games ESL that you might want to consider using. They'll spice up your class and turn something normally quite boring into one of the best classes of the year.

Without further ado, let's get to it!

#1: Picture Prompt

This is a quick warm-up that can also be used as a kind of test at the end of your preposition unit. The way it works is that you put a picture up on the screen that lends itself to lots of prepositions. For example, a desk or table with lots of stuff on it, or a messy house.

Then, there are a few things you can do depending on the level of students. If a bit higher level, leave the picture on the screen for a minute or two, take it down and then ask some questions:

"Where is the yellow book?"
"Is the pen on the right side of the desk?

For lower-level students, or younger children, you can do this activity with the picture still up and work together as a class. You can find out more details about this simple, but classic ESL game or activity here: Picture Prompt ESL Game.

#2 Preposition Games: Flashcards

I'm ALL about using flashcards in my English classes with children. You can make or buy your own, but the secret is that you can often buy a set as a supplement to most kids ESL textbooks. This has the huge advantage of having the exact vocabulary words that you're teaching.

The way you can use them for prepositions is to choose from nouns. Then make three piles of 3 and place them standing up on the whiteboard ledge. Make sure all the students can see which card you place where.

Then, ask a question like, "Where's the dinosaur?"

The students would have to answer, "The dinosaur is behind the fish."

Check out other ways to use flashcards when teaching English to children here: ESL Flashcards for Children.

#3 Preposition Activities: Disappearing Text

If you want to help your students lock in the sentence structure related to prepositions, then you'll want to consider using disappearing text. It can get a little bit tricky with all the small little words in there which need to be in a precise order. This is a great activity to help your students see what a correct sentence looks like.

The way it works is that you write a sentence on the board (containing some prepositions). The students say it out loud together. Then, erase the first few words and the students have to repeat it again. Continue until you have no words left! This can be a fun way to review a key sentence at the end of every class.

Find out more details here: The Disappearing Sentence ESL Activity.

#4: ESL Board Games

I LOVE to play board games in real life, so maybe that's why I like to use them with my students too? Whatever the case, they lend themselves really well to prepositions if you tailor the questions to what's happening inside a classroom.

You can include questions like the following:

Where is the teacher?

What's in front of you (behind you) right now?

Is there a window next to the TV screen?

Find out more about this fun ESL game here: Board Games for English Learners. Or, check out this short video below for even more information:

#5: Total Physical Response

One of the best strategies for teaching English to young children is to get them up and moving around the classroom. One fun way to do this is to use Total Physical Response (TPR). This is a well-known language teaching methodology and it works especially well for prepositions.

You could get students to touch something...

ON the desk

IN FRONT OF the whiteboard

UNDER your chair

BEHIND the teacher

Etc.

Or you could give basic commands like...

Stand BEHIND your desk

Crawl UNDER the table

Go to the BACK of the room

You can find out more here: Total Physical Response in the English Classroom. Try out this great activity for kids that gets them listening to correct sentences and then responding to them. Learning English can be a fun experience!

#6: The Memory Circle Preposition Games

This is an extremely versatile ESL game that can be used for a variety of situations, including names, grammar or vocabulary. In this, you can use it for prepositions.

The first student says a sentence, using a preposition about what they see in the classroom. For example, "There is a pen ON the desk."

The second student repeats this sentence from the first student and then adds their own, using a different preposition. The game continues until someone can't do it correctly. They sit down and the winner is the last one student standing. Or, you can end the game with the teacher repeating all the sentences (I usually feign like I'm having trouble and get the students to help me!).

Learn more about this fun memory game here: The ESL Memory Circle.

#7 ESL Preposition Games: Taboo

I'm sure you may have played taboo as a party game before. The way it works is that you try to get your team to say a specific word, but you can't use a list of certain other words. I adapt it for my English classes and let students use any word they want, except for the word in question. To help your students use prepositions, consider adapting it.

In this case, use prepositions. For example, if the secret word is on, the student could say something like, "The pen is ___ the desk." His team would hopefully guess "on!"

