esl essay topics for elementary students

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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. 

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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?

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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

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!

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22 Engaging ESL Essay Topics You Can Use to Improve Your Writing Skills

Text Version:

The only way to get better at anything is to do it—over and over again. In addition to practicing your English conversational skills, you should also practice your writing skills on a regular basis.

Here are twenty-two potential essay topics to get you started, but don’t be afraid to branch out and come up with your own topics, as well.

Descriptive topics

• Describe your favorite place in as much detail as possible.
• What do you do outside of school and work? Describe any hobbies you have, sports you participate in, or other activities you regularly enjoy.
• If you could invite five people to a dinner party, who would they be? What is each guest like?
• Describe your favorite fictional character in as much detail as possible.
• If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Describe it and explain why you’d choose it.

Instructions

• Give directions for getting from one point to another. Explain what landmarks someone might see along the way.
• Explain how to entertain guests who unexpectedly arrive at your home.

Verb tense practice

• What’s one thing you could never live without and why?
• Describe your ideal town or city, why you would want to live there, and what you would do there.
• Write about a time in the past when you had to make a difficult decision, and explain what you did.
• Talk about five specific goals you want to accomplish this year, and explain how you are going to accomplish them.
• Imagine you’re babysitting a child who breaks the kitchen table. Explain to the child how they could have avoided doing this if they had behaved differently.

Practical vocabulary practice

• Write a review of a new restaurant (either fictional or real) in your area.
• Describe the best party or large-scale event you’ve ever attended.
• If you could get one gift for everyone in your family, regardless of the cost, what would you get them and why?
• Choose a form of transportation (such as cars, trains, boats, planes, or subways) and explain how it has changed people’s lives.
• Write a pitch for a new blockbuster movie. Explain what will happen in the movie and why it will draw crowds to the theater.

Persuasive writing practice

• Do you think our society is too dependent on technology like smartphones? Why or why not?
• Imagine that a big new department store is being built in your hometown. Do you support this development or not?
• Do you think it’s better for students to have a long summer break or be in a year-round school system with more breaks throughout the year? Explain your position.
• Should employers set aside time during the day for their employees to exercise? What might be some of the advantages or disadvantages of this?
• What is your favorite book or movie, and why should people read or watch it?

What are some great ESL essay topics you've encountered? Let us know in the comments.

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Comments on this post (6 comments)

Eliakim balle says....

Here’s a topic:

write about what your ideal weekend would look like if you could do anything you want.

On April 01, 2019

Ndate Thabo says...

¨Write about when u took the risk to do the right thing.¨ Good prompt . . and something to live by.

El sari says...

Interesting question Jessica …according to me to find someone to teach you and guide you better than trying thanks by your own ..

On March 11, 2016

Jessica Bordelon says...

What is the best way to learn: by experiencing something on your own, or from someone explaining it to you? What brings the most happiness: buying things or having experiences?

On March 03, 2016

Bindi kanyal says...

Niceee…..

On December 08, 2015

dayo says...

Write about when u took the risk to do the right thing

On December 05, 2014

Leave a comment

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BRYN DONOVAN

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50 Essay Topics for Kids

Hi friends! A while back, after I did a post of story ideas for kids , I got requests for essay topics for kids. I thought it was a little out of my wheelhouse, though, since I’ve never taught children. But then I thought, wait a minute…I’m married to someone who used to teach middle school English! So I invited Mr. Donovan to guest post today. Take it away, honey…

For these, I tried to think about 5th and 6th grade writing topics, but the truth is, most of these writing prompts would also work for kids much younger, and some of them would work for older kids. If you’re a busy teacher or homeschooling parent, I hope you find good ideas you can use.

While this list focuses especially on persuasive writing, it offers a wide range of subjects. I think many students will feel strongly about them since they know about them firsthand, and they may have fun writing about them. Some prompts may encourage students to try to persuade through the use of humor and personal stories, while others may lead them to compare and contrast two things or use logic and/or ethical arguments to support their points of view. Hopefully, their strong feelings will lead student writers to experience persuasive writing as an essential tool for their success.[spacer height=”20px”]

Personal Narrative Essay Ideas

• The three things I can’t live without are…
• In the past year, I’ve changed in the following ways…
• A close call I once had occurred when…
• My favorite hour of the day is…
• I once got lost for a long period of time at…
• One thing I love to shop for is…
• The best sporting event I ever attended was…
• Here’s a time that I was scared but took a chance.
• Here’s what happened when I tried something for the first time.
• The thing I’m most looking forward to this summer is…
• A decision that was very hard to make for me was…
• The last time I laughed really really hard was…
• A time I was really proud of one of my parents/siblings was…
• Describe a favorite family photo and the story it tells.
• One time when I was having dinner with my family…

Persuasive Essay Ideas

• Why It’s Important To Be a Good Winner
• How to Make Friends and Keep Them
• To Be Successful, You Need To…
• How to Disagree With Someone Without Being Rude
• The Best Thing About This School Is….and Here’s Why
• The Best Place to Live Would Be…and Here’s Why
• Why It’s Important to Set Goals
• How to Prevent Bullying
• Students Should Be Allowed to Learn At Their Own Pace
• The Best TV Show On Right Now Is…Because….
• The Best TV Show Ever Made Is….and Here’s Why
• My Favorite Superhero Is…Because…
• Why My Favorite Sport Is the Best Sport
• Students Should/Shouldn’t Have Their Phones at School
• Our Country Would Be Better If We Passed This Law
• No One Should Ever Watch More Than Four Hours of TV, Movies, and Videos a Day
• Why It’s Time to Remove the Penny From Circulation
• It’s Likely that Extraterrestrials Exist
• Taking Photographs of People Without Their Permission Should Be Prohibited
• Telling A Lie Is/Isn’t Always Wrong

Compare and Contrast Essay Ideas

• Baseball and basketball have both similarities and differences.
• Here’s what I would and wouldn’t be willing to do for a million dollars
• The biggest differences between winter and spring are…
• Ways I’m alike and ways I’m different from my parent/sibling are…
• Cats and dogs may be very different, but they’re also alike in some respects.
• My two favorite bands compare and contrast in the following ways.
• Compare and contrast your two favorite superheroes.
• My two favorite restaurants are different in many ways.
• Though very different, the sun and the moon do have a few similarities.
• While my two favorite classes have key differences, they also have much in common
• Skating and running have a lot in common.
• Parent teachers and classroom teachers are different and alike in many ways.
• Poems and stories have some similarities and some differences.
• PCs and Mac computers have less in common than you might think.
• The book and movie version of my favorite story have a lot of similarities, but they’re different in some ways.

