esl creative writing ideas

30 Writing Topics and Writing Prompts For ESL Students

When learning a new language like English, developing writing skills is essential. Many beginner ESL students find it difficult to write essays, especially if they have to come up with the essay topic themselves.

List Of ESL Writing Topics

Here is a list of ESL writing topics and writing prompts your students can write about.

Tips For Teaching ESL Writing

Error correction.

Although it is necessary to highlight and correct students’ errors, it can be quite demotivating for a student to only hear all the things they got wrong.

After correcting errors, give students an opportunity to re-write their essays and correct their mistakes. Once students have completed their final draft, be sure to let them know what you liked about their essay, and you can even share this praise with other students, teachers, and even the student’s parents.

Ask About Students’ Interests

A great way to encourage this is to ask about things students are interested in and then tailor the writing topic to them.

Provide Enough Writing Prompts

To help students write longer essays, be sure to give them enough writing prompts to cover the different aspects they should cover in their writing.

Structure The Essay

To help ESL students become better at writing in English, teach them a particular structure you would like them to follow when writing their essays.

Thanks for reading. I hope you found some useful ESL writing topics and writing prompts you can use in your next writing class. 

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to primary sidebar

Teaching Expertise

• Classroom Ideas
• Teacher’s Life
• Deals & Shopping
• Privacy Policy

60 Interesting Writing Prompts For The ESL Classroom

December 15, 2022 //  by  Christina Swiontek

Writing prompts are a great way for ESL learners to explore writing and practice their writing skills. English language learners will greatly benefit from responding to writing prompts. They can learn basic language skills and express themselves through descriptive, narrative, creative, opinion, and journal-based writing. By using these engaging writing assignments, beginner and intermediate learners can look forward to becoming strong writers. Help your young ones become more confident writers with the help of these fun prompts! 

Descriptive Writing Prompts 

For these descriptive writing prompts, guide students to be as specific as possible. It may be helpful to provide them with a list of adjectives and have a classroom discussion about how they can be used to describe various scenarios. Encourage writers to be creative and have fun with their writing topics. 

• Do you remember your first pet? What were they like?
• What is your happiest amusement park memory?
• Share your favorite meal in detail. 
• What does a perfect day include? What is the weather like? 
• What do you like to do on a rainy day? Share your ideas. 
• Have you ever been to the zoo? What did you see and hear? 
• Use your senses to describe an open area of grass and trees.
• Describe a sunset to someone who cannot see it.
• Share information about something that brings you joy.
• Imagine you are taking a trip to the grocery store. Share your experience.

Learn more: Teacher’s Notepad

Opinion Writing Prompts

An important aspect of opinion writing practice is for the writer to state their opinion and provide facts that support it. Opinion writing exercises can also be referred to as persuasive writing; in which the writer’s goal is to have the reader agree with their opinion. A tip for writers is to select a topic they are passionate about and provide enough supporting details. 

• Have you ever read through a book that has been made into a motion picture? Which do you prefer?
• Do you like to spend time inside or explore the big city? Share reasons to support your answer.
• What do you feel is the best invention? What would life be like without it? 
• Share details about a fun trip with your best friend. 
• Write and describe what it would be like if you didn’t have homework. 
• Do you think every sporting event should have a winner? Why or why not? 
• Is it better to vacation in the mountains or on the beach? Why is it better? 
• Share your thoughts about your favorite sport and why it interests you. 
• Think about your favorite book. What makes it your favorite?

Learn more: ThoughtCo

Narrative Writing Prompts

Narrative writing prompts are an effective way for students to improve their writing and creativity skills. It also motivates children and makes them excited to write. ESL writing topics such as these are a great way to spark creativity and imagination. 

• Think about what may happen if you took a picture of your friend in front of a volcano. 
• Imagine you had three wishes that could be granted, but you cannot use them for yourself. What would you wish for? Explain your reasoning. 
• What do you think would happen if you were to plan the luckiest day of your life? 
• If you had the option of bringing home a zoo animal, how would you spend your time together?
• Include the following words in a funny story: grapes, elephant, book, and airplane. 
• Write a short story from the viewpoint of an ant. What are the pros and cons of being so tiny?
• Can you imagine having the opportunity to meet your favorite book character? Who would you choose and why?
• What would your school day be like if there was no electricity? 
• Imagine you are a pirate, and you just took off on a voyage. What are you searching for? 
• Finish this story: The pirates set sail on their ship in search of . . .
• If you could be a teacher for the day, what decisions would you make and why?

Learn more: Vibrant Teaching

Creative Writing Prompts

Creative writing has many benefits for all children, including foreign English language learners. It helps improve communication skills, memory, and knowledge. Creative writing also stimulates higher-level thinking and self-expression.  

• If you could have a pet elephant, what would you do with it? 
• If you could spend the day in animal form, which animal would you be? 
• Oh no! You look up on the roof and you see your cat is stuck. What can you do to help?
• Share your adventures in detail if you were to own a pair of magical shoes.
• If you could have dinner with your favorite character, what would you ask them?
• If you could spend a day on a time machine, what would you do?
• Imagine you are taking your dog on a trip through the forest. What do you see?
• What is fun about playing in the rain?
• Think about playing hide and seek. Where is your favorite place to hide?
• If you could be a part of the circus for a day, what would be your special talent? 

Learn more: Squibler

Essay Writing Prompts

Essay writing prompts help students learn the fundamentals of writing. The following essay topics aim to strengthen reading comprehension and develop context and structure. Both ESL students and native English speakers can benefit from essay writing practice. 

• Share your favorite class subject and why.
• Explain the reason why it is good to share with friends.
• Share your favorite sport and why it is so special.
• What would it be like to be a superhero?
• What is your favorite game? How would you describe the goal of the game to someone who has never played it?
• Think about the tools you use in the classroom. Which one is most useful?
• What makes your best friend unique?
• Think about your least favorite subject. What would make you like it more? 
• What is your favorite thing to do over the weekend?
• Is there a story you could read over and over? Share why you enjoy it.

Learn more: Splash Learn

Journal Writing Prompts

Journal writing is an awesome way for children to practice writing. While writing in a journal, students can focus less on quality writing and mechanics and more on self-expression and the meaning behind their writing. Children may want to find a sacred writing space where they can avoid distractions and focus easily.

• What makes your school community unique?
• What does it mean to be kind?
• What should you do if you can’t get along with a classmate?
• What qualities are important in a friend?
• If you could invent something to solve a problem, what would it be?
• Did you ever break something by accident? How did you fix it?
• What is your favorite game to play in, and out of the classroom?
• Think about an imaginary friend. What are they like?
• Look in the mirror and write about what you see.
• What is your favorite playground equipment? Why? 

Learn more: YourDictionary

• Teaching Tips

14 ESL Writing Activities to Spice Up Your Next Class

• October 27, 2020
• No Comments

OUR TOP PARTNER COURSES

120hr + Full Tutor Support

10% off with ESL102021

120hr Online TEFL Course

Best Online Option!

120hr Digital TEFL Course

15% Discount!

120hr Online TEFL Class

Most Reputable!

This post may contain affiliate links (at no extra cost to you). Please read  our disclosure  for more information.

Writing is one of the four basic English proficiencies next to reading, speaking, and listening. Developing a well-honed ability to write fluidly, naturally, and confidently — while using well-crafted grammatical structure and a wide array of vocabulary — carries several benefits for English learners.  

A developed writing ability is essential for scoring well on standardized tests that include essay sections and a well-chosen ESL writing activity can increase the ability to express increasingly complex ideas succinctly and fully, thus improving communication skills across all four proficiencies.

How to Use ESL Writing Activities

As an ESL teacher, part of your teaching scope likely includes improving the writing skills of your students. Fun, engaging activities can be effective tools for achieving the gains in their writing abilities that you hope to see in the classroom. 

When to Use ESL Writing Activities

Depending on the type of activity, writing activities can be used:

• At the beginning of a lesson to pique students’ interest and generate excitement about the upcoming lesson.
• Mid-lesson to assess students’ absorption and retention.
• At the conclusion of a lesson to review previously learned vocabulary/grammar.

Setup for ESL Writing Activities

Some ESL writing activities featured here require virtually no setup. Others require a whiteboard and/or projector with computer access. A handful require some preparation before class and pre-printed materials for handout.

Here are a few of the premier ESL writing activities for students divided by age and skill level.

ESL Writing Activities For Young Learners

Flash card writing.

Young learners are often best engaged with visual cues, so ESL flashcards are great tools for the classroom at the primary level.

To conduct the flash card activity, do a warm-up session by going through each card and, together as a class, writing the correct spelling on the board letter by letter.

Then, heat things up by dividing students into teams and having one member of each team write the vocabulary term on the board as quickly as possible when you prompt them with the corresponding flashcard.

The first student to finish earns a point for his or her team. Incentivize the students, if necessary, with a prize for the team with the most points at the end.

What’s Happening?

Building on the theme of combining imagery with writing for younger ESL learners, consider showing students a picture (the more vibrant, colorful, and detailed, the better) and asking them to write what they see. Consider using images with recently learned phrases as a review method.

Write a Letter to Santa (or Spiderman, Harry Potter, or Whomever)

Letter writing is an essential aspect of a young student’s English. Make it fun by having them write to their favorite superhero, celebrity, or best friend.

If your students need extra guidance, prompt them by suggesting what to write about; if writing to Santa, for example, encourage them to discuss what they would like for Christmas.

Help them frame their letter logically by providing a structure guide and helpful suggestions as necessary.

Postcards to Pen Pals

Capture young learners’ imagination by introducing them to a fictitious young boy or girl (or one inspired by real life) who is their same age and who lives in an exotic far-off land.

If your students are interested in a particular region or city, such as San Francisco, adjust your character’s geographic location accordingly.

Have them write a short composition to their new faraway friend that will fit on a postcard about who they are, what they like doing, etc. You can even make your own DIY postcards in the office using colored cardboard or other material.

This is a great opportunity to teach basic introductions and conclusions in English writing, a foundational component of almost any form of writing.

ESL Writing Activities For Adults

Write a business email.

Many adult learners are businesspeople, office workers, or other teachers themselves, so chances are all or most of your students have to send emails at some point in a work-related capacity.

Learning how to use professional, natural-sounding business language is a practical, valuable skill that adult ESL learners will appreciate —  in fact, you may find that sounding “native” in both written and spoken word is a major goal of many English students, particularly adults.

Using a projector, create a relatable and entertaining work-related scenario and write an email to a boss or co-worker together about the situation.

Then, have your students craft their own email either in response to the example you provided or in a fresh scenario.

Illustrative Descriptions

Fluent English writers and speakers have the ability to translate visual experiences into the written word, an advanced skill set that can serve your students well in a variety of real-world English-speaking contexts.

Consider using a well-known piece of local imagery with important cultural meaning (such as a portrait of a well-known historical figure or leader) and help your students to write verbal descriptions of the visual cue.

Paraphrasing Activity

Paraphrasing is the ability to quickly recreate sentences with different grammatical structure and vocabulary while retaining the meaning and content of the original sentence.

The ability to paraphrase off the cuff is an important skill that can come in handy for adult learners who interact with other English speakers. Practicing paraphrasing encourages a greater understanding of the nuances of the language and developing alternative ways to construct sentences.

Offer your students a sentence, then ask them to capture the essence of what is communicated and reconstitute the critical elements into a new sentence structure.

Personal Ads for Dating Sites

Due to human nature, social conditioning, or a combination thereof, adult ESL learners’ ears tend to perk up when the topic of conversation moves to the birds and the bees.

If your adult students don’t use personal dating apps like Tinder, chances are they did at some point or their sons and daughters do.

Have your students write a personal ad – either about themselves or about one another in pairs – to be placed on a fictional dating app. Depending on the context of the learning environment, you can spice the activity up by encouraging uncouth language if/when you feel it is appropriate.

ESL Writing Activities for Beginners

Acrostic poem.

This simple writing activity encourages creativity in use of the English terminology as well as recall of vocabulary. To create an acrostic poem activity for your students, write a short series of letters such as BIRD on the board, one on top of the other. Each of the four letters is its own line of poetry like this:

Create an example first for your students, such as:

• Barbara and
• I went to the garden where
• Red flowers grow
• Down by the creek

Then encourage students to think of their own poems to create.

Fill in the Letters

Mastering the letters and their phonetic sounds is a foundational element of ESL writing for beginners.

Present your students with words containing missing letters. You can either use pre-constructed worksheets from other teachers, create your own, or write the words with missing letters on the whiteboard.

After your students complete the words, take the time to sound out the terms again to strengthen students’ phonetic grasp on common English sounds and their corresponding letters. This will build their capacity to conceptualize letters when constructing words and sentences.

Letter/Word Chains

Print a series of words with one giant letter on each page. For example, if the word is HOUSE, then print an H, O, U, S, and E, each on its own respective page.

Scramble the papers up, then call an equal number of students to pages to the front – in this example, five. Say the word they should spell (house) and then watch them scramble to organize themselves in the correct order – helping them when necessary.  

Although beginning ESL students don’t put pen to paper in this activity, it is nonetheless a writing activity in that it instills proper spelling and a basic grasp on phonetics that are critical at this stage of language development.

Students also enjoy and may benefit from the social, team-building aspect of this writing activity.

If single words are too easy, you can up the difficulty level by printing entire words on separate pages that form complete sentences.

ESL Writing Activities for Intermediate Students

Western ESL teachers might remember Mad Libs from their youth, a game in which a handful of nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs are extracted from a prewritten story and left up to the participants to fill in.

Mad Libs and its variants like Mad Takes can be wildly entertaining for ESL learners.

Fantasy Dialogue Using Pop Culture

Most of your students, especially in the mid-secondary school age range with a typical skill level for that group, will find this writing activity engaging.

Create a fantasy meeting between two well-known pop culture figures – for example, in Thailand, this would be something like Lady Gaga meeting Harry Potter if selecting from Western celebrities.

You can make the activity more exciting by setting the dialogue against an unusual background – for example, backstage at a concert in Bangkok.  

Writing Descriptions of Visual Stimuli

Flash an image of a busy street corner in a major city in your student’s country, or of a well-known piece of historic architecture or famous landform – anything that your students are likely to know well.

Write the question words on the board:

Then ask your students to craft their own descriptions of the images you show for the question words. Some might not fit well – for example, the answer to who? may not appear obvious in an image of an island with no inhabitants. Encourage creative, “out of the box” answers in this regard and reward them with positive feedback.

The Directions Game

Giving and receiving directions is an intermediate English skill that ESL learners who want to travel will need to have. Additionally, this activity is useful to include at the outset of a lesson because the competitive nature captures students’ interest.

Draw a handmade map or grab one off of the internet. Divide the students into two teams. Then, have one student from each team come to the whiteboard with marker in hand.

Ask how to go from point A to point B on the map. Each student, with the help of his or her team, must quickly write coherent directions (turn left, turn right, go east, go west, etc.) from start to finish.

The first team to complete intelligible directions wins.

ESL Writing Activities for Advanced Students

What happens next.

This writing activity has the potential for several modifications to spice it up, but the essential idea is that the class, as a group, creates a story line by line.

