vocabulary word assignments

Fun Vocabulary Activities: 10 Ways to Boost Word Skills

Meet  David De’ Ath , founder, editor, and writer at Wonderful World English. With his extensive background as an English teacher, David provides valuable insights and practical tips on ESL for students and teachers alike.

Engaging students in the development of their vocabulary can be a challenging endeavor.

Traditional methods like memorization may not always resonate with every learner.

However, by integrating fun vocabulary activities into the learning process, educators can enhance students’ engagement and help them make meaningful connections with the words they’re learning.

Activities that are both enjoyable and educational can transform vocabulary learning from a tedious task into an exciting adventure that students look forward to.

To effectively expand a student’s lexicon, an array of activities that cater to different learning styles can be employed. 

Vocabulary games, interactive strategies, and creative learning tools introduce new words and reinforce their meanings and usage in various contexts.

The goal of these activities is not just to broaden students’ word banks but also to deepen their understanding and ability to apply vocabulary in real-life situations.

Through the deliberate use of these methods, vocabulary acquisition becomes a dynamic aspect of everyday classroom activities, promoting better communication skills across all subject areas.

Key Takeaways

• Variety in vocabulary activities boosts engagement and understanding.
• Games and interactive strategies support diverse learning styles.
• Continuous application of vocabulary enhances real-world communication skills.

Foundations of Vocabulary Activities

Students’ success in developing vocabulary skills hinges on systematic instruction and engaging activities.

This section explores the foundations that are integral for learning and boosting student confidence in vocabulary mastery.

Understanding Vocabulary Instruction

Vocabulary instruction goes beyond mere memorization of word meanings. 

Effective vocabulary teaching  involves strategies that encourage deep understanding and usage of words in various contexts.

Such instruction offers students the essential tools to interpret and convey nuanced meanings, leading to more precise and powerful communication.

Activities are designed to expand a student’s lexicon and enhance their ability to apply vocabulary knowledge practically.

Educators must select  activities  that facilitate repeated exposure to new words across different settings.

This reinforces word learning and helps integrate new vocabulary into a student’s active language repertoire.

For example, having students use new words in original short stories or discussions can solidify their understanding and retention.

For some insights into how to teach vocabulary to students, the guide below has you covered!

Related: How to Teach Vocabulary to ESL Students: Teacher’s Guide

Key Principles of Engaging Vocabulary Activities

When curating vocabulary activities, engagement, and interactivity are key principles.

Activities that encourage active participation will lead to higher levels of student engagement and, ultimately, greater learning outcomes.

• Involved in collaborative tasks that require communication and peer interaction.
• Challenged with creative and context-rich exercises like writing prompts or role-playing scenarios.
• Provide immediate positive feedback to affirm correct usage.
• Offer varying levels of difficulty to cater to diverse learning abilities.

Educators must thread these principles into the fabric of their vocabulary teaching methodologies to create an environment where students thrive.

Engaging vocabulary activities are potent tools that teach students new words and empower them with the confidence to use their expanding vocabularies effectively.

The goal is to transform passive learners into active users of language, enabling them to articulate their thoughts and ideas with clarity and precision.

Effective Vocabulary Games and Activities

Educators often integrate games that make the learning process dynamic and engaging to enhance students’ word mastery.

These activities enrich students’ vocabularies and sharpen their recall and application skills in a lively, interactive setting.

Vocabulary Bingo and Jeopardy

Vocabulary Bingo  melds the thrill of competition with learning.

Students mark their bingo cards with the correct vocabulary words as definitions or synonyms are called out.

This game enforces not only word recognition but also comprehension.

Adapted from a traditional format, Vocabulary Bingo can be tailored to suit any grade level vocabulary list.

In a similar vein,  Vocabulary Jeopardy  challenges students to apply their knowledge in a game-show-style format.

Categories can range from word definitions to usage in context, broadening students’ understanding and retention.

Classroom Pictionary and Charades

Transforming vocabulary review into an artful activity,  Classroom Pictionary  has students illustrate vocabulary words, promoting a deeper connection between the word and its meaning.

As they draw, fellow pupils wager on the intended word, intertwining learning with creativity.

This visual approach often suits visual learners and adds an element of fun to the learning process.

Vocabulary Charades  takes a kinetic approach by having students act out words for their classmates to guess.

This activity is especially beneficial for kinesthetic learners and helps anchor word meanings with physicality, making vocabulary recall more instinctive.

Roll-a-Word and Vocabulary Relay

With  Roll-a-Word , students cast dice to engage with vocabulary in various ways—defining it, using it in a sentence, or identifying synonyms or antonyms.

This randomness injects an element of surprise into vocabulary practice, ensuring that students remain attentive and invested in the activity.

Vocabulary Relay  brings movement into the learning process.

Students race to a board to write sentences incorporating a vocabulary word, fostering quick thinking and teamwork.

The competitive element encourages speed and accuracy, and physical activity aids in memory retention.

Check out the guide below for our list of some of the BEST classroom games to play!

Related: Fun Classroom Games: Engage and Educate with These Ideas

Creative Vocabulary Learning Tools

In today’s classrooms, educators emphasize the importance of enhancing vocabulary through interactive and visual methods.

These tools enrich the students’ understanding of new words and encourage creativity and critical thinking.

Word Walls and Word Maps

Word Walls  and  Word Maps  transform passive learning into an active exploration of language.

A Word Wall is a visual collection of words displayed on a classroom wall, categorically or alphabetically, to enhance a student’s vocabulary knowledge.

Students absorb words and their meanings subconsciously by frequently interacting with the Word Wall. 

Word Maps , on the other hand, visually depict the relationship between a word and its features like antonyms, synonyms, and sentences, further cementing its usage and context.

Semantic Maps and Graphic Organizers

Semantic Maps  and  Graphic Organizers  are pivotal in organizing thoughts and relationships between words.

Semantic maps graphically represent the meanings and relations of words, allowing students to see connections and hierarchies.

This encourages deeper understanding as students link words to concepts and categories.

Graphic organizers can vary in complexity, from simple Venn diagrams to intricate flowcharts, which serve to visually represent ideas and definitions, guiding students through the process of integrating new vocabulary into their existing knowledge base.

Frayer Model and Crossword Puzzles

The  Frayer Model  is a type of graphic organizer tailored for vocabulary acquisition.

It typically consists of a square divided into four sections, where students note a word’s definition, characteristics, examples, and non-examples.

This structured approach aids in comprehensive understanding and retention of words.

Crossword Puzzles  blend the challenge of problem-solving with vocabulary practice.

As students fill in the blanks with correct words based on clues provided, they engage in critical thinking and apply their knowledge of sentence formation and word meanings.

Crosswords not only reinforce vocabulary but also make the learning process enjoyable.

Crosswords are just one of many excellent games for learning English.

For a complete guide of the BEST games to learn English, check out the link below!

Related: Best Games to Learn English: Ultimate Guide

Interactive Vocabulary Instruction Strategies

Engaging students effectively in vocabulary learning can be a key factor in language acquisition and comprehension.

These interactive strategies reinforce word knowledge and enhance retention through playful and focused activities.

Tic-Tac-Toe and Concentration Games

Tic-Tac-Toe  can be adapted for vocabulary instruction by requiring students to define or correctly use a vocabulary word in order to place their X or O on the game grid.

This method turns a simple game into a powerful tool for reinforcing word meanings and usage.

A classic game of  Concentration , also known as Memory, can be played using pairs of vocabulary words and their definitions.

Students flip cards over, trying to find matching pairs, which promotes memorization and recall of vocabulary terms.

Vocabulary Hangman and Word Search

Vocabulary Hangman  encourages students to remember the spelling and meaning of words through a process of elimination and strategic guessing.

In a classroom setting, this classic game can be played with a focus on new vocabulary, providing an entertaining way to reinforce word learning.

Similarly,  Word Search  puzzles serve as a fun way for students to become familiar with the appearance and spelling of new vocabulary.

They must sift through a grid of letters, finding terms from their vocabulary list that can improve their ability to recognize these words in other contexts.

Assessing Vocabulary Progress

Educators implement systematic assessments that measure a student’s command of academic language to ensure effective vocabulary growth.

These assessments not only gauge retention but also help in forming strategies to enhance word comprehension and usage.

Vocabulary Quizzes and Tests

Vocabulary quizzes  and  tests  serve as traditional tools to assess a student’s grasp of  vocabulary words .

They may come in various forms, including:

• Multiple-choice questions, where students choose the correct definition or usage of a word.
• Fill in the blanks, encouraging students to select the appropriate  vocabulary word  to complete a sentence.

Such assessments can highlight the direct  relationship  between the student’s  comprehension  of vocabulary and their overall  communication skills .

Performance-Based Assessments

Performance-based assessments  move beyond written tests to evaluate a student’s practical application of  academic vocabulary .

Examples of these might include:

• Students engage in role-plays or debates using specific vocabulary words, which shows the integration of language into  communication skills .
• Creating presentations or writing essays that make use of academic and content-specific terms to demonstrate  comprehension  and  success  in language mastery.

These methods emphasize the dynamic use of vocabulary as part of expressive language skills, presenting a more holistic view of student  assessment .

Integrating fun and interactive activities into vocabulary learning transforms it from a mundane task to an engaging adventure, significantly enhancing student engagement and understanding.

Employing a variety of strategies, such as games, creative exercises, and technology-enhanced tools, caters to different learning styles and helps students make meaningful connections with new words.

This approach enriches students’ vocabularies and boosts their ability to apply language in real-life scenarios, improving communication skills across all subject areas.

