One of the best ways for you to learn English is to play English games, which will make studying fun and exciting.
You won’t even notice all the learning you’re doing in the meantime!
In this post, we’ll get you started with 26 excellent games for learning English, so you can practice your language skills.
We have a variety of options that you can play online, in person and with your friends.
Contents
- Online Word Games to Practice English
-
- 1. Wordshake
- 2. Knoword
- 3. 4 Pics 1 Word
- 4. Visual Thesaurus Spelling Bee
- 5. Word Whomp
- 6. Freerice
- 7. Human Brain Cloud
- 8. Scrabble Online
- 9. Word Games by Learn English Today
- 10. 7 Words
- 11. ESL Crossword Puzzles
- 12. Influent
- 13. FluentU
- Online Grammar and Trivia Games to Practice English
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- 14. Lovatts Free Online Trivia
- 15. Adaptive Spelling Quiz by SpellQuiz
- 16. The Grammar of Doom
- 17. 20 Questions
- 18. Proof It!
- 19. Bubbles
- 20. Magnetic Poetry
- Board Games to Learn English
-
- 21. Boggle
- 22. Bananagrams
- 23. Rewordable
- ESL Interactive Games for Group Learning
-
- 24. 20 Questions (Classic Version)
- 25. Fishbowl
- 26. Telephone
- Why Learn English from Games?
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Online Word Games to Practice English
Online English games can be hit or miss (either great or terrible). But no worries, we’ve found the best word games to practice your English vocabulary with.
1. Wordshake
Level: All levels
Key question: Is there a word scramble game to improve my English vocabulary?
If you like action-packed ESL games that have you working against the clock, Wordshake is right for you.
This game gives you 16 random letters of the alphabet and three minutes. During that time, you have to come up with (think of) as many English words as you can using the letters you have, and every time you make a new word, you get points.
Since there aren’t any complicated rules with Wordshake, it’s a good vocabulary-building game for beginners and advanced students alike.
2. Knoword
Level: Intermediate/Advanced
Key question: Is there a game to practice English with vocabulary definitions?
Knoword has to be one of the most entertaining, enjoyable and fun games the whole internet has to offer.
The rules are very simple: You have one minute to read as many definitions as you can and write the correct answer.
Every time you give a correct answer, you get one or two extra seconds, and every four correct answers give you a hint. You can skip as many words as you want, so make sure you press Esc or click on Skip whenever you don’t know a word.
3. 4 Pics 1 Word
Level: All levels
Key question: What’s the best game app to practice English vocabulary on my phone?
The rules of the game are super simple: you get four pictures that have something in common, and you have to guess what it is.
Sometimes the answer is very obvious, but other times you’ll have to think hard and use hints to get some help. Whether you’re a beginner learner of English or a fluent speaker, 4 Pics 1 Word will surely activate your brain and make you think in English.
Plus you can always create your own flashcards for the words you don’t know. Who said fun and learning can’t go together?
4. Visual Thesaurus Spelling Bee
Level: Advanced
Key question: Is there a spelling game for advanced English learners?
Listen to a word and try to spell it correctly. No surprises here.
However, some of the words you’ll hear are so hard to spell that you’ll start to feel the bee is laughing at you and your misspellings.
The game comes with statistics, a free look at the visual thesaurus for the words you spell correctly and all the definitions of the words divided by part of speech.
Even though the Visual Thesaurus isn’t free, the game is, and it’s full of great features to help you learn English.
5. Word Whomp
Level: All levels
Key question: What’s a cute game that allows me to practice my spelling skills?
Another word scramble game similar to Wordshake but cuter, Word Whomp lets you practice your English writing and spelling skills.
In this game, you’re given six letters and you need to determine how many words can be spelled with those letters. You have two and a half minutes to come up with every word. But if you guess too many incorrect words, the game will end.
You’ll practice quickly thinking of English vocabulary words—a skill that’ll be very useful in real-life English conversations.
6. Freerice
Level: Intermediate/Advanced
Key question: Is there a game to practice English and help those in need at the same time?
Freerice is another quiz-style game that helps you improve your vocabulary skills.
Instead of answering word problems, you’re given a vocabulary word and then have to find its closest synonym out of four different words. The game starts out easy but, with 60 levels in total, it gets much harder as you go along.
What really makes Freerice different from other games is that the company will donate 10 grains of rice to hungry families for every question that you answer right.
So the more you play, the more you’re helping those in need.
7. Human Brain Cloud
Level: All levels
Key question: Is there a word association game to practice English for free?
Described as “a massively multiplayer word association game,” the Human Brain Cloud is as simple as it is complex.
You’re given random words, and your goal is to type in words, expressions or even sentences you associate with the words you get. There are no right or wrong answers and the program simply takes your answers and adds them to the association bank.
If you click on a word, you’ll see a “cloud” with your word in the middle connected to other words people associate it with. This is when the fun starts, because you can use this feature to learn vocabulary.
8. Scrabble Online
Level: Intermediate/Advanced
Key question: Is there a board game to improve my English vocabulary that I can also play online?
Originally designed as a board game, you can now play Scrabble online with a friend, against another virtual player or against the computer.
You choose seven letters in the form of tiles and use them to make words. Every square has a letter and number written on it that represents the points that you get for using that letter.
All tiles touching one another have to make a real English word, and you have to build words using the letters from other words that have already been laid down.
9. Word Games by Learn English Today
Level: All levels
Key question: How can I improve my English vocabulary with word games?
You came here looking for a word game. How about 135?