The simplest version of Collective Story Time is to begin, as the teacher, with the introductory sentence on the whiteboard or projector: “Billy went to the skatepark.” The next sentence is completed by a student chosen at random, who then passes the baton to another student of his or her choice.

Depending on the age, maturity level, and preferences of students, you might put content limitations in place or interject with your own sentences from time to time to keep the story on a productive track.

Social Media Posts

Nearly everyone uses social media; they identify with it; they engage with it. Instead of fighting students to stay off of their phones in class, why not consider crafting your own Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram posts together as a class?

Use projection technology to supersize the browser or app and brainstorm a Tweet or post about a popular topic or the latest news in your learners’ home country.

Getting to the Point/Cutting Out the Fat

In English writing, more is not always better. The stage at which ESL students begin to develop advanced writing skills and become more confident is the right time to begin to introduce the concept of brevity and its benefits.

Start by offering your own writing sample that is chock full of redundancies, extraneous details, and non-sequiturs. Point some of them out yourself so that they know what to look for. Ask your students to shorten the story by half while keeping the original meaning and the critical details.

Transcription Practice (Dicto-Comp)

For some advanced ESL students who are either working already or will soon join the workforce, the ability to translate spoken English into written form quickly and accurately is an important skill.

Help them develop this skill set by selecting a text that is commensurate with their comprehension level. If you can’t find a suitable sample on the web, consider writing one yourself. The text should be about 500 words.

Students will listen and transcribe what they are hearing as quickly as possible. Emphasize the equal importance of accuracy and speed.

Read a few sentences at a time, pausing when you think appropriate.

Where to Start as an ESL Teacher

Devising effective ESL writing activities — and, equally importantly, adapting them to match the needs, interests, and social context of your students – requires a good bit of trial and error. Inspiration from other teachers’ examples and outside resources can help.To get started developing high-quality writing activities for your students, take a look at our list of free lesson plans . They are full of effective teaching strategies that are backed by years of practical success in ESL classrooms around the globe.

WE* MADE A TEFL!

*Made with love by the same people who run ESL Authority!

• 120hr Online Course with 11 Modules & 85 Lessons
• Full Tutor Support - All Questions Answered in 48hrs
• Fully Accredited and Valid Anywhere
• Perfect for online and classroom teachers

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

THE ONLY TEFL YOU NEED

• 120hr with 11 Modules & 85 Lessons
• Full Tutor Support
• Immediate Digital Certification

FOR TEACHERS

• HIRING GUIDES

FOR COMPANIES

• GET IN TOUCH
• PRIVACY POLICY

32 ESL Writing Prompts

Ever stare at a blank page, willing words to magically appear?

We’ve all been there.

Especially when it comes to writing in a new language. But fear not, fellow English learners! This blog is here to be your brainstorming buddy, tossing out fun writing prompts to get those creative juices flowing.

So grab your notebook (or laptop!), settle in, and get ready to put pen to paper (or fingers to keys) with some awesome ESL writing exercises!

ESL Writing Prompts 

Describe Your Favorite Season: Think about the four seasons – spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Consider what you like most about your favorite season. Is it the weather, the activities you can do, or something else? Write about why this season is your favorite, describing it with as many details as possible. Explain what makes this season special to you and how it affects your mood or activities.

A Day in the Life of a Celebrity: Imagine you are a famous celebrity for one day. Think about what your life would be like. What would you do? Who would you meet? How would you feel about the attention? Write a story describing your day from morning to night as this celebrity. Discuss both the exciting parts and the challenging aspects of being famous.

My Dream Job: Reflect on what your dream job would be. It could be anything from an astronaut to a teacher. Explain why you have chosen this job, what responsibilities it would involve, and what kind of skills you might need. Describe what a typical day in your dream job would look like.

An Adventure in Space: Imagine you are an astronaut who just landed on an unknown planet. Describe what you see, hear, and feel. What does the landscape look like? Are there any living creatures? What would you do there? Write a detailed description of your experience exploring this new planet.

A Letter to Your Future Self: Write a letter to yourself ten years from now. Think about what you hope to have achieved by then. What advice would you give to your future self? What questions would you ask? Express your hopes, fears, and questions about the future in this letter.

The Importance of Education: Reflect on why education is important. Think about how education has impacted your life and the lives of those around you. What benefits does education provide? Write an essay explaining the role and importance of education in personal and societal growth.

If I Could Invent Something: Imagine you have the ability to invent anything, whether it’s a new gadget, a medicine, or something else. What would you invent and why? How would your invention help people? Describe your invention and explain how it would change the world.

A World Without Internet: Consider what life would be like without the internet. How would things be different in terms of communication, entertainment, and information? Think about the pros and cons of such a world. Write an essay discussing how a world without the internet would affect society and your personal life.

The Power of Music: Reflect on how music impacts your life. Think about your favorite genre or song and what it means to you. How does music affect your emotions or memories? Write about the role music plays in your life and why it’s important. Explain how music can influence mood, bring back memories, or serve as a form of expression.

A Trip to a Historical Place: Imagine visiting a historical place, like the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Wall of China, or the Roman Colosseum. Describe what you see, learn, and feel during this visit. What is the significance of this place? Write a detailed account of your experience exploring this historical site and its importance in history.

Overcoming a Challenge: Think about a time when you faced a significant challenge. What was the challenge, and how did you overcome it? What did you learn from this experience? Write about the steps you took and the emotions you felt during this process. Discuss the importance of resilience and learning from difficult experiences.

A Perfect Day: Describe what your perfect day would look like. From the moment you wake up to when you go to sleep, detail the activities you would do, the people you would meet, and the places you would go. Explain why these activities and experiences would make your day perfect.

The Impact of Technology on Society: Consider how technology has changed the way we live, work, and communicate. Think about both the positive and negative aspects. How has technology affected relationships, education, and the workplace? Write an essay analyzing the effects of modern technology on society and daily life.

An Imaginary Animal Friend: Create an imaginary animal friend. What does it look like? What special abilities does it have? How would it interact with you and others? Write a story about adventures you could have with this imaginary friend. Describe the unique characteristics of your imaginary animal and the bond you share.

Learning from a Mistake: Think about a mistake you have made in the past and what you learned from it. How did this mistake change your perspective or behavior? Write about the experience, the consequences, and the lessons learned. Explain the importance of learning from mistakes and how they can lead to personal growth.

A World Leader’s Day: Imagine you are the leader of a country for one day. What decisions would you make? What challenges would you face? How would you interact with other world leaders? Write about the responsibilities and dilemmas you would encounter. Discuss the complexities and responsibilities involved in leading a nation.

Exploring a New Hobby: Think about a hobby you have never tried but find interesting. It could be anything from painting to playing a musical instrument. Describe how you would start learning this hobby, the challenges you might face, and what you hope to achieve. Explain why trying new hobbies is important for personal development and fun.

A Journey Through Time: Imagine you have a time machine and can visit any era in history. Choose a specific time period and location. Describe what you would see, who you might meet, and what historical events you could witness. Write a story detailing your experience traveling through time and the insights you gain.

A Letter to a Historical Figure: Choose a historical figure you admire or are curious about. Write a letter to this person, explaining why you find them interesting, what questions you would ask them, and what advice or message you would share. Express your thoughts and feelings about this person’s impact on history.

The Magic of Nature: Describe a place in nature that you find beautiful or inspiring, such as a forest, mountain, or beach. Explain what you see, hear, and feel in this place. How does being in nature affect your mood and thoughts? Write about the importance of nature in providing peace and inspiration.

A Cultural Celebration: Think about a cultural festival or celebration from any part of the world that fascinates you. Describe the activities, foods, music, and traditions involved. What is the significance of this celebration? Explain how cultural festivals help in understanding and appreciating different cultures.

If I Could Change One Thing About the World: Reflect on one aspect of the world you would like to change. It could be a social issue, an environmental concern, or anything else. Describe what you would change and how you would do it. Discuss the impact this change would have on the world and its inhabitants.

An Unforgettable Character from a Book or Movie: Think of a character from a book or movie who left a lasting impression on you. Describe this character and what makes them memorable. How did they influence the story? Write about why this character is significant to you and what lessons you learned from them.

The Future of Technology: Imagine what technology might be like 50 years from now. Think about how it could change our lives, for better or worse. What new inventions might exist? How would they affect daily life, work, and relationships? Write a speculative essay about the future of technology and its potential impacts on society.

A Meal from Around the World: Choose a traditional dish from any country or culture that you have never tried before. Describe what ingredients you think are in it, how it is prepared, and what it might taste like. Why are you interested in this dish? Explain the significance of exploring different cuisines and what they tell us about their cultures.

The Joy of Reading: Reflect on a book that has had a significant impact on your life. Describe the plot, the characters, and what you learned from it. How did it change your perspective or feelings? Write about the importance of reading and how books can influence our thoughts and emotions.

A World Without Cars: Imagine a world where cars don’t exist. How would this change the way cities are designed, how people travel, and the environment? What alternatives to cars might people use? Discuss the possible effects on society and the environment in a world without cars.

Designing Your Dream House: Think about what your ideal home would look like. Describe the style, the rooms, and any unique features it would have. Where would it be located? Explain why these features and the location make it your dream house.

The Impact of Social Media: Consider how social media has affected your life and the lives of those around you. What are the positives and negatives? How does it influence relationships, self-image, and communication? Write an essay analyzing the role of social media in modern society.

An Act of Kindness: Recall a time when someone did something kind for you, or when you did something kind for someone else. Describe the situation and how it made you feel. What was the impact of this act of kindness? Discuss the importance of kindness and its effects on people and communities.

Life on Another Planet: Imagine what life would be like if you lived on another planet. What would the environment be like? What kinds of creatures or plants might exist? How would you adapt to life there? Write a creative story about your daily life and adventures on this new planet.

Inventions That Changed the World: Think about an invention that has greatly impacted the world. It could be something like the internet, the car, or the telephone. Describe the invention and how it has changed the way people live. Explain why this invention is significant and how it has shaped modern society.

Founder and Chief Content Curator @ Digital Phrases

I'm a writer, words are my superpower, and storytelling is my kryptonite.

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

73 ESL Writing Activities

From a student’s point of view, writing assignments are something to dread.

But from an ESL teacher’s point of view, they should be a challenge worth accepting.

The challenge for you is to motivate your students enough to actually be excited about writing.

Sounds impossible? It’s actually quite simple.

The key is a strong pre-writing activity that boosts their confidence and adds to their vocabulary at the same time.

So, how do you get your students’ writing off to a great start?

In this post, we’ll look at some different ESL writing activities that will transform your students from hesitant writers to confident wordsmiths in their own right.

Writing Assignments Based on Stories

Writing activities prompted by music, writing practice exercises based on images or pictures, writing assignments based on food, writing activities based on mysteries, exercises to practice writing emails, activities to practice writing advertisements, assignments to practice writing reports, creative writing activity: class newsletter/newspaper.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

People of all ages love a well-told story, and using stories to teach ESL is a sure winner.

A story for a pre-writing activity could be in the form of:

• A  movie . It could be a biography, sci-fi film, thriller, action-packed adventure, fairy tale or even a cartoon.
• A  story read aloud from a book. If you’re using this, read in a way that brings the characters’ voices to life (including the narrator’s), hold the book up to show any pictures within or scan them and project onto a screen as you read. You can also search YouTube videos of famous authors or celebrities reading a book aloud, and show these in class.
• A  story from the news . It could be from the TV, radio, newspaper or an online news site .
• A story read by your students. In this case, you could let them read a story silently or with a partner, and take as long as they like to think about the important parts.

No matter what you choose, it’ll be a great lead-in to the ESL writing exercises below.

1. Re-tell the story as is, or summarize it. (This works best for beginners, who are still getting their feet wet in the waters of English comprehension.)

2. After watching “Finding Nemo” : Tell the story from the point of view of the whale, the dentist’s daughter or Bruce the shark.

3. Explain to Marlin how he should take care of Nemo better.

4. Make up a story about a farm animal/zoo animal/jungle animal. What if a baby ___ was lost? What if a child was lost in the city? What if you found a lost child?

5. After the story of “Goldilocks” : Tell the story from the baby bear’s point of view.

6. What if the baby bear and Goldilocks became best buds? What would happen?

7. After discussing “The Gingerbread Man” : Tell the story from the fox’s or gingerbread man’s point of view.

8. What did the old woman do wrong that made the gingerbread man run away?

9. How do you make a gingerbread man? What other shapes could be made instead?

10. After “Little Red Riding Hood” : Write the story in the first person—from the point of view of either Red Riding Hood or the wolf.

11. What should Red Riding Hood have done when she met the wolf?

12. After watching a “Lord of the Rings” movie: What would you do if you had the One Ring? Write about a magical quest you and several friends would have if you could.

13. After watching a “Pirates of the Caribbean”  movie: What if you were a pirate? What adventures would you have if you were a pirate?

14. After watching “Titanic” : Write about what you discover when you dive onto the wreck. Or imagine you were on the ship when it sank, and talk about how you escaped.

15. Whose fault was it that so many people drowned on the Titanic? What should they have done?

16. After watching a “Star Wars”  movie: Imagine you’re a space explorer and write about what happens when you meet some characters from “Star Wars.”

17. After watching a “Terminator”  movie: Imagine your teacher is a robot that has come back from the future. Or imagine you have come back from the future—what would it be like?

18. After watching a “Harry Potter” movie: Make up some magic spells and explain how you’d use them.

Everybody loves music! Watch your students’ faces light up as soon as they realize that they’re about to be treated to some songs rather than chalk-and-talk. Music stirs the emotions, after all, and can get your students excited about writing.

Here are some ideas for music you can incorporate into ESL writing activities:

• Classical music. There are some pieces of well-known classical music that specifically tell a story , and many of these are available on YouTube.
• “Fantasia 2000,” particularly “Rhapsody in Blue.” This wonderful, wordless animated story can kick off so much great writing!
• Movie music. The music that goes with a movie tells watchers how they should be feeling, and could be a good jumping-off point for some writing.
• Popular songs and music. Self-explanatory. Check out the most popular or trending artists on YouTube or Spotify for ideas.
• Kids’ songs . There’s something about singing a catchy little tune that makes the words stick in your mind more than just saying them. These can lead to some interesting writing, too.

19. After Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf” : Tell the story from Peter’s point of view.

20. After Saint-Saëns’ “The Carnival of the Animals” : Imagine walking through the scenes with the animals and interacting with them. Write a story from the point of view of one of the animals.

21. Describe the animals in “The Carnival of the Animals.”

22. After Tchaikovsky’s “Romeo and Juliet” : Re-tell this classic Shakespeare story, adding a twist.

23. After watching and listening to “Rhapsody in Blue” : Tell all/part of the story.

24. If you were the main character in “Rhapsody in Blue,” what would you do?

25. Listen to a piece of classical/instrumental music and tell the story that it might be a background to. Imagine that it’s the background music for a movie.

26. Tell the story (real or made up) behind some popular songs like Taylor Swift’s “Wildest Dreams.”

27. Describe meeting someone special like in the aforementioned Taylor Swift song.

28. What happens in your wildest dreams?

29. What if you were a famous pop star or musician? What would it be like? What would you do?

30. Give instructions on how to find your favorite song on the Internet, both music and lyrics.

31. If you play an instrument, or have a relative who plays one, write about some of the basics of how to play. (This could also work as a speaking and listening activity, and then the whole class could write about it.)