If you have other ideas for easy essay topics for middle school, let us know in the comments. And if you liked the list, please share them on Facebook, Pinterest, or Twitter—we appreciate it, and busy teachers might appreciate it, too!  Thanks for reading this, and have a great day!

– Gill Donovan

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11 thoughts on “ 50 essay topics for kids ”.

This is a great list for home schooling parents and self-paced learners. Thank you for sharing.

PS Please hit me back sometime with a comment on my blog http://www.naomiplane.com

Hi! Thanks, Naomi! I’ll stop by your blog in just a sec.

These are so great! Thanks for posting Mr. Donovan! This list can also be used to connect with grandkids. If I answer some of these questions about my own life, the answers will likely be something of interest to my grandchildren and wouldn’t it be great to have them write on the same topics for me to read. Thanks again for your experiences with young people that make greater connection possible.

Thanks, Jessie! Interesting take on the list! I suppose I could actually use the list to connect with my own nieces and nephews.

These are fabulous! I often simply want my children to practice handwriting, but I’m at a loss when they ask me what they should write. This takes care of two problems with one awesome solution! Thank you!! 🙂

Hi, Lisa! So glad you can use it in this way. Thanks for letting me know.

as a mom of three boys, I find the list insightful into the minds of kids.

Good to hear this–as I was working on it, I kept circling back to try to decide whether or not the subjects would appeal to kids. So thanks!

Having taught thirty-one years in elementary school (many of those years in 5th and 6th grade), this is an awesome list. I would have used some of these for sure. Teachers are the biggest thieves.?

When we had creative writing time in my class, I always wrote too. I wanted my students to know that I looked forward to this time. Teachers set the atmosphere. After a time, the kids quit asking, “How much do we have to write?” and instead asked, “Mr. Springer, can we write about this?” Giving students time to share is another key to putting a value on the written word.

Thanks, Pete Springer! As someone who taught 6th grade for a year, I know what a fine achievement it is to bring students to want to write in class and to feel comfortable enough to share their writing. Sounds like you taught some wonderful classes. Great to hear you’d have used these.

I have a essay website http://www.tamilsolution.com in tamil language and iam nearly out of content ideas, you give me a new list of essays for my website, thank you

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Top 30 Argumentative Writing Topics

Are you looking for some good argumentative essay topics? If that’s what you are searching for, you are definitely in the right place! Check out our top 30 topics for argumentative writing. These argumentative topics for essays will help students practice key academic and professional writing skills.

Argumentative Essay Topics

Argumentative writing.

Argumentative writing is a type of academic writing that requires writers to come up with a well-reasoned argument about a topic. The goal of argumentative writing is to persuade readers with a well-structured argument. Readers should be able to agree with the writer’s logic.

Benefits of Argumentative Writing

Here are some specific reasons why it is so important for students to practice argumentative writing.

• Academic and Professional Success: Argumentative writing is a key skill continuously needed in school and at work. Practicing argumentative writing will make students better at persuading others and logically presenting their opinions.
• Develop Critical Thinking Skills: Fosters the development of critical thinking skills that can benefit students in their academic and professional pursuits.
• Improve Research Skills: In order to present good evidence, students have to research and collect information from a variety of sources.
• Understand Different Perspectives: Writers have to consider different opinions and perspectives, which can develop empathy and understanding for others.

Other Types of Writing

Here are other types of writing that you might be interested in teaching your students.

• Persuasive Writing
• Expository Writing
• Analytical Writing
• Descriptive Writing
• Narrative Writing
• Comparative Writing

Topics for Argumentative Essays

Our top 30 argumentative essay topics are divided into three levels: elementary, middle school, and high school. Find the right topic for your students depending on their grade level.

Argumentative Writing Topics for Kids in Elementary School

• Is homework good or bad for students?
• Should students have to wear uniforms to school?
• Should kids be allowed to choose their own clothes?
• Should schools have more art and music classes?
• Should schools have more field trips?
• Should schools start later in the day or earlier in the day?
• Should schools have a dress code for students?
• Should schools have a longer summer break?
• Should pets be allowed in classrooms?
• Should junk food be banned from schools?

Middle School Argumentative Essay Topics

• Should cell phones be allowed in classrooms?
• Should the voting age be lowered?
• Should the driving age be raised?
• Should the government regulate the use of social media?
• Should schools implement gender-neutral bathrooms?
• Should zoos and aquariums be banned?
• Should students be allowed to grade their teachers?
• Should there be a limit on the amount of homework students receive?
• Should schools allow students to have mental health days?
• Should schools offer more vocational/technical courses or art/music courses?

Argumentative Writing Topics for High School

• Do you think college should be free for everyone?
• Should standardized tests be abolished?
• Should the government increase the minimum wage?
• Should there be stricter gun control laws?
• Should schools implement mandatory community service hours for graduation?
• Should the government regulate artificial intelligence?
• Should the death penalty be abolished?
• Which courses should high schools offer more and why?
• Do you think it should be easier or harder to adopt a pet?
• Should schools have mandatory drug testing for students?

Argumentative Writing Topics

Argumentative Essay Topics for College Students

• Does social media have a positive or negative influence on individuals and society as a whole?
• Should genetic engineering and modification of humans, animals, and crops be allowed?
• How should governments and individuals address climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions?
• What are the benefits and potential risks of widespread AI adoption, and how should it be regulated?
• Should recreational drugs such as marijuana be legalized and regulated?
• What are the implications of stricter gun control laws on reducing gun violence?
• Should higher education be free or more affordable to ensure equal opportunities for all?
• Is animal testing necessary for scientific and medical advancements, or should alternative methods be used?
• Should individuals have a right to online privacy, or is surveillance necessary for national security?
• Should the death penalty be abolished or retained as a form of punishment?

More Writing Prompts

If you are looking for more essay topics for your students, check out some of these more general writing topics.

• Writing Prompts and Topics for Beginners
• Creative Writing Prompts for Teens

Writing Activities

If you are looking for some good writing activities that will help your students improve their argumentative or general writing skills, check out these fun ESL writing activities.

• Round Robin Story
• Proof-Reading + Editing

FAQs About Argumentative Essay Topics

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about argumentative writing topics for students.

