You know you need fun and engaging ESL Lesson Handouts and you need to access them from anywhere!
Encourage students to talk about their experiences and share their opinions about interesting and practical situations.
Save Money!
You don’t need to buy textbooks. 12 months Full Access for less than the price of a single textbook.
Find Lessons Anywhere!
Find Lessons from any device with an Internet connection. Download PDF Handouts and take them with you.
In the News
Engage and challenge your intermediate and advanced level students with learning based and interesting current events.
Teaching Online?
Share ‘Student Copies’ of Handouts with students in your Online lessons. These Handouts exclude Teaching Notes and answers.
Handout Library
Your students want to learn about different cultures, travel, business, and discuss real issues affecting them now.
Encourage your students to practice English with communicative activities such as role plays, discussions, and conversations about topics that are essential for them.
Every handout and worksheet includes detailed Teaching Notes.
The Teaching Notes include tips, techniques, and methods for teaching the range of activities used in our handouts as well as the answers for questions and activities. Read them before you teach your class and be confident teaching the material covered. A Student Copy without Teaching Notes is also provided so you can use our handouts to teach in your Online Classes.
Our Handout and Lesson Plan Library is growing and improving everyday!
Feedback from our teachers and subscribers help us to improve our handouts and lesson teaching notes. Older handouts get updated and the teaching notes improved to reflect suggestions from our teachers, therefore you should check the ‘update date’ of Handouts and Worksheets you use regularly to make sure you are teaching the latest version.
Students are introduced to and review English grammar.
Grammar is taught using fun matching and gap fill activities as well as scripted conversations and role plays. Verb tenses, prepositions, conditionals, countable and uncountable nouns, comparatives and superlatives, articles, modals for advice, permission and obligation, and much more!
Past Perfect Simple and Continuous
B2, C1
3 Pages
90 mins
Grammar, Reading, Vocabulary
Students review and become more familiar with the past perfect simple and past perfect continuous tenses. A story about a traveler presents vocabulary to describe movement and sound.…
Tatami Mats Made in Japan
B1, B2, C1
3 Pages
60 mins
BusinessWork
Grammar, Reading
Students review the passive voice and the verb ‘made’ to describe how, where, or when something was manufactured.
Talking about Money
A2, A2+
3 Pages
60 mins
Asking questions, Conversation, Vocabulary
Review words related to money and currency. Students practice asking and answering questions about things they’ve bought in the past. A role play activity will reinforce the question…
Places Around Town
A1, A2
2 Pages
60 mins
People and PlacesTravel
Grammar, Vocabulary
This handout is Part 1 of a 4-part Travel Miniseries. 1. Places Around Town 2. Places to Live and Visit 3. Talking about Travel 4. Directions and Destinations Students are…
on | at the weekend
A1, A2
1 Page
30 mins
Daily Life
Reading
Use this handout to review and practice using prepositions with your class. Even high level English learners find using prepositions difficult. A preposition in your student’s native language…
Conversation Cards (Getting to Know You)
A2, A2+
2 Pages
Any
Class Essentials
Conversation, Game
When students are learning to speak English, starting a conversation can be difficult. They are often not sure what to talk about. These conversation cards will help your…
Planes are Faster than Trains
A1, A2
2 Pages
60 mins
Travel
Grammar, Vocabulary
Comparatives are a challenge for students because they need to remember grammatical rules. This lesson provides activities to engage students in a fun practice of adjectives and comparative…
In the News
Our Current Events series covers news from around the world and features audio.
These topics are trending now and your adult and young adult ESL students want to learn how to talk about them.
‘In the News’ English lesson handouts focus on world politics, science, business, historical events, extreme weather, lifestyle, technology, famous people and places, and more.
Each ‘In the News’ handout has 3 pages of lesson material aimed at Upper-Intermediate: B2 to Advanced: C1 and C2 level English learners. The 1st and 2nd pages of the handout can be completed in a 60-minute class and the 3rd page can be completed in a longer class or given to students to complete in their own time; have students present their opinions and ideas at the beginning of their next class.
Each ‘In the News’ current events handout features an audio track so your students can practice listening to native English speakers.
The MP3 audio file is available for you to play on our site or download to use in your classroom.
Japan Encouraged to Go Cashless
B2, C1
3 Pages
90 mins
TechnologyLifestyleTravel
Listening, Reading, Vocabulary
In October the Japanese government increased consumption tax from 8% to 10%, at the same time, they started a scheme to promote the use of cashless payments. Cashless…
The Gig Economy
B2, C1
3 Pages
90 mins
TechnologyLifestyle
Listening, Reading, Vocabulary
Smartphone applications put people directly in contact with workers such as, drivers and teachers, who accept a job on a short-term basis (a gig). This style of work,…
Devastating Wildfires
B2, C1
3 Pages
90 mins
Environment
Listening, Reading, Vocabulary
In 2019, wildfires were frequently in the news. From the Amazonian rain forests to the suburbs of Australia, raging fires seem to be getting worse. What is the…
Archaeologists find 100 ancient Egyptian coffins
B2, C1
3 Pages
90 mins
Culture
Listening, Reading, Vocabulary
Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed at least 100 well-preserved ancient coffins, some containing mummies, and 40 statues in a vast pharaonic necropolis (a cemetery of the time of…
Maintaining a Healthy Brain
B2, C1
3 Pages
90 mins
Health
Listening, Reading, Vocabulary
Your brain health is not something to take lightly. Many of us are so focused on other elements of our health we often overlook the well being of…
Covid-19 Causing Young People to Return Home
B2, C1
3 Pages
90 mins
CultureLifestyle
Listening, Reading, Vocabulary
The latest research suggests that the number of young adults who are currently living with their parents is increasing in the USA. The probable cause of this trend…
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma pleads guilty
B2, C1
3 Pages
90 mins
HealthLifestyle
Listening, Reading, Vocabulary
Purdue Pharma, the drug maker blamed for helping to create America’s staggering opioid crisis, agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges as part of an $8 billion settlement…
Sleep Cycle changes with the Moon’s Phase
B2, C1
3 Pages
90 mins
Lifestyle
Listening, Reading, Vocabulary
A new study shows that on nights before a full moon, people go to bed later and sleep less. In the study, researchers report that sleep cycles in…
Let’s Go Places
Your students explore new vocabulary and build English fluency through a series of challenging and engaging activities.