32. What is your favorite genre of music, and why? (Be sure to explain what “genre” means !)

33. Do you think young children should be allowed to freely watch music videos?

Some pictures you can use for ESL writing activities include:

• Pictures from social media. If you use social media at all, you doubtless have a barrage of amazing photos and videos on your feed, all of which make for excellent writing prompts.
• Pictures from Google Images . A quick Google search on any (classroom-safe) image will turn up plenty.
• Cartoons . If you have young students, they’ll definitely enjoy this one.
• Pictures selected by your students. Not sure what to choose? Have your students pick their own pictures to write about. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how vibrant their writing can be when they’re writing about subjects they actually care about.

Regardless of the picture you (or your students) choose, here are some writing prompts you can consider.

34. Tell a story—real or imagined—of what is happening in the picture.

35. Write about what happens next from the pictured moment.

36. Write about what was happening just before the pictured incident.

37. What if that was you in the picture?

38. What if you were the person who took the picture?

39. What if you knew the people in the picture? What would you say to them?

40. Describe all of the elements in the picture. This is great for vocabulary practice.

41. Describe how someone in the picture might be feeling.

42. Explain how to get into  a pictured predicament (for example, in the picture here , how did he get into the boat without the crocodile eating him?) as well as how to get out of it.

43. Express an opinion about the rights and wrongs of the pictured situation. For example, for the same picture above: Should crocodiles be hunted and killed? What should happen if a crocodile kills someone?

Many of your students likely enjoy thinking and talking about food. So why wouldn’t they be motivated to write about it?

How you integrate food into your ESL writing assignments depends on your classroom arrangements and the amount of time you’re willing to put into preparation.

In any case, here are some ideas:

• Start with the preparation and sharing of food before writing about it.
• Look at pictures of food, and talk about them before moving on to writing.
• Have students research food-related topics on the internet.
• Start with a story about food.

Here are the specific food writing prompts:

44. After the story of “The Gingerbread Man”: Think about food that develops a life of its own, and what would happen with it. (This can also open up a discussion about cultural foods.) For example, make up a similar story about another piece of food (e.g., spaghetti or rice that comes alive). What if you felt something moving in your mouth after you bit into your burger?

45. Write a story (real or imagined) about being very hungry and/or finding/buying/stealing food to meet a desperate need.

46. Write a story about trying a new, unfamiliar kind of food—maybe in a (relevant) cross-cultural setting.

47. Write a story about finding and eating a food that has magical properties. (Maybe read or watch some or all of “Alice in Wonderland”  first.)

48. Describe interesting/disgusting/unusual/delicious/colorful foods, especially after a class tasting lesson. (Prepare students first with suitable taste vocabulary .)

49. Describe a food that’s unfamiliar to most students in the class. (This is particularly helpful for classes where there are students belonging to minority groups who hesitate to speak up.)

50. Describe an imaginary magical food.

51. Give instructions for preparing a particular recipe.

52. After a class activity or demonstration involving food: Write down what you have learned.

53. Give instructions for producing food—growing vegetables, keeping animals, etc.

54. Give instructions for buying the best food—what to look for, looking at labels, checking prices and the like.

55. Write about your opinion on food and health in First World and Third World countries. (Explain what makes a country “First,” “Second” or “Third World” first.)

56. Write about your opinion on the cost of food.

57. Write about your opinion on GMOs or genetically engineered foods .

There’s nothing quite like a good “whodunnit,” and students will always enjoy a good puzzle. You can base various pre-writing activities around the two games below to get the class warmed up for ESL writing practice.

• Conundrum. This is an example of a game that can be played as a speaking and listening activity, and can lead into some good writing. The game starts with a simple statement or description of a situation like the ones described in situation puzzles . Students ask questions and receive yes/no answers until they work out the explanation for the situation.

After Conundrum, here are some of the activities your students can do:

58. Write a story about the sequence of events involved in a situation brought up in the game.

59. Devise and describe your own situation puzzle.

• Putting their hands inside a cloth bag (or just feeling the outside) to guess what an object is.
• Smelling substances in opaque jars with perforated lids, and trying to guess what they are.
• Tasting mystery foods on plastic spoons (with blindfolds).
• Looking at pictures of mysterious objects from obscure angles.
• Listening to and guessing the origins of sound effects. (You can record your own, or use some from the Internet .)

(Important: Make sure that whatever you’re using for your guessing game is safe for your students, especially if they involve having to touch, taste or smell the object.)

After a guessing game, your students can:

60. Write about a possible mystery object and a magical quality it could possess.

61. Describe what you thought you saw, heard, felt, tasted or smelled.

For both games, here are some writing prompts you can do:

62. Give instructions for playing one of the games.

63. Give instructions for the perfect crime.

64. Give your opinion about a recent crime and the punishment for it.

Emailing can often be a scary task for your students, especially if they’re using a new, strange language like English. You can utilize an email writing activity to help your students build confidence and get more comfortable writing in English.

Email can also teach your students things like proper language (formal or informal), structure and format. Email-related writing activities for ESL students can offer ample opportunities to teach all of these three aspects.

Since emails involve two parties (the sender and the receiver), you’ll need to pair your students up for this activity. Here’s how to prepare for it:

• Create one set of worksheets explaining details relevant to the sender. For example, it could contain information about a sender’s upcoming birthday party that they want to invite the receiver to.
• Create another set of worksheets with the receiver’s details. The worksheets could contain questions about food dishes or gifts, or it could say that the receiver can’t make it for one reason or other.

Once the above has been done, give one set of worksheets to the “senders” and the other to the “receivers.” Then, here’s what your students will do:

65. Based on the senders’ worksheets, write an email inviting the receiver and explaining the key aspects of the event featured in the worksheet.

66. Based on the receivers’ worksheets, write an email explaining why you can or cannot make it to the party, and/or what other information you need about the event.

Advertisements are everywhere, and you can bet that your students have a few favorite ads of their own. Advertisement-related writing activities work across age groups and can be adapted to most students and their needs.

This great ESL writing assignment can help your students put the adjectives they’ve learned into good use, as well as showcase their creative writing and persuasion skills.

You can find advertisements everywhere, including:

• YouTube videos
• Newspapers and magazines

You can also bring an object (or handful of objects) to class that your students can write ads about.

67. After your students carefully examine the object(s) you brought into class: Write all the adjectives you can think of about it.

68. For a more challenging writing exercise: Write an ad about the object. How would you persuade someone who knows nothing about the object whatsoever to buy it? (Your students may or may not use the adjectives they wrote down earlier. Encourage them to be creative!)

Your students have likely already done some kind of report during the course of their studies. Also, writing reports is a skill that’ll be useful to them once they enter college or the corporate world (if they aren’t in it already). If you feel that they need a little more practice in this area, use this ESL writing assignment.

First, discuss how research and structure matter to reports—and perhaps show them a few samples. Then, give them a few questions to base their reports on, like:

69. What can you say about (insert topic here) in terms of (insert specific angle here)? (For example, “What can you say about the government’s efforts to improve the local park in terms of its impact on the general public?” Of course, you should adapt this question to the level of your students.)

70. After talking about a YouTube video on bears eating salmon : What would happen to the bears if the salmon ran out? 

This ESL writing activity is a bit more intensive and will allow your students to employ many different aspects of their ESL knowledge. Crafting a class newsletter will build collaboration, communication, listening, speaking and, of course, writing skills. If they’re not sure how to build a newsletter or newspaper from scratch, they can always swipe from premade templates like this one .

The newsletter/newspaper can follow a specific theme, or the articles can consist of a hodgepodge of random topics based on questions like:

71. What is the most interesting thing that happened in school this year? It can be the funniest/scariest/most heartwarming incident. Write a feature article about it. (Make sure to explain what a “feature article” is .)

72. Write a report highlighting the key events in some recent local festivals or concerts.

73. Going off of the last exercise, write an ad inviting the reader to buy a product or attend an event.

Once all of the articles are done, you can start putting them together. Make sure to walk your students through these newspaper layout tips . And when the newsletter/newspaper is finally published and circulated out there for the world to see, remember to congratulate your students for a job well done!

No matter what writing assignments you choose, make sure to keep the excitement level high so that your students are enthusiastic for your next writing session.

Whether they write by hand or type on a computer, remember to encourage them as much as you can by focusing on the good points rather than just running all over their mistakes with a red pen.

Lastly, find ways for them to share their efforts—whether online, on the classroom wall, bound together in a book to be passed around, etc.

They can also read aloud to each other, share with their parents and siblings and even share with other classes!

For more ESL assignment ideas, check out this post: 

Great ESL homework ideas can be difficult to come up with. So check out these 13 great ideas for ESL homework assignments that your students will love. Not only are they…

Related posts:

Enter your e-mail address to get your free pdf.

We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe

Interesting Writing Prompts For ESL Students

10 August 2021 Guest posts

Just like speaking, reading, and listening, writing is an essential element of learning a language. That’s why it’s so important that ESL students pay special attention to their writing skills while teachers assess their progress.

Unarguably, the best way to learn and improve these very writing skills is through practice. The more a student practices writing, the better their skills will get. Consequently, teachers need to provide their students with opportunities to practice their writing – and this can be done with the help of interesting writing prompts.

Why Should You Use Writing Prompts?

Why exactly do you need to use writing prompts? In fact, do you need them at all? As mentioned earlier, writing can be improved through practice . If you decide to write about whatever comes to your mind, you can technically improve your writing. However, you will see better results if you write with more intention.

Using writing prompts poses a challenge to the students as these prompts make them think in a particular direction and try to phrase their thoughts in relation to the topic at hand. By choosing more and more complicated writing prompts every time, you (or your student, if you are a teacher) will gradually improve their writing skills.

Descriptive Writing Prompts

Instead of only using writing prompts of one type, it’s worth trying out a variety of writing prompts. Experts from the top rated research paper writing services explain, “Variety in the writing prompts you choose will help you develop different writing subskills. You should be able to describe as much as you should be able to argue your point.”

Hence, here are some descriptive writing prompts to start from:

• Describe your favorite place using as many details as possible. This can be anything from your childhood hideout to your writing desk to your family’s summer home.
• Pick and describe your favorite food. Focus on such characteristics as its taste, smell, look, and so on.
• Choose and describe your favorite activity, hobby, or passion. It could be anything from reading to swimming to going on picnics with friends.
• Write about your favorite fictional character or famous person. Describe their appearance, personality, accomplishments, and so on.
• Describe your most memorable holiday. It could be one you went on with friends or family or even alone.

Explanatory Writing Prompts

Another type of writing prompts you should try out are explanatory ones. While descriptive prompts only ask you to describe something, explanatory prompts urge you to go into more detail with your descriptions. Here are some explanatory prompts to try:

• Pick your favorite meal or food and explain how to make it by laying everything out in the form of step-by-step instructions.
• Think about your hometown, choose your favorite places around it, and give directions on how to get to each place.
• Explain how your favorite computer game works. Talk about the concept, the characters, the plot, the locations, the music, the functionality, and so on.
• Choose some kind of skill you have and explain how someone could learn to do it. For example, if you know how to create paper planes, explain how to do them.

Argumentative Writing Prompts

Experts from the best writing services reviews sites put it this way, “Descriptive and explanatory prompts ask you to be somewhat indifferent and take more of an objective stance on different topics. Argumentative prompts, on the other hand, ask you to take a subjective point of view and support your opinion with valid points.”

Here are some argumentative prompts to use:

• Choose your favorite book, movie, show, etc. and try to convince others to check it out by writing about it.
• Consider space exploration. Should money be spent on it? Write about your opinion on the matter and use relevant arguments to support it.
• What’s better: reading books or watching movies? Write about your opinion on the matter and use relevant arguments to support it.
• Should more people use public transport instead of cars or should more people get their own cars? Write about your opinion on the matter and use relevant arguments to support it.

Hypothetical Writing Prompts

Last but not least, there is one more type of prompts you will find useful – hypothetical. These prompts ask you to consider a particular situation and explore it through writing. Here are some hypothetical prompts to practice your writing:

• If you could change one thing about your own past, what would that thing be?
• If you could have any superpower, what would this superpower be and what would you do with it?
• If you could travel back in time, to which point in time would you travel and what would you do then?
• If you could meet any dead person, what would you do?
• If you one day won the lottery, how would you spend the money?
• If you had the power to solve one world issue (e.g. hunger, global warming), what would this be and how would the world change once the issue is solved?

Final Thoughts

All in all, writing prompts for ESL students are somewhat different from those native speakers get for practicing their writing skills. This is because ESL students are usually older when they study the same topics that native speakers study at a younger age.

That being said, by using the topics listed in this article, you will be able to provide ESL students with the most interesting writing prompts. Or, if you are a student, you will be able to practice your writing skills either on your own or with the guidance of your teacher. ESLstarter offers a wide variety of TEFL jobs so see where you can go with TEFL and put those skills into practice!

Previous post: How To Teach The Basics Of Writing to ESL Students

• Features (34)
• Guest posts (37)
• Argentina (10)
• Colombia (6)
• Ecuador (2)
• Hong Kong (5)
• Thailand (15)
• Vietnam (5)

Teach English in Beijing

Hiring now for top English language school teaching positions in Beijing city 🚀

English for Ukrainian refugees

Support Ukrainian refugees by teaching English online 💚

• Argentina TEFL Internship
• Cambodia TEFL Internship
• Colombia TEFL Internship
• Costa Rica TEFL Internship
• China 2-Month TEFL Internship
• Explore China Program
• Hong Kong TEFL Internship
• India TEFL Internship
• Japan TEFL Internship
• Korea TEFL Internship
• Laos TEFL Internship
• Madagascar TEFL Internship
• Romania TEFL Internship
• Sichuan TEFL Internship
• Spain TEFL Internship
• Thailand TEFL Internship
• Vietnam TEFL Internship
• USA Internship - Au Pair
• Cover Supervisor Jobs UK
• Teaching Assistant Jobs UK
• Primary Teaching Jobs UK
• Secondary Teaching Jobs UK
• Permanent Teaching Jobs UK
• SEN Teaching Jobs UK
• Education Recruiter Jobs UK
• TA Jobs Birmingham
• TA Jobs Leicester
• TA Jobs Liverpool
• TA Jobs London
• TA Jobs Manchester
• TA Jobs Nottingham
• TA Jobs Sheffield

From the blog

How English Classes Bring Hope to Ukrainian Refugees

In a heartwarming testament to the power of language and connection during times of crisis, a TEFL UK...

Is the TEFL Affiliate Program right for me?

A TEFL Affiliate Program can sound like an exciting incentive – but is that clever marketing or a...

September Special is here,  30% OFF 170-Hour TEFL Qualification ! Use Code: SEPTTEFL170, ending Sep 30th. Study Online. Accepted Worldwide. Book Today. 

6 Creative Writing Activities for the ESL Classroom

03 June 2021 • Guest posts , Tips

The ESL classroom is a place where students learn, develop their language skills, and use their creativity and imagination. Learning a language is a process that requires different types of activities to be involved, for the student to truly progress. That’s why ESL students deal with speaking, reading, listening, and writing activities interchangeably. And, it’s the teacher’s job to make these activities as engaging and useful as possible.