It's a simple way to close out the unit on prepositions by having some fun with a small group of students. Learn more here: Taboo ESL Speaking Activity.

#8: Draw a Picture, ESL Style

A fun activity to work on prepositions is this simple way to draw a picture. The way it works is that one person looks at a picture secretly. Things like aliens or monsters often work well. Then, they have to describe the picture to their partner who has to draw it.

For example, your students might say, "The alien has 10 arms with 3 fingers on each arm. There is a big face and on the face there are 3 eyes."

As you can see, the use of prepositions in this activity would be almost endless. At the end, don't forget to highlight the prepositions used with the class. More information here: ESL Secret Drawing Activity.

#9: ESL Preposition Songs

I'm a terrible singer, but kids love learning English through songs. What to do? Turn to YouTube of course! It's a simple way to incorporate singing into my classroom, but without actually requiring any sort of musical talent of my own. Here's one example of a song you could use to teach prepositions to kids:

#10: Include Prepositions in your Daily Routine

It's super important to have a daily routine when teaching English to anybody, but particularly young children. They thrive off what they can come to know and expect. For my routine, I'll include some simple questions like the following:

What day of the week is it?

How's the weather today?

What time is it right now?

You may also want to include some simple questions related to prepositions. For example, where are your mom and dad AT right now? How many pens are ON the desk? Is there a boy or girl sitting NEXT TO me? If you can draw from personal experience, it'll be a great activity.

You get the picture. Change it up to include a few different ones each class. You can find out more about this English teaching strategy here: ESL Daily Routine for Kids.

#11: Strike a Pose

Use this one as a quick warm-up or review activity. Strike a pose at the front of the class and then have students make sentences related to what you're doing. For example:
Your left arm is on top of your head. Your right arm is behind your back. The right leg is on the chair. You are looking to the left.
An alternative way to do this is to send one student outside the classroom before striking your pose. Then, do your pose and have the remaining students make note of your position.

Bring the student back in the class, and the other students have to describe to them how to position their body so that it matches yours. Try out this fun ESL preposition game for yourself!

#12: My Dream Bedroom (or Living Room, etc.)

This preposition interactive activity is best for adults. After teaching about prepositions, have students think about their bedroom and what they like or don't like about it. Say that they've suddenly come into some money and now have $25,000 USD to remodel. What would it look like?

Have students write at least 6 sentences. For example:
I'd have a TV on the wall in front of my bed. Next to bed would be a beautiful nightstand. I'd have lots of artwork on the walls.
Now, here's the interactive part. Put students into pairs and then have the first person read their description to the second person who has to make a sketch of the dream bedroom. Switch roles and then the activity is complete.

#13: ESL Preposition Games: The Memory Timetable

Show students a simple timetable for a minute or two. It could be a train or bus schedule or something like that. How complicated it is depends mostly on the age of the students. Then, take it off the screen and ask students some questions. It's usually best to do this in partners. Students have to write their answers in a full sentence.

Here are some example questions/answers:

What time does the train leave from Busan to Seoul? It leaves at 7pm.

What time does it arrive? It arrives at midnight.

Try out one of the best preposition games for yourself today!

#14: Picture Quest ESL Preposition Activities ESL

If your students are old enough to leave your classroom without supervision and are allowed to do so by the administration at your school, then consider using this picture quest activity. The way it works is that it's like a picture scavenger hunt that students have to complete by taking pictures of all the things on a list.

Normally, I'd use adjectives to describe what students had to take a picture of. For example:

Something yellow, hot, interesting, delicious, etc.

But in the case of prepositions, you could require that students take pictures of things based on prepositions. For example. Take a picture of something...

On top of the roof

Under a bench

Next to something big

#15: Hide and Seek Preposition Interactive Game

Hide small objects around your classroom. Then, give hints to the students using prepositions about where they can find them. It's a fun ESL preposition game for young learners, so try it out today.

Quick hint: it works best for smaller classes of six or fewer, or it can get a little bit chaotic.