Learn English Today offers 135 free word games to help you improve your English vocabulary while having fun.
Divided into four levels (easy, medium, more difficult and challenging) and five categories (crossword puzzles, jumbled sentences, quizzes, missing words and matching exercises), each one of these games will help you get better at English no matter your level.
It’d be impossible to mention all the topics included in the games, but I can tell you my three favorite one ones to play: Phrasal Verbs, Sightseeing, Preposition Quiz 1.
10. 7 Words
Level: Advanced
Key question: What’s the most challenging word game for English students?
If I told you this simple name hides one of the most difficult but also entertaining and addictive games I’ve ever played in my life, I wouldn’t be lying.
You get seven definitions and 18 tiles with letters, and your goal is to click on the tiles to create words that match the definitions.
Each definition is followed by a number of gray squares that correspond (match) to the number of tiles you need to use to form that word. Other than that and three hints, that’s all you have to complete the 777 puzzles included in the game.
When you guess one word, its definition gets crossed out and the corresponding tiles disappear.
11. ESL Crossword Puzzles
Level: All levels
Key question: Where can I find the best ESL crossword puzzles?
Crossword puzzles a good way to test your reading comprehension and vocabulary skills.
However, the crossword puzzles that you find in the Sunday newspaper are often too hard for English learners to complete.
Fortunately, with ESL Crossword Puzzles you can challenge yourself with word problems that were created especially for English language learners.
The website is comprehensive and has a variety of crossword puzzles, difficulties and themes to choose from, making it great for students of all skill levels. Just choose your level from the menu at the top of the homepage linked above.
12. Influent
Level: Beginner
Key question: Is there a game for learning vocabulary of everyday objects?
In this game, you explore a modern apartment where everything is clickable. You use a device to scan objects and it tells you the name of that object in English.
The game features native audio pronunciations and tests your memory using time-based quizzes. It also has a mini-game inside it where you fly an airplane and shoot down various things.
It helps you learn the names of objects used in daily life. Beginners can quickly pick up the essential words they’ll use in most contexts in a fun and effortless way.
13. FluentU
Level: All levels
Key question: Can I have fun learning English without playing a game?
So let’s be clear. FluentU isn’t a game. It does, however, use fun and engaging videos to teach English—including some about gaming.
The program has a large library of videos, each with a set of interactive captions. This means that you can look up unfamiliar words instantly, with just a click.
You also have the option of using it like a dictionary by typing a word into the FluentU search bar and seeing what it means, how it’s used in printed or video context examples, and a memorable photo definition as well.
The videos are sorted by difficulty level, topic and format. If you’re in the mood for breaking out in song, the music video category might work well, but if you want something more popcorn-friendly, there’s the trailers or movie clips section, as well.
You also can try fun review quizzes to test your knowledge of the content. These include speaking, matching, multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank exercises.
The program is available online, or on iOS / Android.
Online Grammar and Trivia Games to Practice English
Besides word games, there are also several other types of games to practice your English with. A lot of these are trivia games, grammar games and others!
14. Lovatts Free Online Trivia
Level: Intermediate/Advanced
Key question: Is there a trivia game for advanced English students?
If you’re an expert in world facts, you’re going to love Lovatts Trivia, because let me tell you, some of the questions are only for trivia pros (professionals)!
This game is perfect to practice your English reading skills under pressure. You’re playing against the clock, and the more time you take to answer a question, the fewer points you get.
If you ever need some help, you can always ask the system to help you out. Click on the word “Hint” in the upper-right side of the gray line, and one of the incorrect answers will be discarded.
15. Adaptive Spelling Quiz by SpellQuiz
Level: Beginner/Intermediate
Key question: How can I practice English dictation in a fun way?
Imagine being able to do dictations online, but the site is absolutely cute and well-designed. The audio is crystal clear (very clear, easy to understand).
Each sentence gets checked and corrected immediately. You can click on any word to know more about it. The program takes your mistakes into account and gives you more and more difficult sentences as you advance and get better.
There’s also the possibility to check your word and mistake statistics. Register and have access to all this and many other tests, quizzes and much more for free.
16. The Grammar of Doom
Level: Intermediate/Advanced
Key question: Is there any retro game to practice English for free?
The Grammar of Doom is an adventure-style grammar game where you explore secrets hidden within an old, magical temple.
To get an idea of the game, imagine if Indiana Jones taught your English class. There are a total of 10 rooms in the temple, and each room has its own series of puzzles that you have to solve using English.
In order to move to the next room and eventually beat the game, you have to use your grammar and vocabulary skills to create English sentences and solve these puzzles.
17. 20 Questions
Level: All levels
Key question: Is it possible to learn English through only questions?
This is a digital spin on the classic 20 Questions game. First, think of an animal, vegetable, mineral, concept or unknown word.
Once you have chosen your word, the system will start asking questions that you’ll have to answer with words such as “yes,” “no,” “unknown,” “sometimes,” “maybe” and more.
Each question together with your answer will appear on your screen while you play. By the end of question number 20, the system will tell you what it believes you’re thinking about.
If it’s not able to guess your word, you win!
18. Proof It!
Level: Intermediate/Advanced
Key question: What’s the best game to practice English proofreading?
Do you think you have what it takes to be a proofreader? You’re given 10 sentences with one mistake each. Your mission is to find and correct all 10 mistakes.
I recommend this game for advanced students of English who are taking the final steps toward fluency or are getting ready for an exam.
The mistakes you can find in these sentences range from grammar (for example, do instead of does) and spelling errors (break instead of brake) to punctuation (a comma may be missing) and capitalization mistakes (alice instead of Alice).