Your students talk about the supermarket, the train station, the airport, a coffee shop, weather, sports, and more! Have one of these on hand and we’ve got you covered.
Your students talk about the supermarket, the train station, the airport, a coffee shop, weather, sports, and more!
Help your students explore new vocabulary and build English fluency by guiding them through a series of activities that challenge and engage them. Have one of these on hand and we’ve got you covered.
‘Let’s Go Places’ introduces interesting topics through pictures and encourages your students to ask and answer questions to start a conversation.
Sit back and watch your students using English with enthusiasm. This English series uses original high-quality color pictures that look great and your students will appreciate that, but don’t worry, they look great in black and white as well!
Let’s Go to Work
A2, A2+
2 Pages
90 mins
BusinessDaily LifeWork
Asking questions, Conversation, Vocabulary
Talking about working and your work week. Example Questions in this Handout What do you do on public transportation? Do you have to attend a lot of meetings…
Let’s Go Outside
A2, A2+
2 Pages
90 mins
Daily LifeSeasonal
Asking questions, Conversation, Vocabulary
Talking about seasons, activities, and weather. Example Questions in this Handout What seasons can you see in the pictures? Which months are these seasons in your country? What…
Let’s Go to a Museum
A2, A2+
2 Pages
90 mins
People and PlacesTravel
Asking questions, Conversation, Vocabulary
Talking about museums, art, and exhibitions. Example Questions in this Handout Who are some famous artists in your country? What kind of art do they do? Most museums…
Let’s Go to the Airport
A2, A2+
2 Pages
90 mins
People and PlacesTravel
Asking questions, Conversation, Vocabulary
Talking about airports and traveling. Example Questions in this Handout Where can travelers catch a bus or taxi? Which airline is the elderly couple flying with? What is…
Let’s Go to a Hotel
A2, A2+
2 Pages
90 mins
People and PlacesTravel
Asking questions, Conversation, Vocabulary
Talking about hotels and hotel facilities. Example Questions in this Handout When was the last time you stayed in a hotel? Have you heard of or used Airbnb…
Let’s Go to the Zoo
A2, A2+
2 Pages
90 mins
People and PlacesTravel
Asking questions, Conversation, Vocabulary
Talking about animals and zoos. Example Questions in this Handout What animals are symbols of your country? What animals or insects are you afraid of? What are the…
Let’s Go to the Bank
A2, A2+
2 Pages
90 mins
Daily LifePeople and Places
Asking questions, Conversation, Vocabulary
Talking about banks, banking, and money. Example Questions in this Handout What are the bank’s opening hours? What is customer 015 doing at the teller? How much is…
Don’t take our word for it!
See what others say…
I have been using esllessonhandouts.com for a few months now and check every weekend for new current events lessons.
Thanks guys!
Marco Sole
English teacher in Japan
It’s been a difficult year with the switch to online teaching. Thank you very much for your support so far!
Akihiro Iwamoto
Online and Classroom Teacher
I’m in Japan for one year and teach private English classes to a group of lovely students while I travel around Japan – I love Kyoto. We study in cafes or at students’ homes so I can print lessons before I need them that day. My students and I don’t need textbooks.
Rose Keogh
Living and working in Japan for a year
I started using your site [ESL Lesson Handouts] after switching to Online classes because of Coronavirus. Accessible on my phone, I can easily print lessons before private classes or email them to students.
Mark Taylor
Private English Teacher
I teach English to medium-sized classes at community centers and businesses in my city. My students are a mix of men and women of all ages. We use your current event handouts in the last week of every month and your grammar handouts to compliment our classroom textbook.
Douglas Kayes
Freelance English Instructor
I teach English at a few Japanese companies around Nagoya in Japan and use ESL Lesson Handouts to give my classes a break from our business text book. Also, I use worksheets to build on grammar we study in the textbook.
Kazuki Sakamoto
Business English teacher
I am an English teaching in Hong Kong. My students are mostly young company workers who need English in their jobs. We use a popular business English textbook but it’s nice to have worksheets that use English grammar in other ways. My students enjoy the opportunity to speak English.
Kim Fei
Private English Teacher
The worksheets are great to use and easy for students to follow. I teach weekly private lessons at cafes and I check for new handouts each week. I don’t need to carry or photocopy textbooks for my classes.
Matt Palmer
English teacher in Japan