Sample Lessons
Ellii is a subscription‑based resource site for English language teachers. We develop student‑focused ELL lessons that are designed to spark meaningful discussion and dialogue in the classroom. Our lessons help boost fluency and focus on all four language skills, and they are used by thousands of schools in more than 100 countries.
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Distracted Driving
High Int
The Discussion Starters lessons (Int – Adv) feature relevant, thought-provoking readings and question sets that you won’t find in most textbooks. Through various practice exercises, students gain speaking confidence, allowing them to join real-world discussions outside of class. In this sample lesson, your students will discuss the different types of distractions drivers have, including texting, playing music, and even eating while driving.
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Online Privacy
fromMini-Debates
Adv
The Mini-Debates section (Int – Adv) gives students an opportunity to read about a real-world event or issue and take a stand. Each lesson includes useful expressions for debating. In our sample lesson about online privacy, students read about Facebook's historic privacy breach that put CEO Mark Zuckerberg in the hot seat. Students debate the responsibility of companies and the government in protecting user data.
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Emotions
fromFirst Five
Pre Beg
Use real photographs to introduce your pre- and low-beginner adult literacy students to core vocabulary words from common themes. These lessons follow the early production technique, which focuses on listening, repetition, memorization, and visuals—ideal for learners not literate in their first language. Printable materials feature large fonts, minimal text, and flashcards in two sizes for flexible use, while the digital version supports vocabulary reinforcement and builds digital literacy for capable learners.
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What Did You Do Yesterday? (Irregular Verbs)
High Beg
Do your students need to learn basic grammar structures? Each lesson in this section (Beg – Int) includes vocabulary development tasks, listening exercises, and speaking activities. This illustrated sample lesson helps students learn irregular verbs through writing practice, a pair information gap, a listening task, and a class survey.
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What's Your Name?
Low Beg
Each lesson in this section (Pre Beg) focuses on a single question and a basic language target. These lessons include ready-made dialogues that your beginners can listen to at either a slow or natural pace. This sample lesson gives students practice asking and responding to one of the first questions students will hear in English. It also offers a review of the alphabet.
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Giving Personal Information
High Beg
Our Functional English section (Beg – Int) features dialogue-based lessons designed specifically for newcomers in an English-speaking country. Lessons include downloadable listening files and ready-made assessment tasks. In this sample lesson, students review questions and responses for providing basic personal information, including names, addresses, and phone numbers.
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Making Introductions at Work
High Int
In this lesson, students learn what to say when meeting people for the first time in a business setting. This lesson is also useful for managers who need practice introducing colleagues and putting new employees at ease with small talk.
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Simple Present & Present Progressive Stories
fromGrammar Stories
Low Beg – High Beg
At Ellii, we believe that reading and listening to stories is a great way to learn grammar in context. All our Grammar Stories lessons (Beg – Int) feature two to five stories (with audio) followed by comprehension questions and writing tasks. Check out our sample lesson to see how the simple present and present progressive tenses can be introduced or reviewed through stories.
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Second Conditional
Low Int – High Int
This grammar section (Beg – Adv) features lessons filled with useful, everyday language that will boost your students' grammar skills and help develop their fluency. Our sample lesson on the second conditional includes a variety of writing and speaking tasks, a review of “hope” and “wish,” and a mixed review of the first and second conditional.
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How to Write a Summary
Low Int – High Int
These comprehensive writing lessons (Beg – Adv) provide instruction and practice for academic, business, and everyday purposes. Each lesson focuses on a specific writing skill or type of writing. In this sample lesson, students learn how to write an objective summary of a written work. Students view an example of a summary and try a step-by-step approach.
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The Great Barrier Reef
fromFamous Places
High Int
These reading-based lessons (Int – Adv) focus on architectural monuments and geographical locations of historical or cultural significance. Each lesson includes vocabulary practice and comprehension as well as a downloadable audio file. In this sample lesson, students learn about the threats to the Great Barrier Reef. This lesson includes a review of modals of advice.
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Identifying the Main Idea
High Beg – Low Int
These comprehensive reading lessons (Low Int – Adv) provide instruction and practice for academic, functional, and business purposes. These lessons include instructional content, reading examples, and reading/writing tasks, and assessment. In this sample lesson, students practice identifying the main idea. This lesson section is currently being developed. Watch for new lessons monthly!
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Travel
Low Int
This section (Low Int – High Int) comprises theme-based modules full of practical vocabulary and idioms required for living in an English-speaking country. These four-skill modules can be completed over an extended period of time. This sample unit covers topics such as vacations, public transportation, and automobile parts. Students read formatted texts, including bus schedules and brochures.
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Simple Present
Low Beg
In this section (Pre Beg – Beg), lower-level students complete basic grammar drills. Each visually rich lesson includes a picture dictionary, a set of written drills, and a quiz. In this sample lesson, students practice the simple present tense with subject pronouns and nouns.
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Money
fromEnglish Basics
Low Beg
These visually rich lessons (Lit) were designed specifically for low literacy learners. They feature helpful visuals and symbols, large font, and minimal instructions. Each lesson includes easy assessment tasks and tools. In this sample lesson, new learners are introduced to basic money concepts including symbols, coins, and bills. Students learn how to identify, say, and write basic amounts.
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Shopping
fromRole-Plays
High Int
Lights, camera, action! This section (Int – Adv) contains scenarios and prompts that encourage learners to use everyday English in real-life situations. In this sample, students practice speaking in a variety of settings related to shopping. Our role-plays include pair practice handouts and common, useful expressions.
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Asking for Directions
Low Int
The lessons in our Everyday Dialogues section (Beg – High Int) include a practice dialogue, a recorded listening, a follow-up activity, and a writing task. They also include review activities that can be used for assessment. In our sample lesson, students practice asking for directions. They listen to the dialogue and then practice substituting related expressions in order to find their way around their communities.