19. Bubbles
Level: Beginner
Key question: Is there a game to improve sentence construction skills?
This is a simple online puzzle game where you need to make a sentence that describes a picture correctly within a time limit.
You’re shown a bunch of word-bubbles and you have to link them to create a sentence. As you keep making the right sentences in each level, the number of word-bubbles keeps on decreasing.
The game offers different speed options and also lets you decide the vocabulary category. For instance, you can play the game with personal objects, food, animals, sports, jobs, nature, colors, letters or body parts.
20. Magnetic Poetry
Level: All levels
Key question: Is there a game to practice English writing without having to write?
Originally an actual magnet set, Magnetic Poetry offers five complete kits for free online. Use the words you’re given to create poems, stories, jokes or anything that comes to your mind.
Challenge your friends to a race to see who’s the first to use 50 or 100 tiles and create a coherent (logical) story. Or try to journal your day by only using the set of words you get. Or write a geeky poem for your online crush.
You can actually create anything and everything with Magnetic Poetry, and since the free kits are in English, you’ll also practice your vocabulary and writing skills.
Board Games to Learn English
Board games give you the chance to play with other English learners. This can make learning more motivating and also lets you practice your English conversation skills. Here are the best board games for ESL learners!
21. Boggle
Level: All levels
Key question: Is there a word scramble game to play in person?
Boggle is a fun game to play alone or with a group of friends. The goal is to create words by connecting letters on the Boggle board.
First, shake the board and display the mixed up letters. Set the timer and then start writing down all of the English words you can create from the letters on the board.
In the traditional game, words can only be formed by connecting letters that are next to one another. But, to practice even further, you could bend the rules and use any letters on the board to make your English words.
22. Bananagrams
Level: All levels
Key question: Is there a group in person game similar to a crossword puzzle?
Similar to a crossword puzzle, Bananagrams is another game that lets you practice spelling English words.
This game is played with multiple people. Each player takes a certain number of letter tiles. Start using these letters to build connecting words. Once you use all of your letters, shout “peel!” Every player must now take another tile from the pile.
To learn a specific type of vocabulary, you could also consider setting a theme, such as food or animals, and only building words that fit in that theme.
23. Rewordable
Level: All levels
Key question: Is there a card game to improve spelling?
Rewordable is a card game that helps you learn to recognize and spell English words.
There are 120 cards in the deck that each contain a letter or letter combination. You use the cards in your hand to spell words. During the game, you can steal or build off of other players’ words.
This game might seem challenging, but after playing a few rounds you’ll start to understand how to play. This can be a fast-paced way to improve your fluency and expand your English vocabulary.
ESL Interactive Games for Group Learning
In-person group games, like party games in English, are another opportunity to play with other people. It gives you yet another chance to improve your English conversation skills!
24. 20 Questions (Classic Version)
Level: All levels
Key question: Is there a group game to practice asking questions in English?
This is a classic game for any skill level and the original in-person version of the digital game 20 Questions.
To play this game, one player thinks of a word. Then, the other players take turns asking “yes” or “no” questions to determine what word they’re thinking about.
To make this simpler, you can limit the words to specific categories, such as colors or countries. This is a fun party game that helps you practice English vocabulary as well as forming questions in English.
25. Fishbowl
Level: All levels
Key question: Is there an entertaining group game that combines several games in one?
This game lets you practice your writing, reading and spoken English skills. You need a large group to play this game. To start, everyone writes down three simple English words. Next, throw each word in a bowl.
The game consists of three rounds. During the first round, players take turns pulling a word out of the bowl and describing the word to their teammates who must guess the word. After one minute, the round ends.
For the next round, use charades (silent gestures) to get your teammates to guess the words. For the final round, you can use just one word to help your teammates guess the word.
26. Telephone
Level: Beginner
Key question: Is there a fun group game to practice vocabulary listening comprehension?
To play telephone, gather a group of eager language learners. Everyone sits quietly in a line. The first person thinks of an English word or phrase and whispers it to the person sitting next to them.
Then, that person whispers the word to the next person. This continues until the word reaches the last person. The last person repeats the word and everyone determines how much it changed from the front of the line.
This game lets you practice listening and speaking in English. It’s another fun game to play at a language-learning party.
Why Learn English from Games?
Having fun while learning English is a tried and true method that actually works. Here’s why:
- Games aren’t just for kids. Research shows that adults are actually more likely to remember information that they learned through an entertaining process.
- Games teach you a range of language skills. As you’ve seen through our list, you can use games to practice writing, speaking and listening to English.
- Games let you learn outside of a traditional classroom setting. Learning isn’t restricted to the classroom. If you can’t sign up for a formal English class, try using games to improve your fluency at home.
- Group games encourage conversations and boost confidence. If you can, try playing games in a group. This will give you the chance to practice your English conversation skills in a fun and low-stress environment.
- You can play English games anywhere. Language-learning games can be played online, at home, at coffee shops or at a party. The opportunities for English learning are endless.
Even if you’re already taking an English class, games are a fun, effective supplement to your lessons.
Next time you want to sit down and play a game, try turning it into an English-speaking activity. That way, you’ll be practicing English without it even feeling like work.
Stay curious, my friends, and as always, happy learning (and playing)!
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The acquisition of new vocabulary is essential in terms of overall language advancement. However, there is always a need to review active words from time to time in order to use them fluently in speech. Here, we will present a couple of great vocabulary revision games which will perk up every classroom. Through these games the learners will feel how fun, entertaining and effective the learning process can be.
