A selection of English ESL society and culture printables with discussion starters, speaking cards, speaking practice

A2+ B1 fun reading worksheet about various schools around the world including the extreme journeys to get to them- comprehension questions exercise on the MODALS , discussion questions that could be used for a writing-and other exercises for fun

Going to School in Extreme conditions - Modals

A fun A2+ / B1 teen (young adult)-friendly reading on Korea mixing K-pop, food, school life and tradition. Easy vocab, T/F, comprehension and PASSIVE voice — great for a light but interesting lesson

Reading: Teens meet tradition in Korea (passive)

Students have to try and answer the questions as best as they can and give details about their answers and go a little crazy at times while dancing with their fingers in loops.

Conversational Questions advanced speakers

This worksheet explores the controversial topic of cancel culture through a devil’s advocate reading that argues in favor of canceling public figures who act irresponsibly. The reading presents cancel culture as a form of public accountability and social justice, while also acknowledging the risks of false accusations. A real-world sidebar about the Johnny Depp vs. Amber Heard case adds complexity and context. The lesson includes a short reading text (~400 words), a “True Story” box with comprehension questions, useful phrases for debate, and a set of 15 discussion questions. Designed for B1–B2 students, this activity builds critical thinking, speaking fluency, and confidence expressing opinions on complex social issues.

Cancel Culture Is Good for Society

This worksheet is designed for adults at an advanced language level (B2-C1 CEFR). It introduces the topic of Facebook’s decision to stop fact-checking and encourages thoughtful discussion on the implications of misinformation, free speech, and platform responsibility. The worksheet includes warm-up questions, critical thinking prompts, and broader discussion points to explore different perspectives on the topic. Reflection questions guide participants in examining their own views and behaviors regarding online information. This resource is ideal for conversation-based classes or workshops aiming to develop critical thinking and engage learners in current social issues.

Facebook to Stop Fact-Checking: What It Means

The topic is wokeism and we start by discussing the topic in pairs. 
Next, there is a list of popular "woke" terms, which can be discussed in a group.
Finally there is a text about wokeism and students have to decide if the sentences are true or false.
Check out my ESL blog,
https://teflguineapigs.blogspot.com/

WOKEISM: Read about wokeism and learn vocabulary connected to it.

This worksheet compares Finland’s "Housing First" approach to homelessness with the Czech Republic’s conditional support model, highlighting key differences in strategy and values. Finland has nearly eradicated homelessness by prioritizing immediate housing without requiring individuals to meet conditions like employment or sobriety, believing that stable housing is essential for personal improvement. In contrast, the Czech Republic typically provides temporary shelters or transitional programs, where individuals are expected to show progress in areas such as job readiness or addiction recovery before gaining long-term housing support. This approach reflects a cultural emphasis on self-reliance and limited welfare funding. The worksheet includes conversation questions designed to encourage students to think critically about each country’s method, the cultural values behind them, and their own opinions on housing as a human right. By exploring these contrasting approaches, students can reflect on the impact of stable housing and discuss how societal values shape policies. This activity is intended to promote thoughtful dialogue on homelessness, social responsibility, and the balance between government support and individual responsibility.

Finland and the Czech Republic: Contrasting Approaches to Homelessness

Students first brainstorm common situations where apologies are needed. Then, they learn and practice useful expressions for apologizing. Finally, students work in pairs or groups to role-play different scenarios, practicing fluency and creativity in making apologies.

Apologies in English (Conversational Lesson)

A B2 C1 level worksheet to help students compare literature, by exploring themes across texts, and across the ages-build analytical skills, with questions on the text, a table to complete and comparison tasks.
 

Industrial Control and Thought Control: Warnings from Dickens (Hard Times) and Orwell (1984)

This set of engaging speaking cards and worksheets focuses on the theme of personal growth and positive change. Students discuss inspirational quotes from famous figures, developing fluency and expressing opinions in extended speaking tasks. The material also includes two motivating reading texts about life transformations, followed by comprehension questions to build reading skills. Vocabulary exercises help learners understand key expressions in context, while matching tasks reinforce meaning. Additionally, students practice giving advice using useful structures (e.g. “You should…”, “You might consider…”), based on relatable real-life situations. The worksheets are ideal for intermediate learners and promote speaking, reading, and critical thinking. They can be used for pair work, group discussions, or whole-class activities, making them perfect for communicative lessons focused on motivation, goals, and self-improvement.

Change for the better - speaking and reading exercises

Students are introduced to basic concepts of morality and ethics through short examples. They work in groups to discuss everyday moral dilemmas and decide what action would be most ethical. Then, they compare their answers, debate different perspectives, and reflect on values such as honesty, fairness, and responsibility. Finally, a short writing task consolidates vocabulary and personal viewpoints.

Philosophy and Ethical dilemmas

This worksheet is on Environmental Issues — Trees through the Eyes of Alex Metcalf, designed for intermediate to upper-intermediate learners.
It’s interactive, discussion-oriented, and connects environmental awareness with creativity and communication skills.

ALEX METCALF AND THE TALKING TREES

Discussion starters, speaking cards

Society and culture

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

12 Society and culture, Discussion starters, speaking cards, Speaking Practice English ESL worksheets pdf & doc