Language Learning Activities – Creating, Finding, & Using them

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Last updated: May 2026. 

Computer-based games, activities, and quizzes are among the most practical applications of CALL in everyday teaching. This page covers three things: tools for creating your own activities, sites where ready-made activities can be found and used directly, and tools for specific contexts including young learners and exam preparation. For a broader categorized list of language learning websites, see the Website Megalist. For live classroom response tools like Kahoot and Wayground, see the Live Classroom Activity Sites guide.

Contents

  1. Creating Activities
  2. Finding Activities
  3. Young Learners
  4. Downloadable and Offline Tools
  5. Test Preparation
  6. Classroom Utilities

1. Creating Activities

Tools marked with * allow students to complete the activity online, not just on paper.

Quiz and Game Creation

  • Quizlet * — Create flashcard sets and vocabulary study activities; students can study independently or compete in Quizlet Live. One of the most widely used vocabulary tools in EFL classrooms worldwide. Emily’s Class example
  • Kahoot * — Fast-paced competitive quiz platform; create multiple-choice games that students join on their devices. Best for review and warm-ups rather than serious assessment. Browse public Kahoots
  • Wayground * (formerly Quizizz) — Create quizzes for live class games or self-paced homework; includes video quiz mode and adaptive difficulty. More flexible than Kahoot for out-of-class use. Browse public sets
  • Wordwall * — Enter content once and generate multiple activity formats from it: matching pairs, anagrams, maze chase, crossword, quiz, and more. Particularly efficient for EFL vocabulary and grammar practice. Free tier limited to 5 activities; paid from ~$3/month.
  • Blooket * — Game-based review platform with 13 different game modes (Tower Defense, Café, Gold Quest) all driven by the same question set. Generous free tier covering up to 60 students. Browse community sets
  • Plickers * — Students respond using printed cards scanned by the teacher’s phone; no student devices needed. Useful when device availability is inconsistent. Free tier covers most classroom needs. Browse sets
  • Jeopardy Labs * — Create and play browser-based Jeopardy-style review games; no account required to create a basic game. Free. Browse examples
  • SuperTeacherTools * — Create Jeopardy, Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and other game formats; handy for textbook content review. Free.
  • ClassTools.net * — Wide variety of classroom game generators including arcade games, random spinners, Pac-Man-style vocab games, and timelines. Free. Useful tools: Random Name Picker   Arcade Games
  • ProProfs Quiz School * — Online quiz builder with scored results and a variety of question types; useful for straightforward comprehension quizzes. Free tier available. Example

Puzzle and Worksheet Generators

  • Crossword Labs * — Fast, clean crossword generator; enter clues and answers and publish online or print. Free. Example: Australia
  • TheWordSearch.com * — Create and share word search puzzles; large community library of ready-made puzzles. Free. Example: World Foods
  • Word Search Maker (Teacher’s Corner) — Generates printable word search puzzles; simple and reliable. Free.
  • Discovery Education Puzzle Maker — Creates crosswords, word searches, and crypic number puzzles from teacher-supplied word lists. Free.
  • ArmoredPenguin Crossword Maker * — Browser-based crossword generator; produces playable online versions as well as printable ones. Free.
  • Educandy * — Creates matching pairs, anagram, word search, and quiz activities from vocabulary lists; clean interface and quick to set up. Free tier available.

Interactive Content Builders

  • H5P * — Creates interactive content including cloze tests, drag-and-drop activities, interactive videos, and branching scenarios; embeds in WordPress, Moodle, or Canvas. Steep learning curve but high output quality. Free on self-hosted platforms.
  • Google Forms * — Fast, free quiz and survey builder; integrates directly with Google Classroom and Sheets for response tracking. Free. Example: Jeff’s EGL150 Final
  • Microsoft Forms * — Comparable to Google Forms; free for anyone with a Microsoft account. Best for institutions running Microsoft 365.
  • Quizgecko * — AI-powered quiz generation from uploaded documents, PDFs, or pasted text; useful for building reading comprehension activities from authentic materials quickly. Free tier available; paid from ~$8/month.
  • Hot Potatoes * — The classic CALL activity creation suite, still available and functional. Creates six types of interactive exercises: JQuiz (multiple choice), JCloze (gap-fill), JMatch (matching), JMix (jumbled sentences), JCross (crossword), and JBC (combination). Windows desktop app, free. Download here   Official tutorialHot Potatoes exercise type examples:
    JQuiz JCloze JMatch JMix JCross
    exercise exercise 1   exercise 2 exercise 1   exercise 2 exercise 1   exercise 2 exercise

2. Finding Activities

These sites host large collections of ready-made activities, exercises, and lesson materials that can be used directly in class or assigned for self-study.

