30 ChatGPT Prompts for ESL Teachers: Reading, Speaking, Grammar and Feedback
Copy a prompt, fill the brackets and get leveled reading texts, speaking drills, grammar practice and feedback comments. Use initials, never real student names.
In short: This page contains 30 copy-paste ready prompts, organized into 6 categories with a description and pro tip for each. The first 5 prompts are free instantly, no signup needed. Drafted with AI writing assistance and checked against our editorial policy.
Reading Passages
5 promptsGraded Story at My Level
1/30✨ What it does
Writes a short leveled story with bold target words and four comprehension questions. Print a draft and mark any sentence your learners would stumble on before you copy it.
Write a story of about [WORD COUNT] words for [CEFR LEVEL] learners of English about [STORY THEME]. Use mostly high frequency words, keep sentences under [MAX WORDS PER SENTENCE] words, and put these target words in bold: [TARGET WORDS]. Use one character named [INVENTED CHARACTER NAME] (not a student's name) and one setting, [SETTING]. Fiction is fine, but do not invent facts about real places, people or dates, and tag any such detail [VERIFY]. After the story, write 4 questions: two that check literal detail and two that need an inference. Do not write the answers.
Pro tip: Keep the target words to six or fewer, or the bold text stops helping.
News Paragraph Simplifier
2/30✨ What it does
Turns a real news paragraph into a leveled rewrite at the word count you set. Compare the three facts with the original before you hand it out, and restore any detail that dropped.
Here is a news paragraph: [PASTE PARAGRAPH]. Rewrite it for [CEFR LEVEL] readers in about [WORD COUNT] words. Keep the three main facts in the same order, replace idioms with plain words, and split any sentence longer than [MAX WORDS PER SENTENCE] words. Use only facts that appear in the paragraph. If the rewrite needs a date, number or name the paragraph does not give, write [VERIFY] at that spot and do not invent one. End with a list of the five hardest words for this level, each with a plain English meaning.
Pro tip: Use a story from this week so the topic matches what your learners already talk about.
Information Gap Pair Cards
3/30✨ What it does
Makes two partner cards where each learner holds facts the other needs, so both must speak to finish the task. Check that the cards really do not overlap before you cut them out.
Build two matching cards, Card A and Card B, for learners at [CEFR LEVEL] working on [TOPIC]. Each card holds six facts the partner does not have, and the two cards together must complete one short [TASK TYPE], such as a timetable or a set of directions. This is an information gap: partners swap missing facts, they do not chase a role play goal. Output a table with the columns Card, Item, Fact and Question to ask the partner. Use short questions the partner can answer in one or two words. Use only the details in [TOPIC NOTES], and if a fact is missing, write [VERIFY] and do not invent it.
Pro tip: Print the two cards on different colored paper so learners cannot peek at each other.
Gist and Detail Questions
4/30✨ What it does
Produces an eight-item checklist that moves from gist to detail to vocabulary in context. Check each paragraph number against the text yourself, then move any mismatch.
I will paste a reading text for [CEFR LEVEL] learners: [PASTE TEXT]. Write a checklist of 8 questions in this order: 2 gist questions to ask before reading, 3 detail questions whose answers are in the text, and 3 questions about the meaning of words in context. Next to each question, give the paragraph number where its answer is. If a question needs something the text does not say, mark it [VERIFY] and do not invent an answer. Keep each question under 12 words.
Pro tip: Ask the gist questions before reading, so learners skim for the big idea first.
Dialogue and Five Step Routine
5/30✨ What it does
Gives a short two-person dialogue with a five-step routine for reading, practice and a closing check. Confirm that each target word appears in the dialogue, or the practice misses a word.
Draft a ten line dialogue between [ROLE A] and [ROLE B] about [SITUATION], set in [PLACE], for [CEFR LEVEL] learners. Keep each line under [MAX WORDS PER SENTENCE] words and use every word in [TARGET WORDS] at least once. Then give five numbered steps a teacher can follow: read aloud, pair reading, change one line, act it out, and a one sentence exit question. Do not invent cultural facts about [PLACE], and tag any fact I did not supply with [VERIFY].
