Word Scramble

Setup

Students do this activity in pairs or small groups.

You will need a list of suitable words (according to your target language) to make anagrams with. You may also want to create clues for each word, e.g. 1) something you do at the beach.

If you have a projector and an Internet connection, the easiest way to prepare this activity is to use our online Anagram Generator. This tool comes pre-loaded with a range of suitable vocabulary categories, or you can specify your own word set. If you create your own word set, you have the option to specify a clue to appear alongside each anagram. With our pre-made word sets, the vocabulary category serves as the clue.

Otherwise, print a list of words that align with your target language, one copy for each team. Cut up the words into individual letters. In this case it is easier to give the students all the letters together (rather than separating them into the individual words), so you will need to prepare a list of clues for each word beforehand, and write them on the board in class.

In class, the students sit in their groups at different tables.

Activity

1. Give/show the students all the letters/anagrams, along with the list of clues.
2. The teams have to organise the letters into the correct words. They must write down their answers.
3. When they think they have finished they put their hands up, and you check their words.
4. Optionally, you can turn the Word Scramble ESL activity into a game by making it a race. The first team to organise their words correctly wins, or wins a point for that round (if playing multiple rounds).

Target Language

Play the Word Scramble ESL activity with random words for a fun warmer, or practise any set of recently learned vocabulary. As such it can be adapted to beginner, intermediate or advanced students.

For a faster-paced exercise in which students have to ‘buzz in’ when they know the anagram, try the Anagrams game.