1. Charades
Charades is a fun and cool revision game. Students need to practice their acting skills to explain the words. This game is extremely easy to organize with minimal advance preparation. The only thing to be ready for is to keep a collection of vocabulary cards for the words you have studied.
The class is divided into two teams. Each team member takes turns acting out one of the words from the vocabulary set and explains it by acting out the word. If his or her own team can’t guess the word, the opposite team gets the chance to guess it. Each right answer equals one point.
Skyeng ищет преподавателей английского. Подробности по ссылке: Skyeng
2. Pictionary
Pictionary is also an entertaining game to play for vocabulary review. The rules are similar to those of charades except that instead of acting out the word, it is drawn on the board.
3. Bingo
Bingo can serve as a good revision game. From my experience, most of the groups/students like playing bingo because it gives them the chance to reflect on the words they have digested.
Students are given a blank bingo board and are asked to put the review words into the squares randomly. The teacher puts the active words in a hat or a box, takes them out one by one and defines them. If the student has a word corresponding to the definition, he crosses it out on his bingo board. When someone gets five squares in a row, they should shout, “Bingo!”
Check these articles out as well:
4. A memory style
A memory style card game can be another effective way for reviewing vocabulary. It requires some preparation before the game starts. For each word to be reviewed, one card should have the target vocabulary word and another card should have the definition of the word. You also need to have a big playing grid where you put the words and their definitions face down.
Each person turns over two cards each turn trying to find a match. If the cards do not match, he turns them over again and the next person tries to find a match. If he succeeds, he keeps the cards and gets an additional turn. The player with the highest number of cards at the end of the game wins.
The game can be modified even further. If you have accumulated enough synonyms or antonyms to the target vocabulary, you can practice matching target words to their antonyms or synonyms.
5. Categories
Categories is another awesome revision game which will make students energized and empowered. What they need for the game is to draw 4-6 columns on their paper and write a category at the top of each column. Categories fit the topics covered during the course. For example, if you have covered the business topics of Marketing, Work and Leisure, Ethics, Human Resources, Travel, you write these topics as categories.
You time the students and ask them to write as many words as possible under each category. As a further modification, choose a random letter and write it on the board. Give students enough time to write down a word for each category that starts with that letter.
Экономьте время на подготовку к урокам и проверку домашних заданий со Skyeng. Удаленный формат занятий, защита от внезапных отмен и график, который настроен специально под вас. Присоединяйтесь к нашей команде. Подробности по ссылке: Skyeng
6. Letter scramble
Letter scramble will make students really competitive and super fast. What you need is to take a list of words that your students have recently learned and write a scrambled version of each on the board. Students need to unscramble the words on their paper. The first one to finish deciphering all the words wins.
7. Stop the bus
Stop the bus is a cool game my students adore. I usually divide the class into 2-3 teams. One student from each team. This student sits on a chair facing his peers. Then from behind the student in the hot seat, show the other students a word from the lesson. The other students must try to describe what the word is without saying the actual word. And the student in the hot seat must guess.
The student who guesses the word shouts out “stop the bus” and checks the word with the teacher. If correct, the team gets a point. If wrong, other teams have the chance to guess the word by writing their versions on a piece of paper and passing the papers to the teacher.
8. Puzzles
Puzzles is another cool and easy tool to review the material in an effective way. What I like about this way of vocabulary revision is that students can work in pairs or groups while trying to find words matching the definition in the crosswords. They learn by listening to each other, cooperating to find the right answer. In this way, they both review the material and improve their teamwork skills.
Follow this link to get templates of different types of puzzles.
We also recommend watching a video with Alexei Konobeev. The speaker shared games to help your students remember new vocabulary. These games do not require special training and you can adapt them to any age and level.
We hope that all these games would serve their best to liven your vocabulary revision sessions and make them more meaningful and effective.
Which of these games have you tried? Which ones have you picked up for your next revision slot?
You found our list of fun and simple vocabulary games for adults.
Vocabulary games are activities that include language and wordplay. Example games include Word Association and Hang Man. Players can enjoy vocabulary games in person or online. The purpose of these games is to strengthen vocabulary skills. These games are also known as “vocab games”, “letter games” and “vocabulary building games.”
These games make great online classroom activities and communication games, and can be used as online fun activities for employees.
This list includes:
- vocabulary games for adults
- simple vocabulary word games for adults
- fun online vocabulary games and activities
- English vocabulary games
- vocabulary games in English
- games to improve vocabulary
- vocabulary building activities
- vocab review games
- vocabulary games for students
Get ready to play!
List of vocabulary games
From Pictionary to word scrambles to synonym memory, here is a list of fun word games to play in classrooms, at parties, or during meetings.
1. Vocabulary Pictionary
Pictionary is a game of charades where players draw words instead of acting them out.
To play:
- Split the group into teams.
- Each round, assign one team member to draw.
- Give the drawing team member a word.
- Allow up to sixty seconds for teammates to guess.
- If the team guesses correctly, then assign one point.
You can give other teams the opportunity to steal, or move onto the next team’s turn. The game is a great way to practice new vocabulary, as players connect the word with an image. Pictionary is a fun game for virtual parties or in-person affairs.
To play Pictionary online, draw on the whiteboard app feature on your online meeting software.
2. Word Association
Word Association is one of the best vocabulary games for kids and classrooms since playing does not require a large vocabulary. The rules are simple and easy to understand. Typically, the game involves two players.
To play:
- Player one says a word.