Pro tip: Choose a situation your learners have faced, like a bank visit or a phone repair, so the lines feel useful.
Speaking Drills
5 promptsFive Step Speaking Ladder
6/30✨ What it does
Turns one grammar point into five speaking steps, from a repeat drill to a two minute talk, with times that total 15 minutes. Check the sentence frames against the level before class, and simplify any frame that looks too hard.
Build a speaking ladder for [CEFR LEVEL] learners practicing [TARGET GRAMMAR] on [TOPIC]. Write five numbered steps that go from controlled to free: a repeat drill, a substitution drill, a question and answer pair, a short role play, and a two minute talk. For each step give the exact sentence frame learners use and its time in minutes, so the five times add up to exactly 15 minutes. Do not invent example names or places; use [PLACE] where one is needed, and tag any fact I did not supply with [VERIFY].
Pro tip: Run the first two steps with the whole class before pairs try the rest.
Linked Role Play Cards
7/30✨ What it does
Makes two linked role play cards with goals, things to find out and useful phrases for one everyday task. Check both cards side by side to confirm that the two goals really depend on each other to finish.
Write two linked role play cards, [ROLE A] and [ROLE B], for the everyday task of [SCENARIO], such as returning an item or booking a table. Each card needs a goal, three things the person must find out, and two useful phrases, all suited to [CEFR LEVEL]. Output a table with the rows Goal, Must find out and Useful phrases, and one column per card. Each card holds only its own goal and facts; both columns appear so I can cut them apart. Invent no prices, brands or times, and write [VERIFY] wherever a card needs one of those.
Pro tip: Base the scenario on a real task from your learners' week, such as a call to a repair shop.
Interview Me for Speaking Topics
8/30✨ What it does
Has the model ask five questions about your class, then writes eight speaking prompts that fit your answers. Check each prompt against your learners before class, because the model only knows what you told it.
Ask me 5 questions, one at a time, about my class [CLASS LABEL NO CODES] before you write anything. Cover the age range, the CEFR level, the main first language group, the goal the learners are working toward, and one topic they enjoy. Wait for my answer to each question. After my fifth answer, write 8 speaking prompts, each with one follow up question. Do not invent details about my class, and if an answer is missing, write [VERIFY] beside the prompt that needs it.
Pro tip: Answer in full sentences, since a one word reply such as 'adults' leaves the model guessing.
Fill In Pair Questions
9/30✨ What it does
Fills one question pattern with twelve activity verbs, each with a follow up that asks for a single detail. Scan the list and drop any question that sounds odd for your learners before you print it.
Use this pattern to write 12 pair questions for [CEFR LEVEL] learners: Have you ever <verb>? If yes, when and where? Replace the slot with the past participle of 12 different verbs from this list: [WORD LIST]. Each question must keep the present perfect with ever. Keep the pattern's follow-up, add no other. Use only verbs from my list; if one does not work with 'ever', tag it [VERIFY] and do not invent a substitute.
Pro tip: Keep the list to 12 to 15 familiar verbs, so the questions stay the focus rather than the vocabulary.
Three TPR Sequences, One Pick
10/30✨ What it does
Offers three Total Physical Response command sequences and picks the strongest one for your room. Act the chosen sequence out yourself once before class, and drop any command that needs too much space.
I teach [CEFR LEVEL] learners the verbs [TARGET VERBS] with Total Physical Response. Give three different command sequences of six commands each. Write each command as an imperative with the action in parentheses, such as Stand up (stand). Then pick the sequence best for a class of [CLASS SIZE] in a [ROOM TYPE] and explain the pick in two sentences. Do not invent cultural references, and if a verb needs context I did not supply, tag that line [VERIFY].
Pro tip: Start with verbs learners can act out in their seats, such as stand, point and clap.
Grammar Practice
5 promptsGap Fill for One Error Pattern
11/30✨ What it does
Writes ten gap-fill sentences aimed at one error pattern from your learners' first language, with the answers in a separate list. Check each correct answer yourself, because a model can produce a sentence that is correct but odd.