When it comes to creative writing, teachers should look for creative activities that will keep the students interested and present. To help you give your students the best possible learning experience, we've put together a list of 6 creative writing activities for the ESL classroom. Check them out below.

1. Group Story Writing

If you have a classroom of reluctant writers, you might want to kick things off with a group exercise. Divide students into groups so that they can work together and help each other out.

Group story writing is a fun exercise that your students will love. All you need is an interesting picture showing something amusing and inspiring for each group. Once you give them the picture, ask them to:

• - name the characters from the picture
• - decide on their relationship
• - come up with a story about the things happening in the picture e.g. why are they there, what are they talking about, how are they feeling…

Ask the students to take turns pitching ideas, and have one student in the group take notes. Once they define all the details, ask them to write a story based on the ideas they've previously shared.

Group work can be a challenge, but if you instruct it properly, your students will enjoy working together.

2. Five-Sentence Stories

To have your students engage in a writing task, you don't need to have them write a two-page essay. Exercises that seem simple can actually help them work harder and truly activate their language skills.

A five-sentence story is an exercise that requires the following:

• - the students work individually
• - they have 10 minutes to come up with a story
• - the story needs to have an introduction, a climax, and an ending
• - the story needs to be exactly five sentences long

The teacher can either provide a topic or let it be completely up to the students.

The students will struggle to summarize their entire idea into five sentences and will have to use all the language skills and knowledge they have. Plus, they'll enjoy listening to each other's fun short stories and seeing how everyone did.

3. Finish The Story

The following exercise is great for pair work since it can engage language-speaking separately from written assignments. Finish the story is quite simple:

• - provide each pair of students with a beginning of a story
• - it can be a newspaper article, a fairy tale, a letter, an email, or anything the students find interesting
• - ask them to read it
• - ask them to write the rest of the story and finish it the way they think it should finish

The students will be provided with a writing style sample that they'll need to follow and respect. They'll need to be imaginative and creative to finish the story with a bang and amuse the rest of the classroom.

4. Simplify the Text

This idea comes from HubSpot’s article “How to Train Your Brain to Write More Concisely” and their exercise Rewrite Wikipedia Paragraphs. While you don’t have to use Wikipedia as the source of exercise materials, you can use the same principles since it’s engaging and fun for the students.

Here's what you need to do:

• - give your students a piece of content
• - try choosing something they’re interested in and will enjoy reading
• - ask them to read the whole text
• - ask them to reduce it by 50%

So, if you gave them a 1200-word article about sustainability, ask them to reduce it to a 600-word article, without losing any important information.

This will teach them to write concisely and avoid redundancy, which is a key skill they'll need for business writing, college papers, case studies, or motivational letters. You can order case study writing online and use it as another writing resource for your EFL students, teaching them about research, investigation, and organizing information.

5. Chain Writing

Another great way to engage students in a group writing activity is to have them write a chain story together. Chain stories will have students enjoy their time spent in the ESL classroom, collaborating with their peers and working on a fun project together.

The principle is simple:

• - the teacher takes a blank piece of paper and writes a writing prompt on it
• - it can be anything that will get the story going, e.g. “It was dark and Jack was scared.” or “The sun was setting behind the hills.”
• - The teacher passes the paper to the next student in line and asks them to add a sentence.
• - Once they finish, they pass the paper on.

This can go on in circles until the story is finished and ready to be presented. Ask one of the students from the group to read the story and show the rest of the class the result of their group work.

6. Monologue Writing

Your EFL classroom must use diverse writing activities that allow students to constantly grow. Writing a monologue is a unique chance for them to exercise first-person writing and use their wittiness and creativity.

The teacher should first provide monologue examples for students to explore. Then, they’ll assign a character to each student. It could be:

• - a famous person
• - a former president
• - a made-up person
• - a member of the student’s family

The student needs to write a brief monologue and give this person a chance to speak up. They'll need to take care of the perspective and think of the exact words this person would use.

Final Thoughts

Creative writing is important for your students’ overall ESL skills, and you find the activities that will help them improve. The 6 creative exercises listed above will help you focus on the area of creative writing your students need help with the most.

Use this list as guidance or inspiration to make every ESL lesson successful.

Author’s bio. Jessica Fender is a professional writer and educational blogger. Jessica enjoys sharing her ideas to make writing and learning fun.

Previously: 5 Reasons To Love Studying

• Argentina (1)
• Ecuador (1)
• Guest posts (11)
• Thailand (2)
• Vietnam (2)
• Teach English abroad without a degree (1)
• Where to teach English abroad (1)
• Teach in Japan (2)

5 Minute English

ESL Writing Magic: Creative Prompts for Language Mastery

Language learning is not just about grammar and vocabulary; it’s also about expression, creativity, and cultural understanding. For students learning English as a Second Language (ESL), creative writing can be a particularly valuable tool. It encourages them to use English in a more flexible and imaginative way, beyond the confines of structured language lessons.

The Importance of Creative Writing in ESL

Creative writing in the ESL context does more than just improve writing skills. It enables students to express their thoughts, emotions, and experiences, fostering a deeper engagement with the language. This engagement is crucial for language acquisition, as it promotes a more natural and intuitive use of English.

Moreover, creative writing can be a fun and interactive way to learn, making it an excellent tool for teachers to keep students motivated. When students are interested and invested in what they are writing, they are more likely to persist in their language learning journey.

How to Use Writing Prompts Effectively

Before diving into the prompts, here are some tips on how to use them effectively:

• Encourage Personalization: Allow students to bring their own experiences and perspectives into their writing. This personal connection can make the activity more meaningful and enjoyable.
• Foster an Environment of Openness: Create a classroom atmosphere where students feel comfortable sharing their work. This can build confidence and a sense of community among learners.
• Provide Structure, But Not Too Much: While some guidance is necessary, especially for beginners, give students the freedom to be creative. Avoid over-correcting; focus instead on the content and creativity of their work.
• Incorporate Peer Review: Encourage students to read and provide feedback on each other’s work. This not only helps them learn from their peers but also develops critical thinking and editing skills.

Creative Writing Prompts

Now, let’s explore some creative writing prompts suitable for ESL students at various levels.

Beginner Level

• My Favorite Place: Describe your favorite place in the world. What does it look like? What can you do there? Why do you love it?
• A Day in the Life: Write about a typical day in your life. What do you do from the moment you wake up until you go to bed?
• The Magical Object: Imagine you found an object that has magical powers. What is it? What powers does it have? Write a story about a day with this object.

Intermediate Level

• The Unforgettable Journey: Write a story about a journey, real or imagined. Where did you go? What did you see? How did it make you feel?
• A Letter to a Friend: Write a letter to a friend explaining an important event in your life recently. Describe your feelings and why it was significant.
• The Alternate Ending: Choose a book or movie you know well. Write an alternate ending for it. How would you change the story?

Advanced Level

• A Different Perspective: Write a story from the perspective of an animal or an inanimate object. How does the world look through their eyes?
• The Future World: Imagine the world 100 years from now. What has changed? What remains the same? Write a story set in this future world.
• The Poetic Challenge: Write a poem about a complex emotion like love, fear, or excitement. Use metaphors and similes to express your thoughts.

Integrating Prompts into the ESL Curriculum

These prompts can be adapted and integrated into the ESL curriculum in various ways. Here are some suggestions:

• Regular Writing Assignments: Incorporate writing prompts into regular homework or classwork. This regular practice helps students develop their writing skills over time.
• Collaborative Writing Projects: Use prompts for group writing projects. This encourages collaboration and idea sharing among students.
• Writing Workshops: Organize workshops where students can work on their writing in a supportive environment. Offer guidance and feedback to help them improve.
• Multimedia Presentations: Encourage students to present their writing in creative ways, such as through short videos, audio recordings, or digital storytelling. This adds an extra layer of skill-building and engagement.

Cultivating a Love for Language Through Creative Writing

The beauty of creative writing lies in its ability to transform the mundane into the extraordinary. For ESL students, this transformation can be a gateway to not only mastering the language but also developing a lasting appreciation for it.

Encouraging Personal Expression

Creative writing encourages students to explore their own identities and experiences, a process that can be especially meaningful for those adapting to a new language and culture. By writing about their own lives, students can find their voice in English, which is essential for building confidence and fluency.

Using Creative Writing to Explore Cultural Differences

ESL students often come from diverse cultural backgrounds. Creative writing can be a powerful tool for exploring and sharing these cultural differences. Prompts that encourage students to write about their traditions, festivals, or everyday life in their home countries can not only improve their English skills but also enrich the cultural tapestry of the classroom.

Incorporating Technology in Creative Writing

In our digital age, integrating technology into creative writing activities can enhance the learning experience for ESL students. Here are a few ideas:

• Blogging: Encourage students to start a blog where they can publish their writings. This gives them a sense of audience and can motivate them to write more carefully and thoughtfully.
• Digital Storytelling Tools: Utilize tools like Adobe Spark or Storybird to allow students to create digital stories, combining text with images and audio. This multi-modal approach can be particularly engaging for younger learners.
• Online Collaborative Writing: Platforms like Google Docs can enable students to collaborate on writing projects in real-time, fostering teamwork and peer learning.

Challenges and How to Overcome Them

While creative writing can be a valuable tool in ESL education, it can also present challenges. Students may feel insecure about their language skills or struggle to come up with ideas. Here are some strategies to help overcome these challenges:

• Build Confidence Gradually: Start with simpler prompts and gradually move to more complex ones as students become more comfortable with writing.
• Encourage Brainstorming: Before writing, have a brainstorming session where students can share ideas and get inspired by their peers.
• Provide Vocabulary Support: Offer lists of useful words and phrases related to the writing prompts to help students expand their vocabulary.
• Emphasize the Process, Not Just the Product: Make sure students understand that the value of creative writing lies in the process of thinking and writing, not just in the final product.

Creative writing in ESL education is not just about teaching language; it’s about opening doors to new worlds of imagination and expression. By carefully selecting and utilizing writing prompts, teachers can help students not only improve their English skills but also gain confidence, cultural awareness, and a love for creative expression.

In conclusion, creative writing is an invaluable component of ESL education. It enables students to explore new dimensions of the English language, express themselves in diverse and imaginative ways, and build important skills that extend far beyond the classroom. As educators, our goal should be to foster this creative spirit, guiding our students as they discover the joys and possibilities of writing in English.

Related Posts

• Learning Resources
• For Teachers

40 ESL Essay Writing Topics + Prompts

By VIPKid  |  April 20, 2018

Ready to start teaching English online?

Writing ESL essay writing is hard for most students and many will struggle at first before learning to write well.

However, writing skills are a crucial part of learning a new language . 

In this piece, we’ll share some ESL writing prompts and ESL essay topics for five different kinds of essays. They should help your students develop their grammar and vocabulary skills  while teaching them how to write coherently.

(While they work for all kinds of students, we’ve found these topics are especially handy for  teaching English to kids .) 

Writing practice should never be boring! When you’re done this article, check out the 10 most engaging writing activities here .

Descriptive ESL Writing Topics

• Describe your favorite place in as much detail as possible.
• Describe your favorite fictional character in as much detail as possible.
• Describe a famous person – e.g. a singer or athlete – that you admire. Focus on both their appearance and personality traits.
• Describe a family member or your best friend  as detailed as possible. Discuss how they look and their personality.  
• Choose a  hobby or favorite activity  and describe why and how you do it. 
• Describe your most memorable holiday or vacation spot in as much detail as possible.
• Describe a photo or work of art in as much detail as possible.
• Pick your favorite food . Describe what you taste, smell, and sense while eating or drinking it. 

Earn up to $22 an Hour Teaching English from Home

Explanatory ESL Essay Topics

• Give directions for getting from one point to another . For example, how to get from your home to your school. Describe the landmarks someone might see along the way.
• Explain how to cook your favorite meal . Provide a recipe and the step-by-step instructions.
• Explain your favorite computer game . What should a player do to win? What are some playing tips?
• Explain what you would do if your friends show up at your house unexpectedly . Say how you would entertain them. 
• Explain how to make a bed . This task is seemingly simple but allows you to write about everyday habits you might never think through in detail. 
• Explain how to make a paper airplane . Again, this task has many precise, technical details that that should be included in the essay. 
• Explain how to brush your teeth . Try to make your essay about a seemingly mundane task more interesting. 
• Explain how to pack a suitcase when going on a holiday. List out all the objects and pieces of clothing you would bring. 

ESL Essays Topics to Practice Verb Tenses

• Talk about a time in the past when you had to make a difficult decision . Explain what you did and why.
• Describe your dream place to live . Why would you want to live there? What would you do?
• Write about three specific goals  you want to achieve this year. Explain how you are going to achieve them.
• Write about something you regret having done . Point out what could have happened if you had not made that decision.
• Describe the world 100 years from now . Describe how people live, and new inventions and also the things that will not change.
• Talk about your earliest memory . What happened? How well do you remember the events?
• Write a short essay about how you prepared for class . Now “translate” that essay into future tense. In other words, the essay should say how you plan to prepare for class.  

Argumentative ESL Essay Topics

• Are smartphones good or bad? Give some arguments to support your position.
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of public schools and private schools ?
• What is your favorite book or movie ? Convince others, through your essay, to read or watch it. 
• Is it the case that the more people that have cars, the better? What are some advantages and disadvantages of public transit ? 
• Should money be spent on space exploration ? Give arguments to support your opinion.
• You’re the mayor of your town or city. Explain in an essay your recent decision to ban smoking . Then, from another person’s perspective, write a letter to the mayor protesting this new law. 
• Reading books vs. watching movies . Which do you prefer and why?
• What are the pros and cons of e-readers compared to paper books?

Hypothetical ESL Essay Topics

• What would you do if you were late for an important class?
• What would you do if your car got a flat tire on the highway?
• If you had the power to change one thing about your past, what would it be?
• If you had the power to alter  one major historical event , what would it be?
• If you could take any superhero’s powers , who would be your choice?
• How would you feel if, one day, you woke up 300 years in the past ?
• What would you do if you won the lottery ? Would your life change day-to-day?

Some General ESL Essay Tips

When checking ESL essays, pay attention to the following key points:

• Grammar. The ESL essay should be grammatically correct.
• Vocabulary. The more new vocabulary the essay contains, the more points it will get.
• Text flow. The text of the essay should flow logically and naturally. Pay attention to the use of connecting words and phrases. These include first of all , secondly , moreover , in addition , besides , finally , on the one hand, on the other hand , and as a result .
• Sticking to the topic. Some essay writers tend to deviate from ESL essay topics. However, a perfect ESL essay should stay as close to the point as possible.

A good essay typically has the following parts:

• An introduction . Here, the author gives some general information about the topic or lays out their argument. An effective intro entices readers to read further. 
• The body . In an argumentative essay, the body could be 2 to 3 paragraphs. Each should introduce their arguments and support them with examples. In other types of essays, the content may vary. For example, the body may include descriptions, explanations, or personal stories.
• Conclusion . The author should logically conclude or summarize their thoughts and arguments.

How Do You Teach Writing?

It doesn’t matter if you teach English online or if you’re a classroom teacher, we want to know about your  teaching styles.  Do you use writing prompts,  games and activities, or something else entirely?

