Fill in the Blank Games and Activities for ESL | Fill-in-the-blanks

If you’re looking for some of the best fill in the blank games and activities, then you’re in the right place! I’ll share my top picks for games, along with worksheets, fun questions, online practice and more! Stay tuned for everything fill-in-the-blanks.

Fill in the Blank ESL Activities

Let’s get to the best fill in the blank activity and game ideas for all ages.

#1: Story with Picture Blanks

This is a simple activity for beginners. Find a simple story and take out some of the words, replacing them with blanks and simple pictures. Then, students can fill in the blanks with the words (cat, ice cream, blue, etc.) and read the finished story.

#2: Information Gap Fill in the Blank Activities

Some of my favourite fill in the blanks activities are the information gap ones. For example, each student has the same city map but each student has different buildings missing and they have to talk to each other to find out what they are.

Or, there’s a crime and each student has some of the clues but not all. Once they talk together, they can solve the crime. Check out some more ideas here:

Information Gap Activities.

#3: Make Your Own Fill-in-the-Blank Games

Check out this fun website to make your own fill in the blanks worksheets and games. There are a ton of nice options and it’s very easy to use.

Educaplay

#4: Dialogue Substitution

#5: Dictogloss

Try out this challenging listening activity! A variation on it is to give students a fill in the blank worksheet with some of the key words missing, instead of having students take notes. They can listen and try to fill in the blanks with the correct word. Find out more:

ESL Dictogloss.

#6: Memory Challenge Fill in the Blank Style

Write down 4-5 sentences on the board. Ask students to read them and try to remember what’s in each of them. Erase 1-2 of the key words from each sentence and put a blank there and ask students what they are.

#7: Spelling Challenge

A nice way to work on spelling with students is to have some common words with one or two letters missing. Then, students have to fill in the letters. For example:

• z _ b r a (zebra)
• t i g _ r (tiger)
• s n a k _ (snake)

#8: Surveys

Surveys are one of my favourite 4-skills ESL activities and they are a nice fill-in-the-blank option. Students have to circulate around the class, finding someone who answers yes to each question. Once they do, they can ask a follow-up question and fill in the answer that their conversation partner gives them. Check them out:

ESL Surveys.

#9: Error Correction Relay Race

#10: Filling Out an Application Form

A nice option for a writing class is to print off some job application forms and have students fill them out. It’s nice to practice filling in the blanks for things like name, education, job history, etc. Learn more:

Fill Out an Application Form Activity.

#11: All About Me Fill In The Blanks

Fill in the blank worksheets and printables are ideal for the “All About Me” unit. Here are some of my favourite ideas and recommendations:

All About Me ESL.

#12: Song Fill in the the Blanks

This is a nice listening activity that students really enjoy. Find a song and the lyrics that go along with it. Then, remove some of the words and put blanks in there instead. Then, students can listen to the song a couple of times, trying to complete the worksheet. I often use the song, “If I Had a Million Dollars” by the Barenaked Ladies for this.

#13: Dictation Practice

A nice way to focus on listening and writing is to give students a worksheet with some of the words missing from each sentence. Then, say the sentences and students have to fill in the blanks with the correct word. To level up, make them questions and then students have to answer the questions in their own words. Find out more:

Dictation Activity ESL.

#14: 5-Paragraph Essay Template

A nice way to help students get started with academic writing is to have them fill in the blanks for each paragraph in a 5-paragraph essay. They can fill out:

• hook
• thesis statement
• topic sentences
• supporting ideas
• restating the thesis

Using this structure really helps students stay organized when they’re writing. Find out more here:

How to Write an Academic Essay.

#15: Show and Tell

Try out this fun speaking activity but add a bit of structure for beginners by giving them a worksheet with some blanks to fill in as they prepare for it:

#16: Video Blanks

Find a short clip on YouTube and transcribe it onto a worksheet. Remove some of the key words and put blanks in there. Students have to listen and try to fill in the blanks with the words.

#17: Collocations Gap Fill Exercise

Collocations are words that occur more frequently together than by random chance. Test your students by making a worksheet with some blanks and students have to fill them in:

• burger and ____ (burger and fries)
• a _____ of soap (a bar of soap)
• brush your _____ (brush your teeth/hair)
• thunder and _____ (thunder and lightning)

#18: Cloze Exercises

Provide a passage or text with certain words or phrases removed. Students fill in the blanks with the appropriate words or phrases. This activity can be done individually or in pairs.