The shift towards dynamic vocabulary instruction emphasizes active participation, collaboration, and creative expression, fostering a deeper appreciation for the nuances of language.

As educators adopt these innovative methods, they offer students a more rounded and enjoyable learning experience, preparing them for future success in communication.

Ultimately, the move from traditional memorization to engaging vocabulary activities marks a positive evolution in teaching methodologies, setting the stage for lifelong curiosity and growth in language acquisition.

We hope you find value in this guide; you can contact us if you need any assistance.

Have a wonderful day!

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21 Ideas for Teaching Vocabulary

I’m sharing 21 ideas for teaching vocabulary. You may not be able to use all of them, but I hope you can find some ideas that will work well for you!

I’ve shared books about vocabulary instruction , as well as the theory and techniques . This post is a lot more practical. We’re all about ideas today!

I’m sharing the bare bones of the ideas here.

I’m adding lengthier explanations for some of them with more tips and fleshed-out instructions on my website devoted just to vocabulary instruction, VocabularyLuau .

You’ll see that option at the end of the idea if it’s available. 

IDEA #1: Semantic Maps

In this activity, the teacher chooses a word and displays it for the class on a whiteboard, etc.

Students read the word and then think of words that come to mind when they see that word (this is awesome because it activates prior learning).

A list is created of all of the words that come to mind, and then those words are categorized.

This can be done as a whole class or in small groups.

Students then create a “map” using a graphic organizer and discuss it. Additional or substitute categories can be suggested.

As students read through the text, they can add related words to the map.

Want more details on this strategy? Get the step-by-step on VocabularyLuau .

IDEA #2: Eye Spy

Give students a list of words to search for in a text or have them find unfamiliar words.

You can award points to the words based on different criteria (longest new word, word with most consonants, etc.).

Invest in a set of inexpensive dollar store magnifying glasses to make this more game-like.

This is a great pre-reading activity.

Want more details on this strategy? Get the step-by-step on  VocabularyLuau.

IDEA #3: Making Choices

Students show their understanding of vocabulary by saying the word when it applies, or remaining silent when it doesn’t.

For example: “Say radiant if any of these things would make someone look radiant.” -Winning a million dollars. -Earning a gold medal. -Walking to the post office. -Cleaning your room. -Having a picture you painted hung in the school library. 

(This idea is from the book Bringing Words to Life , recommended in the books section.)

This is one of the key strategies teachers need in introducing new vocabulary. Because of that, I’ve written extensively and given a dozen examples from different texts for Kinder through 12th grade on VocabularyLuau .

IDEA #4: Sorting Hat

Use a Harry Potter theme to have students sort words into categories. They can pull them out of a hat.

If you give them the categories, it’s called a “closed sort.” If they come up with their own categories, it’s called “open sort.”

This one is so, so fun. I explain lots more about how to do it on VocabularyLuau .

IDEA #5: Word Pairs

Give students words in pairs and have them evaluate if the words are the same, opposite, go together, or are unrelated.

This strategy is terrific for building critical thinking skills along with the vocabulary.

Get even more details and variations at VocabularyLuau .

(adapted from Word Power: What Every Educator Needs to Know about Teaching Vocabulary )

IDEA #6: Linear Array

In this strategy, students use a graphic organizer that is a rectangle, three ovals, and then another rectangle, all in a line.

The word in question goes in the rectangle on the far left.

The rectangle on the far right is filled in with a word that is the opposite.

The center three ovals are filled in with words that go from the far left to the far right, gradually become less similar until they reach the opposite.

For example, microscopic, tiny, small, bigger, large.

You can see examples of the graphic organizer, more details, and lots of variations on VocabularyLuau .

(adapted from Words, Words, Words: Teaching Vocabulary in Grades 4 – 12 )

IDEA #7: Games

Many “real” games work well for vocab play and practice. Games such as Balderdash , Taboo , Scrabble , Blurt , Bananagrams ,  word bingo, and others are fun.

There are online games as well, such as Scholastic’s Synonym Toast .

[Note: I am a notoriously horrible Scrabble player, and every time I play I think, “English teachers should be better at this.” It’s not my favorite.]

IDEA #8: Scavenger Hunt

Have a word scavenger hunt in books, magazines, articles on the net, or in the school or home.

Don’t just go for numbers; go for unusual words, academic vocabulary, weird spellings, homophones, etc.

IDEA #9: Word Wheel

Copy and paste this image onto a sheet of cardstock and make a vocab spinner game. EisforExplore shares the whole idea here.

IDEA #10: Vocabulary Photo Album

Using a simple, inexpensive photo album, students create a visual glossary of key words.

I’ve got pictures of examples, details, and more ideas at VocabularyLuau , if you’d like to read more.

IDEA #11: Tally

Use tally marks to track words you’re trying to practice.

Mark whenever the teacher says the word in context, and mark twice when a student does.

Alternatively, you can have the tally marks be even, but play the teacher versus the class.

There’s so much more to this strategy. Learn more about how tally marks can help you teach vocabulary at VocabularyLuau .

IDEA #12: Vocabulary Relay

Print out words on one set of cards (copy this set a few times) and definitions, context, or sentences in which they could be used (fill-in-the-blank) on another set (just one set).

Jumble up the words in a pile in the middle of the floor, and jumble up the definitions, context, and sentences to keep with you. Break students into teams of five-ish.

Call out the definition/context/sentence and give students some think time (8 – 10 seconds) to talk about what word it might be.

After the discussion time, call out “Word!” One member from each team runs to the center and tries to find the word in the pile.

I like having multiple sets of the words so more than one team can get it.

Check to make sure they’re correct, and then discuss it briefly before the next round.

Note: I got this idea from another teacher’s site, but I cannot for the life of me remember where. I have searched Google for it, and can’t find it. A small prize to the person who can figure out the originator of the idea!

I’ve written quite a bit about it here, but I’ve written more (and have lots of pictures of it in play) at VocabularyLuau .

IDEA #13: Vocabulary Category Relay 

This is a different relay activity than the one above, even though the names are so similar.

In this version, teams of students race to fill in words responsive to a category that start with the letters of the alphabet in order.

This can be done individually, in groups, or even as a whole class. It’s also a good one for both digital and in-person instruction.

When I wrote about it on VocabularyLuau , I shared these score sheets for digital use, as well as printable versions.

IDEA #13: Comic Strip Word Activity 

I got the idea for using comic strips from This Reading Mama .

In some ways, it’s really a modified Frayer model. 

I loved it so much that I started making them like crazy. It turns out that they let me get a clear glimpse into how well the students had mastered the word. 

I have an entire article about this, filled with loads of ideas and resources at VocabularyLuau .

You can check out that article here (or click the image below).

IDEA #14: Paper Plate Vocab

I love this inexpensive matching game  from Finding Joy in Fifth Grade , and I think students could create it themselves.

IDEA #15: Heads Up Vocabulary Game

Students hold a word on a card in front of their foreheads. The students don’t know what words they have.

Students ask each other a series of questions to determine the meaning of their word. Or, students can give students clues to the person with the word to help that person guess the word.

This is a review activity, and it’s not for initial instruction.

It’s such a favorite that I wrote a very comprehensive article about it on VocabularyLuau . There’s even a hack for printing on Post-it notes!

IDEA #16: Word Sneak

Word Sneak is a game invented by Jimmy Fallon that he plays with guests on the Tonight Show.

In the game, Jimmy and the guest each get a stack of cards with words on them that they have to work into the conversation naturally (without sounding forced or stilted).

It’s hysterical to watch and fun to play.

It’s also a great way to learn different ways to approach a word.

It’s so much fun that when I wrote the article about in on VocabularyLuau , I also included a Tonight Show backdrop you can use in class to give it an even more “real” feel.

IDEA #17: Frayer Model

The Frayer Model is an oldie-but-goodie vocab activity model in which student work in multiple ways in a specifically laid out graphic organizer to engage with words.

This is such a must-know that I wrote a (very lengthy and detailed) plan for how to use it at VocabularyLuau .

It includes downloads and printables and digital versions, as well as exactly how (and why) to use this strategy.

If you are not familiar with it, please do yourself a solid and read more .

IDEA #18: Tweet

Have students create a “tweet” that a word would send out or with the word in the tweet in context.

You can use a tool like PrankmeNot or Siminator  to make it look real.

This strategy is so fun and so useful!

I’ve written about five different ways to do this (with examples) on VocabularyLuau , and I even have this free template for you there:

IDEA #19: Brain Power Words

This is a strong academic vocabulary activity that takes a little bit of time, but would really help get the words past the superficial level of understanding.

• Ask small groups of students to preview sections of a text and identify difficult words.
• For long chapters, assign different sections to different groups.
• Students place a Post-it next to the words in the text they identify as potentially difficult.
• Clues of substitution: A known word would make sense in the context and is probably a good definition.
• Clues of definition: The word is defined in the text (many textbooks do this).
• Clues of opposition: Words “not, unlike” etc. are excellent clues to what a word is not and thus help define the words.
• After the Brain Power Words list is identified and definitions sought, the students check their work with the teacher.

This strategy is from Becky McTague and Margaret Richek (it’s in the book Reading Success for Struggling Adolescent Learners  by Susan Lenski and Jill Lewis).

IDEA #20: The Concept Cube

A concept cube is a  pattern that is printed on paper or cardstock, cut out, folded, and taped into a three-dimensional cube.

Students write, type, or draw on the pattern prior to assembling the cube, and then  they “play” with the cube to explore concepts.

Depending upon the way you choose to use it, they can be similar to a three-dimensional  Frayer model .

