Conjunctions ESL Games, Worksheets and Activities
Here is a useful conjunctions running dictation activity to help students practice connecting simple sentences using and, but, and so. In pairs, one student runs to a text placed outside the classroom, reads the first pair of sentences, remembers them, runs back, and dictates them to their partner, who writes them down. Students then swap roles for the second pair of sentences, and so on. This continues until ten sentence pairs have been dictated and written down. Pairs then race to combine each pair of sentences and rewrite them as a single sentence using and, but, or so, adding a comma where needed. The first pair to correctly rewrite the ten sentence pairs wins.
This informative conjunctions worksheet helps students learn and practice the conjunctions: and, but, or, and so. First, students identify and underline conjunctions in sentences. Students then complete explanations with the conjunctions: and, but, or, and so. Next, students circle the correct conjunction in each sentence. After that, students put a tick next to sentences they think are correct. If they think a sentence is wrong, they put a cross and write the correct conjunction. Students then move on to complete each sentence with a word from a box and a conjunction: and, but, or, so. Lastly, students match sentence halves together and add a suitable conjunction to each one.
In this enjoyable conjunctions game, students join clauses together with the coordinating conjunctions and, but, so and or. The first player looks at the cards in their hand and chooses one to give to another student while also randomly taking one card from the other student's hand. The player then tries to make a sentence consisting of two clauses joined by a conjunction. For example, if the player had the conjunction card 'but' and the clause cards 'we want to play football' and 'it's raining', the student might make the sentence 'We want to play football, but it's raining'. If the player is able to make a sentence, they place the three cards on the desk and read the sentence to the group. If not, play passes to the next student. Students continue taking it in turns to play until one player gets rid of all their cards by making four sentences. That student wins the game.
In this imaginative conjunctions story-building game, students practice the conjunctions and, but, or, and so by creating collaborative stories. In groups. students take turns picking up a card and completing the sentence with a suitable phrase that fits the conjunction to begin the story, e.g. 'Yesterday I was hungry, so I went to the kitchen.' The next student continues the story with their own sentence. Each sentence a student creates must use a conjunction (and, but, or, so) but cannot use the same conjunction as the previous sentence, e.g. 'I opened the cupboard and looked inside.' Students continue making sentences until someone makes a mistake or cannot think of a sentence. That student loses and keeps the card. The next student then picks up a new card, and the game begins again. The student with the least amount of cards at the end of the game wins.
In this insightful conjunctions game, students complete sentences with a conjunction and suitable ending and then place bets on their answers. To begin, students complete 20 sentences with a conjunction and suitable ending from the worksheet. Next, students place bets on their answers depending on how confident they are about each one, five being very confident and one being not at all confident. After that, go through the sentences with the class by eliciting each answer from a different student. If students guessed the correct conjunction and ending, they write the number of points they bet in the 'win' column. If they guessed incorrectly, they write it in the 'lose' column. The student with the most points at the end of the game is the winner.
In this free conjunctions game, students race to complete sentences with the conjunctions: and, but, so, because. In groups of three, students take it in turns to pick up a sentence card and read it to the other two students using the word 'blank' where the conjunction should go. The two students listen to the sentence and then race to grab the correct conjunction card to complete the sentence. The first student to grab the correct card and say the conjunction wins and keeps the two cards. The next student then picks up a sentence card and so on. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
In this fun conjunctions game, students match sentence halves together that contain coordinating conjunctions. First, in pairs, students match sentence halves together and then check their answers by reading out their sentences. Pairs score one point for each correct sentence. The pair with the most points wins the game. Afterwards, the pairs play a pelmanism game with the cards. Students take turns turning over one card from each set. If the two halves match to make a sentence that uses a coordinating conjunction, the student keeps the two cards and has another turn. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
This because worksheet helps students to learn and practice how to use because to join independent clauses. Students begin by putting sentences in the correct order to create a story. Students then draw lines joining sentences with the conjunction because in the middle to explain why the things in the story happened. After that, students put more sentences in order to create the second part of the story. Next, students draw lines joining sentences with because at the start of the sentence, explaining why the things in the second part of the story happened. Students then move on to identify mistakes in sentences using because. After that, students use their own ideas to complete sentences with because. Finally, students create two sentences of their own with because in the middle and two sentences with because at the start of the sentence.
In this engaging conjunctions activity, students race to complete sentences that use coordinating and subordinating conjunctions. One student from each pair comes to your desk and picks up sentence card 1. The student then goes back to their partner with the card. The two students then race to complete the sentence in a meaningful way that demonstrates the use of the coordinating or subordinating conjunction in the sentence, adding in any necessary punctuation. When the students have completed the sentence, they come back to your desk and show it to you. If it is correct, students pick up sentence card 2. If not, students take the card back and try again. The first pair of students to complete all 20 sentences correctly wins.