Earn $15-22 an hour Teaching English from Home

Share This Story

Related Articles

Tips to Help Increase Your VIPKid Class Bookings

If you're looking to increase your class bookings with VIPKid, look no further! We have 6 tips to help get you more classes.

June 10, 2021

How to Prepare for Your VIPKid Interview: 18 Dos and Don’ts

Finally, a play-by-play on How to Prepare for Your VIPKid Interview. We’ve broken down 18 Dos and Don’ts for the hiring process, what to expect, and how to Wow the interviewers!

May 13, 2021

How to Improve Reading Comprehension When Teaching English

VIPKid Teacher Nichole, a reading specialist with more than 20 years of teaching experience discusses her tips Improve Reading Comprehension.

May 4, 2021

By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies . You can change your cookie settings at any time.

Lanternfish ESL

Creative Writing Worksheets and Teaching Resources

This is a collection of free, printable creative writing prompts for teaching ESL.

Creative Writing Prompts

These creative writing worksheets can can be used both in class or as weekly homework assignments. We are always looking for more contributions so if you have an idea please send it to us. Eventually all of the story starters will be turned into worksheets and posted here.

The Secret Passage

The students take a field trip to an Egyptian pyramid and find a secret undiscovered passage within.

Brueghel' Painting

Students visit an art gallery and watch a painting by Brueghel come alive.

The students find a mysterious tunnel in the forest and follow it to find what is inside.

The Tricksters in the Tree

The students overhear a group of tricksters plotting to trick them and decide to turn the tables.

Fairies in Danger

A group of forest creatures in danger because of development. The students have to help them out.

Superpowers for a Day

Students imagine what they would do if they had superpowers for a day.

Talking to the Animals

Students imagine if they had the powers of Dr. Doolittle and could talk to animals.

A mysterious portal appears to another world. But where does it lead?

The Villain

A diabolical villain poisons the hero and forces the hero to do the villains bidding.

The Letter from Afar

Students imagine their trip to a far away exotic land and write a letter home.

The Shadow from the Depths

A mysterious shadow from the depths of the ocean swims under the ship.

The Time Machine

Where would you go if you had a time machine?

The Invisibility Potion

What would you do if you had an invisibility potion?

The Water Molecule

You are a molecule of water travelling through the water cycle. Describe your journey.

The Alien School

Ack! You discover your teacher is actually an alien.

A dark cavern in a mountain. What mystery lies within?

Beware of Humans

Changing perspective. Imagine you were a crocodile. What would you tell your children about humans?

Settlers on Mars

Imagine you were a settler on Mars. What challenges would you face?

The Voice from the Box

There is a box on the table and you hear a voice within. Do you open the box?

The Door Guard

You have to get past the door but the guard is in the way. What do you do?

The Old Lamp

You find an old lamp and rub it. ... What do you wish for?

The Strange Machine

There is a strange machine in your uncle's attic. But what does it do?

The Padlocked Chest

Why is the chest locked? Will you open it?

The Shrinking Potion

What would you do if you had a potion that allowed you to shrink?

The Petsitter

It seemed like easy money until you actually saw the pet.

The Wings of Icarus

Students find an old pair of wings on the island of Crete.

The Labors of Heracles

What chores would you make your siblings do if you had some compromising information on them?

The Greek God Election

Every Greek city had their patron gods. Imagine you were a Greek God. How would you get elected to be patron good of a city?

A Letter from Afar

Students write a letter home describing what they are doing on their travels.

What are these gnomes doing in the park? Students follow them and find out.

How to Care for You Dragon 1

How do you care for a dragon? Version 1.

How to Care for You Dragon 2

How do you care for a dragon? Version 2

How to Care for You Dinosaur 1

How do you care for a dinosaur? Version 2

How to Care for You Dinosaur 2

Planet pollutonia.

You are elected governor of Pollutonia. How do you clean it up?

Planet Criminolia

You are elected governor of Criminolia. How do stop the crime?

The Footprints in the Sand

A strange set of footprints are in the sand. Follow them to find out what made them.

Future School

What will school be like in the future?

The Door in the Woods

A mysterious door in a tree in the woods. Open it and find out where it goes.(sent in by Katelyn)

You decide you are going to pull the greatest prank ever.

A mysterious seed with a sign that says: Do not plant. Ever! What do you do?

The Lephrechaun's Gold

How are you going to trap the leprechaun and get its gold.

The Island of Dr. Moreau

You are a mad scientist creating new animals. What do you create?

The Evil Scientist

You follow an evil scientist into a dark room and can't forget what you saw. (sent in by Curt Winstead)

The Last Tree

All the trees are gone but one. . . (Sent in by Katie Seafield)

Sports Creative Writing

In goal for the rockets.

Students are mistakenly put into net for the Rockets.

The Monster Match

When the students get out onto the field, they find out that the other team are behemoths.

Minutes to Go: Socccer

Students write about a close game of soccer.

Minutes to Go: Baseball

Students write about a close game of baseball.

Minutes to Go: Hockey

Students write about a close game of hockey.

Christmas Creative Writing

Saving santa.

Santa is stuck in a chimney. Who will save Christmas?

Candycane Mystery

Who stole all the stripes on the candycanes?

Elves on Strike

The elves are striking for better pay and working conditions.

Fall and Halloween Creatie Writing

Are you a witch.

Students design a test to see if someone is a witch.

Are you a Werewolf?

Students design a test to see if someone is a werewolf.

Are you a Vampire?

Students design a test to see if someone is a vampire.

The Haunted House

Students complete a story about ending up at a haunted house on Halloween.

Those Pesky Crows

How are going to keep those pesky crows out of your crops?

The Best ESL Writing Games and Activities.

ESL teacher are always looking for innovative ways to enhance your students’ writing skills?

Whether you’re teaching young beginners or advanced adult learners, these writing games are perfect for adding a fun twist to your ESL curriculum.

The Best ESL Games and Activities – 4 Booklets in 1

17 of the Best ESL Writing Games and Activities.

We have given full breakdown for these writing games and activities in each section including resources, numbers and time to play to help you speed up and make sure if these games suit your class and students.

1. Story Starters

Description of story starters esl writing game :.

Distribute different story starters to each student.

2. Group Story Writing

Overview : Group Story Writing fosters collaboration and creativity. Each student contributes a sentence to a communal story, passing it around the classroom.

Description of Group Story Writing ESL Writing Game :

The paper is then passed to the next student, who adds their own sentence.

3. Writing Prompts Jar

Overview : The Writing Prompts Jar is an engaging way to inspire writing. Students pick a prompt from a jar and write a short piece based on it.

Description of Writing Prompts Jar ESL Writing Game :

They then write a short story , poem, or descriptive piece based on the prompt.

4. Picture-Inspired Writing

Overview : Picture-Inspired Writing uses visual stimuli to spark creativity. Students write a story or description based on an image.

Description of Picture-Inspired Writing ESL Writing Game :

Students write a narrative, poem, or descriptive piece inspired by their image.

5. Dialogue Development

Description of dialogue development esl writing game :.

This game enhances understanding of conversational language and the nuances of spoken communication.

6. Postcard Writing

Description of postcard writing esl writing game :.

Students choose a real or imaginary destination they’ve ‘visited.’

7. Word Limit Stories

Overview : Word Limit Stories challenge students to create a story using exactly a set number of words, such as 50 or 100. This game enhances precision in language use and creativity within constraints.

Description of Word Limit Stories ESL Writing Game :

Students write a short story that precisely meets the word count requirement.

8. Haiku and Poetry Creation

Description of Haiku and Poetry Creation ESL Writing Game :

Encourage them to focus on imagery, emotion, and brevity.

This game is great for practicing syllable counting and creative expression in a structured format.

9. Two Perspectives Writing

Description of two perspectives writing esl writing game :.

It’s an excellent exercise for exploring narrative voice, character development, and the subjectivity of experience.

10. Email Exchange

Description of email exchange esl writing game :.

Assign each student or pair a specific scenario for their email.

11. Diary Entry

Overview : Diary Entry encourages students to write a diary entry from the perspective of a character from a book or a historical figure, enhancing creativity and empathy.

Description of Diary Entry ESL Writing Game :

They write a diary entry from that person’s perspective, reflecting on a day or a significant event in their life.

12. Descriptive Writing Challenge

Description of descriptive writing challenge esl writing game :.

Other students can guess what is being described, adding an interactive element to the exercise.

13. Instructional Writing

Description of instructional writing esl writing game :.

Emphasis is on clarity, sequence, and the use of imperative sentences.

14. Sequencing Writing Game

Description of sequencing writing game esl writing game :.

This game encourages students to think about story structure, cause and effect, and chronological order in writing.

15. Role Play Writing

Description of role play writing esl writing game :.

Assign each student or pair a character or role.

This game enhances creative writing skills and the ability to write from different perspectives.

16. Acrostic Poems

Description of acrostic poems esl writing game :.

Assign each student a word or let them choose one related to a current theme or topic.

Students write an acrostic poem where each line starts with a letter from the word.

17. Collaborative Writing Blog

Overview : Starting a class blog where students contribute posts on various topics is an excellent way for them to practice writing in a real-world context. It enhances their ability to express ideas clearly and coherently.

Description of Collaborative Writing Blog ESL Writing Game :

Topics can range from personal experiences to opinions on current events.

This activity also allows for peer feedback and collaborative editing.

Don’t Forget you can access the pages for all our ESL games and activities from the links below or click on the image to download them all in one PDF file for $2.99 or the price of a coffee ( a good coffee we admit! )

Further Writing Games and Activities

Share this:, making english fun, similar posts, can chatgpt replace teachers, what is the past tense of beat, patchwork: engage study activate teaching method, what is culturally responsive teaching, free printable grade 1 sight word worksheet – “just”, english tenses sentence example generator., always welcome thoughts and comments, new blogs can be lonely cancel reply.

Check out our Premium Products in the shop today Dismiss

Discover more from Making English Fun

ESL Activities

ESL Games, Activities, Lesson Plans, Jobs & More

ESL Writing Activities, Games, Worksheets & Lesson Plans

If you’re teaching writing and are looking for some of the best ESL writing activities, along with worksheets, lesson plans and more then you’re in the right place. Keep on reading for everything you need to know about teaching English writing.

ESL writing exercises and games

Let’s check out the top ESOL writing exercises and activities to consider trying out with your students.

ESL Writing Activities and Games for All Ages

Are you ready to get into the ESL writing exercises? Then let’s get to the best English writing ideas. Also, check out some great writing prompts ideas to use in your writing lesson.

Please enable JavaScript

#1: 3 Things ESL Writing Activity

I’m ALL about simple and easy for writing activities in emergency situations when you don’t have a lot of time to prep. 3 Things is ideal because it requires nothing except a pen and paper and also requires no prep time.

The way it works is that students think of 3 random things. Then, they give those words to a partner who has to write a short story using them. It can be serious or silly and kind of depends on the words chosen.

Do you want to give it a try with your students? Check out all the details here: 3 Things English Writing Activity .

#2: Journaling for English Learners

When I teach ESL writing classes, I always have students keep a journal. It can either be with pen and paper or online. It’s a fun way for students to work on writing fluency and have some freedom to write about topics they want to write about, not just the ones that I assign.

If you want to see how I set up this ESL writing exercise, check out the following: Journaling for ESL Students . It makes a nice free write activity.

#3: Postcards ESOL Writing Exercise

If you’re looking for a simple, fun ESL writing activity, then you may want to consider having your students write some postcards. Ideally, you could get your hands of a stack of blank, unused postcards. But, if not, students can design their own and then trade with someone else who can fill in the back.

Learn more about this fun writing activity here: ESL Postcard Writing Activity .

#4: A to Z Alphabet Game

Remember that writing is more than a 5-paragraph essay. It’s any time a student is writing something, even one word. With that in mind, you may want to try out this ESL writing game for beginners.

The way it works is that you name a topic. Jobs or animals for example. Then, students have to think of one word for each letter. I give my students a certain amount of time and the team with the most words is the winner.

Do you want to give this writing activity for beginners a try? Check it out here: A-Z ESL Writing Activity .

#5: Conjunctions and Transitions

Words like but, so, and, however, etc. are key in English writing because they join ideas, sentences and paragraphs together. This makes writing easier to understand and helps it to flow better. Even beginners can learn about using things like and or but.

Here are some of the ideas for teaching these words: ESL Conjunction and Transition Activities .

• Amazon Kindle Edition
• Bolen, Jackie (Author)
• English (Publication Language)
• 85 Pages - 02/02/2020 (Publication Date)

#6: Whiteboard Games for ESL Writing Practice 

I don’t know why, but students really love to write on the whiteboard. There are a ton of relay type ESL writing activities that you can do. Here are some of the best ones:

ESL Whiteboard Activities .

#7: Dictogloss ESOL Writing Exercise

If you want to challenge your students with some serious listening and writing, then consider this dictogloss ESL activity. The way it works is that you find a passage or write one at an appropriate level for your students.

Then, put the student into pairs and read out the passage at a slightly faster pace than normal. Students have to take notes and then attempt to recreate what they heard by writing. Read the passage again and students add to what they have. Finally, they can compare their version with the original one.

Do you want to give it a try? Read this first: Dictogloss ESL Writing and Listening Activity .

#8: How to Teach English Writing to Beginners

Back when I did the CELTA course, my tutor told me that writing doesn’t have to be a 5 paragraph essay. It can actually be any time the students are writing something in English. With this in mind, here are some of the best activities for absolute beginners to English writing:

Teaching ESL Writing to Beginners .

#9: Fill out an Application Form

One very practical writing activity that we can do with our students is getting them to fill out an application form. If they plan on living in an English speaking country, they’ll certainly have to do this. And, there’s often some very specific vocabulary and expected answers that you can help them with.

More details here: ESL Writing Application Form .

#10: Sentence Structure Activities

Try out these activities to give students some ESL writing practice opportunities.

In speaking, our students can sometimes get away without having great sentence structure. This is because people often speak in sentence fragments and rarely in full sentences.

However, in writing, sentence structure is key and vital to helping our students get their ideas across on paper. Here are some of the best activities to help our students practice this:

ESL Sentence Structure Games and Activities .

ESL writing games and activities

#11: Is that Sentence Correct?

A simple reading and writing activity is this one that focuses on error correction. The way it works is that you make some sentences, some of which have errors and some that do not. Students have to decide which ones are incorrect and them correct them. It’s ideal for review at the end of class or the beginning of the next one.

Learn more about this writing activity here: ESL Error Correction Activity .

#12: Proof-Reading and Editing

A key part of writing well is proof-reading and editing. Everyone does it, even professional writers! Instead of the students relying on me to correct their errors for them, I like to teach them do to edit their own work. It’s a key skill in the writing process but often overlooked by many English teachers.

Check out this activity for helping students with this writing skill: ESL Proofreading and Editing .

• 146 Pages - 06/18/2020 (Publication Date)

Spending some time working on self-editing skills, instead of relying on the teacher-editing model is a nice way to improve student autonomy in English writing classes.