My [CEFR LEVEL] learners, mostly speakers of [L1 LANGUAGE], keep making the same mistake: [ERROR PATTERN]. For example, they write [SAMPLE SENTENCE]. Write 10 gap-fill sentences that target this pattern, each with three options labeled a, b and c. Give the correct answers in a separate list at the end. Add one sentence on the likely reason for the mistake, and if you do not know the reason for [L1 LANGUAGE] speakers, write [VERIFY] and do not invent one.
Pro tip: Name the exact error from your marking, such as a missing article before a job title, not just articles.
Contrast Table for Two Forms
12/30✨ What it does
Sets two grammar forms side by side in a four row table, with a common mistake for each. Check the examples against the context you chose, and swap any that feel off.
Compare [GRAMMAR A] and [GRAMMAR B] for [CEFR LEVEL] learners. Output a table with four rows, Form, Main use, Common mistake and Example sentence, and two columns, one for each grammar point. Keep each cell under 15 words and explain in plain English. Give examples drawn from [CONTEXT]. Do not invent a rule that grammar references disagree on, and if a point depends on variety or region, write [VERIFY] in that cell.
Pro tip: Pick two forms your learners confuse in writing, such as since and for, not two that are obviously different.
Plain English Grammar Note
13/30✨ What it does
Turns a grammar point into a short handout of 100 words or fewer that a learner can read without help. Test the note on one learner first; wording that suits you may still be too dense for them.
Explain [GRAMMAR POINT] in plain English that a [CEFR LEVEL] learner can read alone. Use 100 words or fewer, one short example from [CONTEXT], and one sentence on what to avoid. Avoid grammar terms, or explain each one in a few words the first time it appears. Do not invent a rule, an exception or a statistic. If the point varies by region, mark that sentence [VERIFY].
Pro tip: Paste your own example sentence so the note matches your lesson, not a generic one.
Sentence Transformation Set
14/30✨ What it does
Creates eight sentence transformations with a key word, a gap and a separate answer list for one grammar point. Solve the set yourself first, and rewrite any key word that fits two answers.
Write 8 sentence transformation items for [CEFR LEVEL] learners practicing [GRAMMAR POINT]. Each item gives an original sentence, a key word in capitals and a gap of three to five words for the learner to fill, such as turning an active sentence into a passive one. Put the answers in a separate list. Use only the topic words I gave in [TOPIC NOTES], and write [VERIFY] beside any item that needs a fact I did not supply rather than inventing one.
Pro tip: Keep each key word to one word in capitals, so learners see exactly what to change.
Grammar Lesson Checks
15/30✨ What it does
Produces an eight-line checklist to test a grammar lesson plan before you teach it, covering form, meaning, pronunciation and errors. Tick each line against the plan, and move anything you cannot tick into your lesson notes.
Give me a checklist for a [GRAMMAR POINT] lesson plan for [CEFR LEVEL] learners, to run before I teach it. Here is my plan: [PASTE PLAN]. Give 7 checks covering form, meaning, pronunciation and the typical error, each one line starting with a verb such as Confirm or Cut. Then add one final check on timing, for 8 lines in total. Do not invent a grammar rule or a fact about my class, and mark any check that needs my class data as [VERIFY].
Pro tip: Run the checklist on the plan the night before, not during the lesson.
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Learner Feedback
5 promptsFeedback on One Paragraph
16/30✨ What it does
Reviews one learner paragraph in three parts: strengths, two key errors with fixes, and a next step. Check each correction against the original text before you send it, because the model can miss context.
Here is a paragraph a [CEFR LEVEL] learner wrote: [PASTE PARAGRAPH]. Give feedback in three parts: what works, in two sentences; the two most important errors, each with a corrected version; and one next step the learner can do this week. Call the writer only the learner. Keep the whole reply under 150 words. Do not invent errors that are not in the paragraph, and mark any judgement you cannot base on the text as [VERIFY].
Pro tip: Paste the paragraph without the learner's name or class code, so nothing identifying reaches the tool.
Three Comments and Pick One
17/30✨ What it does
Gives three short comments on one learner's progress and picks the one worth sending, with the reason in one sentence. Check the chosen comment against your usual tone, and rewrite any line that sounds like a template.
