A selection of English ESL robots printables

Based off the fascinatingly creepy io9 article (where the listening files can also be found): http://io9.com/freakishly-realistic-telemarketing-robots-are-denying-t-1481050295

Robot denies she is a robot 

It's a reading comprehension with activities in future tense.

Robots Win the Worldcup

A short reading on the history of robots I used in a high school class.  I made up question cards for this and had the students answer to me in pairs.  I'll try to upload the questions and stuff but 95% of my worksheets are in Excel and I haven't figured out how to copy them into word yet!

The History of Robots - reading

This ESL worksheet is based on an article about state-of-the-art robots and technologies. It is quite complex so I would recommend it for students of B2 or C1 level.

At Your Service. New Technologies

Comprehension questions to be used with this short video about robots: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6feEE716UEk

Great to spark conversations about the future! 

Real Life Robots

Listening comprehension from a YOUTUBE video.

About a lifelike robot who says she wants to destroy humans.

To be given as homework or done in class.

6 parts with key included.

About new technologies.

Robot says she wants to destroy humans

I made this worksheet for explaining comparison adjectives in a more kid-friendly way. The students look at two pictures of robots and learn how to use comparative adjectives depending on if it is a long adjective or a short adjective. Ideal for younger students.

Comparative adjectives: Robots

Watch, listen and fill in the gaps but before discuss robots with your students. In the link inside you'll the video and additional material with some tips. You can ask questions on this page or on my blogspot EnglishEarBooster. Thanks :)!

Watch and fill in the gaps - Robot Dog Aibo

Vocabulary and future prefictions practice. I used it in trainig for External Evaluation.

Link to the podcast https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-210916 

6 Minute English - Robot Artists.

This worksheet explores the fascinating history of robots, from their origins in ancient myths to their modern applications in various fields. It begins by introducing the concept of robots in literature, highlighting the Czech origins of the word "robot," which was first used by Karel Čapek in his play R.U.R. The worksheet discusses key milestones, such as the invention of the first industrial robot, Unimate, in the 1950s and its role in revolutionizing manufacturing. It also touches on how robots have advanced over time, with the integration of artificial intelligence enabling them to adapt and solve complex problems. Modern robots' contributions to medicine, agriculture, and space exploration are presented as examples of their growing importance.

The worksheet includes vocabulary for translation, reading comprehension questions, and multiple-choice tasks to test students' understanding of the text. Short-answer questions encourage deeper thinking about robots' historical and modern roles. This material is designed for intermediate learners, particularly those interested in technology, innovation, and Czech contributions to robotics. The activities foster curiosity and engage students in meaningful discussions about how robots have shaped—and will continue to shape—the world. It is an excellent resource for classrooms focusing on science, history, or English as a second language.

History of robotics.

This worksheet introduces students to the use of robotics in industries, focusing on their efficiency, precision, and role in improving safety. It explains how robots are used for repetitive and dangerous tasks, such as welding, painting, or handling hazardous materials, which helps reduce risks to human workers. Key concepts include the importance of safety features like emergency stop buttons and proximity sensors, as well as the role of collaborative robots (cobots) that work alongside humans to make tasks easier and safer.

The worksheet includes vocabulary translation, reading comprehension questions, and multiple-choice exercises to test understanding. Practical activities encourage students to apply their knowledge, such as identifying safety features and understanding scenarios involving robotic arms. Discussion prompts explore the advantages and risks of using robots and how they may shape the future of work. Designed for intermediate learners, this resource combines technical knowledge with real-world applications, making it ideal for classrooms focused on technology, industry, or English as a second language. The material is especially relevant for students interested in engineering, robotics, or industrial safety.

Robotics and Safety in Industry

Robots

Culture, intercultural communication, cross-cultural communication

Adjectives to describe feelings, emotions

Adjectives to describe personality and character

Adjectives: Gradable / Non-gradable adjectives

Articles: Definite or indefinite article (a, an or the)

BE + infinitive structures (e.g. he was to become famous)

Clauses of contrast (e.g.  although, while)

Clauses of purpose (e.g. in order to, so that, so as to)

Clauses of reason (e.g. because, because of, due to, as, since)

Cleft sentences (e.g. It's Joey we're looking for)

Comparison: Comparative adjectives and structures

Comparison: Superlative adjectives and structures

Conditional 2 (second conditional) - would

Conditionals: Conditional phrases (e.g. unless, provided that, as long as)

Conjunctions (aka connectives, e.g. and, but, or, so, then)

Contractions (shortened forms, e.g. don't, aren't, etc.)

Determiners (words that can come before nouns)

Formal and informal English (politeness or colloquial language)

Future perfect continuous (progressive) tense

Future perfect simple and continuous (progressive) tense

Future phrases (e.g. be about to, bound to, likely to, due to, set to + INF)

Homonyms (two words with the same pronunciation - homophones and homographs)

It as preparatory subject (e.g. it's raining, it's nice of you to)

Linking verbs (aka copulas, e.g. I am a student)