#13: Focus on Fluency Activity

Many ESL writing textbooks (and teachers too) focus on accuracy in English writing at the expense of fluency. However, both are needed if students are to become proficient in English essay writing. After all, no employer is going to appreciate an employee who can write a simple, but perfect email in half a day! Most would expect it to happen in a few minutes. But, this nice free write activity helps students with writing more quickly.

Check out this ESOL writing exercise to help our students out with this: Fluency ESL Writing Activity .

#14: How to Teach ESL Writing on the Let’s Talk TEFL Podcast

#15: word association.

I like to use this quick writing activity if I know that students have studied the topic of the day before. For example, jobs and weather are very common in almost all ESL textbooks and if students are at a high-beginner or intermediate level, I guarantee that they already know some of these vocabulary items.

You can find out how to do it right here: ESL Word Association Activity .

#16 : ESL Surveys

I love to use surveys in my classes. They are a super versatile activity that covers all 4 skills, including writing. It’s also easy to make a survey for just about any topic or grammar point. See why I love them so much?

If you want to know more, then you’ll want to check this out: TEFL Surveys.

• Smith, Jennifer Booker (Author)
• 144 Pages - 03/31/2016 (Publication Date)

#17: Opinion Activities and Games

Opinion essays are a classic writing activity for both English learners and students in high school or university. That’s why I like to give my students some chances to practice writing and supporting their opinions in my classes. Do you want to try out some of the best ones? You can find out all the details right here:

ESL Opinion Activities .

#18: Parts of Speech Activities for ESL

English writing is ALL about parts of speech. After all, if you don’t know where the verb, subject, object, adjectives and adverbs go, how can you have any chance of making a coherent English sentence? It’s nearly impossible!

That’s why I like to do some worksheets and practice with my students related to this. If you want to try it out too, here are some of the best ideas:

ESL Parts of Speech Activities .

Top 17 ESL writing games and activities

#19: Spelling Challenge Game

Spelling is an important, but often neglected part of writing. In my opinion, it’s worth spending some classroom time on and one way to do that is with this word challenge game. Because it’s done on the whiteboard, it’s ideal for smaller classes.

Want to find out what it’s all about? You can right here: ESL Spelling Challenge Activity.

#20: Dictation 

A nice TEFL writing activity that you might want to try out is dictation. It covers not only writing, but also listening, spelling, punctuation, grammar and vocabulary in a big way. Is it obvious why I like it so much?

Try it out with your students today. Learn more here: ESL Dictation Writing Activity .

#21: Write an Interesting Story in English

It can be fun to get students to write their own stories in English. Check out these 6 simple steps to get started:

Writing and Interesting English Story .

#22: TEFL Writing Activities and Games

#23: brainstorm games and activities.

One of my favourite, simple ESL writing activities is to get students to brainstorm words or things related to a certain topic or category. It’s a nice way to get some creative juices flowing and can also be used for a quick warmer or review activity.

There are a number of engaging, student-centred activities to consider. Here are some of my favourites: Brain Storming Games.

#24: Freeze Writing Activity

Group writing activities for TEFL classes are few and far between. However, freeze is one of the best ones to consider. Students have to work collaboratively to make stories, line by line is a fun and engaging way.

Want to give it a try? Find out how: Freeze Activity .

#25: Five-Paragraph Essay Writing

For higher-level students, it can be a worthwhile activity to teach students how to write academic essays. Here’s an outline and some tips for how to do that:

Five-Paragraph Essay Template . 

#26: More Ideas for TEFL Writing

#27: fill in the blank sentences games.

A nice option for beginners in English writing is to use fill in the blanks. This adds a bit of structure to it and makes it much easier for students! Have a look at some of my favourite options:

Fill In The Blank Sentences Games .

#28: Round Robin Story

Try out this simple story writing activity that can be used for speaking & listening, or writing. Learn more:

Round Robin Story .

#29: Five Senses

Try out this simple activity that involves a lot of adjectives. It can be done with speaking or writing.

#30: Story Starters ESOL Writing Exercise

Provide students with a sentence or a short paragraph to serve as a story starter. Students then continue the story, adding their own ideas and developing the plot. This game encourages creativity, storytelling, and writing fluency. Try out one of my favourite ESOL writing exercises!

#31: Picture Prompts

Show students a captivating image or provide them with a set of pictures. Ask them to choose one or a combination of pictures and write a story, description, or dialogue based on the visuals. Pictures can stimulate imagination and inspire students to write.

#32: Sentence Relay

Divide the class into teams. Give each team a writing prompt or topic. The first student from each team writes a sentence based on the prompt, then passes the paper to the next student, who adds another sentence. The relay continues, and students build a coherent piece of writing. The team with the most creative and well-structured writing wins.

#33: ESL Writing Olympics

Create a series of writing challenges that test different writing skills, such as grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, or creative writing. Set a time limit for each challenge, and award points to students based on their performance. Students can compete individually or in teams, making it a lively and competitive writing activity.

ESL Writing FAQs

There are a number of common questions that people have about teaching English writing. Here are the answers to some of the most popular ones.

What is ESL Writing?

ESL technically refers to English as a Second Language but the more common usage is anyone who is a non-native speaker of English, whether or not it’s their second, third or fourth language. ESL writing focus specifically on writing skills.

How can ESL Students Improve Writing?

There are a number of ways that ESL students can improve their writing skills:

• Practice, both in class and outside of class is key.
• Give students a reason to write.
• Use peer correction.
• Offer self-editing checklists.
• Give students some freedom to choose what to write about.
• Use a variety of writing activities and games.
• Give students a chance to revise their work based on feedback.
• Strive to make English writing fun and engaging
• Make it relevant to real-life.
• Ensure that your ESL writing classes target the level of the students.

How Can ESL Beginners Learn to Write?

Remember that ESL beginners will not be able to write a 5-paragraph academic essay. Instead, you may want to focus on things like filling in the blanks on a worksheet or writing very simple sentences with a subject, verb, and object.

Why is Writing Difficult for ESL Students?

Writing can be a little bit difficult for ESL students because it not only involves vocabulary and grammar, but things like punctuation, capital letters as well as style and other writing conventions. What does make it easier is that it doesn’t happen in real time like with speaking.

What types of writing assignments are suitable for English learners?

Start with simple assignments like journal writing, personal narratives, and gradually progress to more complex assignments such as essays and reports.

How can I make writing more engaging for English learners?

Make it engaging by using interesting prompts, creative assignments, and real-life scenarios that connect to their experiences and interests.

Should I focus on grammar and vocabulary in writing instruction?

Yes, grammar and vocabulary are essential components of writing. Students should learn to use them correctly to convey their ideas effectively.

What’s the role of peer review in teaching writing to English learners?

Peer review helps students develop critical reading and editing skills, and it allows them to receive feedback from peers before finalizing their work.

How can I help English learners overcome writer’s block?

Encourage them to start with a simple outline, use writing prompts, and create a supportive, low-pressure writing environment in the classroom.

What strategies can I use to assess English learners’ writing effectively?

Use rubrics and clear criteria for assessing content, organization, grammar, and vocabulary. Offer specific feedback to help students understand their strengths and weaknesses.

Did you Like these ESOL Writing Exercises?

• 84 Pages - 12/09/2019 (Publication Date) - Independently published (Publisher)

Yes? Thought so. Then you’re going to love this book you can easily find on Amazon: ESL Writing Activities, Games & Teaching Tips . It’s the first and only ESL activity book dedicated exclusively to teaching writing and it’s a must-have if you’re teaching these kinds of classes.

You can easily get these ESL writing activities in both digital and print formats. Consider keeping a copy on the bookshelf in your office and using it as a handy reference guide. Or, bring the digital version with you on your phone or tablet to your favourite coffee shop for some serious lesson planning for your English writing classes.

It really is that easy to have ESL writing classes! Check out the book on Amazon, but only if you want to get yourself a serious dose of ESL teaching awesome in your life:

Do you Have an ESL Writing Grading Rubric?

If you’re looking for a bit of guidance on how to evaluate your students’ writing, then you’re in the right place. We strongly recommend using a simple rubric that’ll save you a ton of time. Plus, students will understand why they got the grade that they did. All the details can be found here:

ESL Writing Grading Rubric .

ESL Writing Lesson Plans

If you’re looking for some ready-made writing lesson plans that can help your students improve their skills in a big way, you’ll want to check out our top recommendations:

One Stop English

ESL Library

Writing practice for English learners

ESL Writing Worksheets

The good news for English teachers is that there are a ton of English writing worksheets to help you out with just about anything! Why reinvent the wheel if another English teacher has already done the hard work, right? Here are some of the best ESL writing worksheets:

Busy Teacher

ESL Writing Assignments

If you’re not sure about writing assignment options for your ESL/EFL students, here are some of the best ideas that you’ll want to check out:

Tips for Teaching Writing to English Learners

Teaching writing to ESL learners requires a combination of strategies to develop their skills and confidence. Here are some tips to enhance your ESL writing lessons:

Provide Clear Instructions

Begin each writing task by clearly explaining the objectives, requirements, and expectations to the students. Break down the task into smaller steps to make it more manageable.

Model Writing

Show students examples of well-written texts in the target genre or format. Analyze the structure, language features, and organization. Model the thought process and decision-making involved in writing.

Teach the Writing Process

Introduce students to the writing process, which includes prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. Emphasize the importance of brainstorming, organizing ideas, and revising for clarity and coherence.

Develop Vocabulary and Language Skills

Help students expand their vocabulary and language skills by providing word banks, relevant phrases, and sentence starters. Teach them how to use transition words and cohesive devices to enhance the flow of their writing.

Focus on Grammar and Sentence Structure in TEFL Writing Games and Activities

Address common grammar errors and sentence structure issues that students may encounter. Incorporate targeted grammar exercises and provide feedback on their writing to improve accuracy.

Encourage Pre-writing Activities

Engage students in pre-writing activities, such as brainstorming, mind mapping, or outlining, to generate ideas and organize their thoughts before starting to write. This helps students structure their writing more effectively.

Provide Writing Prompts

Offer a variety of engaging and relevant writing prompts to spark students’ creativity and interest. Ensure the prompts are aligned with their language proficiency level and encourage critical thinking and personal expression. Here are some ideas:

Peer Feedback and Revision

Incorporate peer feedback sessions where students exchange their writing with classmates for constructive feedback. Encourage students to revise their work based on the suggestions provided, promoting collaboration and revision skills.

Offer Individualized Support

Provide one-on-one guidance and support to students who may require additional assistance. Offer personalized feedback and suggestions for improvement based on their individual writing challenges.

Celebrate Progress

Recognize and celebrate students’ progress in writing. Highlight their strengths and areas of improvement, and provide specific feedback on their achievements. Encourage a growth mindset and foster a positive writing environment.

Encourage Frequent Writing Practice

Assign regular writing assignments to give students ample opportunities to practice their writing skills. Provide a variety of writing tasks, such as descriptive essays, opinion pieces, narratives, or reflective journal entries.

Use Authentic Materials for ESL Writing Activities

Integrate authentic materials like newspaper articles, short stories, or blog posts to expose students to real-life writing and develop their understanding of different writing styles and genres.

Have your say about these ESL Writing Activities and Exercises

What do you think about these writing ESL activities? Did you try out one of them from this or have another that you’d like to recommend? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think.  We’d love to hear from you.

Also be sure to give this article a share on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter. It’ll help other busy English teachers, like yourself find this useful resource for teaching English writing.

Last update on 2022-07-17 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 20 years to students in South Korea and Canada. She's taught all ages, levels and kinds of TEFL classes. She holds an MA degree, along with the Celta and Delta English teaching certifications.

Jackie is the author of more than 100 books for English teachers and English learners, including Business English Vocabulary Builder , 67 ESL Conversation Topics ,and 39 No-Prep/Low-Prep ESL Speaking Activities for Teenagers and Adults . She loves to share her ESL games, activities, teaching tips, and more with other teachers throughout the world.

You can find her on social media at: YouTube Facebook Instagram

Top Selling ESL Activity Book

As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

More ESL Activities and Games

Group therapy | a fun first-day activity for esl students, debate topics: funny, silly, controversial, interesting and more, how to motivate esl students | motivating english learners, become fluent quickly and easily: study tips to learn english, about, contact, privacy policy.

Best-selling author and English teacher Jackie Bolen has been talking ESL activities and games since 2015. The goal is to bring you the best ideas, lesson plans, and activity recommendations for your TEFL classes.

Get in touch: About + Contact

Privacy Policy and Terms of Use

Email: [email protected]

Address: 2436 Kelly Ave, Port Coquitlam, Canada

• ESL Activities

ESL Story Starters & Prompts – Finish The Story Worksheets

• Posted by by Zaraki Kenpachi
• 4 years ago

Writing can be at times intimidating for ESL students and it is a good idea to find easy ways to introduce writing into their lessons which becomes fun and exciting as well. Story starters and prompts are some simple elements that can get your students writing in the first place. 

Today, we look at different ESL writing prompts and story starters and how you can use them to give your students a push in the right direction towards writing. We also consider the worksheets and activities that help students start writing stories.

Lesson Plan: Story Starters

Objective: To develop creative writing skills and improve English language proficiency by using story starters to create engaging narratives.

Level: Intermediate

Time: 60 minutes

• Whiteboard or blackboard
• Story Starters worksheet (printed copies or digital access)
• Paper and pens/pencils for each student
• What makes a story interesting?
• What are some elements of a good story?
• Do you enjoy writing or reading stories? Why?
• Introduction (5 minutes): Introduce the concept of story starters to the students. Explain that story starters are sentence or prompt beginnings that help jumpstart creative writing. Display or distribute the Story Starters worksheet and explain that students will use these prompts to write their own stories.
• Vocabulary Review (10 minutes): Review any vocabulary words or phrases from the story starters that students might find challenging. Write the words on the board and elicit their meanings. Provide examples and encourage students to use the words in their own sentences.
• Guided Practice (15 minutes): Instruct students to choose one story starter from the worksheet. Ask them to take a few minutes to brainstorm ideas for their story, considering the characters, setting, and plot. Encourage them to think creatively and share their ideas with a partner.
• Writing Activity (20 minutes): Give students time to write their stories based on the chosen story starter. Remind them to include details, descriptions, and a clear beginning, middle, and end in their narratives. Walk around the classroom, offering assistance and guidance as needed.
• Sharing and Feedback (5 minutes): After the writing time is over, allow students to share their stories with a partner or in small groups. Encourage active listening and provide constructive feedback on their classmates’ work. Emphasize positive aspects and offer suggestions for improvement.
• Wrap-up (5 minutes): Conclude the lesson by having a brief class discussion about the writing experience. Ask students to share what they enjoyed about creating their stories, any challenges they faced, and what they learned from the activity. Encourage them to continue practicing their writing skills outside the classroom.

Extension Activities:

• Ask students to revise and edit their stories based on the feedback received, and then have them present their stories to the whole class.
• Have students choose a story starter and write a collaborative story as a group. Each student can contribute a paragraph or a section to the story.
• Organize a story-sharing session where students can read their stories aloud to the class. This promotes listening skills and provides an opportunity for peer appreciation.