#19: Story Completion

Provide a partial story or narrative and ask students to fill in the missing details or continuation. Students can work individually or in groups, fostering creativity and storytelling abilities.

#20: Contextual Sentences

Give students sentences with missing words and ask them to fill in the blanks with appropriate words or phrases. Emphasize the importance of using context clues to determine the correct answers.

Funny Fill In The Blank Sentences for Adults

• My most embarrassing moment is _____.
• The worst date I ever went on was _____.
• If I were an animal, I would be _____.
• My pet peeve is _____.
• If  I saw this _____, I would immediately walk out on a date.
• The zombies are coming. I want ____ and _____ on my team.
• The style choice I regret most is ______.

Fun Fill in the Blank Questions

• My favourite day of the week is _____.
• The worst boss I’ve ever had is _____.
• The best city to live in is _____.
• If I could meet one famous person, it would be _____.
• It takes me ____ minutes to get ready for work or school.
• I usually eat ____ for lunch.
• I’m a _____ driver.
• I _____ snore.
• I’d rather eat ____ than _____.
• ____ is a crime against fashion.
• ____ is something that I don’t care about but most people do.

Fill In The Blanks Worksheets and Printables

Here are some of the top options for printables and worksheets:

ISL Collective

Live Worksheets

Family Education

Fill in the Blank Games Online

To have some fun with fill-in-the-blank games online, be sure to check out some of my favourite sites:

Sporcle

Tiny Tap

Spelling Stars

More Ideas for English Classes

For fun, creative ideas for writing classes, have a look at this book: ESL Writing Activities, Games and Teaching Tips. The key to better writing classes is a wide variety of interactive and engaging activities and this book will help you get there in style.

Pick up a copy of the book today and get ready for better classes tomorrow:

FAQs

There are a number of common questions. Here are the answers to some of the most popular ones.

What are fill-in-the-blanks?

Fill in the blanks are a space where a letter, word, phrase, or sentence should be. People have to fill them in to finish the word or sentence.

Why do you use fill-in-the-blanks?

The goal of filling in the blanks is to encourage learners to use context clues and their prior knowledge to deduce what should be in the blank. They can be challenging, or easy, depending on how they are designed.

What is a fill-in test?

A fill-in test requires the person to insert information into a blank. It could be a letter, word, phrase or sentence, depending on the test.

What age group are ESL fill-in-the-blank games suitable for?

ESL fill-in-the-blank games can be adapted for various age groups, from young learners to adults, by adjusting the difficulty level and content of the sentences or passages.

What materials are needed to play ESL fill-in-the-blank games?

ESL fill-in-the-blank games typically require worksheets or printed sentences/passages with blank spaces, writing utensils, and possibly a timer or scoring system, depending on the game variation.

Are there online resources or apps available for ESL fill-in-the-blank games?

Yes, there are numerous online resources and apps that offer interactive ESL fill-in-the-blank games, including websites, educational platforms, and language learning apps.

How can I create my own ESL fill-in-the-blank game?

To create your own ESL fill-in-the-blank game, you can start by selecting a text or sentence, removing certain words or phrases, and then providing multiple choices or allowing students to come up with their own answers.

Can ESL fill-in-the-blank games be played in groups or pairs?

Yes, ESL fill-in-the-blank games can be played in various formats, including individual, pairs, or small groups, promoting collaboration, discussion, and peer learning.

What are some variations of ESL fill-in-the-blank games?

Some variations of ESL fill-in-the-blank games include timed challenges, multiple-choice options, sentence transformations, and cloze passages with more complex texts.

Are ESL fill-in-the-blank games only suitable for written language practice?

No, ESL fill-in-the-blank games can also be adapted for oral language practice by converting the blanks into prompts for spoken responses, encouraging conversation and fluency development.

Fill in The Blank Activity Ideas: Join the Conversation

Do you have any ideas for fun fill-in-the-blank activities or games? Leave a comment and let us know. We’d love to hear from you!

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