What is an argumentative essay?

An argumentative essay is a type of academic writing that presents a strong argument on a specific topic. The writer aims to persuade the readers with logical reasoning and convincing evidence.

What are some examples of argumentative essay topics?

Here are some good argumentative writing topics:

• Is animal testing ethical?
• Is social media harmful to society?
• Should the government provide free healthcare?
• Is there a correlation between video games and violence?
• Does technology make us more isolated?
• Is homeschooling more effective than traditional schooling?

How do I structure an argumentative essay?

In an argumentative essay, you should include an introduction, body paragraphs, counterarguments, and a conclusion. The number of body paragraphs can depend on the topic or the required length of your essay. You must include a counterargument section to address an opposing viewpoint. Addressing the counterarguments will make your argument stronger.

Argumentative Topics: Join the Conversation

What are your thoughts on these top 30 argumentative writing topics? Which one is your favourite topic? If there is another topic that you know and should be included in our list, please let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear from you.

About Jackie

Jackie Bolen has been teaching English for more than 15 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 60 books for English teachers and English learners, including Business English Vocabulary Builder 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.

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ESL Essay Writing: 7 Important Tips to Teach Students Plus Resources for Writing Lessons

“Every good story has a beginning, a middle and an end.”

This is true for a good essay, too.

An essay needs a coherent structure to successfully articulate its arguments. Strong preparation and planning is crucial to providing that structure.

Of course, essay writing can be challenging for ESL students. They must order their thoughts and construct their arguments—all in their second language.

So, here are seven ESL essay writing tips that will allow your students to weave together a coherent and persuasive essay, plus teacher resources for writing activities, prompts and lessons!

1. Build the Essay Around a Central Question

2. use the traditional 5-paragraph essay structure, 3. plan the essay carefully before writing, 4. encourage research and rewriting, 5. practice utilizing repetition, 6. aim to write a “full circle” essay, 7. edit the essay to the end, esl essay writing resources.

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

Encourage your students to build all their writing around one central question.

That central question is the engine of the writing—it should drive everything!

If a word or sentence is not assisting that forward motion toward the explication of that question and its possible answers, then it needs to be reworded, rephrased or just plain cut out and discarded.

Lean writing is merciless. Focusing on a central question throughout the prewriting, writing and rewriting stages helps develop the critical faculties required to discern what to keep and what to throw away.

Providing a clear structure for the student to approach essay writing can do a lot to build their confidence. The 5-paragraph essay, or “hamburger” essay, provides that clear structure for ESL writers.

Generally, this structure employs five separate paragraphs for the entire essay. Each paragraph serves a specific purpose, melding together to form a coherent whole:

• Paragraph 1: The introductory paragraph. This includes the thesis statement, orientating the reader to the purpose of the essay.
• Paragraphs 2 to 4: The body paragraphs. These make individual points that are further backed up by various forms of evidence.
• Paragraph 5:  The conclusion paragraph. This provides a summation of the arguments and a final statement of the thesis.

While students do not need to rigidly follow this format forever, the simple structure outlined above can serve as excellent training wheels for your writers.

Using the 5-paragraph structure as outlined above makes planning clear cut.

Once they have their theses and are planning their paragraphs, share with the students the ridiculously useful acronym P.E.E. This stands for Point, Explanation and Evidence.

Each body paragraph should make a point or argument in favor of the central thesis, followed by an explanation of this point and relevant evidence to back it up.

Students can make note of all their points, explanations and evidence before they start writing them in essay form. This helps take away some of the pressure ESL writers feel when faced with a blank page.

Extol the necessity for students to constantly refer to their planning. The mind-mapping techniques popularized by Tony Buzan can be useful at the planning stage and make for easy reference points to ensure focus is maintained throughout the essay.

Having a visual reference such as this can help ensure that your student-writers see each piece of the whole as well as that elusive “bigger picture,” so it becomes a case of seeing the forest and the trees!

Just as planning is crucial, so too is research.

Often ideas or connections do not occur until the writing process has begun. This is a good thing! Essay writing is a creative act, so students can have more ideas along the way and work them in as they go.

The key is to always be able to back up these ideas. Students who have done their research on their subject will be much more confident and articulate in expressing their arguments in their writing.

One way you can help students with context and research is to show relevant video content via FluentU . This language learning program uses authentic videos made by and for native speakers to help students learn English.

You can watch videos as a class or assign them directly to students for individual viewing. Videos come equipped with interactive bilingual subtitles and other learning tools such as multimedia flashcards and personalized quizzes so you can see how each student is doing.

No matter how your students do their research, the important thing is that they explore and understand their topic area before beginning the big task of writing their essay.

Even with thorough planning and research, writing oneself into a linguistic cul-de-sac is a common error. Especially with higher-level students, unforeseen currents can pull the student-writer off course.

Sometimes abandoning such a sentence helps. Going back to the drawing board and rewriting it is often best.

Students can be creative with their sentence structures   when expressing simpler ideas and arguments. However, when it comes to more complex concepts, help them learn to use shorter sentences to break their arguments into smaller, more digestible chunks.

Essay writing falls firmly in the camp of non-fiction. However, that doesn’t mean that essay writers can’t use some of the techniques more traditionally associated with fiction, poetry and drama .

One technique that’s particularly useful in essay writing is repetition. Just as poetry relies heavily on rhythm, so too does argument. Repetition can provide that sense of rhythm.

This is because written language has its origins in oral language. Think of the great orators and demagogues and their use of repetition. Speechwriters, too, are well aware of the power of repetition.

The writing principle of the “rule of 3” states that ideas expressed in these terms are more convincing and memorable. This is true of both spoken and written words and the ideas they express. Teach your students to use this method in their essay writing.

The very structure of the 5-paragraph essay lends itself to planning for this repetition, in fact. Each idea that is explored in a body paragraph should be outlined first in the introductory paragraph.

Then, the single body paragraph devoted to the idea will explore it at greater length, supported by evidence. And the third rap of the hammer occurs in the summation of the concluding paragraph, driving the point securely and convincingly home.

As mentioned at the start of this post, every good essay has a beginning, a middle and an end.

Each point made, explained and supported by evidence is a step toward what the writing teacher Roy Peter Clark calls “closing the circle of meaning.”

In planning for the conclusion of the essay, the students should take the opportunity to reaffirm their position. By referring to the points outlined in the introduction and driving them home one last time, the student-writer is bringing the essay to a satisfying full circle.

