Struggling to get your adult ESL students talking? Whether you’re teaching 1-on-1 or in small groups, engaging adults in natural, meaningful conversation is key to building fluency and confidence. But planning speaking activities can take time — and let’s be honest, sometimes you don’t have any to spare.

That’s why we’ve put together a list of 10 no-prep, ready-to-use speaking activities that are perfect for adult ESL learners. You can use these in your next online or in-person lesson — no downloads or materials needed!

1. Would You Rather…?

Give your student two options and ask:

“Would you rather work from home or in an office?”
“Would you rather travel to the mountains or the beach?”

Encourage them to justify their answer with 2–3 sentences. This works well for practicing conditionals, opinions, and fluency.

2. Picture Description

Share a photo and ask:

“What do you see?”
“What do you think is happening?”
“How does this picture make you feel?”

Great for improving vocabulary, descriptive language, and spontaneous speech.

3. 10-Second Opinions

Give your student a random topic (e.g., coffee, social media, weddings) and ask them to speak for 10–30 seconds giving their opinion. You can increase the time as they improve.

Perfect for building fluency and quick thinking.

4. Role-Play a Real Situation

Examples:

• Booking a hotel room
• Asking for a refund
• Job interview
  Assign roles and switch after each round. This is ideal for functional language and real-world skills.

5. 2 Truths and a Lie

Ask your student to tell three short “facts” about themselves — two true and one false. You guess which is the lie.

This warm-up game boosts confidence, creativity, and listening. Great for building rapport too!

6. Speed Topics

Set a timer and give them a random topic (e.g., “food”, “travel”, “hobbies”). They have 1 minute to speak nonstop. The goal is not perfection, but fluency and natural pacing.

You can make it competitive: “Let’s see if you can beat your last time!”

7. Agree or Disagree

Say a controversial or interesting statement:

“Money can’t buy happiness.”
“Everyone should work from home.”

Ask if they agree or disagree, and why. This is great for opinion-building, fluency, and critical thinking

8. The Interview Game

You’re the journalist, they’re the celebrity or expert. Give them a role (e.g., a famous chef, an astronaut), and ask questions. Then switch!

Fun for question formation, spontaneous speaking, and vocabulary use.

9. Past, Present, Future

Choose a topic (e.g., technology, education, health), and ask:10. Story Prompt

• “What was it like 10 years ago?”
• “What is it like today?”
• “What will it be like in the future?”

Great for practicing verb tenses and comparisons.

10. Story Prompt

Start a sentence like:

“Yesterday, I saw something strange on my way home…”

Ask the student to finish the story, adding as much detail as they can. You can even take turns adding to the plot.

Perfect for narrative skills, imagination, and past tense grammar.

💡 Pro Tip: Save Your Favorites!

Create a folder or digital library of your go-to speaking activities. You can rotate them to keep lessons fresh without having to prep new material each time.

✨ Final Thoughts

You don’t need flashy tools or worksheets to run a great speaking lesson. With a few clever prompts and real-world topics, you can help your adult students speak more confidently, fluently, and naturally.

These 10 no-prep speaking activities are perfect for last-minute lessons, filler time, or whenever your student needs a boost.