When teaching any grammar point, it's helpful if you look for situations where they are actually used in natural conversation.
When I teach conditionals in ESL, I tend to focus on function and usage rather than grammar forms.
May 26 is National Paper Airplane Day, and what better way to celebrate than with a paper airplane classroom competition! It’s a great way to teach comparatives and superlatives in ESL because it gets students to actually use the language… instead of just filling in blanks on a worksheet. For…
English verb tenses can be pretty cloudy, especially those “perfect” tenses, which are anything but perfect. It’s no wonder our students struggle with them. They mix forms, forget structures, and often feel like they’ll never be able to see them clearly. But there’s a silver lining. After more than 15…
When your students keep mixing up borrow vs. lend, they’re not just being careless—it’s actually a language pattern. Many languages—such as Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, and Mandarin—use one word to mean both “borrow” and “lend.” So when students speak English, they’re not guessing… they’re translating. Once I understood this, I stopped…
I often consult my tarot cards when I need to gain insight or make decisions. So imagine my excitement when I realized that tarot cards could also work well as an ESL speaking activity. Woot! Tarot cards are a novelty of mystery and enchantment. But they can also be a…
My students know will and going to are both used for future tenses. But it’s often a challenge for them to choose the best one when speaking. Rather than focusing on forms, I’ve found it more important to focus on functions (when to use them). When the function of a…
When teaching a grammar lesson, most teachers will typically start out with how to form the structure. It’s a good way to start, because students love a good rule they can follow and apply. But then what? For many ESL teachers, the real challenge isn’t explaining the rule. It’s about…
If you teach ESL in the U.S., you’ve probably seen the headlines about Florida’s new English-only driving test requirements. The driving test is now English Only — no translations, no interpreters. Newcomers and immigrant learners don’t just need conversational English. They also need functional, practical language-something they can hook their…
When it’s time to put theory into practice, grammar dice is an easy, zero-prep ESL grammar activity that students love. It’s engaging for all levels and language backgrounds, including teens and adult learners. Students can review and practice tenses, conditionals, and question forms… all at once! Ready to learn the…
Ready to time travel through the verb tenses in English? In this post, we’ll explore each tense with examples and key words. Learning all 12 tenses takes a bit of focus and dedication. But with a little practice, you’ll be able to navigate the past, present, and future (and everything…