This may be accomplished by employing various strategies: an apt quotation, referring to future consequences or attempting to inspire and mobilize the reader.

Ending with a succinct quotation has the double benefit of lending some authoritative weight to the argument while also allowing the student to select a well-written, distilled expression of their central thesis. This can make for a strong ending, particularly for ESL students.

Often the essay thesis will suggest its own ending. If the essay is structured around a problem, it’s frequently appropriate to end the essay by offering solutions to the problem and outlining potential consequences if those solutions are not followed.

In the more polemical type of essay, the student may end with a call to arms, a plea for action on the part of the reader.

The strategy chosen by the student will depend largely on what fits the central thesis of their essay best.

For the ESL student, the final edit is especially important.

It offers a final chance to check form and meaning. For all writers, this process can be daunting, but more so for language students.

Often, ESL students will use the same words over and over again due to a limited vocabulary. Encourage your students to employ a thesaurus in the final draft before submission. This will freshen up their work, making it more readable, and will also increase their active vocabulary in the long run!

Another useful strategy at this stage is to encourage students to read their work aloud before handing it in.

This can be good pronunciation practice , but it also provides an opportunity to listen for grammatical errors. Further, it helps students hear where punctuation is required in the text, helping the overall rhythm and readability of the writing.

To really help your students become master essay writers, you’ll want to provide them with plenty of opportunities to test and flex their skills.

Writing prompts and exercises are a good place to start:

Descriptive writing activities encourage students to get creative and use their five senses, literary devices and diverse vocabulary. Read on for eight descriptive writing…

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/esl-writing-projects/ https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/esl-picture-description/

Giving good ESL writing prompts is important because inspiring prompts inspire students to write more and writing more is how they improve. Read this post to learn 50…

You’ll likely also want to teach them more about the mechanics of writing :

Are you looking for ESL writing skills to share with your ESL students? In this guide, you’ll find different ESL writing techniques, such as helping students understand…

Would you like to introduce journal writing into your ESL classes? Fantastic idea! Here are 9 essential tips to make it creative, engaging and fun.

https://www.fluentu.com/blog/educator-english/esl-writing-lessons/

Essays are a great way not only for students to learn how the language works, but also to learn about themselves.

Formulating thoughts and arguments about various subjects is good exercise for not only the students’ linguistic faculties, but also for understanding who they are and how they see the world.

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ESL Topics For Kids | 30 English Topics For Kids And Beginner Students

Whether you are teaching English online, or teaching English in South Korea, one of the big challenges when creating lessons is figuring out what ESL topics to teach. 

This is especially challenging if you must create your own curriculum for ESL beginners. 

There are many topics that are typically found in young learner curricula.

In this post we have put together a list of 30 ESL topics that are typically taught to ESL kids and beginners. 

You can also click on ESL lesson topic titles below to check out some of our free lesson materials that you can use in your English lessons.

30 ESL Topics For Kids

• Alphabet and phonics
• Greetings and Introductions  (Hello / Goodbye / What’s your name?)
• Feelings and Emotions  (How are you?)
• Weather  (How’s the weather? / What’s the weather like?)
• Colors  (What color is it?)
• Numbers  (How many? / How Much is it?)
• Adjectives  (It’s big / small.)
• Food  ( I like… / I don’t like…)
• Family  ( This is my mother. / Who’s he/she?’)
• Jobs and Occupations  (What does he/she do? / What do you want to be?)
• Classroom objects  (What’s this? / Do you have a …?)
• Parts of the body 
• Can / Can’t
• Prepositions  ( on / in / under )
• Rooms of the House  (Where’s dad? – He’s in the living room.)
• Days of the week  (What day is it?)
• Sickness  (I have a stomachache.)
• Clothes  (Put on your jacket. / What is he wearing?)
• Descriptions  (What does he/she look like?)
• Present Progressive Tense  (What’s he/she doing?)
• Transportation  (How do you come to school?)
• Telling The Time  (What time is it?)
• School subjects  (We have English class on Mondays)
• Sports  (What are you good at?)
• Hobbies  (What do you like to do in your free time?)
• Countable and Uncountable Nouns  ( some / any)
• Comparatives and Superlatives
• Past Tense  ( What did you do last weekend?)
• Directions  ( Where is the supermarket?)

Thanks for reading. I hope you found this list of ESL topics for kids useful. Before you go don’t forget to check out our free ESL games, activities, and resources including  Activity Videos ,  PowerPoint Games ,  PowerPoint Lessons ,  Worksheets ,  Board Games , and  Lesson Plans . 

Writing Prompts for Elementary School Students

Tim Platt/Getty Images

• M.S., Education, Buffalo State College
• B.S., Education, Buffalo State College

Writing is an essential skill and an important part of elementary school studies. However, writing inspiration does not come easily to every student. Like adults, many children experience writer's block , particularly when an assignment is extremely open-ended.

Good writing prompts get students' creative juices flowing , help them write more freely, and ease any anxiety they may feel about the writing process. To integrate writing prompts into your lessons, ask students to choose one writing prompt each day or week. To make the activity more challenging, encourage them to write without stopping for at least five minutes, increasing the number of minutes that they devote to writing over time.

Remind your students that there is no wrong way to respond to the prompts and that they should simply have fun and let their creative minds wander. After all, just as athletes need to warm up their muscles, writers need to warm up their minds.