Are you looking for something besides preposition games? Then you'll definitely want to keep on reading for even more resources.

#16: ESL Preposition Memory Game

I love to use some fun videos from YouTube to spice up my classes a little bit. This is one example of a fun preposition game you can play with your students.

ESL Preposition Worksheets

If you're looking for some top picks for sources of preposition worksheets, you have a few different options. There is always a practice section in the workbook for this specific unit. Or, you may find more worksheets in the teacher's resource or student homework book. You could also consider making your own from scratch.

Finally, consider one of these sources for ESL preposition worksheets online:
iSL Collective
To help our students use prepositions well, we'll need to give them lots of practice opportunities and worksheets like these ones are just one way to do that.

What about Online Practice for Prepositions?

Here are some of our favourite online sources for preposition practice, games, and quizzes:
ESL Games Plus English Club Games to Learn English
The best part? These preposition interactive games are fun and your students will love learning English with them!

Preposition Games FAQs

There are a number of common questions that people have about prepositions games, activities and preposition in general. Here are the answers to some of the most popular ones.

What is a Preposition ESL?

Prepositions for ESL and non-ESL are the same! They are words that show relationships between objects, people and places. Some examples of prepositions include: in, on, at, into, through, during, and many more. They are an important part of the English language and are found in beginner-intermediate ESL textbooks.

Why do we Teach Prepositions?

Prepositions are considered to be a "closed class" part of speech. We teach them because they're an important part of the English language as they act as markers of the structure of a sentence. Prepositions show relationships between people, objects and locations. Although there are a limited number of them, they are very important and remember that in order to use prepositions well, English learners need lots of practice.

How do you Explain Prepositions in English?

Here's how you can explain what prepositions are to your students. A preposition is used to link nouns, pronouns, phrases or other words in a sentence. They're useful fo connecting people, objects, time and locations within a sentence. Prepositions in English are usually very short words and you can most often find them right in front of nouns.

What are the 6 Types of Prepositions?

There are various kinds of prepositions to be aware of. They include the following:

Prepositions for time (in, on, at)

Place (in, on, at)

Directions (through, towards, etc.)

Agent (by, with, etc.)

Instruments (by, with the help of, etc.)

Prepositional phrases (after the meal, etc.)

What are Five Examples of Prepositions?

Here are five examples of the use of prepositions:

She sat on the couch.

This is some juice in the fridge.

The child is hiding under the bed.

She lost her book at school.

They drove over the bridge.

How do you Use Prepositions Correctly?

One tip for using prepositions correctly is to avoid them at the end of sentences. This is because they have to be followed by a noun and they also have an object. For example, you'll want to avoid the following: The counter is where I put my keys on. Instead, you can say: I put my keys on the counter.

Did you Like These ESL Activities?

Yes? Thought so. Then you're going to love this book, available on Amazon: 101 ESL Activities for Kids. There are dozens of top-quality games and activities to help you get through an entire semester in style.

We all know that the key to fun, engaging English classes for kids is a variety of interesting activities. This book will help you do just that.

And the best part is that the book is well-organized into sections, including speaking, reading, writing, listening, review, grammar, etc. so that you can easily find what you're looking for in under a minute. Then, most of them are low-prep or no-prep. It's lesson planning made easier, guaranteed.

You can get the book in both digital and print formats. Keep a copy on the bookshelf in your office to use as a handy reference guide. Or, take the e-version with you on your phone or tablet for lesson planning on the go.

Check out the book for yourself over on Amazon, but only if you want a serious dose of ESL awesome in your life:

Have your Say about these Preposition Games ESL

What are your thoughts about these ESL preposition activities and games? Do you have a go-to one that you'd like to share with us. Or, did you try one from this list? What did you think? We'd love to hear from you so please leave a comment below.

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 guide.

Last update on 2020-04-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

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ESL Preposition Games and Activities: Top 16 to Try Today!