This comprehensive conjunctions and sentence connectors worksheet familiarizes students with and provides practice for some common types of conjunctions and sentence connectors. Students start by reading two paragraphs about learning English and deciding which one is easier to read. Next, students underline the words and phrases in the paragraph that help make it easier to read. Students then categorize the underlined words and phrases, according to whether they link ideas within a sentence or link ideas between sentences. After that, students complete a table by placing conjunctions and sentence connectors into their corresponding columns, according to their function. Students then use the conjunctions and sentence connectors to complete a text. In the last exercise, students link two pairs of sentences using either a conjunction or a sentence connector.
In this free conjunctions board game, students complete sentences that use the coordinating conjunctions: and, but, for, nor, or, so, yet. Players take it in turns to roll the dice and move their counter along the board. When a player lands on a square, the player completes the sentence in a way that demonstrates the use of the coordinating conjunction in the sentence. The player then says the sentence to the group for confirmation. If the other students agree that the sentence is correct, the player stays on the square. If not, the player goes back two squares. The first player to reach the finish square wins the game.
In this handy subordinating conjunctions game, students play bingo by completing sentences on a bingo card with subordinating conjunctions. Each bingo card consists of five sentences with each sentence missing a different subordinating conjunction. Call out subordinating conjunctions from the caller's sheet. If a student thinks a subordinating conjunction goes in one of their sentences, they write it in the corresponding gap in the sentence. When a student has completed all five sentences with a different subordinating conjunction, they shout 'Bingo' and read out their sentences. If the sentences are correct, the student wins the round. Play several rounds with students receiving a different bingo card each time.
Here is a useful adverbial conjunctions worksheet to help students practice adverbial conjunctions of concession. First, students underline adverbial conjunctions in sentences. Next, students choose the correct adverbial conjunctions in a set of sentences. Students then complete sentences by underlining the correct adverbial conjunction and inserting any necessary punctuation. Students then move on to fill in gaps in sentences with suitable adverbials. After that, students reorder words to form sentences, starting with the words in bold and adding any necessary punctuation. Lastly, students complete sentence halves with the adverbial conjunctions shown and match them together.
Here is a rewarding whereas and while game to help students practice contrasting actions and situations with whereas and while. The first player puts down one of their dominoes on either side of the domino on the table, making sure that the sentence halves match to show a contrasting action or situation with whereas or while. The players then take it in turns to match the sentence halves in the same way by putting their dominoes down at either end of the domino chain. If a player cannot put down one of their dominoes, they take one from the top of the pile and put it down if they can. If there are no dominoes left, play passes to the next student. The first student to get rid of all their dominoes wins the game.
In this creative subordinate conjunctions game, students race to complete sentences with a suitable subordinate conjunction and a reason. In groups, students take it in turns to turn over a sentence card, read it aloud, and place it face-up on the table, e.g. 'The manager called a staff meeting'. All the players then race to complete the sentence with a reason that suits one of the subordinate conjunction cards in their hand. The subordinate conjunction can be used at the beginning or in the middle of the sentence. When a player has a suitable reason, they place their subordinate conjunction card next to the sentence card and then say a complete sentence, e.g. 'The manager called a staff meeting in order to discuss the recent policy changes'. If the other players agree that the sentence is grammatically correct, the sentence and subordinate conjunction cards are removed from the game. If not, the player takes back their card and is out of the round. The first student to get rid of all their cards wins the game.
In this imaginative conjunctions activity, students invent and tell a story using coordinating and subordinating conjunctions. First, groups make three story titles using words on cards, e.g. 'The Dark Winter'. The groups read their titles to the class and explain the type of story each one is, e.g. a fantasy story. Next, the groups choose one of their titles and develop it into a story by creating sentences with coordinating and subordinating conjunctions. The groups begin by writing the title and first line of their story on a piece of paper. Next, students take it in turns to pick up a conjunction card and use it in the next sentence of the story. As a student says the next sentence, another student in the group writes it down on the paper. When the groups have finished, they review their story and check for any errors. The groups then take it in turns to tell their story to the class who votes for the best one.
Here is a productive subordinating conjunctions worksheet for upper-intermediate students. Students begin by categorizing subordinating conjunctions according to their function. Students then identify the correct subordinating conjunction in each sentence. Next, students create sentences by joining two clauses with a subordinating conjunction. Lastly, students complete sentences by choosing a suitable beginning or ending plus a subordinating conjunction.
