Looking for a fun and interactive way to reinforce Present Continuous grammar in your ESL, EFL, or ELL classroom? This printable Action Verb Charades Game is a high-energy activity where students act out 56 common verbs while classmates guess using full sentences in the Present Continuous tense. It’s an engaging way to practice speaking, vocabulary, and sentence structure while keeping learners active.
Ideal for elementary ESL learners, literacy centers, or whole-class warm-ups, this charades-style game makes grammar memorable by combining movement and language in a low-prep activity.
Why Teachers Love This ESL Charades Game
- Builds confidence using the Present Continuous tense in context
- Encourages speaking, teamwork, and classroom participation
- Perfect for warm-ups, brain breaks, or end-of-lesson reviews
- Simple prep – just print, cut, and play
- Includes black-and-white versions for easy printing
- No rounded corners – saves cutting time
What’s Included
- 56 action verb charades cards
- Full-color and ink-saving black & white versions
- Compact layout on US Letter size PDF for quick prep
- Teacher directions for easy classroom use
- Box labels for storage and organization
How to Use
Students take turns drawing a card and miming the action while their classmates guess by forming a complete Present Continuous sentence (e.g., You are brushing your teeth). The activity works well for:
- Grammar centers
- Small group speaking practice
- Whole-class review activities
- Interactive ESL games that promote movement
Pair It With
For more Present Continuous grammar practice, pair this charades set with my Present Continuous Sentence Building Board Game . Together, they give students both physical and written practice forming sentences in the Present Continuous tense.
Also Available on TPT
You can also purchase this resource in my Teachers Pay Teachers store: Action Verb Charades | Present Continuous Miming Game