Worksheet 1: Story Starters

• One day, a mysterious package arrived at the doorstep. When I opened it, I couldn’t believe my eyes…
• It was a sunny morning when I woke up to find that all the animals in the world could speak. I decided to go on an adventure with…
• Sarah was walking through the forest when she stumbled upon a hidden pathway. As she walked along the path, she noticed…
• In a small town, there was a legendary treasure hidden somewhere. Three friends named Jack, Lily, and Tom set out on a quest to find it. Little did they know…
• It was the first day of school, and everything seemed normal until a new student arrived. This student had a peculiar secret…

Worksheet 2: Prompts

• Imagine you woke up one morning with the ability to fly. Write a story about how you would spend your day.
• Write a story about a time when you went on a camping trip with your friends. Include details about the activities you did and the adventures you had.
• Imagine you found a magical portal in your backyard that transported you to a different time period. Write a story about where you traveled and what you experienced.
• Write a story about a character who discovered a hidden talent they never knew they had. How did this talent change their life?
• Imagine you are stranded on a deserted island. Write a story about how you survive and eventually find a way to return home.

ESL Story Starters & Prompts – A Complete Guide

When you teach your ESL students to start using English, story starters and writing prompts can be quite useful. You can keep things simple by asking them to write short stories or responses or focus on in-depth, detailed writing, depending on the student level. Writing prompts makes a great time-filler, warm-up activity or homework task and students can use their creativity to practice writing using these tools. The way a story begins is quite important. It is the first few lines of the story that decide whether the reader reads on or quits. The beginning should be such that the reader wants to find more and keep reading. Story starters are a group of words that help learners get started with writing a story. Giving prompts and story starters can give a nice starting point for developing a great piece of writing. 

Story starters and prompts can be converted into exciting games to make it fun and interesting. You can play plot twists with the students to keep the story writing task engaging. You can create general as well as unique plot twists in the stories. You can ask the students to combine two writing prompts in a single story. You can also ask students to write a newspaper article, journal entry or something else instead of a short story. 

Another way to use writing prompts is to involve other students and make the activity community-oriented. An exciting way is to use a timer and let the students write the story. When the timer goes off, the story is passed to the next student and they start writing. This continues till the original writer gets back his story.

ESL Writing Prompts For Beginners

Beginners of all ages can use writing prompts to write about things like the people they love, their families, their childhood memories, their future hopes and their beliefs. These writing prompts can be handed out in the form of book excerpts, newspaper clipping or a short essay in which the author has talked about that thing. 

ESL writing prompts can be downloaded and printed to be given to the students before their writing exercises. These worksheets cover a variety of topics like writing about early memories from childhood, writing letters to somebody you love, writing about one’s own life, a letter to somebody you haven’t seen for long or describing the home you lived as a child. The printables include some clues about what you should write, how you should get started and what the content should cover. 

You can start with process writing for beginner learners as they write simple steps in simple present tense. Writing prompts for such content would consist of questions that describe the topic. For advanced learners, these prompts can be used to write paragraphs with smooth transitions. Another thing students should practice is writing opinions using prompts. Graphic organizers would prove to be a great help for helping students understand what they should write about the given topic. These organizers can be printed and given to the students to help them bring thoughts together before they start writing. 

Stories are loved by all but it is difficult to start writing one confidently. Students can come up with exciting stories if they are given story starters. With some fun and creative story starters, you can inspire them to create interesting stories that go beyond fairy tales. Story writing prompts can be in the form of scenes. You can also give the specific phrase the story should start with.

Another way to inspire story writing is by choosing a character from a story and putting it in a different setting from another book and then ask the students to write what happens. You can also ask each student in the class to note down one setting, a character and an object in three pieces of paper. You can redistribute these and ask the students to write a story incorporating the character, setting and object they receive.

ESL Finish The Story Worksheets

Writing practice worksheets are great ways to help students practice writing and assess their skills. These worksheets are colourful with spaces where students can write their responses. ESL Finish the Story worksheets help students improve their writing skills by completing the stories, writing the responses in practical situations, answering questions and defending a position. 

The worksheets contain story starters and writing prompts that students can use to create a content creatively. Finish the Story worksheets are designed to enable students to use their imagination to come up with something unique. These worksheets can be easily downloaded and printed to be given to students for their writing practice exercises and lessons. Teachers can easily read the responses and assess how well the student has done. 

ESL worksheets can be found on the basis of the level of the student and the writing topics in focus. They range from beginner to intermediate and expert level to suit different types of learners. These worksheets also facilitate various fun games and activities which can be used in the class to practice writing.

Post navigation

Correct The eMail Exercise – Easy eMail Corrections

First Conditional Activities ESL – Teach First Conditional In A Fun Way!

Creative writing is a form of writing that expresses feelings and emotions or thoughts and ideas, in an imaginative way rather than just as a means of conveying information.

Learning English as a foreign language can be a frustrating experience for many students. It can also be a dry and boring experience if the only writing that is done consists of lists of conjugated verbs or pages of vocabulary.

By introducing an element of creativity into written lessons when learning English, students can not only have more fun learning a language, but also speed up their learning process and boost their confidence. Creative writing exercises can help to dispel some of a student’s frustration by helping them to realize how much they already know. After just a couple of lessons student’s know enough to begin writing simple, yet imaginative stories.

In the early stages of language learning, one of the first lessons taught is often learning how to greet other people, using characteristic words to describe what they look like. These early lessons can incorporate some creative writing by having students write a short paragraph, or poem about a friend. Creative writing at this stage does not have to be grammatically correct. The aim is to use and experiment with the vocabulary and to have fun grouping the words together to describe something or someone who exists. Descriptions don’t even need to be truthful as students can have fun being cheeky and using their creative license.

As students progress with their language learning, so the creative exercises can become more challenging. Students can use aspects of story telling, for instance, by writing a piece that recalls a childhood memory in order to practice spelling and grammar use. They can also improve vocabulary by focusing on one concept, for instance beauty or sadness, and then writing down every word that means the same thing. Using those collected words to then write a poem or a narrative paragraph that incorporates some or all of the words is beneficial as well in advancing the learning process.

Students often know more than they realize. By exploring creative writing exercises they can be encouraged to write what they know, and realize how many different sentences they can form, or ideas they can express, using this technique. Self esteem along with confidence in the language, grows as students are encouraged to break out of the text-book style of learning by repetition.

Students who practice their new language skills creatively can be further encouraged by reading texts similar to those being written. For instance, students who are practicing poetry can be introduced to similar poems styles, such as a Haiku, either in printed books or those written by other ESL students. Creative reading opens up the language to more than just learning new words and how they fit together. Creative reading, whether it’s reading newspapers and magazines or stories, novels and poems, helps the student to experience the language being used as part of everyday communication, and thus grounds the language in the wider world, outside of the classroom and the textbook. Getting the student to connect with the language emotionally by understanding and relating to written creative texts, brings the new language to life in a way that conventional language learning, without elements of creative writing, cannot manage.

Three Creative Writing Exercises

For students of English as a second language, creative writing is a way to learn to play with words and experiment with expressing thoughts and feelings. Creative, or imaginative writing, allows students to practice communicating using everyday language as well as rehearsing the vocabulary used in specific situations, such as when shopping or asking directions. Using creative writing as part of a teaching plan allows ESL teachers to gauge the progress of each student and make sure a student’s foreign language writing abilities are keeping pace with their speaking skills. Here are three specific exercises a student can practice to enhance their creative writing ability:

Keep a Journal

Each student keeps a diary or journal in which they record everyday events and activities. The exercise can be adjusted to allow for different levels of language ability. For instance, ask beginner students to record just one or two words each day to describe the weather, or an item of clothing they are wearing that day. Have more advanced students write in complete sentences, detailing one or more of their daily activities.

Practice Punctuation

Make up two characters to write about and have them discuss a film that the student has recently watched. Have one character love the film and the other character hate it. Write the dialogue between them as they discuss what they thought of the film. Use the correct punctuation for dialogue throughout. Make the exercise more challenging by using two characters who are complete opposites, such as an old lady and a little boy. Adapt the exercise for beginner students by asking them to simply describe characters or actors within a film they have seen.

Past and Future Tense Poems

Writing short poetry verses is a good way to learn how to use the different tenses in the English language. Write a short poem in the past tense that describes what you did yesterday, then write a short poem in the future tense that describes what you have planned for tomorrow. In the past tense you will use phrases such as I went , I saw , I was , and We were and for the future tense you will use phrases such as I will , I am going , and We shall .

• What are the best strategies to learn English vocabulary faster?
• How can I improve my English pronunciation quickly?
• rewrite this sentence using appropriate pronouns
• What are the top three tips to remember when proofreading your writing?

89,417 English ESL worksheets pdf & doc

If you’re trying to write but can’t get the words flowing, free writing can jumpstart the writing process. Free writing is a no-pressure method of simply getting words on the page: similar to stream-of-consciousness, the writer simply lets their pen flow with whatever thoughts arise in the mind.

It might seem silly to just write what you’re thinking of. Like, right now I’m thinking about what I’m going to eat for dinner and whether I should clean my bedroom—how will I turn that into a poem or short story?

In reality, free writing helps get the mind thinking in language, and while you might be thinking about dinner now, you’d be surprised what leaps and connections the brain makes into interesting writing material. Let’s take a close look at the process of free writing and how it will benefit your work. We also provide free writing prompts to help get the juices flowing.

First, what is free writing?

What is Free Writing: Contents

What is Free Writing?

Benefits of free writing, how to free write, 32 free writing prompts, what to do with your free write.

Free writing (sometimes written as one word: freewriting) is a writing technique in which the writer journals their thoughts onto the page without letting their pen rest.

Free writing is a writing technique in which the writer journals their thoughts onto the page without letting their pen rest.

The idea is simply to keep the pen moving, and that every word and idea that arises in the mind is important to jot down, regardless of matters like grammar, meaning, and usability. In other words, you aren’t trying to write capital-A Art, you are simply putting words onto paper.

In freewriting, the writer:

• Focuses on simply generating raw material.
• Keeps the pen moving with whatever thoughts arise, including (and especially) thoughts that seem irrelevant or unrelated to the previous thought.
• Does not worry about the “value,” “merit,” or “publishability” of anything written down.
• Does not worry about spelling, grammar, syntax, or readability.
• Writes for typically no longer than 15 minutes.
• Creates a daily free writing practice, as the process gets easier and more rewarding when done regularly.

You aren’t trying to write capital-A Art, you are simply putting words onto paper.

A free write can be done with a prompt or simply with the writer’s mind in its most neutral state. Later in this article we provide some free writing prompts, but first, let’s examine the benefits of this writing technique.

If you’re not writing anything worth reading, what’s the point of free writing in the first place?

It might seem counterintuitive, but free writing can seriously improve your craft and help you write better poetry, fiction, or creative nonfiction. The benefits of this technique include:

• Getting the words flowing: it’s much easier to write towards a project if you’ve loosened up the “writing muscles.”
• Freeing the mind from self-consciousness: freewriting helps train the mind not to care about “is this good?”—a question that can be debilitating for any first draft.
• Experimentation and ideation: Because the goal is to write what arises in the mind, you might inadvertently write new ideas or come up with interesting uses of language that can then be employed in future writing. To put it a different way: language first; ideas follow.
• Stumbling into greatness: Similar to the above bullet, you might accidentally write something really good or useful, or have an epiphany that you might otherwise never have had.
• Setting down your thoughts, quieting your mind: By putting your freeform thoughts onto the page, you can quiet your mind into focusing on writing projects after you’ve finished your free write.

Language first; ideas follow.

Some critics argue that this technique emphasizes writing over revising, or that it encourages writers not to engage with the broader literary canon. However, both critiques miss the point of freewriting. Writers should still revise and edit their work, as well as read other writers: to do a free write is simply to get the words flowing, making it easier to tackle the projects a writer is working on.

The free writing process has been honed over time. Early advocates of the process include writers Dorothea Brande and Peter Elbow, but the process was really popularized by Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way .

Here’s our recommendation for how to free write:

• Set aside 10-15 minutes.
• Write with pen and paper. If you have a strong preference towards typing, you can do so, but we find that handwriting is better for waking the writing mind up.
• If you’re stuck on what to write, have some transitional phrases on hand. “How I feel about that is…” “What I’m trying to say is…” “And then…” or even just “I don’t know what to say.”
• Allow yourself to write nonsense. Write without the expectation of being “good.”
• Do not reread what you have written until after the writing session is over.
• Do not worry about spelling, grammar, writing style , “literary merit,” or legibility. You are not performing on the page, and the intent is not to be James Joyce or Virginia Woolf—there is no “good free writing” or “bad free writing,” it is simply writing.
• Do this once a day, preferably every morning, but certainly before you start work on a writing project.

Once you have finished your free write, you can reread your pages, or simply let them rest. Upon a reread, you might find sentences, phrases, or accidents of language that could be useful for future poems, stories, or essays.

Upon a reread, you might find sentences, phrases, or accidents of language that could be useful for future poems, stories, or essays.

Free writing is also a valuable way to get your thoughts down about a particular topic. Let’s say you want to write a braided essay about an event in your childhood. If you do a free write about that event, you will generate a lot of raw material that you can sculpt into that essay, and you might even stumble into feelings and recollections you wouldn’t have otherwise had.

Finally, if you want to practice free writing in a class setting, you may be interested in the Writing Circle Workshops offered by our instructor Susan Vespoli .

If you want to do a free write, but need some motivation, these free writing prompts will help get your pen moving.

General Daily Free Writing Prompts

• What have you been thinking about lately?
• What questions are you trying to answer in your life?
• Write down every sensation you notice, both inside your body and in the world around you.
• Do a free write in which you talk to God, the Universe, or a higher power.
• What feelings are you trying to avoid feeling?
• What do you want to manifest for the near future?
• Write down the first word that comes to mind. Then, follow whatever associations arise in your brain.
• What are you grateful for?
• What do you desire most right now?
• Write about a memory that is visually or emotionally intense.
• Confess something.
• In your head, place yourself somewhere you know very well, such as your childhood home or a street you visit often. Write down as many details about that place as possible.
• What has saved you?
• What is an important realization you have had recently?
• Where do you wish you were?
• Write about and interpret a dream you’ve had.

Creative Free Writing Prompts

• Get ekphrastic and write about a film, song, or work of art that inspires you.
• What is your heart a museum of?
• Where does your mythology begin?
• Write in the voice and persona of someone or something other than yourself.
• What is the song your body sings, and who can hear it?
• Whose name does your heart whisper in its sleep?
• What is the shape of your grief?
• Write a self-portrait .
• What gets brighter the darker it gets?
• Whose voices do you hear echoing underneath your own?
• Write what you see on the horizon of your life.
• What is the root of your evil?
• What does your healing look like?
• Fill in the blanks of a memory you only partially remember.
• Write from the summit of life itself.
• Your heart is a garden. What’s in bloom?

Here are some more writing prompts we’ve written. They’re for poets, but prose writers can certainly use most of them as well.

You don’t necessarily need to “do” anything with a free write. The point is to get your mind in a writing space so that you can better tackle whatever projects you’re working on.

However, some writers find free writing to be helpful for generating new work. If you wanted to, you could take what you’ve written and turn it into a poem, prose poem , essay, short story, etc.

If you’d like to put your stream-of-consciousness to use, here are a few tips on revising and editing your work.