You can print out a blank cube and have students print the responses below, or complete it online and then print it out.

Before folding, students write clearly in each square following the directions below.

Each student is given one challenging vocabulary word from a recent reading and asked to:

• Write the assigned vocabulary word in one square.
• Write a synonym (word or phrase) in another square.
• Write an antonym (word or phrase) in another square.
• Write a category or categories it could belong to.
• Write the essential characteristics of the concept of this word.
• Give one example.

Cut, fold, and tape the cube.

Roll the cube and read what comes up on the “top”; the student must tell the relationship of that word or phrase to the original word.

After students know their own cube without any errors, they exchange with a peer.

You can get more ideas and details, as well as a free printable, at VocabularyLuau .

IDEA #21: Phone a Friend

Search TeacherspayTeachers or Teachers Notebook for vocabulary activities you can use or adapt.

The beauty of this is that you can search by grade level and subject, so you can focus on what you’re studying.

A caveat to this is that if you create something grade level or content specific, you can share it with other teachers, too.

The Importance of a Variety of Activities

You want to have a variety of activities so that vocabulary instruction doesn’t become routine or boring.

Keeping it fresh with lots of different ways of learning will help students (and the teacher) avoid getting burned out or tired of working with vocabulary.

There’s been so much interest in this that I created an entire website just for vocab ideas called VocabularyLuau .

These 21 activities for teaching vocabulary are just a start. I’d love to know your ideas!

The Vocabulary Series

This post is Part 3 of a four-part series on teaching vocabulary. If you would like to check out the rest of the series, visit the posts below

• Teaching Vocabulary: The books
• Theories & Techniques that work (and don’t)
• 21 Activities for Teaching Vocabulary (this one)
• Ideas for English Language Learners

There’s even a great book for teaching vocabulary!

These ideas work for all vocabulary words.

If your students need to learn vocabulary words and terms that are specific to your content (words like acute angle or latitude or simile or biome ), have I got a book for you!

You know how I know it’s great? I wrote it! I wrote it for teachers just like you from the method I created in my own class with my own students and tested over and over.

You can learn more about it by clicking on the picture of it, or you can read more and see loads of examples here .

If you already know you want it, you can grab a paperback version on Amazon .

Or, if you want a digital copy, you can use the coupon code GIFTEDGURU for 20% off you can…

Do You Like Great Ideas?

If so, I share them in my email o’ goodness that goes out about once a month to thousands of people just like you.

You can sign up here (it’s free).

Note: This content uses referral links. Read my disclosure policy (it’s fascinating) for more info.

• Read more about: Excellent Teaching

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Reading Worksheets, Spelling, Grammar, Comprehension, Lesson Plans

Vocabulary Worksheets

Vocabulary is a fundamental learning concept but covers many different areas. We've developed hundreds of practice activities to help your student improve their vocabulary skills. You'll find worksheet activities around the alphabet, dictionary skills, Fry sight words, Dolch sight words, phonetics, homographs, homophones, prefixes, proverbs and adages, root words, shades of meaning, suffixes, synonyms and antonyms! All of our printable worksheets are designed around common core standards and cover a broad range of skill levels from kindergarten through high school.  Feel free to print copies for your classroom or at home.

Alphabet Worksheets

Dictionary Skills Worksheets

These worksheets help students to learn how to effectively use a dictionary. All worksheets are free to use at home or in the classroom. Just print and duplicate!

Fry Word List - 1,000 High Frequency Words

Homograph Worksheets - Learning About Homographs

Homophone Worksheets

Phonics Worksheets | Phonetics

Prefix Worksheets

Proverbs and Adages Worksheets

These worksheets hep students to understand the meaning of proverbs and adages, looking into the deeper meaning of these phrases.

Greek and Latin Root Words

Shades of Meaning Worksheets

These worksheets help students learn to interpret the shades of meaning behind specific words, in order to help with reading comprehension and writing.

Suffix Worksheets

Synonym Worksheets and Antonym Worksheets

Katelyn's Learning Studio

Teaching to Love Learning

8 Great Vocabulary Activities and Games for Building Word Understanding

October 5, 2023 by Katelyn Hildebrand

Want to help your students have fun while building word understanding? Use these FUN vocabulary activities and games to make learning new vocab words enjoyable for your kiddos. I promise you– the more fun they have while learning vocabulary, the more the new words will STICK!

These vocab games are the perfect way to build vocabulary for students in a fun way!

Why is it so important to build their vocabulary word understanding?

The more words they know…

• the better they will understand what they read
• the more confidence they will have when speaking and expressing their ideas

When students build their bank of vocabulary words, comprehension soars through the roof!

Here is a blog post that dives deeper into vocab skills and what teaching vocabulary looks like .

These fun vocabulary activities will help your kiddos have fun while learning new words! Pictured is my Vocabulary Intervention Binder you can grab here.

8 Fun Vocabulary Activities & Games

Each of these fun vocab activities targets key vocabulary skills and academic vocabulary, while still focusing on engagement and making a game out of it. Your kids will love them!

You can find more vocabulary activity ideas in my blog post 7 Awesome Vocabulary Strategies .

When teaching vocabulary, get students up and moving with this “Who am I?” game.

1. Vocab “Who am I?” Game

This is such an easy game that is so versatile with any vocabulary list!

• Write vocabulary words on notecards.
• Tape a word to each student’s back (without them seeing the word)
• Have students “mingle”.
• Ask yes or no questions to figure out what their word is
• Or the person they talk to can use the word in a sentence (saying “blank” in place of the word)
• When the student thinks they know what the word is, they can go to the teacher, say the word, and use the word in a sentence.

Add sticky notes to your vocabulary building activities to make them instantly more hands-on and engaging, like with this activity in my Vocabulary Intervention Binder.

2. Use Sticky Notes in your Vocabulary Activities

Sticky notes are one of the ultimate low-prep but engaging teaching tools!

• Tactile input (sticking & pulling them off)
• Kinesthetic input (moving them around)
• Visual input (bright colors/color coding, drawing attention, hide & reveal)
• Hands-on interactive engagement!

Plus they are so easy to stick (haha, no pun intended) into any lesson without adding extra work.

*Side note: for more ideas on adding multisensory learning into your reading instruction, here is my Ultimate List of Reading Intervention Activities and 6 Fun Multisensory Learning Activities .

Here are some ideas for using sticky notes in your vocabulary activities:

• Have a list of words/root words and definitions
• Cover either the words or the definitions with sticky notes
• Have students say the word/definition that matches, then check if they are right
• Great for self-assessment!
• Have a memory board of words and definitions
• Cover them all with sticky notes
• Let students take turns taking off 2 sticky notes at a time to uncover matches
• If they find a match, go again. If they don’t, re-cover the words and it’s the next player’s turn.
• Write word parts on sticky notes (prefixes, root words, suffixes)
• Let students rearrange sticky notes to make new words (real or made up!)
• Write words on sticky notes (or let students write the words)
• Let students stick them around the room to label things
• You can also have pictures on a piece of paper and use small sticky notes with matching words for students to stick on the pictures.

I have tons of sticky note activities in my Vocabulary Intervention Binder to make intervention more engaging!

Turn the classic Go-Fish into a vocabulary games learning opportunity!

3. Root Word Go-Fish Vocab Game

A vocabulary twist on a classic game! Most kids already know how to play Go Fish, so this is an easy one to learn. Plus, the focus on root words is an AWESOME way to equip students with the tools to tackle big words!

Learning root words is a fantastic vocabulary booster, and it prepares students to learn how to decode multisyllabic words .

Set Up (for 2 players):

• Get 20 different note cards (or more for more players or to practice more roots!)
• Choose 10 root words to focus on.
• Write one root word on each of 10 cards.
• Write the meanings on each of the other 10 cards.
• Shuffle the cards and place the stack face down in the middle of the players.
• Hand 5 cards to each player.
• Players can put down any root + meaning matches.
• At the beginning of your turn, draw a card from the pile.
• Take turns asking for a root or a meaning from the other person.
• If the other person has the card you ask for, they give it to you. If not, it’s the next player’s turn.
• If you get a card that makes a match, put the match down in front of you.
• Keep playing until someone runs out of cards.
• The person with the most matches wins!

*Variations: Instead of matching root words and meanings, you can match…

• root words with a whole word that has that root
• words (that contain root words) with definitions

Vocabulary games like this FREE root words card game make learning more fun!

4. Word Builder Vocabulary Game:

This is a fun take on the traditional card game called “Rummy”. You can buy pre-made Rummy Roots cards , or just print out these similar {FREE} Word Builder cards .

• Shuffle and deal everyone 5 cards.
• Place the deck face down in the middle.
• Flip the top card over face up next to the deck (this is now your discard pile).
• Player 1 can either draw one card from the deck, or take the top card from the discard pile.
• If they can make any word from the word bank with their root cards, place that word down face up in front of them.
• Their turn ends by discarding one card into the discard pile (face up right next to the deck).
• The next player can either take the top card of the discard pile, or draw a card from the deck
• When one player lays down all of their cards, the game is done.
• Add up all of the points from the words you made.
• Subtract any points from cards left in your hand.
• The player with the most points wins!

Have students teach the vocab words in this reciprocal teaching activity.

5. Jigsaw Vocabulary Activity

This is a great vocabulary activity to let students do the teaching and learn from their peers. It is a great confidence boost, and teaching is one of the best ways to learn something in long-term memory!

Instructions:

• Split the class into 4-5 groups.
• Give each group an assigned word.
• Let each group research their word together to become experts on it (find it in a dictionary, draw pictures of it, come up with synonyms and antonyms, use it in a few sentences, etc.)
• Then rearrange the groups so that each new group has 1 student expert for each word.
• Let students take turns teaching their new group their word.