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Susan B. Anthony
fromFamous People
Adv
Each lesson (Beg – Adv) in this ever-growing collection includes a biography (with audio), comprehension questions, vocabulary development tasks, and discussion questions. In this sample lesson about Susan B. Anthony, students learn about a famous American woman who helped women gain the right to vote in the United States. This lesson includes an integrated grammar review on the third conditional.
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Transportation
fromWord Bank
Low Beg
Our Word Bank lessons (Lit – Pre Beg) focus on very basic English words that you would find in a picture dictionary. Each lesson includes a picture dictionary, word puzzles, and listening practice. In this sample lesson, student learn words for common forms of transportation.
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George Washington
High Int
This section features a biographical lesson (Int – Adv) on every American president. The readings include interesting facts from American history. In this sample lesson on George Washington, students learn about and discuss 18th-century tensions between the British and the colonists.
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Soccer / Football
fromSports & Leisure
High Int
These reading lessons (Int) focus on popular team and individual sports played around the world. Students learn the history and basic rules of each sport. In this sample lesson on soccer/football, students read about and discuss the rules and history of the world's most popular sport.
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World War I
fromHistoric Events
High Int
Our Historic Events section (Low Int – Adv) features news stories that have captivated the world at various points throughout history, including recent history. Each lesson includes a one-page reading about the history and significance of the event as well as vocabulary, comprehension, and discussion tasks. In our sample lesson on World War I, students read an article about the “Great War” and discuss how warfare has changed. This lesson also includes a review of the passive voice.
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Organic Food
fromHealth Matters
High Int
The lessons in this section (Int – Adv) are based on modern topics about healthy living and are centered around magazine-style lists. In this sample lesson, students learn some interesting facts about organic food. They also role-play an interview with a farmer, review how to express their preferences with rather and prefer, and write their own reasons to buy or not buy organic food.
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Blue Jeans
fromFamous Things
High Int – Adv
Our popular Famous Things lessons (Low Int – Adv) feature science topics, revolutionary products, inventions, and other “things” that have helped shape or influence our lives and economies. Each lesson includes a one-page reading as well as comprehension questions, vocabulary development tasks, and discussion questions. In this lesson on blue jeans, students learn about denim and review comparative adjectives.
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Earth Summit Project
fromGroup Projects
High Int
These project-based learning modules (Int – Adv) can be completed within a two- to four-week time period along with other coursework. Each theme-based project includes research tasks and presentations that are useful for individual, peer, and group assessment. In this sample project, groups learn about environmental issues that are affecting our planet.
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Internet Entrepreneurs
fromBusiness Matters
Adv
The lessons in this section (Int – Adv) provide high-level readings and discussion topics about real-life issues for Business English students. Each lesson includes comprehension questions, pair jigsaw readings, vocabulary development tasks, and group assignments. In this sample lesson, students look at the fast and successful rise of young entrepreneurs.
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Valentine's Day
High Int – Adv
This popular section (Beg – Adv) will enlighten your students about holidays, traditions, and special events from around the world. In this sample lesson (High Int), students learn about the history, symbols, and various legends of Valentine’s Day. This lesson also includes thematic idioms and everyday expressions. In addition to the high-intermediate lesson, we have two more Valentine’s Day lessons (Beg and Low Int) for lower-level learners.
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/r/
fromPronunciation
Low Beg – Low Int
Do your students know their ABCs? This section is full of illustrated lessons (Lit – Low Int) that allow your learners to practice printing, pronunciation, and spelling. In this sample lesson, students learn to reproduce the /r/ sound through various speaking and listening tasks. The lesson culminates in a minimal pair task with /r/ and /l/.
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Prepositions of Place
High Beg
The lessons in this grammar section (Beg – High Int) were designed for young learners, but low-level adult learners love them too! Each lesson is full of pictures and fun activities with grammar notes and exercises on a single grammar target. In this sample lesson, students learn common prepositions of place through engaging speaking and writing tasks about furniture and animals.
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Bicycles
fromDiscovery
Low Int
This reading section (Low Int – Int) features interesting facts about topics that young learners and middle schoolers love to learn about. Each lesson includes warm-up questions, vocabulary tasks, a short reading, comprehension questions, and a listening gap-fill task. This sample lesson on bicycles includes interesting facts and history that dates back to the Wright Brothers.
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Making Travel Plans
fromTravel English
Low Int
Travel English is a 13-part series (Int) that follows the Baxters as they book and take a trip to New York. Your students will learn and review vocabulary and expressions used when traveling in English-speaking countries. In this sample lesson, the Baxters are making preliminary travel plans. By the end of the series, they are on the plane heading home.
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Applying for a Job
fromEnglish at Work
High Int
English at Work is a business English series (Int – Adv) based on real-life scenarios in an office setting. It has an ongoing storyline (with downloadable audio) that begins with a job search and ends with a resignation letter. Students practice business writing, talking on the telephone, negotiating, and instant messaging. In this sample lesson, Lee, the main character of the series, applies for a job. Students review job ads and email writing.
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Modals of Advice
Low Int
Here is a sample lesson from our Grammar Practice Worksheets section. This section features beginner, intermediate, and advanced lessons filled with useful, everyday language that will boost your students' grammar skills and help develop their fluency. This Modals of Advice sample lesson includes a variety of written drills and group activities on this tricky grammar target. Your students will love coming up with some crazy class rules.
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Aa
fromPhonics
Pre Beg
Your new or young learners can practice printing, pronunciation, and spelling in these illustrated lessons from our Phonics section. In this sample lesson, students work on the Letter Aa.
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