6 Amazing Images You Can Use As ESL Writing Prompts

Who said there’s no time for fun activities in the ESL writing class? I like to use spacer activities to give my ESL students a mental break and a creative challenge at the same time. Here are six images that I like to use as ESL writing prompts. Great fun and awesome sponge activities.

1 Couple

Ask students to describe the picture and then innocently ask, “What is the couple thinking about?”

2 Tree

Ask students to describe the picture. A fun ESL writing prompt that gets students thinking

3 Maze

A fun challenge that gets the guys in the back of the classroom pumped up. Secretly, it’s a drill to practice imperatives. Outwardly, it’s an ESL writing prompt that looks like a puzzle.

Ask students to write the answer that describes how to get from the start to the finish. Be sure to follow the rules: no left turns and no U-turns.

4 Correlations

More useful, perhaps, for an intermediate+ class. Present this chart and explain that the data are real (trust me, I made this chart). Now challenge the student to:

• describe the relationship between Chicago murders and ice cream consumption, and then
• explain how the two possibly related

5 Wolf

An awesome piece of art by Johannes Stötter. Ask students to look at the writing prompt and describe what they see.

6 Family picture

A family-friendly ESL writing prompt with a twist. Ask students to look at the picture and find 12 mistakes. The output should be 10-12 sentences.

Looking for more fun ESL writing prompts and ideas?

Click the link to get 11 word games and short sentences.

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The secrets to the ESL writing prompts

1. Look at the branches. They form the outline of a baby.
2. The man is not leaning against the tree. The street is uprooted and on the ground. The main is lying on top of the tree and looking at the sky.
3. Answers vary, but most require about 10-12 sentences.
4. Ice cream sales increase in the hot summer. During summer, people spend more time on the sidewalks and streets. With more people outside, there is a greater chance of gun violence. So the connection between ice cream and murder is the hot weather.
5. This is body art, and in fact, there are several people in the picture. Click to see the video.
6. Sentences can vary.