Vocabulary activities for kids don’t have to be complicated. Try this simple points game!

6. Vocabulary Points Game

This is a great motivator for actually USING new vocabulary words learned! And the more they use their new vocab words, the more the meaning will become solidified in their natural language.

• Choose 5 vocabulary words for the week and display them on the wall.
• Teach students what each one means and give examples of using them in a sentence.
• Each time you hear a student using one of the words in a sentence the correct way, they get a point.
• See how many points students can accumulate over the week!

Optional: if a student (or the class as a whole) hits a certain number of points, they get a prize.

Teaching vocabulary words you find in books is a great real-word example of natural vocabulary building.

7. Read Books Rich in Vocabulary

Books and read-alouds are such great opportunities for learning new words in context. Read high-quality books with rich language and vocabulary.

• When you come across a new, interesting, or meaningful word–talk about it!
• Write it out so the students can see it.
• Re-read the sentence it is in.
• Ask students to use context to say what they think it means.
• Use it in additional sentences to model it’s meaning.
• Give synonyms and antonyms for it.
• Let students use it in their own sentences.

No, don’t do this for every word of the story itself will lose its impact and flow. BUT, be sure to do this for the particular words you want to teach your students (at least one per read aloud session).

Here is an Amazon (affiliate) link to all of my favorite high-quality books arranged by reading level.

These vocabulary word games printable activities are perfect for no-prep practice! Check them out in my Vocabulary Intervention Binder .

8. No-Prep Vocabulary Games (+ Vocabulary Activities Binder)

These fun vocabulary games are PERFECT for easy, instant engagement. Just print them out and use them as a vocabulary enriching center, mini-lesson, or fast-finisher!

You can find these vocab games in my Vocabulary Intervention Binder .

The binder includes loads of print-&-teach intervention activities to cover basic vocabulary skills, grammar, root words and affixes, and context clues.

Plus, there is a whole section of these no-prep games to cover all of those topics!

They include:

• Definition Memory
• Mystery Descriptions
• Category Guess
• Parts of Speech Roll-It
• Compound Word Maze
• Synonym Board Game
• Antonym Catch a Star
• Homophone Memory
• Homograph Board Game
• Word Part Munch
• Word Part Bingo
• Mystery Words

This is a super fun and easy way to ramp up vocabulary lesson engagement!

I hope these vocabulary activities and games have sparked some ideas of fun ways to build your students’ language confidence and word understanding! Vocabulary building activities are a great way to have fun while still learning new vocab words and skills.

• Grades 6-12
• School Leaders

Free printable Mother's Day questionnaire 💐!

5 Downloadable Vocabulary Activities that Make Words Stick

Make word study fun and engaging for your students.

The best way to teach vocabulary is to get our students to use  vocabulary. These five free downloadable vocabulary activities from Read it. Write it. Learn it. will help your students master their vocab list in no time!

1. Allow students to choose their own vocabulary words with Word Up! Bookmarks.

The best vocabulary words are chosen by students. Start by giving each student a copy of the Word Up! bookmark (I recommend photocopying on cardstock). Instruct students to copy down words they are unsure of or powerful words from their nightly reading. Encourage students to use context clues within the text to define their words. Model the process with them and practice in class. If students cannot unlock the meaning of words using the context clues, show them how to use print and online dictionaries for help.

2. Set up a Word-Master Class Challenge .

Once students start collecting vocabulary words, encourage them to use the words in their speech and writing. Use this downloadable to create a word wall and choose a word of the day. Then, enjoy the vocabulary magic that follows! The student who uses the word of the day most often during a class period wins the prestigious title of Word Master.

3. Teach definitions with a QR code project.

QR codes are fun and interactive, and any student with a smart device can access the content linked to the code. Use this downloadable to guide your students through the process of creating student videos that define word-wall words. Students will then email you their videos, and you can use the provided link to create a printable QR code to add to your word wall. Students simply scan the code to view the video definition of each word on your wall.

4. Encourage students to use powerful vocabulary in their writing.

Give students this printable chart to help them apply vocabulary from your word wall into their own writing. Students simply choose three words per week, challenge themselves to use the word in the proper context as often as they can, and then share their favorite line in the last column of the chart.

To extend this activity even further and deepen students’ understanding of the words, ask students to complete the Words With Power one-pager included in this download. This activity will allow students to share favorite lines from their personal writing, displaying the line along with the literal definition, figurative and connotative meanings, and visual representations of the word.

5. Play the Word Up! Game .

Engage students in learning their vocabulary words with the Word Up! Game. This super fun game is similar to the game Heads Up. Students write all of their word-wall or vocabulary words on the provided task cards. After shuffling the cards, one student chooses a card without looking and holds it up to their forehead. The rest of the students provide clues that will help the student guess the word. Students will have a blast and learn new vocabulary at the same time!

Learning vocabulary can be engaging and fun with the right tools. The key to making vocabulary stick is encouraging students to actually use the words we want them to learn. For more engaging and motivating vocabulary activities, check out the Read it. Write it. Learn it. store.

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150 Vocabulary Word-Definition Lists and Worksheets for Middle – High School

Here are a total of 150 downloadable learning and instructional documents to help with expanding and building vocabulary for middle and high school students . These cover a variety of topics and include word and definition lists, vocabulary exercises, worksheets, and lessons . They are pdf  files, unless indicated as .doc format. Update: Here are our latest vocabulary posts: 373 Greek and Latin Roots in English Words , Vocabulary For Middle and High School Students and 106 More Vocabulary and Spelling Worksheets & Lists, Grades 1-8 . Also, don’t miss Vocabulary For Middle and High School Students and Vocabulary with Reading Comprehension: 152 Worksheets, Lists and Tools .

• 20 Vocabulary Words, Middle School
• 35 Word Chain Crossword Puzzles with answers
• 3rd Grade Vocabulary Words
• 3rd Grade Word Study Worksheets
• 47 Vocabulary Worksheets, Answers at end – Higher Grades
• 100 Words Every High School Freshman Should Know
• 100 Words Every High School Graduate Should Know
• 100 Words with Definitions List 1, High School
• 100 Words with Definitions List 2, High School
• 100 Words with Definitions List 3, High School
• 100 Words with Definitions List 4, High School
• 100 Words with Definitions List 5, High School
• 100 Words with Definitions List 6, High School
• 100 Words with Definitions List 7, High School
• 100 Words with Definitions List 8, High School
• 100 Words with Definitions List 9, High School
• 100 Words with Definitions List 10, High School
• 100 Words with Definitions List 11, High School
• 100 Words with Definitions List 12, High School
• 100 Words with Definitions List 13, High School
• 100 Words with Definitions List 14, High School
• 100 Words with Definitions List 15, High School
• 100 Vocabulary Tests with Answers, Intermediate
• 100 Vocabulary Units & Tests with Answers, Advanced
• 100 Vocabulary Units & Tests with Answers, Intermediate
• 500 Vocabulary Words, HS Levels C and D
• 1250 Words & Phrases in 60 Units with Answers, Elementary
• A ‘Word’ About Vocabulary
• Academic Vocabulary List
• Agriculture Vocabulary Words
• Algebra Vocabulary List, Definitions for Middle School
• Approaching New Words
• Architecture Vocabulary Words
• Back Words for Back to School A Vocabulary Brain Teaser
• Beginning Middle and End of Words with Test and Answers
• Beowulf Vocabulary Words
• Beyond Matching Vocabulary
• Cellular Transport Vocabulary Words
• Check Your English Vocabulary for Medicine
• Common Vocabulary Words Level 1 – Verbs
• Connotation Chart with answer key
• Costumes and Garmets Vocabulary Words
• Culinary Essentials Vocabulary Words
• Diet and Exercise Vocabulary Words
• Diminutive Suffixes Vocabulary Words
• Drama Vocabulary Words
• Driver Education Vocabulary Words
• Earth Science Vocabulary Words
• Ecology Vocabulary Words
• Eighth Grade Literary Terms You Should Know.doc
• Emotions Vocabulary Words
• Energy Vocabulary Words
• Engaging Activities for English Vocabulary Learners
• Evolution Vocabulary Words
• Five Senses Example for Generating Similes-Metaphors
• Five Senses Organizer for Generating Similes-Metaphors
• Flocabulary SAT Vocabulary Word List
• Fossil Vocabulary
• Getting ‘In’ to Prefixes
• GMAT Vocabulary List
• GRE Vocab Flashcard eBook
• Helping your school age child to understand and use words
• High School Music Band Vocabulary
• Language Arts Instructional Routine Book K-6th Grade
• Lesson for Spelling and Vocabulary Contest
• Lord of the Flies Chapters 1-4 Vocabulary Worksheet
• Matter Vocabulary Words
• Metaphors in I Have A Dream speech
• Middle School Assessment Vocabulary
• Middle School Level Vocabulary Matching Words 1
• Middle School Math Terminology
• Middle School Math Vocabulary Word Wall Cards
• Middle School SAT Vocabulary Words
• National Reading Vocabulary Grade 5
• National Reading Vocabulary Grade 6
• Plate Tectonics Vocabulary Matching
• Plate Tectonics Vocabulary Words
• Prefix Suffix Root List Chart.doc
• SAT Vocabulary Words Commonly Tested
• SAT Vocabulary Words Adjectives
• SAT Vocabulary Words Nouns
• SAT Vocabulary Words Verbs
• Science Vocabulary Words
• Science Unit Vocabulary Words
• Scientific Method Vocabulary Words
• Short Story Vocabulary Words
• Six-Step Vocabulary Instructional Practice.doc
• Six-Step Vocabulary Instructional Practice
• Teaching Academic Vocabulary Strategies and Activities
• Teaching Grammar and Vocabulary
• Test Your Vocabulary, Answers at end
• Tier 2 Vocabulary Words for High School
• Top 1000 Vocabulary Words
• Vertebrates Vocabulary Words
• Vocabulary Activities
• Vocabulary Critical Word List with Definitions, to Grade 12
• Vocabulary Flash Cards – Basic Set
• Vocabulary Flash Cards – Easy Set
• Vocabulary Flash Cards – Hard Set
• Vocabulary Flash Cards – Medium Set
• Vocabulary Games for Middle School
• Vocabulary Learning Strategies
• Vocabulary Lesson 1 – Cuisine.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 2 – Law.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 3 – Money and Finance.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 4 – School Days.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 5 – Feelings.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 6 – Writing and Editing.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 7 – Construction.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 8 – Sports.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 9 – Behavior.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 10 – Nature and Wildlife.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 11 – Mystery and Suspense.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 12 – Clothing and Fashion.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 13 – Travel .doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 14 – Government.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 15 – Medicine .doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 16 – History.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 17 – Language and Literature.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 18 – Transportation.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 19 – Suffixes -ation-tion-ion-sion.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 20 – Agriculture.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 21 – The Military.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 22 – Headline News.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 23 – Performing Arts.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 24 – The Home.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 25 – Suffixes -ful-ous.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 26 – Occupations.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 27 – Actions.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 28 – Health.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 29 – Art and Music.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 30 – Science.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 31 – Hobbies.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 32 – Business.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 33 – Animal Life.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 34 – Prefixes di-dis-.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 35 – Prefixes co-con-com-.doc
• Vocabulary Lesson 36 – Verbal Communication.doc
• Vocabulary Words, 3rd Unit
• Vocabulary Worksheet Grade 9
• Vocabulary Workshop Unit 2, 20 Words for 6th Grade
• Vocabulary Workshop Unit 3, 20 Words for 6th Grade
• Weather Climate Vocabulary
• Word Games and Puzzles
• Word List for Graduate Management Admission Test
• Words Often Confused Set 1, scan
• Words Often Confused Set 2, scan
• Workshop 1 Vocabulary Words
• Workshop 4 Vocabulary Words
• WW II Vocabulary Words