- Player two responds with the first word that comes to mind.
- Player one either chooses a new word or responds to player two’s word.
- The game continues until one player repeats a word or pauses too long.
The rapid pace of the game generates excitement and occasionally results in funny answers.
If a student makes a mistake, then the teacher can pause the game and ask the student to explain or find a more fitting word. Ideally, gamemasters should allow players a few extra seconds to respond. Players should never feel embarrassed. There are no wrong answers in word association, but the game can serve as a learning opportunity to find better words.
If playing via Zoom, then player one or the teacher speaks a word, and other students answer in the chat. The class counts up matching answers and discusses different responses, guessing the reasoning behind each answer.
3. Vocabulary Hangman
Hangman is a classic chalkboard word game that translates easily to online play, thanks to digital whiteboards.
To play:
- Assign a player a word.
- The player draws a series of blanks corresponding to the number of letters in the word.
- Other players guess letters.
- If the letter is in the word, then the “executioner” fills in the blank. If not, then the executioner draws one portion of the gallows.
- The game ends when players guess the word, or when the picture is complete.
The best words to use for hangman contain less-used letters like z, x, and q. Examples of hard hangman words include zigzagging, razzmatazz, and quadrants.
4. Word search
Word searches are common classroom vocabulary games. These activities work well for handouts, and you can play during video calls by using the whiteboard feature and enabling annotation.
We made a sample word search you can use.
To make the game more competitive and exciting, turn the challenge into a race and award prizes to the first players to complete the puzzles.
5. Crossword
Crossword puzzles consist of a series of interconnecting boxes, each of which starts blank but contains one letter by the end of the game. Under the puzzle are two lists of clues, across and down respectively. Solvers need to consider the meaning of words, number of letters, and surrounding words, making the game strategic as well as literary.
Here is an example of a crossword puzzle you can use with your class or team.
Here is the answer key.
Crosswords are great word games for any age or skill level because puzzle makers can adjust the difficulty to suit players. To make your own crossword puzzle, use an online crossword creator.
6. Word Scramble
Word scrambles make great games for English class, and adults enjoy these language brain teasers as well. Simply mix up the order of the letters and ask players to unscramble and identify the original words.
Here is a sample to start with.
And here is the answer key.
To make your own word scrambles, use an online letter randomizer.
7. Scrabble
Scrabble is one of the most popular word games for adults or children. Players must use letter tiles to assemble words on the game board.
To play:
- Each player draws seven letter tiles.
- During turns, players can play tiles or exchange them for new letters.
- Players build words on the board, with each new word connecting to an existing word.
- Tiles have a point value assigned depending on the challenge of the letter. When a player makes a word, tally the letter and add the score to the point board.
More challenging letters have higher point values. For example, E is one point, while Z is ten. To find the point values for each tile and read more gameplay tips, check out this guide from Hasbro.
To coordinate the game for language lessons, assign higher scores for vocabulary words, and ask players to use the words in a sentence for extra points.
Scrabble is easy to play online, too, making it one of the best online vocabulary games. To play virtually, simply find a multiplayer online version of the game, such as Words With Friends.
8. Scattergories
Scattergories is one of the most fun and simple word games for adults. The game challenges players to think up words all starting with the same letter.
To play:
- One player rolls a letter die or uses a letter generator to pick the first letter.
- The timekeeper puts 60 seconds on the clock.
- Players write down one answer per category starting with the letter.
- When time runs out, players read the answers.
- Players receive a point for every answer.
Alliterative phrases count for double or triple points. If two players have the same answer, then they must cross it out and neither receives points. Of course, a player will not receive points for blank answers either. At the end of each round, the player with the most points wins.
Here is a list of sample Scattergories categories:
- A boy’s name, girl’s name, or gender neutral name
- Capital cities
- Four letter words
- Types of drinks
- Holidays
- Careers or professions
- Cartoon characters
- Websites
- Desserts
You could create more inventive categories for the game, or challenge players to make up prompts.
To play virtually, use the chat, screen-share, whiteboard functions in your virtual meeting platform. You can also share a Google Doc or Form, or join a multiplayer online Scattergories game together.
9. Tree or Bob Ross
Tree or Bob Ross is a fun video conference game that challenges players to guess a word by asking questions.
The player who conjures the word is The Post. The Post answers This or That questions whose answers help players narrow down the word.
The first question of the game is usually “is it more like a tree, or more like Bob Ross?” and The Post must answer accordingly. For instance, a rose is probably more like a tree, but Pinnochio presents an interesting challenge.
Each turn, the guesser adds a new word. For example, the second question might be, “is it more like a tree or a fern?” The game continues until players guess correctly. For more excitement, introduce a time limit, or award more points if players guess the word during earlier rounds.
10. Vocabulary Pyramid
Pyramid challenges players to guess words from context clues. The pyramid is a collection of six words, arranged with three on the bottom, two in the middle, and one at the top. To win, teams must guess all words within the pyramid in the allotted time.
To play:
- Divide the group into teams.
- Give one player on each team the pyramid.
- The pyramid holder must give hints to teammates describing each word without using the actual name of the item.
- When players guess correctly, the pyramid master can move to the next word. Or, players can say “pass,” and return to the word later.
- Teams receive a point for every correct guess.
When determining the time limit, consider the age of your players and the difficulty of the words. In general, 30 seconds per word, or three minutes total, is a good place to start, but add or take away time to increase or decrease the challenge.
11. Invisible Bridge
Invisible Bridge is similar to six degrees of Kevin Bacon. In both games, you must figure out a way to connect two seemingly distant concepts. Six degrees of Kevin Bacon uses actors, while Invisible Bridge uses words.