Elementary School Writing Prompts

• My biggest goal in life is...
• The best book I ever read was...
• The happiest moment in my life was when...
• When I grow up, I want to...
• The most interesting place I have ever been to was...
• Name three things you don't like about school and why.
• The strangest dream I ever had was...
• The person I admire most is...
• When I turn 16, I will...
• Who is the funniest member of your family and why?
• I get scared when...
• Five things I would do if I had more money are...
• What is your favorite sport and why?
• What would you do if you could change the world?
• Dear teacher, I would like to know...
• Dear President Washington, what was it like to be the first president?
• My happiest day was...
• My saddest day was...
• If I had three wishes, I would wish for...
• Describe your best friend, how you met, and why you are friends.
• Describe your favorite animal and why.
• Three things I like to do with my pet elephant are...
• The time a bat was in my house...
• When I become an adult, the first thing I want to do is...
• My best vacation was when I went to...
• The top three reasons that people argue are...
• Describe five reasons that going to school is important.
• What is your favorite television show and why?
• The time I found a dinosaur in my backyard...
• Describe the best present you ever received.
• Describe your most unusual talent.
• My most embarrassing moment was when...
• Describe your favorite food and why.
• Describe your least favorite food and why.
• The top three qualities of a best friend are...
• Write about what you would cook for an enemy.
• Use these words in a story: scared, angry, Sunday, bugs.
• What's your idea of a perfect vacation?
• Write about why someone might be afraid of snakes.
• List five rules that you have broken and why you broke them.
• What is your favorite video game and why?
• I wish someone had told me that...
• Describe the hottest day you can remember.
• Write about the best decision you've ever made.
• I opened the door, saw a clown, and then...
• The last time the power went out, I...
• Write about five things you can do if the power goes out.
• If I were president, I would...
• Create a poem using the words: l o ve, happy, smart, sunny.
• The time my teacher forgot to wear shoes...
• For prompts that ask students to write about a person, encourage them to write two responses—one response about a friend or family member, and another about someone they don't know personally. This exercise encourages children to think outside the box.
• Remind students that their responses can be fantastical. When the confines of realism are eliminated, students are free to think more creatively, which often inspires greater engagement in the project.

If you're looking for more writing ideas, try our lists of journal prompts  or ideas for writing about important people in history like Martin Luther King Jr .

• 24 Journal Prompts for Creative Writing in the Elementary Classroom
• November Writing and Journal Prompts
• Christmas Journal Writing Prompts
• September Writing Prompts
• December Writing Prompts
• October Writing Prompts
• February Writing Prompts
• Fun March Writing Prompts for Journaling
• January Writing Prompts
• May Writing Prompts
• Writing Prompt (Composition)
• The Importance of Answering Questions in Complete Sentences
• Martin Luther King Jr. Writing Prompts
• How to Write a Philosophy of Education for Elementary Teachers
• 50 Topics for Impromptu Student Speeches
• Ice Breakers for the First Day of Elementary School

Essay Examples & Writing Tips for ESL/EFL Students (updated 2024)

In this lesson you will find simple essay examples for ESL, EFL and university students. Additional writing tips also show how to write a proper essay with minimal mistakes.

Writing essays is a powerful way to improve your language skills and express your thoughts. In our article, “Essay Examples for ESL/EFL Students,” we embark on a journey through the world of essays, offering you valuable examples and insights to help you gain confidence in your English writing abilities.

Essay Examples and Tips For ESL Students

Sample essay 1. my hobby.

My favorite hobby is playing drums. I spend a lot of my free time playing drums. I started learning to play drums when I was 9 years old. I played in my school’s band. When I was 12, I got a private drum teacher and started to really enjoy playing.

My parents bought me a drum set and I started practicing every day after school. It was very loud, but my mother never complained. I improved a lot, and playing drums has been my favorite hobby ever since.

Now, I play drums in a band with my friend Dan, who plays guitar. We write songs, perform, and practice twice a week. It’s still as fun as it was when I first started playing!

Answer these questions in your essay:

What is your hobby? When did you start doing this hobby? Why do you like doing this hobby? How did you learn this hobby? When do you usually do this hobby? How often do you do this hobby?(every day, one a week, twice a month, on weekends, etc.)

Use this sentence pattern in your essay: start/stop verb+ing I started playing basketball when I was 5 years old. I started reading novels when I was very young

Sentence pattern: verb+ing

When you put a verb after start , begin , stop , finish , or quit , you must add “ ‐ing ”

Examples: I started studying English in 3rd grade. I finished writing my homework at 11:00 last night. My father quit smoking because it is unhealthy. We began dating when we met last year.

Check Also: Essay Writing Tips & How to Avoid Typical Mistakes  Short Essay Examples for ESL Students 20 Useful Vocabulary & Phrases to Start Your Essay  Argumentative Essay Topics With Points for Students

SAMPLE ESSAY 2. My Favorite Place

Usually when you ask people what their favorite place is, they will talk about a distant place – maybe a beach or a beautiful mountain. But my favorite place is not far away at all. My favorite place is the forest behind my house.

Although the forest behind my house is not very big, when I was little I thought it was huge! There are so many interesting places to play and hide. I can sit on the big rocks and have a picnic, I can climb the tall trees, or I can look for lizards and other little animals.

Even though I have played there many times, I can still spend all afternoon running, playing, and hiking in the forest behind my house.

The forest behind my house is a magical place. If I am in a bad mood, I will go there to be alone and think. When I was little, I liked to imagine that there were magical people who lived in the forest. When I grow up and have children, I hope that they can live near such a special place, too.

Sentence pattern: (not) …at all “at all” means “not even a little”, and you usually put it at the end of a negative sentence (a sentence with “not”).

Example: Brian: Are you hungry: Dave: I just ate dinner. I’m not hungry at all.

Check Also: Essay Writing Tips & How to Avoid Typical Mistakes ✅ Useful Academic Expressions & Phrases For Essay Writing

SAMPLE ESSAY 3. My Best Friend

A best friend is a person you can count on, someone who will always be there to put a smile on your face when you need it. This is why I call Nathan my best friend.

I first met Nathan in second grade. His family just moved here from another town and he didn’t have any friends. We started talking, and one day I went to his house to play video games. Soon, we were hanging out every day, and we stayed at each other’s houses on the weekends.

Nathan and I have a lot in common. We both like jokes, and we both love to play soccer. In summer, we go to the swimming pool and eat ice cream cones. Next year, we are going to learn to play tennis together.

Best of all, I can tell Nathan my secrets, and I know he won’t tell anyone. I call him my best friend because I trust him, because he is a lot of fun, and because we like the same things. I hope our friendship lasts forever!

Sentence pattern: [Subject] lasts [amount of time]

Use this to describe how long something is (how long it “lasts”)

Examples: That is a long movie. It lasts almost 3 hours . Summer vacation lasts about 2 months . The cell phone battery lasts about 1 year . After 1 year, you will need to buy a new one. When my girlfriend broke up with me, she said, “ Nothing lasts forever .”

SAMPLE ESSAY 4. Trip to the Zoo

Going to the zoo is a fun and interesting way to spend a day. The last time I went to the zoo was two months ago, during summer vacation. I went with my mother, father, and sister, and it was a trip that I will never forget.

We saw all kinds of animals at the zoo. We saw monkeys, snakes, and even a lion! In addition, there were birds, lizards, and several different kinds of fish. We got to see an eel, and octopus, and a small shark. My favorite animal was the elephant. It was so huge! We fed the elephants peanuts, and it sprayed us with water!