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Prepositions are a very common topic in many beginner ESL or EFL textbooks, especially for children. A preposition is a word that basically indicates a location or some other kind of relationship between nouns or pronouns. It can't actually be considered a preposition unless there's a related noun or pronoun that goes with it, which is called the object of the preposition.

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When you think of prepositions, dry grammar drills enter your mind. Right?

But it isn't enough for your students to understand how prepositions work.

They have to be able to see them in action.

In the modern ESL classroom, English prepositions of place, time and movement can be taught in fun and exciting ways through communicative means.

Gone are the days when one grammar subject had to form a standalone lesson.

These days, we know that grammar should be taught in context so that students can make meaning out of it.

Keeping that in mind, prepositions should be taught in a resource-rich environment where students can make connections, visualize, remember and practice usage through listening, speaking, reading and writing.

Prepositions play a crucial role in ESL, and they can be used as a great lead-in to writing activities, particularly those involving description, a much-needed skill in narrative writing.

Prepositions, like all other grammar items in the English language, form part of a solid foundation that all ESL students need in order to learn how to write texts.

In this post, we will be looking at how to teach each of the different types of prepositions-prepositions of place, time and movement-all without boring your students!

How to Teach Prepositions of Place

1. Start with a descriptive passage

One effective way for your students to start getting familiar with prepositions of place is through reading. If you choose a descriptive passage, you will probably find that it contains prepositions that can be utilized in your lessons.

Consider the following passage:
My room is usually tidy and organized. It has beige walls and a maroon and brown rug on the floor. Whenever the sun streams in, I draw the royal blue curtains. My bed is right beside the door. A bright blue bedspread covers the mattress. On the bed are two fluffy pillows. There is a wooden desk beside the window. On the desk are some writing materials and a light laptop. A wooden bookcase filled with books is hung over the desk. I love to look out of the window and watch the world go by while I take reading breaks at my desk.
Students can read the passage aloud and then answer strategically-formed questions based on the location of objects.

To give you an idea, here are some possible questions:

Where is the maroon and brown rug in the room?

Where is the bed located?

What is on the bed?

What is beside the window?

Name two things that are on the desk.

The questions above will surely help students to identify where a piece of furniture or an item is located. The questions will also increase students' awareness of the different prepositions used in the passage.

You may want to present the FluentU video "Prepositions: In, On and By" as a warm-up to this reading activity. FluentU takes real-world videos-like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks-and turns them into personalized language learning lessons, so you can introduce a certain grammar point or subject to your students just by pressing play.

2. Have students circle prepositions in the passage

The next activity you can consider getting your students to do is to circle prepositions found in the passage above. This will help them identify the various prepositions used.

3. Have them draw what is described in the passage

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. To test students' understanding of prepositions, try having them draw the objects in the room as described in the above passage. You may be surprised by how much you discover in your students' illustrations.

Another version of this drawing activity is to get students to draw the location of objects as they are read out.

Consider reading the following sentences aloud:

The ball is under the table.

The clock is on the wall.

The rug is between the bed and the wardrobe.

The shelf is above the table.

The above drawing activity not only allows you to sharpen students' listening skills and understanding of prepositions, but also their imaginations.

4. Do a quick verbal hands-on

Another preposition activity worth mentioning is a hands-on approach in which students are asked to place objects in different locations. This will be suitable for beginner level classes.

You can use the following examples:

1. Put your ruler on the table.

2. Put your pen on your exercise book.

3. Put your pencil between your exercise book and your ruler.

4. Put your bag under the table.

5. Put your folder beside your pencil case.

While the above activity keeps students engaged, it is limited by the number of objects each student actually has. So make sure you provide each student with a set of objects to be used.

You can even use non-classroom objects for the above activity. For example, you could gather acorns, leaves, candies or straws for this particular lesson.

Once you have gathered your resources, give an item to each student and use instructions like the following:

1. Put the acorn under a book.

2. Put the acorn beside your friend.

3. Put the acorn next to your pen.

4. Put the acorn between two books.

5. Put the acorn on the desk in front of your friend.

6. Put the acorn on your friend's shoulder.

7. Put the acorn in your pocket.

To inject an element of fun, use objects available in and associated with the current season. Acorns will be perfect in autumn, for example, while candy canes will make excellent teaching props to mark the festive season towards the end of the year.