To play:
- A player suggests two unrelated words.
- Player one gives a number of planks. This is how many steps other players must use to relate the two words.
- The other players think up words that share similar traits, synonyms, or connector words to move from one term to another.
An example round might look as follows:
Tiger, Astronaut, eight planks
Tiger – Balm – Lip – Service – Customer – Happy – Pills – Capsules – Space – Astronaut
Meanwhile, Tiger, Astronaut, two planks might look like this:
Tiger – meat eater – meteor – Astronaut
One fun aspect about this game is there can be more than one correct answer, and opposing teams can dispute far-reaches. Invisible bridge encourages players to think about the nature of language and the relationship between words.
12. Poetry Improv
Poetry Improv is an exercise that challenges participants to craft verses on the spot.
To play:
- Pick a poetry style, such as sonnet, haiku, acrostic, limerick, or free verse.
- Give participants vocabulary words to use within the poem.
- Allow five or ten minutes for groups or individuals to complete the verses. If playing online via meeting software, then send groups to breakout rooms to work.
- Ask poets to share the masterpieces aloud.
For extra fun, turn other players into judges by asking them to rate the poems by holding up scorecards. To make the game more fast-paced, ask players to finish each others’ phrases on the spot for a true poetic improv.
13. Synonym Memory
The rules of Memory are easy: flip over two cards at a time and look for matching pictures or words. When players find pairs, they take the cards off the board. The player with the most pairs of cards at the end of the game wins.
Synonym Memory puts a challenging spin on the simple game. Instead of hunting for exact matches, players pair up words with synonyms.
Here are some sample matches:
- enticing/tempting
- assume/suppose
- patience/restraint
- revoke/rescind
- impact/collision
The game encourages players to think in different ways, as participants will need to remember the location of the cards as well as consider meanings of words.
To play online, make your own virtual synonym memory game with an online tool and share screens to play, with one player flipping over the cards at other players’ request.
List of words to use for vocabulary games
Here is a list of great words to use in word games:
- serendipity
- fortitude
- akimbo
- sumptuous
- ineffable
- zephyr
- incorrigible
- medallion
- mauve
- bombast
- denouement
- contemporary
- gossamer
- inane
- hippodrome
- concession
- ideology
- quintessential
- prescient
- regurgitate
- gnash
- cataclysmic
- knell
For further inspiration, use a random word generator or consult online lists of difficult or intersecting words.
Conclusion
Vocabulary games and activities test and strengthen players’ communication skills. These word games minimize frustration by disguising language lessons in the form of an exciting challenge. Not to mention, simple word games are fun for adults and kids alike, and make great icebreaker activities during meetings. Most games only require words and a way to share them, so playing word games online via Zoom or similar platforms is easy.
For even more smart fun, check out our posts on problem solving games, question games and team building brain teasers.
FAQ: Vocabulary Games
Here are answers to common questions about vocabulary games and activities.
What are vocabulary games?
Vocabulary games are word and language games you can play with students, coworkers, or family and friends. These games challenge players to hunt for words or definitions, brainstorm terms, deduce phrases based on clues, or create words under certain conditions. Language games are a great way to teach new vocabulary and help students practice recognizing and using new words. These activities are also known as “vocabulary building games” and “vocab games”, and are similar to “word games” and “letter games”.
What are some fun word games for groups?
Some fun word games for groups include Pictionary, Tree or Bob Ross, and word scrambles.
What are some online vocabulary games?
By using virtual meeting software like Zoom, you can play any word game online. Some good virtual vocabulary games include Scrabble, Scattergories, and online crossword puzzles.
What are good ESL word games?
The best ESL word games are easy to understand and play yet expand the vocabularies of participants. Good ESL word games include word association, word searches, and hangman.
What are fun ways to teach vocabulary?
Word games are one of the most fun and easy ways to teach vocabulary. While some kids get frustrated with straightforward reading or language exercises, word games disguise vocabulary lessons as a fun challenge. Plus, playing language games together is a great teamwork exercise.
A list of fun English word games for kids to help improve children’s spelling, reading, and vocabulary. This list of word games for kids includes word games that encourage conversation and early literacy that you can play on the spot or prepare yourself with just some paper and pencil.
Why are Word Games Good For Kids?
Word games and vocabulary games for kids are great because they get kids talking and using language while having fun. When you make a learning activity fun, kids don’t realise they are learning.
For reluctant learners, playing these word games can help and motivate them to want to play and learn more.
*This post may contain affiliate links, read more here.
10 Fun Word Games for Kids
Many of these word games for kids can be prepared easily at home with materials you already have. However if you don’t have time to prepare your own, you can also purchase a range of fun word games for kids HERE.
1. Hang Man
Probably one of the most popular word games for kids is the popular Hang Man. Player 1 thinks of a word and Player 2 has to guess it before they get “hung.”
Player 1 writes spaces for letters are written on the page so they know how many letters there are in the word. Player 2 proceeds to choose a letter they think may be in the word.
If it is correct Player 1 writes the letter down where it goes. If it is incorrect Player 1 draws part of the “hangman”. If the drawing is complete by the time Player 2 guesses, then Player 1 wins.
2. I spy
A really easy and fun word game for kids is I spy. You don’t need anything for this game except your imagination.
Player 1 thinks of a word and tells the others the first letter. “I spy with my little eye, something beginning with __” The other players need to guess the word. Whoever wins gets to be the spy!