Although the zoo is very exciting, sometimes it makes me sad to see all the animals in cages. They cannot walk, run, or fly freely. However, it is good that people can go to the zoo and learn about these animals. Therefore, I’m glad we have such a nice zoo in my city

Essay Writing Tips For ESL students:

Writing essays might seem tricky, but with a few simple tips, you can make it easier and better. Especially if English is not your first language, here are some straightforward suggestions:

• Start with a Plan: Before you begin writing, take a moment to think about your main ideas. Make a simple outline with your introduction, main points, and conclusion. It’s like making a roadmap for your essay.
• Use Simple Words: Don’t try to impress with big words. It’s better to use words you know well. Simple words can be just as effective and make your writing clearer.
• One Idea per Paragraph: Each paragraph should talk about one main idea. This makes your essay organized and easy to follow. Start a new paragraph when you move to a new topic.
• Check for Mistakes: After you finish writing, go back and check for mistakes. Look for spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors. It’s a small step, but it makes a big difference.
• Connect Your Ideas: Use words like “but,” “and,” and “so” to connect your ideas. This helps your writing flow smoothly. Remember to put a comma after these words at the beginning of a sentence.
• Read Out Loud: After you’ve written your essay, read it out loud. This helps you catch mistakes and see if your sentences sound right.
• Keep It Simple: Stick to the point. Don’t make your sentences too long or complicated. It’s better to have short, clear sentences.

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Thanks for the essay examples

Hello Fahim, could we have a friendship with you?

150 ESL Conversation Starters and Questions (The Essential List)

Do you want your students to be excited to speak with you in English?

Do you want to make sure you always know where the conversation is going and what to say next?

You need engaging content, interesting conversation starters, and questions that really reel them in.

Join our mailing list to receive a free ESL teaching resource every week.

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This list of 150 ESL conversation starters will give you everything you need to make sure you always have something interesting to talk about and never run out of things to say!

Why Every Teacher Needs a List of Starters

Conversation topics for adults and teens, conversation topics for kids, conversation topics for beginners, weird and funny conversation starters, controversial conversations topics, additional tips for your conversation lessons, final thoughts.

If you want to improve your student’s speaking ability you need to master the art of conversation. You need to know how to get your students speaking , move the conversation forward, provide feedback and make it all feel natural. You also need engaging topics and that is where this guide comes in.

One of the problems that can face a teacher is knowing what to talk about. What do you do when you’ve finished talking about work, the weather and then realise that only 5 minutes have passed!

This guide has everything you need to make sure you never run out of topics and most importantly you always have something interesting to say.

It is a good idea to pick a particular topic for a class (or even have your student pick if you want more engagement from them). Once you have that topic then move through the questions, trying to get as much from each one as possible. 

Browse our ESL teacher resources section for more tips and printable lesson materials.

Adults and teens usually know more about advanced topics than children (politics, religion, etc.) That being said, knowing more on these topics doesn’t necessarily translate to being able to speak about these things easily so don’t assume they can do everything. Be aware of your student’s level and be prepared to reframe a question if they are struggling to understand. 

• Where do you work?
• Do you enjoy your job?
• Do you use English for your job?
• Tell me about your last job.
• What do you think is the most difficult job in the world?
• What do you think is the easiest job in the world?
• Where would you work if you could pick any job?
• Would you still work if you won the lottery?
• Do you think robots will replace all of the jobs in the future?
• Which kind of job should have the highest salary?

In this post, you’ll get 20 topics and activities for Business English lessons.

• Do you listen to music?
• When did you start listening to music?
• Do you play a musical instrument?
• What do you think the future of music will be like?
• If you could meet any musician, who would it be?
• Why do people like music?
• If you could erase a musical genre, which would it be?
• Do you think musical success comes from working hard or luck?
• What was the first album you bought?
• Have you ever downloaded music illegally?
• What is a holiday?
• Do you often go on holiday?
• Where did you last go on holiday?
• Where would you like to go on holiday next?
• Do you prefer relaxing or having an adventure on your holiday?
• Is it weird to go on holiday by yourself?
• What is the best food you’ve eaten while on holiday?
• Can you imagine what holidays 500 years ago were like?
• Would you like to go on holiday to space?
• What do you think the future of the holidays will be like?
• What is technology?
• What do you think of when you hear the word ‘technology’?
• How has technology changed in the past?
• How has technology changed your life?
• Could you live without technology?
• Find the full list of technology questions here

In order to engage a child in conversation, you have to enter their world. What is fun for them? What do they like to do? Using words/phrases like “wow”, “That sounds tasty”, “Awesome” can show you are listening to them and make things more fun which will get them saying more!

• Do you have a pet?
• What do you think pets do in the day?
• What do pets eat?
• Are cats better or dogs?
• What is the best name for a pet?
• Would you like a pet spider?
• Would you like to be an animal? Which one?
• Why do we have pets?
• Do you prefer cute or fun pets?
• What is the best present for a pet?
• Do you like school?
• What is your favourite subject?
• What is your least favourite subject?
• Who is your favourite teacher?
• Why do people have to go to school?
• Do you like homework?
• What would you do if you were the headteacher?
• How could schools be more fun?
• How long are the summer holidays?
• Can you learn and have fun at the same time?
• What is your favourite movie?
• Who is your favourite character?
• Who is your least favourite character?
• Do you like disney movies?
• What was the last movie you saw at the cinema?
• How often do you watch movies?
• Do you wish you could live in a movie?
• Why do you watch movies?
• Do you prefer reading books or movies?
• Do you watch any movies in English?

Keeping the topics simple for beginners is a must at the start. Talking about their hobbies and family can help as these are areas they may have already experience in talking about. If a student is really struggling then giving them phrases to use such as “I like …” can help get the ball rolling.

• What do you like to do?
• Do you do any sports?
• What types of movie do you like?
• Do you play video games?
• What do you usually do with friends?
• Is learning English a hobby or work?
• Do you have any unusual hobbies?
• Do you have enough time for your hobbies?
• What is a common hobby?
• What do you think is a boring hobby?
• Do you live with your family?
• How many people are in your family?
• Are you close with your family?
• How often do you see your family?
• What do you do with your family when you see them?
• Is your family important to you?
• Which is more important, friends or family?
• Who is the weirdest person in your family?
• Are families less important nowadays than in the past?
• What would happen if we didn’t have families?
• Where do you live?
• What is there to do in your city?
• What is your place like?
• What is your neighbourhood like?
• Are there any parks near where you live?
• Have you ever lived elsewhere?
• How many rooms does your place have?
• If you moved, where would you like to live?
• Would you prefer to live in the city or country?
• Would you like to live abroad?