Draft 3 feedback comments on one learner's progress, using this note: [PROGRESS NOTE]. Use initials or 'the learner' for anyone named in my notes. Each comment must be under 40 words, aimed at [FOCUS AREA], addressed to the learner as you, and ending with one concrete next step. Pick the comment I should send and give one sentence explaining the choice. Do not invent a test score, a date or a past result, and if the progress note lacks a fact, write [VERIFY] inside the comment that needs it.
Pro tip: Keep the progress note to what you actually saw this week, so the comment stays honest.
Score Notes Against My Rubric
18/30✨ What it does
Scores one writing sample against your own rubric in a table with evidence and a next step for each criterion. Compare every score with your own judgment, since the model reads only the text and not your lesson.
Score this writing sample against my rubric. Rubric criteria: [PASTE RUBRIC CRITERIA]. Sample: [PASTE SAMPLE]. Refer to the writer only as 'the learner'; I have removed names and class codes from the sample. Output a table with the columns Criterion, Evidence from the sample, Level in my rubric's own words, and What would move it up. Quote at most one short phrase per row. Do not invent a band, mark or exam standard that my rubric does not contain, and write [VERIFY] in any row where a criterion is missing from it.
Pro tip: Paste the rubric wording itself, not a summary, or the scores drift from what your school uses.
Correction Code Key
19/30✨ What it does
Makes a ten-code marking key with a meaning, example and fix for each code, in a table you can print. Test two or three codes on a real script before you share the key, because codes that feel clear to you may not be clear to learners.
Make a correction code key for marking [CEFR LEVEL] writing. Make 10 codes, for example WW for wrong word, WO for word order and T for tense. For each code give its meaning, one short example and the fix. Output a table with the columns Code, Meaning, Example and Fix, sized to fit one printed page. My school's codes, if any: [MY CODES OR 'NONE']. Use mine first and fill up to 10 with standard marking codes. If I wrote NONE, say at the top that my school may use different codes, tagged [VERIFY]. Do not invent a code system my school already uses.
Pro tip: Keep the key to ten codes or fewer, since learners forget a long key by the third script.
70 Second Speaking Feedback
20/30✨ What it does
Writes a spoken feedback script of about 150 words, roughly 70 seconds at a calm pace, with one praise, one pronunciation point, one grammar point and a practice task. Time yourself speaking the script once before you use it, and trim it if you run over.
Write a spoken feedback script of about 150 words, which takes about 70 seconds at a calm pace, for a learner who answered [SPEAKING TASK] on [TOPIC]. Structure it as one praise point, one pronunciation point, one grammar point and one practice task. Quote only words from my notes: [LEARNER NOTES]. If my notes name anyone, replace the name with initials before you write. Do not invent what the learner said, and mark any detail I did not give with [VERIFY].
Pro tip: Record yourself reading it once, then cut any sentence that sounds unnatural out loud.
Vocabulary Work
5 promptsWord Family Table
21/30✨ What it does
Lays out the noun, verb, adjective and adverb forms of one target word in a table with an example for each. Check the forms in a learner dictionary, since word families are listed differently across dictionaries.
Lay out a word family table for [TARGET WORD] for [CEFR LEVEL] learners. Output a table with the columns Form, Word and Example sentence, with one row each for the noun, verb, adjective and adverb forms. Write none in any row where the word has no such form. Use [TOPIC] for the example sentences. Do not invent a form the word does not have, and tag any form you are unsure of as [VERIFY] so I can check it in a learner dictionary.
Pro tip: Check the adverb row first, since learners often meet the adverb form last.
Pre Reading Word List
22/30✨ What it does
Builds a twelve word pre reading list with a plain meaning, part of speech and new example for each word. Check each meaning against the text yourself, because a word with two meanings needs the one that fits the passage.
Pull a pre reading word list of 12 words from this text: [PASTE TEXT]. The learners are at [CEFR LEVEL]. For each word give a plain English meaning under 12 words, the part of speech, and one example sentence that is not from the text. Skip words the learners can guess from context, and list the rest in the order they appear. Do not invent a meaning that conflicts with the text, and if a word has more than one meaning, write [VERIFY] beside it.
Pro tip: Paste the full text, so the list is built from the passage and not from a guess about it.