This is a really great car game for kids too and helps to build vocabulary.
3. Bingo
Such an easy word game to prepare for kids. There are some really good versions on Amazon HERE. You can purchase the game, or use it as an example to make your own.
Draw a square grid on a page and choose a theme. Write out some words using the theme. Eg, beach: swimming, sand castles, water, sea shells, dolphin, sunbeds, picnic etc.
Make an extra copy of the words ensuring there are a few extra than the amount on the page. Cut them up into squares and put in a bowl scrunched up.
Take turns in pulling out a word and reading it out loud, then finding it on your page. The first person to find all of the words calls out Bingo and is the winner.
This fun word game for kids helps with reading and talking aloud.
4. Word Family Game
This game requires children to rhyme. Select one word and everyone needs to write as many words as they can that rhyme with that word. Eg. If the word is “Cat”, answers could be: hat, bat, rat, sat etc.
This is a great word game to help build kids vocabulary and help their language skills.
5. Word Search
Another fun but challenging word game for kids is a word search. Draw a grid of 10 x 10 squares and place as many words as you can within the grid. Words can go up, down, or diagonal, and letters can overlap to be used more than once.
Create a list on the side or bottom of the page of the words you have entered. Then once you cannot fit anymore words in, fill the blank boxes with random letters.
Kids will need to find the words as quick as possible. This can be a fun word game to do individually or as a team. For kids who like to compete, you can make identical grids and see who finishes first.
This word game encourages persistence and helps to improve their literacy skills.
6. Unscramble the words
A simple word game for children that will get them really thinking! Write a list of words down on paper but scramble the letter order while writing. Kids will need to look at the letters and try to work out what the word is and guess it.
This can be quite a competitive word game, but it helps to really get their mind ticking.
7. Scategories
While this is also an official board game, (which you can find online here) you can also make it yourself quite easily. Each player has a piece of paper and pencil.
Select 10-15 categories. These can be anything you like but remember they should be popular enough that you can guess something with most letters. Eg. Country, Movie, Body Part, Actor or Actress etc.
Once you have your categories it is time to choose a letter. Without a dice, the easiest way is to write the letters randomly on a piece of paper.
Then one person closes their eyes and points to a letter. When the letter has been chosen, players have 2 minutes to fill in the gaps with something in each category starting with that letter.
Winner is the one with the most filled in at the end, or the first to finish.
This is a really fun and competitive word game for kids that helps to improve their vocabulary, spelling, and conversation skills.
8. Words within a word
This word game requires kids to create their own words. Choose one really long word with at least 8-10 letters. The longer the better.
The aim of this word game is for kids to try to make a list of small words out of the letters of the long word. So for example the word COMPUTER includes: put, cot, term, core, mop, top, pet. Etc.
This is a really fun word game to help children’s spelling skills.
9. I am going on a picnic
A fun word game to help with your child’s memory and to get them talking.
One person starts and says “I am going on a picnic and I will bring some… fruit”
The next person says what the first person said, and adds something of their own. “I am going on a picnic and I will bring some fruit, and some sandwiches.
The next person says what the first, and second person said, and adds something of their own. “I am going on a picnic and I will bring some fruit, some sandwiches and some ice-cream.
You continue on and on and it gets more difficult to remember everything. We usually can get to at least seven or eight, and surprisingly my pre-schooler can often remember more than me!
This conversational game helps with memory, and also learning new vocabulary.
10. Story prompts
This word game involves making up a story by taking turns in saying sentences. One person starts the story, and says the first sentence. The second person continues the story with another sentence, and so on.
The stories can become very interesting as each person has different ideas. Bilingual flashcards are great for this or you can find a great version online HERE.
This conversation activity helps kid’s imagination, as well as building their vocabulary.
Other Fun Learning Resources for Kids?
If you love these English word games, check out these posts!
English Classroom Games – To play in class or at home
Knock Knock Jokes – To get the kids laughing
Best Board Games for Kids – Educational and fun
Top Book Sets for Kids – For all ages
Which English word games do you play with your kids?
These fun English word games for kids can be played with children of all ages and also with adults just by adapting certain aspects of the game to suit the age of the player.
This list of word games for kids will keep kids entertained for hours on end without feeling like they are actually learning.
One of the best ways to improve your English speaking skills is by playing games and role playing. To help you out, we have compiled a list of 17 English games for you to try, some of which can be accessed online and some that can be played at home or within an English lesson. Many of the games are for more than one player, but some can be adapted for individuals. Let us know what you think.
1. Charades
In order to practice your understanding and recognition of words, try playing reverse charades. To play, one person is given an English word on a card, which they then need to provide clues on with actions and gestures. The rest of the players then have to guess the word until they get it right. This is best done with a small group of people. This is excellent in testing out topics that you have been learning in English, for example, sports and hobbies or occupations. This is great for English beginners. You can find more information about playing charades here.
2. Countdown
Based on the classic British TV program Countdown, this game helps you practice English vocabulary and spelling. Players take it in turns to select random consonants and vowels, nine are selected in total and then all players need to use these letters to create the longest word that they can. The person who finds the longest English word gains the length of the word as points. This game can also be played individually, with players trying to beat their own longest word length. There are also interactive countdown platforms available online which generate the letters for you and set a 30 second timer.
3. Password
Password is a group game where players guess an English word through a series of single-word clues related to the answer. It has been previously played on the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon so it may sound familiar. The game is best played in teams, with each team taking a turn to guess the word. Depending on your English language skills, the words can be simpler such as animals or colours, or more complex.