Use information gap activities to help your students practice speaking: read our guide.

Nobody wants to speak about the same mundane topics, especially if they’re an advanced student. Being able to mix it up is a great attribute to have as a teacher. Not only will you have memorable lessons with these conversation starters but it will really test the ability of the students to think about topics they aren’t used to (instead of rolling off easy answers about familiar topics.)

Zombie Apocalypse Plan

• What is your zombie apocalypse plan?
• Who would you take with you?
• What would be your weapon of choice?
• What would you do if a friend got bitten by a zombie?
• What would you do if you got bitten by a zombie?
• What food would you take with you?
• Do you think governments should have a zombie apocalypse plan?
• Do you think everyone should have a zombie apocalypse plan?
• Is a zombie outbreak a likely scenario?
• Why do you think there are so many movies and TV series based on zombies?

Superpowers

• If you could have a superpower, what would it be?
• What do you think is the weirdest superpower in comic books?
• Are some superpowers too powerful?
• Would you like a superpower where you could turn things into gold by touching them?
• What is the weakest superpower in a comic book?
• Have we already seen every kind of superpower possible in a comic book?
• Are there some people in the real world that have superpowers? (doctors etc)
• Would you like a superpower where you could turn things into chocolate?
• Would it be better to be super strong or super smart?
• Would you like the power to travel through time?
• If you were granted 3 wishes what would they be?
• Is wishing for more wishes cheating?
• Should there be any other rules for people granted wishes?
• Have you seen any movies with a magic lamp?
• Do you think there is a better object that could house a genie?
• Why are we interested in stories of people having wishes?
• Have any of your wishes come true in real life?
• Do you make a wish when you blow out the candles on a cake?
• Is it bad luck to tell someone what your wish is when blowing out the candles?
• What other ways do people make wishes?

These are topics that you need to be careful with and use your judgement based on the student’s background. You need to wait until you know a student to find out what material is appropriate for them. That being said, If used correctly, then these can be really interesting and get the student thinking about “real issues”. 

Death Penalty

• What do you think about the death penalty?
• Do you know which countries still use the death penalty?
• Why do you think some countries use the death penalty?
• Do you know of any famous executions?
• Should the death penalty be outlawed?
• If we removed the death penalty then what punishment should replace it?
• What is the most humane form of execution?
• What would your “last meal” be?
• Does the fear of the death penalty reduce crime?
• How has execution changed over the years?
• What is abortion?
• Should abortion be legal?
• Why do you think some people are “pro choice”?
• Why do you think some people are “pro life”?
• What do you think of abortion in cases where the baby was conceived due to rape?
• What do you think of abortion in cases where the Mother’s life is in danger (due to being pregnant)?
• Should the father “get a say” in the matter of abortion?
• What advice would you give to a family member who was thinking of getting an abortion?
• Should people be allowed to protest against abortion?
• What do you think the future laws on abortion will be?
• What is corruption?
• Is there corruption in your country?
• Why does corruption exist?
• Would you consider taking a bribe?
• Would you consider offering a bribe?
• Are some types of corruption better than others?
• Which countries have the most corruption?
• Which countries have the least corruption?
• Are there any stories of corruption that you can remember?
• Is it possible to get rid of corruption entirely?

Get a list of 110 “Would you rather” questions for your conversation lessons.

Here are some additional tips to make sure your students are getting the most out of their conversation lessons and will be excited about coming back for more. Some of these will take time to internalize and get right but be aware of them and experiment to get them just right.

Don’t feel like you have to stick rigidly to the list of conversation starters. If a question takes you down a different conversational thread then go with it. The important thing is that the student is talking, you can always return to “the script” later.

Correcting a student immediately can often be useful, but in conversation, it can really kill the flow as well as a student’s confidence if done too often. A good idea is to make notes of any major problems and then mention them after a particular section instead. On top of this, try not to interrupt a student once they are speaking. For each answer, try to milk everything out of them that you can before you have “your turn to speak”.

As well as the frequency of correction, consider the amount being corrected. Don’t feel like you have to correct EVERYTHING. Especially if a student is starting out and is a bit nervous. Pick a few problems areas and focus on that, if you mention too many things at once it can be overwhelming and can really lower a student’s confidence.

Be strict when a student gives you short answers. If a student gives you an answer like “yes” then force more out of them with “yes… because” or “no… but”. The idea is to get them using the language more.

Try to inject some personality when using these ESL conversation topics. It should feel more like a conversation rather than a robot giving an interview.

Some students will struggle with certain subjects as they just don’t know enough about the topic. If it’s a bit of a challenge then push through but if they can’t even talk about a topic in their native language then it may be an idea to move on to another subject.

Allowing a student to pick a topic can be a great way of engaging them more. This also has the added benefit of helping a younger student (such as a teenager) feel more empowered as they can make their own decisions.

Get 18 statesman tips on giving great conversation for teens and adults in this post.

There you have it!

All you need to make sure you never run out of things to say. Get these printed out as your go-to cheat sheets and bookmark this page so you can easily come back to them for future classes.

Hopefully, these ESL conversation starters and questions will spark your own ideas for topics you can use in class. If you are teaching one-to-one, you could even write niche topics especially for that student’s interests (e.g skateboarding, knitting or chess).

Remember, match the topics to the student’s level, keep it fun and once they start talking don’t get in the way!

3 thoughts on “150 ESL Conversation Starters and Questions (The Essential List)”

Very interesting! Thank you.

This is very useful for our speaking club. Thank you.

Glad to hear, enjoy! :)

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30+ ESL English Conversation Topics for Students & Young Learners

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Last Updated on February 23, 2022 by Bilingual Kidspot

30+ ESL English Conversation Topics for Students & Young Learners

Looking to get your kids or English students talking? Here you can find a long list of English conversation topics for students learning English as a second language, (ESL).

With plenty of discussion ideas to choose from, these ESL conversation topics are great in class or everyday use at home with young English learners.

Why use English Conversation Topics to start Discussions with ESL students?