5. Test their understanding with pictures

An effective way to test students' understanding of prepositions of place is through the use of pictures. Trawl the Internet for a picture of a room with various objects and furniture in it. Get students to write sentences using a list of given prepositions based on the selected photo. You can draw pictures yourself, if you are good at drawing, or simply cut and paste appropriate pictures depicting prepositions.

Additional activities for teaching prepositions of place

Here is a worksheet activity you may consider using. You can use the suggested listening exercise or form sentences with your students that describe the pictures, such as:

Alternatively, you can make sentences containing prepositions based on each picture and jumble the sentences up to create a matching exercise. Click on this link for alternative source material to use for a similar activity.

To test students' listening skills, you can also write your own sentences describing the position of the rabbit in the pictures and read them aloud. Your students can then listen and write the sentences beside the correct pictures.

Once your students have a better grasp of prepositions of place, you can get them to describe a particular room in a house, such as a living room, dining room or bedroom. Again, using picture prompts is recommended as it helps students to visualize and pen their thoughts.

How to Teach Prepositions of Time

When we think of teaching prepositions of time, we think of using a clock. Right? Well, there's nothing wrong with using a clock to teach prepositions, but we can also take things way beyond that.

1. Present and practice prepositions of time with activities

Start with pictures of weather, seasons, clocks and calendars

Using pictures to teach prepositions of time may help students visualize how in, at and on are used. For example, when we talk about the weather, we usually use the preposition on.
We were in the city on a sunny day.
When we talk about the season, we usually use the preposition in.
We ski at the alps in winter.
You can get students to start using prepositions of time by referring to pictures of weather, seasons, calendars and clocks showing a particular time. For example, students can write the preposition at below the picture of a clock showing 6 o'clock. They can write the preposition on below a picture that shows the word "Tuesday." Under a picture that shows a calendar with the month of April circled, students should write in.

This activity requires some preparation, as you need to gather suitable pictures. An alternative is, of course, to draw, if you are good at sketching.

Another way to have students start using prepositions of time is to get them to write given phrases under the correct prepositions (in, at or on). Here are some examples of phrases to give them:

If you have the time, you can prepare time preposition cards and turn the above into a matching activity.

Write phrases such as the above on blank cards or pieces of paper. Write duplicates of prepositions in, at and on on blank cards as well.

The intention is to allow students to match the phrases with the prepositions. This is an effective method to start testing their understanding of prepositions of time that have been taught.

Another good way to get students familiar with target prepositions is by listening. Prepare a paragraph containing prepositions of time and remove the prepositions, such as in the example below:
We usually go on vacation ___ summer. This year we will be going to France. We will catch a plane ___ the 25th of June. We will arrive at Charles de Gaulle Airport ___ 3 o'clock ___ the afternoon ___ the 26th of June. After collecting our luggage, we will catch a cab from the airport to our hotel. Since it will be warm ___ summer, we will take light clothes with us.
Read the above passage aloud to your students, including the prepositions that have been blanked out. Your students can fill in each gap with the correct preposition.

Do a "true or false" extension activity

Utilize the above passage by testing students' understanding of the story. Have them mark the sentences T for true, and F for false:

1. We are going on vacation in summer.

2. We are going to Belgium.

3. We will catch the plane on the 25th of June.

4. We arrive at 3 o'clock in the morning.

5. We will take a train to the hotel from Charles de Gaulle Airport.

Remember the PPP approach? You have already presented the target prepositions through various activities and allowed your students some practice.

Now it is time for them to draw on what they have been taught by producing sentences using the prepositions of time in, at and on.

2. Have students produce their own sentences

Have your students produce a piece of work based on target prepositions of time. One good way to do this is to have them plan a vacation themselves using five sentences. This can be done individually or in pairs.