– love learning -your best ed lessons guide, Scott

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Professional Development

Vocabulary games for any word list.

Teaching vocabulary is essential!  But it has to be more than just memorization of definitions and looking up words in a dictionary!  Students learn vocabulary words best when they are immersed in the language rather than rote memorization.  Vocabulary games are a great way to engage students and give them some unique practice using and exploring their vocabulary words.  I’ve gathered 5 of my favorite hands on vocabulary games that I think you would love to use in your own classroom!

Vocabulary Game #1:  Free Association

Here’s how it works!  Make a basic web with the vocabulary word in the center.  Then, around the web, have students write any word they might associate with the vocabulary word.  I’ve given an example in the picture!  Anything goes in this activity.  If a student can justify their association, then it can be used!  If you’re doing the more interactive activity rather than the paper/pencil, instead of having them write the words around the web – simply have them write the words on post it notes or index cards and place them around a larger web you’ve created on anchor chart paper.

I love creating more than one web at a time and really letting students dig deep into the association with the words.  I even challenge them to find an association between two of the vocabulary words themselves!  Sometimes that can be quite a challenge!

Vocabulary Game #2:  Trash & Treasure

This is a super simple but fun game you can play whole group or as a center!  To prep, you will need to write out or type sentences or examples of your vocabulary words – some correctly used and some incorrectly used.  For example, you may give an incorrect synonym for a word on one page.  Then on another page you correctly use a different vocabulary word in a sentence.  Then on another page you incorrectly give an example of the word.  You want to have a good mix of ways you use the words as well as correct and incorrect answers.

When you’re ready to play, students will read each card/piece of paper and decide whether the card is trash, meaning it is incorrect or that it is treasure, meaning that it is correct.  If you want to push your students, have them correct the ‘trash’ cards that they have identified!

Vocabulary Game #3:  Toss & Answer

Keep playing until all of the word cards have been taken.  The player with the most cards win!  The great thing about this game is that it is super fast to prep AND you can play it multiple times and have a completely different experience with the words in the game.

Vocabulary Game #4:  Roll a Word

If you don’t want to make these dice, you can always use dry erase dice and use a permanent marker too – that way is much easier!

Vocabulary Game #5:  Tic-Tac-Toe

Grab your *F*R*E*E* vocabulary game printables if you are interested in trying out any of the games above!  

If you are LOVING these games and want some more awesome ideas on how to make vocabulary practice a bit more fun, then you’ll definitely want to check out my Vocabulary Strategies resource!  It is packed with over 30 different activities that can be used with ANY vocabulary word list!  Many of the activities comes with its own recording sheet as well!  Definitely worth checking out if you want to put MORE into your vocabulary instruction!  If you’re needing to focus on academic vocabulary , definitely check out my blog post on how we work that into our everyday routine as well!

If you love this post and want to save it for later, make sure to pin the image below!

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5 Vocabulary Games That Build Content Knowledge

Engaging games support student understanding of subject-specific vocabulary and  help  ensure retention of content knowledge.

Subject-specific vocabulary goes hand-in-hand with a deep and meaningful knowledge of content. It allows us to engage with that subject, unlocks understanding, and promotes clear and precise communication. 

At the end of a topic or unit of work, I like to encourage my students to play with the words they’ve learned. I use five different word-association games that get students to recall, describe, explain, listen, and verbalize the subject-specific vocabulary from that topic or unit of work. In my experience, the lighthearted nature of these games provides students with a fun, safe, and low-stakes environment where they feel more confident to just have a go.

Although the examples I’ve given are specific to my subject (biology) and age group (high school), I hope these games are also applicable to other subjects and student ages and provide engaging ways to help students master vocabulary. 

1. From A to Z 

How it works: For this five-to-eight-minute game, students work in small groups (two to four) and have to write down a word related to a topic for every letter of the alphabet. For example, if the topic is cells, “A” might be “apoptosis,” “B” might be “binary fission,” “C” might be “cytoplasm,” and so on. For many topics, students might struggle to find a word for every letter (and sometimes you will too). You can support them and/or allow them to get more abstract or silly. 

This is great as a starter activity for a lesson that falls at the end of the topic. I like to keep it visible and accessible throughout the lesson for students to add to if inspiration strikes them later on. 

2. Articulate 

Based on the popular board game Articulate, this 10-to-20-minute game (depending on the size of your class) gets students to describe and define key terms.

How it works: Prepare a number of cards containing four words related to a topic or subject and one silly or unrelated word. Students will work in teams of three or four. When it’s the first team’s turn, one student from that team stands at the front. The teacher gives that student a card, and the student has to describe the word to their team without ever saying the word, or variations of the word. I usually allow each team one free pass per round. The number of points that the team gets is equal to the number of words that the team guesses in 30 seconds. Teams rotate and continue until every player has had a turn. 

3. Just One 

The aim of this 15-to-20-minute game is to get students to make connections between key vocabulary words. 

I first played the Just One game with my family and then modified it by making cards specific to vocabulary in my subject so that I could use it in my classroom. 

How it works: Prepare a number of cards with five words related to a unit, topic, or subject (sometimes I reuse the ones I use in Articulate). Three to seven students work in a group. One student chooses a number between one and five and turns around, facing away from their classmates. 

The first card is shown to the other students in the group, and without conferring, they write down one word (on a mini whiteboard) that relates to the corresponding word on the card. For example, if the clue is “muscle,” possible related words might be “movement,” “skeletal,” or “tissue.” All of the students reveal their mini whiteboards to their group—all except the first student. 

If two students have written the same word, both words get erased (this encourages students to think beyond the most obvious links). Finally, the first student turns around to view the remaining words and has one chance to guess what the original word on the card was. Repeat the process with a new student guessing and a new card until everyone has had at least one turn. You can appeal to students’ competitive natures by giving them a score to aim for. So, for a group of five, everyone has two turns, and the aim is to achieve a total score of 7 or more out of 10.

4. Telephone Pictionary

For this 20-to-30-minute game, students use diagrams to explain key vocabulary.

How it works: Create groups of about six to eight students, ideally sitting in a circle. Each student is given a note card or piece of paper with a different phrase or term on it (examples I have used include “human evolution,” “the kidneys” and “cell membrane”). 

The student has 30–45 seconds to sketch a picture to represent the phrase or term and then paperclips their sketch over the word so that it isn’t visible to the next student. This picture gets passed on to the next student, who (on a new card or piece of paper) writes a phrase or term that they think was given to the student before them based on the picture drawn. Then they use their sketch to cover the previous one. This continues around the group, alternating between drawing and writing until it returns to the original student. 

This is happening simultaneously for all students—so everyone is always doing something. Once the cycle returns to the original student, they lay out all the cards, reveal the original phrase or term, and choose a winning contributor for their round—usually either the most accurate or the funniest one. 

5. Mind Meld 

This two-to-eight-minute game gets students verbalizing and making links between vocabulary words. It works well at the end of a lesson when you have a couple of spare minutes.

How it works: Students are put into pairs, and on the count of three, they say a word related to a given subject or unit. For example, in the topic “cells,” one student might say “cellulose,” and another student might say “eukaryotic.” On the count of three, they then simultaneously say another word that they think matches the two words just said. Now, one might say “plant” and another might say “cell wall.” This keeps going until both students say the same word at the same time. Words can’t be repeated at any time.

