You know that moment: the lesson is almost finished, the main task is complete, and you still have ten minutes left.
Starting a new topic does not make sense, but letting students simply wait for the bell is not a great option either. These five no-prep ESL activities will help you use those final minutes for meaningful speaking and grammar practice.
1. Three Quick Questions
Choose the grammar topic your students are currently learning and ask three simple questions.
For example, for the Present Simple:
- What do you usually do after school?
- What time do you go to bed?
- What does your best friend do at the weekend?
Students can answer individually, discuss the questions in pairs, or ask a classmate and report the answers to the group.
2. Find the Mistake
Say or write three sentences. Two are correct and one contains a mistake.
For example:
- She goes to school by bus.
- They doesn’t like homework.
- I play football on Saturdays.
Students identify the incorrect sentence and explain how to correct it. You can also ask them to create their own “Find the Mistake” challenge for a partner.
3. One-Minute Challenge
Give students a simple speaking challenge connected to the lesson.
They can:
- name five things they have got;
- describe three things in the classroom using there is and there are;
- make four sentences about what people can or cannot do;
- compare two animals, objects, or places;
- ask three questions using different question words.
Set a one-minute timer to add a little excitement.
4. Finish the Sentence
Give students an unfinished sentence and let them complete it in their own way.
Try prompts such as:
- Tomorrow, I will…
- Last weekend, I…
- In my room, there is…
- My best friend is better at…
- This summer, I am going to…
There is no single correct answer, so students practise grammar while also expressing their own ideas.
5. Play an Interactive Grammar Game
When students need more energy, turn the final minutes into a short grammar challenge.
A digital board game can combine questions, sentence completion, speaking prompts, and automatic answer checking. Students roll the dice, move around the board, and complete the task on each space.
It works especially well because students focus on reaching the finish while practising grammar almost without noticing it.
My interactive ESL grammar games:
- work on computers, tablets, and phones;
- do not require printing;
- can be used without an internet connection after downloading;
- include automatic answer checking;
- are designed for 2–4 players;
- require very little teacher preparation.
Explore the interactive ESL games →
Make Every Minute Count
The last ten minutes of a lesson do not have to feel unplanned. A quick question, speaking challenge, or interactive game can help students review grammar, speak more confidently, and finish the lesson on a positive note.
Keep a few of these activities ready, and you will never have to wonder what to do with those extra minutes again.
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