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how to accuse somebody of something in English

how to apologize, say sorry, forgive and express regret in English

how to ask for information and make inquiries in English

how to ask for something, make requests in English

how to blame somebody for something in English

how to defend yourself from criticism in English

how to deny or admit something in English

how to describe things or people in English

how to emphasize important things in English

how to encourage or discourage people in English

how to evaluate people or progress in English

how to express agreement /disagreement in English

how to express approval and disapproval  in English

how to express cause and effect in English

how to express interest in something in English

how to express likelihood, probability in English

how to express likes and dislikes in English

how to express sequence and chronology in English

how to express shock and disbelief in English

how to express sympathy and condolences in English

how to give permission, authorization in English

how to inform somebody about some news in English

how to interpret what was said in English

how to keep a conversation going in English

how to make guesses about something in English

how to make, accept and refuse offers in English

how to order or make a booking in English

how to persuade, convince people in English

how to praise people and express appreciation in English

how to reassure somebody of something in English

how to refuse and object to something in English

how to remind people of something in English

how to rephrase, paraphrase what was said in English

how to say thank you, express gratitude in English

Nouns: Collective nouns (team, class, family, committee)

Nouns: Proper nouns (names of people, cities, companies)

Oxymorons (phrases with words of contradictory meaning, e.g. living dead)

Participles: Past participle (e.g. HAVING DONE)

Participles: Present participle (e.g. DOING)

Parts of Speech (aka word classes, e.g. nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs)

Past perfect continuous (progressive) tense

Phonetics (pronunciation, IPA, phonetic symbols)

Plural nouns: regular plurals with S ending

Prefixes (e.g. A, UN, IM, DIS, MIS, EN, etc. )

Prepositions vs adverbs (e.g. before me, saw him before.)

Prepositions: Double prepositions (e.g. out of)

Prepositions: Participle prepositions (e.g. pending, concerning)

Prepositions: Phrase prepositions (e.g. by means of)

Present perfect continuous (progressive) tense

Present perfect simple or present continuous tense

Present simple tense: S for third person singular verbs

Present simple vs continuous (progressive) tense

Pronouns: EACH OTHER, ONE ANOTHER (reciprocal pronouns)

Pronouns: Possessive pronouns (e.g. my, mine)

Pronouns: Reflexive pronouns (e.g. myself, yourself))

Pronouns: SOMEBODY, ANYBODY, EVERYBODY, NO ONE, NOTHING, etc.

Pronouns: THIS, THAT, THESE, THOSE (demonstratives)

Pronouns: YOU and THEY to talk about people in general

Quantifiers (e.g. some, many, much, any, few, little)

Questions: WH questions (open-ended questions)

Reported speech: reported questions (indirect questions)

There is / there are / there was / there were / there will be, etc.

Verbs: Transitive or intransitive verbs (words that can or cannot stand with objects)

Working with Paragraphs: ordering, titling

Role play, miming, drama activity or improv game

Pictionary (picture dictionary) or picture matching

Writing an opinion essay (persuasive essay)

Learners who are Pre-A1 have just begun learning English and will first learn how to:<ul><li>Say the letters in the alphabet and numbers</li><li>Say hello, talk about names and age</li><li>Name the colors and dates, express likes and dislikes</li></ul>

Absolute beginners who have begun to learn the letters and numbers

Learners taking the A1 Elementary exam should be able to:<ul><li>Introduce themselves and ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, things he/she has, people he/she knows.</li><li>Communicate using very basic phrases as long as the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.</li><li>Main grammar points to know: common adjectives & adverbs of frequency, going to, how much/how many, imperatives, I'd like, 's – possessive, common prepositions of place and time, present simple & continuous, there is/are</li></ul>

A very basic tourist level, which is enough for buying food and a bus ticket

Learners taking the A2 Pre-intermediate exam should be able to:<ul><li>Understand sentences and frequently used expressions (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment).</li><li>Complete tasks that are routine and exchange information about familiar matters.</li><li>Describe matters of immediate need in simple terms.</li><li>Main grammar points to know: countable/uncountable nouns, adverbs of frequency, future will/going to, much/many, present perfect, past simple, past continuous, common phrasal verbs, common modals: can/should</li></ul>

A tourist who can do basic conversations about the past, present and future

Learners taking the B1 Intermediate exam should be able to:<ul><li>Understand points regarding family, work, school or leisure-related topics.</li><li>Deal with most travel situations in areas where the language is spoken.</li><li>Create simple texts on topics of personal interest.</li><li>Describe experiences, events, dreams, and ambitions, as well as opinions or plans in brief.</li><li>Main grammar points to know: question tags, intensifiers: too/enough, future tenses, past tenses, modals, conditionals, wh-questions in the past</li></ul>

Learners who can deal with both familiar and routine situations, in friendly and work contexts

Learners taking the B2 Upper-intermediate exam should be able to:<ul><li>Understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialization.</li><li>Interact with fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without difficulty for either party.</li><li>Produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain an opinion on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.</li><li>Main grammar points to know: perfect tenses, mixed conditionals, modals in the present, phrasal verbs, reported speech, wish, relative clauses</li></ul>

The level where you can be a tour guide for your foreign friends and talk about a lot of topics, even abstract ones, with ease and fluency

Learners taking the C1 Advanced exam should be able to: Express ideas fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions. Use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes. Understand a wide range of demanding, longer texts. Produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, using linking phrases (=words that connect ideas between sentences). Main grammar points to know: inversion, mixed conditionals, modals in the past, all passive forms, phrasal verbs (all patterns), wish/if only for regrets

Learners who can smoothly communicate in every walk of life, read long texts and write well

Learners taking the C2 Proficient exam should be able to:<ul><li>Understand almost everything read or heard with ease.</li><li>Summarize information from a variety of sources into a coherent presentation.</li><li>Express themselves using precise meaning in complex scenarios.</li><li>Can express him/herself spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations</li></ul>

Get here and you are ready to study in English at university

11 Robots English ESL worksheets pdf & doc