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5 Brain-Based Vocabulary Activities for the Secondary Classroom

Trying to find some new practice activities for your existing vocabulary units? These brain-based vocabulary approaches are unique — perhaps just what you need. 

Do your students smile at you when you begin a vocabulary lesson? Do they act interested or ask questions? Are they willing to try using the words in their own speaking and writing? Over the years, I’ve noticed that when I’m “on” with my vocabulary instruction, my students are, too. They’re into it, learning, and motivated. In contrast, when I rush through vocabulary instruction because of time constraints, lack of preparation, or simply lack of enthusiasm, my students can read me like an open book.

Previously, I wrote about increasing vocabulary retention in the secondary classroom. Retention is ultimately the goal of vocabulary instruction, but in order to get there, teachers need to differentiate their instruction and practice activities to reach all types of learners, which includes adding variety through learning styles and critical thinking levels. While I provided a few ideas regarding how students can interact with vocabulary words in the last post, I’d like to get more specific and explore several unique and creative avenues that teachers can incorporate into their curriculums. I teach ELA, but these brain-based vocabulary ideas can apply to word lists from any content area.

BRAIN-BASED VOCABULARY LEARNING

3 truths and a lie.

Games are fun. If your classroom culture calls for games, engagement, and student-directed learning, try out 3 truths and a lie. The best part about this game (other than the fact that it’s enjoyable) is that students create it. Don’t get me wrong…I LOVE making games to use my classroom . Yet, vocabulary is a perfect vehicle for students to be in charge of their learning, to create something meaningful.

Put students in charge.

I simply ask them to select a word from their list and then to write down four statements about that word. I encourage them to think about the word’s part of speech, the definition, related and unrelated words, associations they may have, and the word’s personality. One of the statements they write should be a lie.

Here’s an example:

• Ubiquitous is kind of like the plague. Even if you don’t like it, you can’t get rid of it.
• Ubiquitous is an adverb.
• Ubiquitous is cousins with the words “pervasive” and “universal.”
• If cockroaches were ubiquitous, I’d move to Mars.

Your students can get as creative (or as simplistic) as they want with their sentences. After creating them, collect the statements, and put students in small groups. Have them discuss the words and statements to try to identify the lie ( in the example above, the lie is #2 ). If you’re concerned about the accuracy of your students’ sentences and want to avoid unnecessary confusion, read through them first and have students work in groups to discuss them the next day.

Why this works: 

1. Students are doing the thinking.

2. It can be straightforward (recall) or higher-order thinking (analytical), so it’s differentiated by nature.

3. It’s engaging.

4. Students will remember many of the lies and the truths, so it will help them to retain the word meanings longer.

Bumper Words

Bumper words is a categorizing activity that helps students to learn the relationships between words on their list. If you plan to use a bumper words activity, keep that in mind when selecting your word list so that it’s easier to create the assignment. Here’s how it works. 

Teacher-Directed

You (the teacher) group the words into categories. You can make this into a worksheet or a graphic organizer, or you can just write them on the board to use as a class activity. Another option is to create a manipulative for small groups or station use. When you put the words into groups (of 3 to 5 is best), all of the words should relate  except for one . The students’ job is to figure out which word is  not related, and they  bump it to the next word group. It’s a chain effect. Here’s an example:

As you can see, in the first group of words, abase, demean, and humiliate can all be related, but extol does not fit. So, it gets bumped to group two, where students look for another ill-fitting word that is then bumped to group 3, and so on. When creating this activity, you can use words that are  not on your vocabulary list to complement the ones that are.

Student-Directed

Again, if you want to ask your students to think more critically about their words, you can ask  them to create a bumper words chain using all or some of the words on their list. This works well as a group assignment. Students could create their bumper words combinations on a piece of easel paper or large poster board, and then groups can rotate around the room to try to solve each other’s puzzles. If you choose to have students create their own examples, it would be beneficial to show them how to make one by modeling it together or analyzing an existing example first.

1. Students are thinking about the words and how they relate to other  words, thereby making associations – great for brain-based vocabulary learning!

2. Once again, this activity can be differentiated by ability level.

3. It engages students in meaningful interaction with their words.

4. It’s unique…your students probably haven’t heard of this one before. Ride the novelty wave.  

Personify a Word Using Social Media

Because social media is such a pervasive aspect of twenty-first century learning, I’m always looking for healthy ways to incorporate it in my classroom. One of the things I love about teaching vocabulary is that it can be creative. Words can be given personalities based on their meaning. I often ask students to personify a word in order to get them to think about it differently.

Word Personalities

Here are four of my favorite assignments that include word personalities using social media:

• Facebook : Have students create a Facebook poster based on one of the words on their list.
• Twitter : Ask students to create a Twitter profile and feed for a word.
• Instagram : Students can create a scrapbook or Instagram posts for their word.
• Pinterest :   Give students the task of creating a Pinterest profile for a word, including a list of boards and pins that would relate to that word.

When I give students assignments like these, I find it’s beneficial to allow them to choose a word  they want to learn  after discussing what they will do with it. I always encourage students to select a  new word…one they either have never heard of, or one they have heard of but cannot explain. By discussing the task before selecting the word, students will be able to choose a word they  want to use to complete the assignment, and ownership is key when it comes to creativity.

Some struggling readers and writers might be overwhelmed if we ask them to select any word they want, so it’s a great differentiation / scaffolding option to have a list of suggestions prepared.

Why this works:

1. In order to do any of these assignments WELL, students must think  deeply and  meaningfully about the word.

2. Students will take it upon themselves to analyze the social media outlet more closely than they have in the past. What text structures does it have? What is the common language and culture of the site? These questions must be studied and answered before creating a product.

3. It hooks students by allowing them to utilize their creativity and social natures to learn about vocabulary.

4. It is easy to incorporate technology. While students can create a poster like the one above, they could also use digital platforms to complete the assignment.  

Pictures, Short Films, & Music

A fun way to incorporate writing into your brain-based vocabulary instruction is through the use of pictures, short films, and music. They can all be used similarly for this assignment. Although numerous options exist, these three ideas are a good place to start:

Student Research

1. Simply ask students to do some research and find a certain number of pictures, short films, or songs that relate to words on their vocabulary list. You could have them focus specifically on one word and find a picture, a short film, and a song that relates to it, or you could ask them to choose ten words off the list and find one connection for each word. Either way, students are building onto existing knowledge about a word and using critical thinking skills to make meaningful connections. I like to have my students write a short paragraph (3-5 sentences) explaining their connections to the word.

Bell Ringers

Another way to use these elements is to incorporate them as bell ringers. Each day, begin the class by projecting an image, showing a short film, or playing a song for students. After watching or listening, ask students to make connections between the artwork and words on their vocabulary list. To elicit more participation, I have my students write their thoughts first, then talk with a partner, and finally share with the class.

Give your students a sheet of small images (I like to using small pictures they can color), and tell them to match each picture to a word on their vocabulary list. They can then explain in a few short sentences why each picture and word relate. Simple but effective. Here is a resource you can use for any list.

1. Music, movies, and pictures are embedded in our culture. Students appreciate learning opportunities that incorporate media relevant to their lives.

2. This assignment is a simple way to differentiate by learning styles. It appeals to students who are musical and visual by nature.

3. Once again, forming connections to vocabulary words will help students remember them longer.

4. It can be scaffolded for students on various scales of the literacy ladder.  

I use mind maps as choice assignments throughout the year with various aspects of my curriculum. Mind maps are excellent brain-based vocabulary . activities that help students retain the definition of a word instead of memorizing it for a quiz and forgetting it.

When I assign mind maps in relation to vocabulary words, I generally have students select one word from our list instead of several because the connections will be more meaningful for them.

A good tip is to first ask students to circle any words on their vocabulary list that they cannot define on the spot — in that moment. Afterward, have them choose one word they want to study more intentionally, and then introduce the mind map assignment. If you give them the specifics of the assignment  first, they might be more likely to select an “easy” word from the list.

I like to project example mind maps (you can easily find some by googling the term “vocabulary mind maps”). Together, we analyze the structure, design, and content of the example maps to determine students’ options. We also talk about my expectations (what’s acceptable and what’s not). In this way, we essentially develop a student-generated rubric on the spot. Bonus.

What can students incorporate in their mind maps? I encourage mine to use the basics (relate it to synonyms, antonyms, and examples), but I also ask them to stretch their imaginations to incorporate visual components, categories related to the word, colors that symbolize the word, and other symbolic elements.

1. Research shows that mind maps are brain-based learning activities.

2. Thinking symbolically about a word helps students to deepen their understanding of it.

3. Mind maps require students to engage with a word meaningfully from different angles for an extended period of time.

4. It combines right-brain creative style learning with left-brain logic style learning, resulting in a powerful and memorable experience.  

Inspired and wanting more vocabulary ideas? Read this sister post in which I discuss  five more of my favorite, brain-based vocabulary practice activities for the secondary classroom .

Grab a Free Template!

You might find this free, editable vocabulary template to be helpful in getting started.

Before using any of these brain-based vocabulary strategies in your classroom, you will need to establish a solid list of words. For some inspiration regarding how to strategically and effectively select word lists, click on over to Lauralee at Language Arts Classroom . She has some insights to share with you!

RELATED RESOURCE:

This vocabulary bundle contains numerous resources to engage students in meaningful brain-based vocabulary practice with any word list.