While you can learn through textbooks , games or online websites , conversation is one of the most important aspects of leaning English as a second language, (ESL).

Speaking in conversational form is helpful for students because they have to think about topics and words in their head before they say them.

Conversation and discussions are also great for helping students to learn about certain topics.

The more they use these topics in conversation the better practice they will gain when speaking in full conversations as they progress in their English language abilities.

Language is how we think and process information.

When students use different speaking topics, they are putting information into their memory and accessing old memories to validate their conversations. 

Example English Conversation Topics for Students

Here is a list of 30+ English Conversation topics and discussion topics for students who are learning English as a second language.

• Do you have any pets, if so, what are they?
• What is your favourite animal and why?
• What does this animal look like and what does it like to eat?
• Are animals well looked after where you are from? Why?

2. Routines

• Do you have certain routines that you follow, if so, what are they?
• Do you have friends or family that follow similar routines?
• What do you like about your routine?
• How would you feel if something in your daily routine was changed?
• What is your favourite book and why?
• What is your least favourite book and why?
• Is there a library in your hometown?
• What information can you learn from reading books?

Recommended : Importance of reading

4. Cleanliness

• Why is cleanliness important?
• How often do you think one should clean?
• What types of things should be cleaned?
• How clean do you think this room is?

5. Clothing

• What do you like to wear?
• Where do you buy your clothing and what colors do you choose?
• What type of clothes do you not like wearing?
• What type of clothing do your friends wear?
• Which culture do you belong too?
• How do people greet each other?
• What type of customs and traditions do you practice?
• Are you interested in learning about other cultures? Why?

7. Exercise

• Do you usually exercise, if so, how often?
• What activities do you do while exercising?
• Do people in your country do a lot of exercising?
• What can happen if people do not exercise?
• How many siblings do you have?
• What are their names and how old are they?
• Where are your parents originally from?
• Who are your extended family members? (cousins, aunts, uncles etc.)
• What is your biggest fear and why?
• How does having this fear make you feel?
• Do you know people that share the same fear?
• How can you work through your fears?

10. Feelings

• How are you feeling right now?
• How do you feel when someone hurts your feelings? Why?
• How do you feel when someone makes you happy? Why?
• Why is it important to think about other people’s feelings?
• What is your favourite food and why?
• What is your least favourite food and why?
• What is a typical food from your home country?
• What is a food you would love to try?
• What is a goal that you have?
• How do you plan to reach this goal?
• Do you need help achieving your goal?
• Do you think it’s important to set goals? Why?

13. Hobbies

• What hobbies do you like to do?
• What do you like about the hobbies you do?
• Is there anybody in your family you share a hobby with?
• When did you start practicing your hobby and how long do you spend practicing?

14. Holidays

• What is your favourite holiday and why?
• What is your least favoruite holiday and why?
• How do you spend most of your holidays?
• Do you do anything special with your family on holidays, if so what?

15. Hometown

• Where is your hometown?
• Do you live in a city or rural area?
• Do you like living in your hometown? Why?
• How do people get around in your hometown?

16. Household Items

• What household item do you use the most and why?
• How does it work?
• How often do you use your household items?
• Why are household items useful?
• What do you want to be when you grow up and why?
• Do a lot of people do this job in your country?
• What type of jobs do people in your country have?
• Do you think everyone should work? Why?

More ESL Conversation Topics for Students

You are half way, but we have more!

18. Manners

• Who taught you about manners?
• How often do you use them and why?
• Why are using manners important?
• How do you feel when someone isn’t using manners?
• What is your favourite type of movie and why?
• What is your least favourite type of movie and why?
• Do you go to the cinema to watch a movie?
• Do you watch movies in different languages? Why?
• What is your favourite song and who sings it?
• How much time a day do you spend listening to music?
• What genre of music do you like best? Why?
• What kind of music is preferred where you are from?
• What do you do in a typical day at school?
• What is your favourite subject and why?
• What is your least favourite subject and why?
• What do you like about your teachers?

22. Seasons

• Can you name the four seasons?
• What clothes do you need to wear in each season?
• What season do you like best and why?
• What season do you like least and why?
• How time do you go to sleep and what time do you wake up?
• How many hours of sleep do you usually get a night?
• Do you think you get enough sleep? Why?
• If you don’t get enough sleep, how do you feel?

24. Shopping

• Do you like shopping and why?
• What do you usually shop for and where do you go shopping?
• Who do you go shopping with?
• Are their many shops in your hometown?
• What sports do you like and dislike? Why?
• What sport is popular where you live?
• Why are sports important?
• Who do you play sports with?

26. Television

• What is your favourite T.V program and why?
• Is it an international T.V program?
• What is the T.V program about?
• How often do you watch this T.V program and who watches it with you?
• How important is time to you?
• How much free time do you usually have?
• Who do you spend your free time with?
• If you had more free time, what would you do with it?

28. Transportation

• How do you travel to get to school?
• How long does it take you to get to school?
• What other types of transportation have you used?
• How often do you use public transport?
• Where have you traveled too?
• Who do you usually go traveling with?
• What languages do you use when traveling?
• What is your favourite tourist attraction?

30. Weather

• What is the weather outside today?
• What is the weather normally like where you live?
• How can the weather effect your feelings?
• What kind of weather is your favourite and why?

Which English conversation topics NOT to talk about?

Some conversation topics can be sensitive for students and when talking about these topics can impact them negatively.

There are some topics that also are not appropriate for students because they may cause hurtful feelings unless they are brought up in certain circumstances.

Topics that tend to cause students to become uncomfortable include things such as politics and religious beliefs.

Some people tend to have strong opinions on these topics which they entitled too, however it can sometimes be uncomfortable to talk about with students in certain situations.

English conversation / discussion topics for young learners

When using conversational English be aware of the topics you are using and make sure they will impact students in a positive way.

All topics have room for discussion but be sure to discuss these at appropriate times, age level and with parent’s approval.

Do you have other English conversation topics that you use with your kids or students? Let us know!

Make sure you also check out our Phonics Games that can help students who are struggling with certain sounds. And this post on encouraging words for kids is filled with ideas on how to praise students when they have done well.

Teaching English? Take a look at our Learn English for Kids post with tones of other ESL English learning resources for children!

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Bilingual Kidspot is a website offering practical advice for parents seeking to raise bilingual or multilingual children; with inspiration, support and strategies based on experience as a parent, and as a teacher of a foreign language to children.

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