1. Highlight Epiphanies

A byproduct of free writing is that the writer often taps into their unconscious and finds unexpected epiphanies. By epiphany, we mean a sudden realization, whether material or spiritual, that shifts the writer’s own perspective. Epiphanies can make the unfamiliar, familiar; the familiar, strange; the nonsensical or chaotic, suddenly ordered.

A byproduct of free writing is that the writer often taps into their unconscious and finds unexpected epiphanies.

An epiphany is often central to a good work of writing. Any sorts of realizations that occur within your free write, highlight them—and, in editing and revising, try not to divorce the epiphany from the context it’s written in.

2. Underline Interesting Word Choice and Syntax

Another interesting byproduct of free writing is the happy accidents that happen within language. By eschewing the rules of grammar, syntax, and linear writing, free writers might end up juxtaposing words, phrases, and ideas that you wouldn’t normally put together, you might come across good word choice that you can use or store for later writing.

Another interesting byproduct of free writing is the happy accidents that happen within language.

Many writers keep a journal of words, phrases, and ideas that they might use for later writing. So, don’t expect to use everything from one free write towards the same piece, but notice what’s interesting and unexpected in your writing, and save it for when you need inspiration or have a different epiphany about what to do with those words.

3. Identify Unnecessary Repetitions or Irrelevant Passages

As you begin to sculpt your free write towards a piece of writing, it will help to remove language that you don’t see as central to the free write itself. Here are some tips on omitting needless words :

• First, before you cut anything, save the full free write somewhere. You never know what you might lose if you permanently delete your writing from the face of the Earth. Make a copy or transcribe your writing, then work off of that copy or transcript.
• Identify the main topics and themes of the writing, including images or symbols that seem related to the central ideas within the writing. Many free writes have multiple themes, so you can even make a list of those themes and consider how one writing session might yield multiple pieces of creative work.
• Look for writing that doesn’t seem related to any of the themes you identified. The goal isn’t to identify “bad” writing, just writing that doesn’t seem relevant to those themes.
• Remove writing that isn’t artfully repetitive. Repetition can be a powerful literary device, but it’s best used when it enhances and underscores the most important ideas within the text.
• Start to remove words that are clearly redundant or unnecessary. Our article on omitting needless words has more tips to help with this.

4. Decide on Form

Will your free write turn into a poem, prose poem, short story, essay, article, or the seeds of a novel or memoir? The possibilities are clearly endless, but once your writing has been cleaned up a little, the forms it could take should start to emerge.

What those forms could be depend on what you like to write, so rather than go in-depth about the possibilities within poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction, here are a few guides we’ve put together on different forms of creative writing:

• How to Write a Poem
• What is Form in Poetry?
• The Elements of Fiction
• The Art of Storytelling
• Literary and Genre Fiction
• How to Write a Personal Essay
• 10 Types of Creative Nonfiction

5. Revise and Edit Towards Your Vision

Once you have a sense of your themes, form, and vision for the work, let your creative instincts take the reins, and use your free write as a base for sculpting your next great piece of writing.

Hone Your Free Writing at Writers.com!

Free writing opens the writer up to happy accidents and exciting possibilities in language. Whether you want to free write with other writers or get feedback on the work you produce, take a look at the upcoming online writing courses at Writers.com , where you’ll receive the expert attention and workshopping you’re looking for.

Sean Glatch

Wow, Sean. Another great piece. Thank you. N<N

Thanks, Nancy!

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• International
• Education Jobs
• Schools directory
• Resources Education Jobs Schools directory News Search

Year 4. Creative Writing Pack. The Mysterious Superpowers

Subject: English

Age range: 7-11

Resource type: Worksheet/Activity

Last updated

4 September 2024

• Share through email
• Share through twitter
• Share through linkedin
• Share through facebook
• Share through pinterest

Year 4 Creative Writing Pack.

The pack is revolved around a picture that is used as a writing stimulus.

This pack includes:

• Creative Writing Success Criteria.
• Creative Writing WAGOLL.
• Comprehension Questions.
• ‘Fix the Punctuation’ activity.
• Sentence Challenge.
• Magpie Map.

This resource is perfect for Year 4 writing interventions with either encouraging children to achieve Expected or Greater Depth. This resource would have to be adapted accordingly for Expected as the Success Criteria is for Greater Depth.

This could also be used as part of a writing assessment, or as part of a weeks’ worth of morning activities/meaningful time fillers. It could also be used as a stimulus for writing newspaper reports, letter, setting description etc which could then go towards the pupil’s writing moderation folders.

If you found this resource useful and would like more, please leave a review. All feedback is greatly received. [email protected] All my English resources roughly contain the same format.

Creative Commons "Sharealike"

Your rating is required to reflect your happiness.

It's good to leave some feedback.

Something went wrong, please try again later.

This resource hasn't been reviewed yet

To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have downloaded this resource can review it

Report this resource to let us know if it violates our terms and conditions. Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.

Not quite what you were looking for? Search by keyword to find the right resource:

• Majors & Minors
• Graduate Programs
• Academic Experience
• Academic Support
• About Our Faculty
• McIntyre Library
• Get Involved
• Athletics & Sports at UWEC
• Meet Blugolds
• Living in Eau Claire
• Music, Arts, & Culture
• First-Year Visits
• Transfer Visits
• Group Visits
• Plan Your Trip
• What to Expect
• Virtual Tour Options
• First-Year Student
• Transfer Student
• International Students
• High School Special Student
• Graduate Student
• Other Student
• UWEC Application
• Contact Admissions
• Tuition & Fees
• Financial Aid
• Scholarships
• Net Price Calculator
• University Mission
• Campus History
• Accreditation
• Campus Events and Calendars
• Collaborations and Partnerships
• Points of Pride
• Work at UW-Eau Claire 

English: Assistant Professor in Creative Writing

Job information.

Position: The English Department in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire seeks to hire a tenure-track Assistant Professor of English with expertise in screenwriting for the 2025-2026 academic year with a start date of August 18, 2025. Final authorization of the position is subject to availability of funding.

Required Qualifications:

• Doctoral candidates who are ABD will be considered, but all requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed by August 18, 2025.
• Evidence of successful teaching at the college level (or equivalent experience)
• Evidence of professional experience in writing for film, video and/or television, in short and/or feature-length formats and/or narrative series
• Earned M.F.A. or doctorate in screenwriting, creative writing, film or closely related field.  Doctoral candidates who are ABD will be considered, but all requirements for the doctoral degree must be completed by August 18, 2025.

Preferred Assets:

• Secondary area of specialization in the literature of film or film studies
• Experience with filmmaking, and/or film production
• Demonstrated commitment to support and enhance the diversity and cultural and global awareness of students, faculty, and staff.

Responsibilities:

The successful candidate will teach courses as assigned in the English Department: All department members teach in the Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing, our first-year writing program ( https://www.uwec.edu/academics/blugold-seminar/), every semester. The typical semester load is 3 courses, equivalent to 11-12 credits. The successful candidate will teach introductory creative writing courses, advanced screenwriting courses, literature-of-film courses or other pertinent literature courses.  In addition, all department members participate in research and scholarly activities; provide academic advising to students as assigned; and engage in service to the department, university, and profession.

Department:

The English department is a thriving, diverse academic community dedicated to excellence in teaching and learning and committed to sustaining an inclusive and equitable environment for those it serves. The department offers rigorous emphases in critical studies in literature, culture and film; creative writing; scientific and technical writing; linguistics; and education.

University and Eau Claire Community:

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire promotes diversity and inclusiveness, stewardship and sustainability, leadership and innovation. With approximately 10,000 students, UW-Eau Claire is consistently rated as one of the top comprehensive, liberal-arts universities in the Midwest and is widely known as a leader in faculty-undergraduate research and study abroad.

A community of 70,000, Eau Claire is the largest city in western Wisconsin with thriving arts and music scenes, as featured in the Star Tribune, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Thrillist

( https://www.thrillist.com/travel/nation/things-to-do-in-eau-claire-wi) , and other media sources. Eau Claire and the surrounding areas offer scenic rivers, parks, bike trails, farmers¿ markets, outdoor concerts, a modern performing arts center ( https://www.pablocenter.org/ ), writing retreats, poetry readings, and more. Eau Claire is 90 miles from Minneapolis-St. Paul, which additionally offers world-class theater, symphony and chamber orchestras, opera, and major-league sports.

Application Procedure:

Applications are submitted electronically at the following UW-Eau Claire website: https://www.uwec.edu/employment-opportunities . You must create an account and login before you can apply. If you have not yet registered, click on the "Click here to Register" link to begin the registration process. If you are already a registered user, input your "User Name" and "Password" and select "Login." Click on the link to the English: Assistant or Associate Professor in Creative Writing-Screenwriting position ( Job ID: 21220 ) and then click the "Apply Now" button. Your application will not be considered complete unless all required documents (in Microsoft Word or PDF format) are submitted:

• letter of application, in which you explicitly address how you meet the qualifications listed in the position description
• curriculum vita
• writing sample (15-25 pages)
• unofficial graduate school transcript

In addition, three confidential letters of recommendation will need to be emailed to Candis Sessions, [email protected] . Please have your letter writer or portfolio service put "Screenwriting" and your name in the subject line.

Direct any questions to Dr. José Alvergue, Chair of the English Department,  [email protected] .

To ensure priority consideration, completed applications must be received no later than 11:59 pm on October 14, 2024 . However, screening may continue until position is filled. The university reserves the right to contact additional references with notice given to the candidates at an appropriate time in the process. Employment will require a background check. Employment will also require you and your references to answer questions regarding past conduct related to sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. §. 19.36(7).

The UW-Eau Claire Police Department is dedicated to maintaining a safe and secure environment for learning and working. Although crime at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire is limited, the University Police want students, faculty and staff to be aware of crime on campus and the area surrounding the campus. The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act is a federal law that requires colleges and universities to disclose annual information about campus crime .  Visit Campus Security and Fire Report  ( https://www.uwec.edu/files/8/annual-security-report.pdf ) .  Also visit our Campus Security Authority policy ( https://www.uwec.edu/files/787/CleryCompliancePolicy.pdf ).

UW-Eau Claire is an AA/EEO/Veterans/Disability employer.

University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

105 Garfield Avenue  P.O. Box 4004  Eau Claire, WI 54702-4004 

715-836-4636

Jump to navigation

Expanded Practices: Writing, Pedagogy, and Creative Arts

Writing has always been one step in the future. From emojis to slang to song, writing has momentum, and it is up to us - as artists, researchers and educators - to find ways of moving with it. In the light of emerging concerns about technology’s cultural impact, and the changing relevance of traditional writing techniques, how might our practices and pedagogies adapt to this shifting interdisciplinarity? What might this look like in contexts where writing exists alongside other forms of artistic communication, such as classrooms, institutions and interdisciplinary practices? How do preexisting notions of art and writing change as technologies and platforms demand new forms of engagement? For educators, how does the protean nature of writing influence our conception of originality? How might this impact our approach to core scholarly techniques, such as citing sources, designing syllabi, and producing research? How (and why) do we engage creative arts students in practice-based streams that develop writing skills?  

In this special issue, we explore expanded practices of research and writing in the creative arts. While we have a strong emphasis on creative arts education in foundational, interdisciplinary and practice-based courses, we wish to platform viewpoints from outside of education: arts researchers and creative practitioners who are interested in the mutable interdisciplinary relationships between art, technology and writing. How can we work and adapt  with  it as artists, researchers and educators, while inviting students, institutions and audiences to do the same?  

Possible approaches could include (but are not limited to):  

• The ways in which writing is integrated into other forms of creative practice  
• Writing as somatic, experimental, or creative practice  
• The role of writing in the studio, arts practice, and cultural institutions  
• Writing as interdisciplinary practice in the classroom  
• Expanded and/or updated concepts of writing in arts research and education contexts  
• Learning about writing from other forms of narrative-making, particularly those in the creative arts  
• Arts practices that de-center traditional notions of “writing”  
• Writing and AI (particularly ChatGPT and other LLM’s)  
• Pedagogical techniques and/or assignments designed to challenge or expand traditional notions of writing  

To be considered for this issue, please submit an abstract of 300 words along with author name(s), institutional affiliations, and contact details by 04 November 2024.    

Submission instructions:   

Register on  http://journals.ed.ac.uk/airea  and submit abstracts via the Open Journal System (OJS)    Journal policies:  http://journals.ed.ac.uk/airea/about/policies     

Editorial information:    

Guest editors:   

Dr Molly-Claire Gillett, School of Geography, Archaeology and Irish Studies, University of Galway 

Dr Sandra Huber, Faculty of Fine Arts, Concordia University

Airea editors:

Dr Eleni-Ira Panourgia, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf

Dr Katerina Talianni, Teaching Fellow in Performative and Digital Arts, University of the Peloponnese

Dr Jack Walker, PhD in Creative Music Practice, University of Edinburgh

This special issue is a follow up to a conference hosted by Dr. Sandra Huber and Dr. Molly-Claire Gillett at Concordia University’s 4th Space on March 25, 2024, which explored writing in creative arts pedagogy in the postsecondary context. You can find out more about the “Expanded Practices” symposium on the 4th Space website:  https://www.concordia.ca/cuevents/offices/provost/fourth-space/programming/2024/03/26/expanded-practices.html?c=/next-gen/4th-space/programming  

For general enquiries about the call please contact Dr. Sandra Huber ( [email protected] ). 

Columbia College Chicago to cut 18 'underperforming' majors from curriculum amid budget issues

The school announced thursday it will phase out and consolidate several “underperforming” majors such as bachelor of arts in art history, american sign language-english interpretation, creative writing, and master of fine arts in photography and fine arts..

Columbia College Chicago announced Thursday it will phase out and consolidate several “underperforming” majors, offering approximately 40 by early next year.

Justin Myers/Sun-Times

Columbia College Chicago will eliminate roughly 18 majors from its curriculum amid budget issues.

The school announced Thursday it will phase out and consolidate several “underperforming” majors, offering approximately 40 by early next year.

The cuts would help “provide significant cost savings in order to help the college return to financial health,” the school said — claiming that several programs cost more to deliver than what students pay in tuition.

Final decisions will be made based on recommendations from a third-party consultant and faculty, the school said. Programs will be evaluated based on demand, financial performance and cost savings.

“Our goal is to better serve our current and future students, while also investing in future programs that sustain our programmatic currency,” a school spokesperson said in a statement. “We believe these steps will position Columbia College Chicago as a stronger institution and continue to empower our students to excel in their creative careers.”

Majors on the chopping block include Bachelor of Arts in art history, American Sign Language-English interpretation, creative writing, and Master of Fine Arts in photography and fine arts.

Students enrolled in majors considered for elimination will be allowed to finish their degrees but the programs will no longer be available next fall, the school said. More than 300 students are enrolled in those majors.

Impact on faculty was not immediately known, the school said.

The announcement was made only months after the school laid off 70 staff members as its budget deficit expanded to $38 million from about $20 million last year .

In February, Columbia College Chicago President Kwang-Wu Kim announced he was stepping down from the position he held for more than a decade.

Kim was the target of criticism during a six-week strike by adjunct faculty that upended the school’s fall semester and left many students questioning whether they would return in the spring.