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6 Engaging Vocabulary Activities to Try in 2020

Since vocabulary is something English teachers are constantly teaching, it can be easy to get stuck in a routine. I’ll confess that I’ve been guilty of falling into the vocabulary slideshow + guided notes trap. While it’s not an ineffective lesson, it does get boring after a while. I keep the trusty guided notes sheet in my back pocket for those days when an easy, structured “notes” lesson is necessary, but I also work hard to mix up my vocabulary lessons with engaging activities.

If you’re hoping to do the same with your vocabulary instruction in 2020, then here are 6 of my favorite student-centered, engaging vocabulary activities. 🙂 Happy teaching!

1. VOCABULARY QUESTION TRAIL

A question trail is my go-to strategy for making vocabulary instruction more engaging. If you’ve never heard of it, it’s a kinesthetic activity that gets students up and moving around the room on a “trail” of multiple-choice questions. At each station on the trail, students answer a multiple-choice question that sends them to the next question “on the trail.” If students answer each question correctly, they will travel to all questions and successfully complete the trail in the correct order. If students answer a question incorrectly, they will eventually end up at a station they’ve already completed, which means they need to backtrack and problem-solve. This also means students AND teachers can get helpful, immediate feedback.

I like to use question trails as a student-centered, interactive alternative to introducing vocabulary words with a slideshow and notes. To do this, I write multiple-choice questions that ask students to use context clues to discern the definition of a vocabulary word in a sentence. A question trail would also work for vocabulary review before an assessment.

For more information on how to create your own question trail, check out this helpful blog post or this editable template. If you don’t have time to create your own question trail, you can check out my print-ready vocabulary in context question trails. You can find one that’s suitable for 7-9th graders here, and a test-prep one that will challenge 10-12th graders here.

2. VOCABULARY TRADING CARDS

I created “vocabulary trading cards” when I got stuck in a vocab rut and was searching for a way to mix up my vocabulary instruction! Vocabulary trading cards ask students to visually represent the word on the front and then record its “stats” on the back: definition, synonyms, antonyms, and connotation. They have to plot the word’s connotation on a negative-positive spectrum, so it’s a great way to practice connotation! As a fun bonus, students even get to “rate” the word out of 5 stars. (This gives them a nice outlet to “complain” about certain words…ha!)

When I do this, each student gets their own vocabulary word (depending on the number of words). After the kids create their trading cards, they have to “duel” other students and decide which word is “better” by discussing the word’s stats and usage. You can make different standards for what “wins,” or just let them argue it out, which is what I do. Sometimes, students conclude that the positive words are stronger, or vice versa. I’ll even hear the kids converse about which words are more versatile, or they’ll make cross-curricular connections.

The “dueling,” challenging, playing, debating, or whatever you want to call it is the most fun part of this (and the part that cements the words into students’ memory). My students seriously act like kids playing Pokemon in the early 2000s (and they’re in high school). It’s hysterical and effective!

You can check out my ready-to-print vocabulary trading card template here or look into ReadWriteThink’s online trading card generator here. Their template is not designed for vocabulary, but I think it could work!

3. VOCABULARY SCAVENGER HUNT OR GALLERY WALK

This idea is so simple but incredibly effective! I created this when I had a vocabulary slideshow ready to present, but I decided I didn’t want to talk at my students for the entire day. Literally all I did was print out the slides from my presentation and tape them up around my room. Each slide had a vocabulary word, its definition, and a picture.

Here’s how it works: Students travel around the room to “find” all of the vocabulary words, jot down their definitions, and draw a picture/write a sentence/come up with some fun way to remember the word. (A simple graphic organizer works well for these “notes.”) When students think of a good example of the word, they can write it on a sticky note and post it by the paper that’s hanging up. Throughout the day, the collection of sticky notes will grow, giving students multiple examples and clever ways to remember each word. The sticky notes will give your students more connections than you could give them in a teacher-led lesson.

When you think about it, it’s not really a “scavenger hunt,” or even a real gallery walk; it’s students taking notes while walking around. But don’t call it that. Trick your kids into a little bit of kinesthetic and student-centered learning! Trust me…it works!

4. “HEADS UP” GAME

If you want a low-prep but high-impact activity, try this fun spinoff of Ellen DeGeneres’ popular “Heads Up” game. All you need is a set of cards with your vocabulary words (one per card), but the cards don’t have to be fancy. Just create a table on a doc, type one word per card, print, and cut! I recommend using a rubber band, paperclip, or plastic bag to keep each set together. Students will be grouped in partners, so you’ll need one set of cards for each set of partners.

Once in partners, students will pick one person to go first. This person will pick up a vocabulary card (without looking at it) and place it on their forehead. Then, the partner will give clues about the word, and the first person will have to guess the word. It’s that simple!

I usually have students play 2-3 “rounds” of the game to give them lots of practice. Here’s how I structure it:

• Round 1: Students can use definitions as clues.
• Round 2: Students can use only synonyms or antonyms as clues.
• Round 3: Students can use only examples/sentences as clues.

If your students love playing this game for vocabulary, you can try it with figurative language, literary devices, characters, and more. It’s always a hit in my classroom!

5. QUIZLET/QUIZLET LIVE

I can’t write a blog post on vocabulary without mentioning my all-time favorite tech tool, Quizlet Live. For those days when you have no time or energy to prep, Quizlet Live has your back. I have been known to strategically plan Quizlet Live for the first day after a break, so if you’re looking for something to do when you go back to school in January, this is it.

Quizlet Live is an engaging, collaborative game that helps students review vocabulary words. It is as simple as one click if you already have a deck of virtual flashcards set up. If you don’t have flashcards set up, it takes less than 5 minutes to make a set of 10-15. When you have a set of flashcards, click on “Live” (under “Play”) and follow the instructions to begin. Students will join with a code, and then Quizlet Live will automatically organize them into groups.

If your students are tired of Quizlet, some fun alternatives include Kahoot , Quizizz, and Gimkit. These are live learning games that are similar to Quizlet Live but just different enough to mix things up.

6. VOCABULARY LEARNING STATIONS

Last but certainly not least is one of my favorites: learning stations! Vocabulary stations are essentially a mash-up of the above activities (or any other activities you want to substitute). 

Here’s my go-to set-up for vocabulary stations. You can easily add or substitute your own activities to mix things up:

• Station 1: Vocabulary Charades
• Station 2: Vocabulary Trading Cards
• Station 3: Vocabulary Pictionary
• Station 4: Writing Task
• Station 5: Quizlet/Your Choice

If you’re looking for an editable, print-ready set of vocabulary learning stations, you can check out mine here. These including the trading card template I mentioned above. 🙂 For more information on how to create your own learning stations, check out this blog post.

I hope this list helped you brainstorm some vocabulary ideas for 2020. While you’re here, let me know your favorite vocabulary activity in the comments so I can add to my collection of strategies. 🙂

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How to use the “what do you …, 10 activities for any dystopian novel, 10 activities for teaching the hunger games.

All of these vocab ideas are BRILLIANT!! I have been wanting to try something new, and I think my kids would love all of these! Thank you for sharing – I can’t wait to try each one!

Hi Abby!!! Is it posible to turn these lovely activities into digital ones? I mean, as we’re working virtually I’d like to teach vocab with another tool different from Quizizz or Quizlet. Thank you so much!!! Your posts on Google Classroom aré extremely useful!!! Love, Cin

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11 vocabulary homework ideas and how to motivate students to do it, by: vocab gal.

Homework is such a valuable formative assessment for both teachers and students, and yet students are motivated* by many different factors when it comes to their desire to actually complete the work. In this article, I'm sharing how to motivate students to do their homework and 11 vocabulary homework ideas and worksheets that work in grades 1–12. Plus, preview and grab my 7 Options for Vocabulary Homework Kit .

Keep scrolling to find vocabulary homework ideas! 

How to motivate students to do their homework.

As a teacher, I try to concentrate students’ learning on activities done in class, because asking some students to complete work at home can be daunting. Many times in my career I have been discouraged when more than half the class does not return to class with their homework assignment complete.

Yet we only have so many minutes with our students, and we need them to practice the concepts and skills they are learning until the knowledge becomes ingrained. Most students have a homeroom, study hall, or other downtime during the day in which they could complete activities, they just have to be motivated to do it.

Many studies cite “student choice” as one of the most important factors in inspiring students to learn. When students have the opportunity to select what questions to answer, what activity to complete or what role to play, they tend to feel more comfortable and confident about performing.

Additionally, research shows that when students are dedicated to a task important to them, like improving their video game scores, or optimizing their success on a playing field, they will go to great lengths to improve. While probably not as meaningful as their video game level, students will be more excited to answer questions about themselves than a generic worksheet.

By providing students with both choice and a topic that is personally meaningful, homework can be a great learning exercise as well as an important formative assessment.

Steps to Ensure Students Complete Homework

There are a few other motivating factors that can help establish homework as a meaningful part of a student’s educational experience. Here are suggested steps a school, parish, department, or teacher might take to ensure successful homework completion.

Step One First, confirm that students have a strong rapport with their teacher(s). While it is difficult to cultivate a deep relationship with each student, teachers should strive to show students that they value their students and are committed to helping them learn and grow to their fullest potential. I would encourage teachers not to assign homework for the first few weeks of school until they develop a classroom community of respect and appreciation for learning.

Step Two Second, once the classroom community has been established, teachers should specifically explain the importance of homework as a way of deeply ingraining knowledge. Teachers should also make it clear that homework is a meaningful formative assessment where both they and their students can understand what students know and where there are knowledge gaps.