4. Stop the Bus
Stop, which is sometimes known as stop the bus, is a word game that helps English language learners practice their vocabulary. Simply choose five or six different categories (e.g. countries, animals etc.) and write them down as a heading on your paper. A random letter is then selected, and players rush to write a word underneath each heading that starts with the chosen letter. Once a player has an answer for each section, they shout stop! and the round finishes. The winner is the person that wins the most rounds in total.
5. Whisper Challenge
The whisper challenge gets players to really focus on the pronunciation of English words and how the mouth moves to form them. To play, one person chooses a word and silently mouths it to the other players. It is important to ensure that the word selected is known by the players for the game to work. The players then need to guess the word.
6. Wordshake
WordShake is a brilliant game that can be accessed online or played as a board game (known as Boggle). The game generates a number of random letters, and players have to try and think of as many English words that they can spell with the selected letters in three minutes.
7. Name Ten
Similar to the game above is the name ten category game. Each round of this game is a different category which can be altered depending on the level of English fluency. Rounds can have themes as simple as numbers and colours, or more complicated such as occupations or food. A timer is set for one minute, and each player has to try and think of ten words related to the category. Players get a point for each word they write correctly and bonus points for any word they write that has not been thought of by another player. This means that players are rewarded for the more unusual English vocabulary. While this game works better with multiple players, it is also a great way for an individual to test their knowledge of a topic at home without their notes in front of them.
8. Crossword Puzzles
Classic crossword puzzles are a good way to develop English skills, and they can be easily accessed online. There are thousands of crosswords available at a range of levels to suit all learners. I consider them like mental gymnastics, so much that I play crossword puzzles daily.
Crosswords are an excellent way to develop comprehension skills and vocabulary. To find appropriate crosswords search for ESL crosswords as these as specially designed for English learners.
9. 20 Questions
20 questions is a game commonly played in schools; however, it can be used to practice English skills. Ask everyone playing the game to write a number of random words on separate pieces of paper (e.g. school, broccoli, panda) and put them in a pile. One by one, each player chooses one word, and the players try and guess what the word is by asking no more than 20 questions (in English, of course). The questions must only be answered with yes or no. If the players guess the word within 20 questions, then they win.
There are many 20 questions on online platforms that can also generate words for you in English to use.
10. Proofreading
Ask your English teacher or tutor, or even someone who can speak the language fluently, to write down ten English sentences with one mistake in each. This mistake could be the wrong word, poor phrasing or a spelling issue. You then have to go through and identify the ten errors. This is a great game for more advanced English learners who are attempting to become fluent. The exercises forces you to recognize errors which will considerably advance your fluency.
11. Role Play
Think of this as a drama lesson. In pairs or groups, choose a scenario such as a shopping trip or a tourist asking for directions and act out the scene, communicating with each other only in English. This will help develop your communication skills and the ability to think of English phrases on the spot, rather than preparing them in advance. This is an excellent demonstration of the game.
12. Two Truths and a Lie
Two or more people can play this game. Each person writes down in English, three facts about themselves. One of these facts is false, while the others are true. The players then take turns reading the facts to the group with the other players guessing which is the lie. They can ask extra questions to help work this out. The game practices your English communication skills and makes you formulate new questions on the spot.
13. Hangman
Hangman is a classic word guessing game that can allow you to practice new words. You need at least two people to play this game, a piece of paper and a pen. Player one thinks of a word and draws a straight line on the paper for each letter. Player two needs to guess one letter at a time until they guess the full word. If the person gets a letter wrong, player one begins to draw part of a gallows and a person being hung, continuing to add a section on every time there is an incorrect guess. The aim of player 2 is to guess the word before the person hangs.
14. Reading and Storytelling
While reading is not exactly a game, you can make it one. Choose a book written in English and begin to read it. This will help your reading and pronunciation of English words. Instead of continuing to read the next page of the book, however, stop and make up your own part of the story, telling the tale in English. This will help boost your communication skills and broaden your imagination and creativity. If you are playing this with more than one person, each person can continue at the end of the others stories, meaning that they have to pay attention and then describe what happens next.
15. Odd One Out
Make lists of five objects, four of which have something in common, and one is the odd one out—for example – purple, blue, green, banana and yellow. Everyone in the group makes these lists, and then another player identifies which is the odd one out. This will aid understanding of the vocabulary and can be altered to suit any level of English learner by simply changing the topic and difficulty of the words.
16. Tell Me 5
If you are looking for a game that practices English and fast thinking skills, then try to Tell Me 5. To play this game, write some categories of words that you have been learning recently (e.g. foods or colours) onto cards and then select one at random. In less than one minute, the person who chose the card would need to list, in English, five words related to that category.
17. Tic-Tac-Toe
And finally, the last game on our list is an English twist on the classic Tic-Tac-Toe game that will allow you to practice your English knowledge. On a piece of paper, draw a large 3×3 grid. Inside the grid, ask your English teacher or tutor to write down a verb in each square. Plan this game in pairs like a normal Tic-Tac-Toe game, but when you select a square to place your symbol on it, you will need to use the verb correctly in a sentence. Like in the traditional game, the first player to mark three boxes in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal row wins.
Conclusion
As you can see from our extensive list above, there are many different games that can be played to develop English skills. These games can be used for beginners up to advanced English learners and can be adapted for individuals or small and large groups. The most effective way to learn English is to practice it, and these games help you do that. So what are you waiting for? If you are like us and love games, why not check out our tongue twisters, I am certain you would be entertained. Try some out today and let us know which ones you love.