General ESL Activity Sites

  • AgendaWeb — Large collection of free interactive grammar and vocabulary exercises organized by topic and level; well maintained and consistently reliable. Example: Past Continuous
  • Breaking News English — News-based lessons at seven levels with listening, reading, vocabulary, and discussion activities; updated several times weekly. One of the most useful free CALL resources available. Example: DeepSeek lesson
  • ISL Collective — Very large library of teacher-shared worksheets, video lessons, and interactive activities covering all levels and skills; searchable by level, topic, and type. Free to browse.
  • Englishpage.com — Interactive grammar quizzes and verb tense exercises; reliable, no-frills, and accurate. Example: Phrasal Verbs
  • BusyTeacher.org — Large collection of printable worksheets, lesson plans, and classroom activities organized by level, skill, and topic. Free.
  • ESL Discussions — Conversation questions and discussion activities on hundreds of topics; useful for speaking lessons and debate preparation. Free.
  • Famous People Lessons — Reading and vocabulary lessons built around well-known figures; good for culture and biography units. Free.
  • Listen A Minute — Short listening texts on interesting topics with accompanying activities; works well for warm-ups and dictation. Free.
  • ELLLO (English Listening Language Lab Online) — Over 3,000 listening activities featuring real speakers from around the world at various proficiency levels; includes transcripts and quizzes. Free.
  • A4ESL.org — Activities for ESL/EFL students covering grammar, vocabulary, idioms, and culture; large archive of quizzes and exercises. Free. Example: Idioms Quiz
  • ESL Holiday Lessons — Lesson packs built around major holidays and cultural events; useful for seasonal content. Free.
  • Business English Materials — Lesson plans, vocabulary activities, and worksheets specifically for business English contexts. Free.
  • LearningChocolate — Picture-based vocabulary platform with audio and interactive games; organized by topic. Good for visual vocabulary work. Free. Example: Sports Equipment
  • Real English — Man-on-the-street interview videos with transcripts and interactive activities; features unscripted speech from real people across a range of accents. Free.
  • ManyThings.org — Wide variety of ESL exercises, games, and activities covering vocabulary, grammar, listening, and reading. Free.

Downloadable PowerPoints and Lesson Templates

  • ISL Collective PowerPoints — Teacher-shared PowerPoint presentations searchable by topic, level, and skill. Free to browse.
  • ESLGamesWorld Templates — Downloadable PowerPoint game templates including Jeopardy, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and others. Free.

3. Young Learners

  • ESLKidStuff — Games, songs, flashcards, and lesson plans designed specifically for young English learners. Free games available; full resources require subscription.
  • British Council LearnEnglish Kids — Games, songs, stories, and activities for children from the British Council; well-designed and reliable. Free.
  • Starfall — Phonics-based reading and language activities for early learners; strong for literacy foundations. Free core content; Plus subscription available.
  • PBS Kids Games — Letter recognition and early literacy games from PBS; age-appropriate and ad-free. Free.
  • Vocabulary.co.il — Vocabulary games for K-12 and ESL learners covering a wide range of topics; includes word puzzles, matching, and flashcard games. Free.
  • Dogo News — Current events articles written for kids; good for reading comprehension and discussion with younger or lower-level learners. Free.
  • ABCya — Educational games for K-6 learners covering phonics, vocabulary, math, and more. Free tier with ads; paid ad-free version available.
  • ESLGamesWorld — Grammar and vocabulary games for younger ESL learners; includes downloadable templates. Free.
  • Sesame Street — Videos, games, and activities for very young learners; familiar characters and high production quality. Free.
  • Epic! — Digital library of books, audiobooks, and videos for learners up to age 12; free for teachers and their classrooms during school hours. Good for extensive reading programs with younger learners.
  • ReadWorks — Reading passages and comprehension questions for K-12; adjustable by grade level. Free for teachers.
  • SpellingCity — Spelling and vocabulary games driven by teacher-supplied or built-in word lists. Free tier available; Premium adds progress tracking and more game types.

4. Downloadable and Offline Tools

  • Hot Potatoes — See the Creating Activities section above for full details. Free Windows desktop app for creating six types of interactive HTML exercises. Still works on Windows 10/11.
  • Eclipse Crossword — Free Windows desktop app for generating printable crossword puzzles from word lists; faster and cleaner output than most web-based generators. Free.
  • H5P — Open-source interactive content framework; self-hosted version is fully free and produces activities that run in any browser without a third-party service. Requires WordPress, Moodle, or similar to host.

5. Test Preparation

  • ExamEnglish — Practice tests for IELTS, TOEFL, TOEIC, Cambridge exams, and general level tests; organized by exam type and skill. Free. Level tests: Grammar and Vocab   Listening
  • IELTS Online Tests — Free IELTS practice tests with AI-based scoring for writing and speaking sections. Free tier available.
  • Road to IELTS — British Council’s official IELTS preparation platform with sample tests and skills practice. Free demo; full access via institutional subscription.
  • British Council Free IELTS Practice Tests — Official free practice materials for IELTS Academic and General Training writing. Free.
  • ETS TOEFL Preparation — Official TOEFL practice materials and sample questions from the test makers. Free samples; paid full practice tests available.
  • TOEIC Speaking and Writing Practice — Free TOEIC speaking and writing practice tests with sample responses. Free.
  • Test-English.com — Grammar and vocabulary tests organized by CEFR level; clear explanations for wrong answers. Free.
  • Cambridge Test Your English — Quick placement tests for general English, business English, and young learner levels. Free.
  • EF SET Quick Check — Free 15-minute English level test with CEFR alignment. Free.

6. Classroom Utilities

Tools that support classroom management and activity logistics rather than content delivery.

  • ClassroomScreen — All-in-one teacher display tool with timer, random name picker, noise meter, drawing canvas, QR code generator, and more; runs in any browser. Free tier covers most uses; paid plan adds more widgets. One of the most useful single-page utilities for teachers.
  • ClassTools Random Name Picker — Spin-wheel random student selector; paste in student names and spin. Free.
  • Online Clocks and Stopwatches — Multiple timer formats including countdown, stopwatch, and egg timer; useful for timed activities. Free.
  • Padlet — Shared board where students post text, images, links, and video; excellent for collaborative brainstorming, exit tickets, and student output display. Free tier limited to 3 padlets; paid from ~$70/year.
  • Google Classroom — Distributes assignments, collects submissions, and provides feedback; integrates with Google Forms, Docs, and Drive. Free with a Google account. The simplest LMS option for most teachers.
  • Socrative — Clean, no-frills formative assessment tool for quizzes, exit tickets, and the Space Race team game; real-time response monitoring and spreadsheet export. Free tier covers up to 50 students.

AI-assisted, human-edited. Links verified May 2026. Report a broken link.