Step Three Third, some students may be quite unhappy when being mandated to do specific work. Therefore, teachers should stress the choices a student gets when completing their homework and that students get to complete the work that best reflects their own sense of self.

Step Four Finally, the teacher should praise students individually, as well as praise the class when homework is turned in on time. Many students thrive on positive reinforcement and also many may feel guilt if they let their classmates or teacher down. Additionally, as many teachers know, a word of encouragement or a small sticker can make the difference to many.

How to Respond When Homework is Not Completed

When at last it comes time for homework collection, there will be students who did not complete the assignment, no matter how well it was set up. Teachers can again encourage students who did not complete the homework in time to think about what may motivate them to complete it. If a student seems to dislike direct mandates, providing support such as, “I know that you value your learning and will find a way to demonstrate your abilities,” might be more effective than, “Turn in your paper by Thursday or it’s a zero!”

For others who seem driven by the need to please or help others, teachers might encourage students by stating, “I’m disappointed that you weren’t able to complete your work on time, and I know you will submit your work in order to show us both what you know and understand,” might work better than, “Don’t you want the credit for this assignment?”

Vocabulary Homework Ideas for Students

For this post, I have a few homework assignments that model these ideas. Both in my new It's All About Me vocabulary practice page, and my tried-and true,  7 Options for Vocabulary Homework bundle, students are motivated to continue their learning because they have both choice and a focus on themselves, a topic in which they are already invested.

My new It's All About Me Vocabulary Activity tasks students with answering a series of questions about themselves using vocabulary words in context. On the first page of this download students will list their vocabulary words and write their own brief definitions. On the second page student will answer eight prompts. Each response should include at least one of the vocabulary words from their list in context . In each of their answers students must underline the context clues that would help someone unfamiliar with the word understand what it means.

With the 7 Options for Vocabulary Homework bundle, students can choose from a variety of fun and engaging activities for learning or reviewing vocabulary words. In addition to the homework selection sheet, the bundle includes worksheets for vocabulary homework ideas number five and six. The other vocabulary homework options can be completed on a plain piece of paper or in student workbooks.

Here are the vocabulary activities listed on the 7 Options for Vocabulary Homework handout:

#1 Say Your Words

Do you love the sound of your own voice? Do you tend to learn information by teaching others? Then try saying each of the vocabulary words, out loud and in context, to friends, family, strangers, etc. Use either your flashcards or your list of words, and make sure to get initials from someone who heard you say your vocabulary sentence. If you can’t get a signature, just explain when and how you said the sentences and we will invoke the HONOR SYSTEM! Create two sentences per word.

Do you love to write? Do you copy your notes to help you remember information? Then try writing two sentences for each vocabulary word. These can either be two individual sentences for each word or you can put all of your words together in a story. (If you write a story, you only have to use each word once). Have fun and get creative – amuse me and impress me, but make sure you use your vocabulary words in context!

#3 Write Your Words in Other Classes

As an alternative to the above “Write your Words,” use your vocabulary in your assignments for other classes – social studies essays, science notes, art descriptions, etc. Write down the vocabulary you used for this assignment (For example: On my science test I said “Newton was meritorious,” etc.). You can abbreviate your explanations slightly, as long as I understand you know the word’s meaning; remember to use each word twice.

#4 Become Your Words

Do you gesture when you talk? Is it hard for you to sit still? Then consider creating motions to go along with your words. Cry for lament , raise your arms in praise for approbation , etc. See me during class to “perform” your motions, or write them down, making sure that the connection between word, meaning, and gesture makes sense.

#5 Draw Your Words

Are you an artist? Do you constantly doodle? Then create cartoons or drawings that illustrate each word’s meaning. Create one drawing or cartoon per word and make them neat, using clean white paper (consider using recycled paper that has printing on the other side). Paperclip all your drawings together for the end of the week.

#6 Sing Your Words

Do you love to sing? Are you constantly creating your own raps? Try rewriting the lyrics to a song to incorporate each of your vocabulary words or write your own song, rap, etc. You can also write poetry; regardless of the form you choose, the words should be used in the correct context.

#7 Test Your Words

Do you want to play teacher and write the test as well as take it? Now you can! Create a vocabulary test using all the words in a variety of different types of questions. Make sure to create the answer key to the test as well.

Download the 7 Options for Vocabulary Homework bundle and have students keep the selection sheet in their binders. Now they have seven weeks of vocabulary homework assignments!

Additional Vocabulary Homework Ideas

Ultimately, establishing a culture of community and trust in the classroom, explaining the reasoning behind and the benefits of homework, and providing choice and meaningful topics can make a significant difference in completion rates. Even if homework is not completed on time, teachers can still work to connect with each student to provide motivation to complete the assignments.

As educators, we all strive to make learning exciting and applicable to our students. By setting up clear expectations and providing interesting options, we can make any homework, including vocabulary homework, meaningful and valuable to students.

 *I have recently completed Gretchen Rubin’s audiobook The Four Tendencies about what motivates different groups of people. Many of the ideas about motivating students come loosely from her book as well as my own observations. I highly recommend the book to anyone wanting to learn how to better motivate themselves and others.

Tools for Building Vocabulary

At this time when upheaval and uncertainty are magnified by the challenges of social-distancing, we at Merriam-Webster are reminded again of the various powers of language: as a tool that clarifies thought and enables expression and understanding, as a refuge from worrying events and circumstances, as a fabric that binds people together. We hope that since you're here you can use what we have to offer to feed your mind, to build your (or your kid's) vocabulary, and to hone your communication skills—while having lots of fun doing it.

Get the most out of your dictionary experience.

First some tips on using the resources described below:

• Try a variety of things and see what works best for you. You may find that the Word of the Day is a nice anchor for daily word exploration, or that a few minutes playing a game or reading an article can clear your mind to make it easier to focus on whatever your next task is.
• Use your language exploration as a way to connect with others: challenge a friend to beat your score on one of the Weekly Challenge quizzes, or see how many of the Words We're Watching words you read about are known to your friends and family.
• If game scores motivate you, use them to challenge yourself. But feel free to ignore them if that makes the experience more pleasurable. You'll learn more if you're enjoying yourself.

The Word of the Day

It's never too late to subscribe to the Word of the Day . This free daily vocabulary-building tool has been providing deep dives into terms that vary from prosaic to obscure since September 1995. You'll be introduced to words you've never heard before, and learn new facts about words you use every day. (The Word of the Day is available as a podcast too.)

With apologies to Ben Franklin (however apocryphal the quote we're mangling), games are the Internet's way of saying it loves us and wants us to be happy. How better to build your vocabulary than to make a game of it? There's a GAMES tab near the top left corner of each page at Merriam-Webster.com, and it takes you to a lovely place where the daylight between linguistic edification and good fun is vanishingly small. Start with the monthly quiz on the previous month's Word of the Day selections, and move on to other Weekly Challenge quizzes, on topics ranging from Greek and Roman mythology to food to music to nature and the seasons. There are also anagram and crossword puzzles, spelling challenges, object identification quizzes, word searches, and more.

Eager to access these and the dictionary itself no matter the size of the screen in front of you? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary app gives you games, the Word of the Day, and more than 225,000 definitions to take with you wherever you go. With voice search, audio pronunciations, an integrated thesaurus, and a way to track favorite words you've looked up, it makes keeping your vocabulary up easy to do, no matter where you are.

Especially for Kids: PUKU

Specially created for students ages 8-12, Puku is an app that makes learning vocabulary words into a game. Players help Puku, a virtual pet, grow by mastering new words from any of three sources: ongoing leveled lists, custom collections related to a category of interest, like Food or Mythology, or user-created lists easily populated with Merriam-Webster definitions. Teachers can create and share word lists with students too.

Our Puku vocabulary learning app provides another “good screen time” resource for kids ages 8-12! Simply sign in, hand it off, and kids can follow a personalized learning path, or they (ok, maybe you) can make their own vocab lists for books or schoolwork—an easy way to add on to lessons if you are supervising “home school.”

Try Puku free for 7 days on iPhone or Android .

Language Basics

If you've got an urge to revisit the language basics—just what is a participle again?—there are a number of articles that jog your memory, or help you finally master the knowledge formerly only partly learned. Start with '8 Grammar Terms You Used to Know, But Forgot' to get the lowdown on subjects and predicates, nouns and verb, pronouns, objects, prepositions, gerunds, and participles. Then check out '8 More Grammar Terms You Used to Know: Special Verb Edition' to master verbs in all their forms and tenses.

So Much More

Merriam-Webster.com's Words at Play page offers plenty to feed a mind distracted but not ready to sink into binge-watching oblivion. At the top of the page are two sections that highlight content new to, or especially popular at, Merriam-Webster.com. Below that is Words We're Watching: articles devoted to words that have yet to meet our criteria for entry.

Further down the page there's plenty more: Usage & Grammar content helps you be sure you've got mastery over the language you know and use, and Commonly Confused articles clarify the differences between word pairs that tend to trip people up.

Of course, if you want to just see all the stuff all at once, you can scroll through the whole kit and caboodle .

Word of the Day

See Definitions and Examples »

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Games & Quizzes

Obscure & Fun

Great big list of beautiful and useless words, vol. 3, 17 of the finest words for drinking, 9 whiskery words for facial hair, 8 uncommon words related to love, strange words for body functions, 12 words for signs of spring, 12 more bird names that sound like insults (and sometimes are), 13 unusually long english words, the words of the week - may 10, a great big list of bread words, grammar & usage, primary and caucus: what is the difference, words commonly mispronounced, merriam-webster’s great big list of words you love to hate, more commonly misspelled words, your vs. you're: how to use them correctly.