Through drilling and practice, your ESL students will gradually be able to use the correct prepositions of time in their oral and written work.

How to Teach Prepositions of Movement and Direction

Prepositions of movement and direction may be the most interesting type of prepositions to teach, as teaching them can involve a lot of hands-on activities.

1. Collect and present pictures

It is a good idea to collect pictures that illustrate prepositions of movement or direction. You can obtain pictures from the Internet, magazines or newspapers and store them in a resource file.

This resource can give you some pictures to get started and a corresponding exercise. You can get your students to match the pictures to given prepositions and then get them to write a sentence on each preposition.

This resource provides animated visuals that may make up for challenges in explaining prepositions of movement. Showing these to your students may be helpful in getting the ideas across better.

Alternatively or as a later activity, you can get students to cut pictures that show target prepositions from magazines or newspapers. They can paste these on a sheet and write a sentence on each picture. This can be used as a teaching resource for future lessons.

2. Have students practice giving directions

Giving directions is another effective way to learn prepositions of movement and direction. Using a road directory is an excellent option. Print a page and ask students to give directions to a landmark or a building. Target prepositions in this case should be along, next to, opposite, across, in between, etc.

You can divide the class into two teams and instill a competitive element by getting the teams to compete against each other. The first team to find all landmarks or buildings on the map by following a given set of directions will be the winner.

This link gives an example of another effective communicative activity you can have your students do in pairs: Get your students to pair themselves up and decide who is A and who is B. Give out maps labeled A and B accordingly and get the pairs to take turns asking directions to a certain place featured on the handout. Once the places have been found, students can mark the names of the places on their maps.

Here is a drawing directions activity, which involves illustrating prepositions of movement.

Here is another example of a communicative activity testing students on their skills at giving directions.

These communicative activities on direction-giving are effective methods to test students' understanding of directions using the target prepositions. The activities also give students a chance to communicate with each other and become engaged in the classroom.

You may think that teaching grammar can be boring.

Likewise, your students may think that learning grammar can be dry and lifeless.

But I hope you see now that it doesn't have to be.

Why not reinvent the wheel by making grammar fun to learn? Use visuals and take advantage of technology. Make preposition teaching as interactive as you can, so your students can not only have fun while they learn, but also make meaning of and remember new information.

The key to bringing prepositions to life is to use the right resources and prepare your lessons well!

And One More Thing...

Looking for entertaining resources to teach your students about English grammar? Check out FluentU! FluentU takes real-world videos-like music videos, cartoons, documentaries and more-and turns them into personalized language learning lessons for you and your students.

It's got a huge collection of authentic English videos that people in the English-speaking world actually watch on the regular. There are tons of great choices there when you're looking for songs for in-class activities. You'll find music videos, musical numbers from cinema and theater, kids' singalongs, commercial jingles and much, much more.

On FluentU, all the videos are sorted by skill level and are carefully annotated for students. Words come with example sentences and definitions. Students will be able to add them to their own vocabulary lists, and even see how the words are used in other videos.

For example, if a student taps on the word "brought," they'll see this:

Plus, these great videos are all accompanied by interactive features and active learning tools for students, like multimedia flashcards and fun games like "fill in the blank."

It's perfect for in-class activities, group projects and solo homework assignments. Not to mention, it's guaranteed to get your students excited about English!

The full FluentU video library is available on any computer or tablet, and users can even download the app at the iTunes and Google Play store.
Emmie Sahlan has taught English Language and Literature for ten years and has been teaching ESL for the past five years.
If you liked this post, something tells me that you'll love FluentU, the best way to teach English with real-world videos.
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Dynamic Directions: Exciting Ways to Teach ESL Students Prepositions

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When you think of prepositions, dry grammar drills enter your mind. Right? But it isn't enough for your students to understand how prepositions work. They have to be able to see them in action.

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1. There is a ball in the box. 2. There is a ball on the box. 3. There is a ball under the box. 4. There is a ball next to the box. 5. There is a ball behind the box. 6. There is a ball in front of...