Collocation Options and Pick
23/30✨ What it does
Offers three collocations for one verb, picks the most useful for your topic and gives an example sentence for each. Ask a native speaker or a corpus check to confirm any pair marked [VERIFY] before it goes on a handout.
Give 3 natural collocations, each a pair of the verb [TARGET VERB] and a noun, for [CEFR LEVEL] learners studying [TOPIC]. Pick the one most useful to teach and explain the pick in one sentence. Add one example sentence per pair. Do not invent a pair that is not standard English, and if you are not sure a pair is common, mark it [VERIFY].
Pro tip: Teach the chosen pair inside a sentence, not as two separate words, so learners keep them together.
Four Week Word Review Plan
24/30✨ What it does
Plans four weeks of review for a set of target words, moving from first exposure to reading and speaking. Match the minutes to the time you really have.
Plan four weeks of review for these target words: [TARGET WORDS], for [CEFR LEVEL] learners. Week 1 covers the whole list once, week 2 retests the three hardest, week 3 mixes them into a short reading, and week 4 uses them in a speaking task. Output one table with the columns Week, Activity, Minutes and Check, and a total minutes figure for each week. Keep each week to [MINUTES PER WEEK] minutes. Do not invent test results or learner scores, and write [VERIFY] wherever the plan needs a score from me.
Pro tip: Give the plan no more than 12 target words, so each one gets real practice.
Vocabulary Mix Up Troubleshooting
25/30✨ What it does
Ranks three likely causes of one word mix-up from the symptom you describe, and gives a short fix for each. Test the fix in your next lesson; a cause that fits one class may not fit another.
My [CEFR LEVEL] learners keep using [WRONG WORD] when they mean [TARGET WORD]. Give three likely causes, ranked from most to least likely, based only on this symptom: [SYMPTOM DETAIL]. Treat the symptom as anonymized work: if a name appears in it, replace it with 'the learner' before you rank the causes. For each cause, give a fix that takes under five minutes in the next lesson. Do not invent a diagnosis about any individual learner, and if the symptom does not point to a cause, write [VERIFY] and ask me for one more example.
Pro tip: Describe the symptom with a real sentence from a learner's work, not a summary of it.
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Class Planning
5 promptsFifty Minute Reading Lesson
26/30✨ What it does
Lays out a fifty minute reading lesson in five timed sections, with a task and materials for each. Time the first run with a timer, as pair work often runs longer than planned.
Plan a 50 minute reading lesson for [CEFR LEVEL] learners on this text: [PASTE TEXT OR A 3 LINE SUMMARY]. Use five timed sections: lead in, pre reading words, silent reading, pair questions and a wrap up. Take the pre reading words from this text. Give each section a minute figure, so the five figures add up to exactly 50. Output a table with the columns Section, Minutes, Task and Materials. Do not invent details of the text, and if the plan needs a fact about it, write [VERIFY].
Pro tip: Leave the wrap up at five minutes even when pairs run long, or the lesson ends without a close.
Two Level Groups, One Topic
27/30✨ What it does
Sets two level groups side by side on one topic, keeping the goal the same and changing only support and, if you named a text, its length. Check that the stronger group still gets a real challenge, not just more of the same task.
Plan one lesson on [TOPIC] for two groups: group A at [CEFR LEVEL A] and group B at [CEFR LEVEL B]. The shared goal is [LESSON GOAL]. Output a table with one row per task and the columns Task, Group A version, Group B version, What stays the same. Keep the goal identical for both groups and change only the support. If [TEXT TITLE OR NONE] is not NONE, also change the length of that text. Do not invent a learner's result or a class size I did not give, and write [VERIFY] wherever the plan needs one.
Pro tip: Use the same final question for both groups, so you can compare what each group reached.
Catch Up Message for an Absent Learner
28/30✨ What it does
Drafts a 90 word catch up message for a learner who missed a lesson, with three tasks and a deadline. Send it from your own account and check the deadline, since the model only knows the date you typed.
Write a 90 word message to [STUDENT INITIALS OR 'THE STUDENT'], who missed the lesson on [LESSON TOPIC]. Use plain English for a [CEFR LEVEL] reader, list the three tasks they must finish: [TASK 1], [TASK 2], [TASK 3], and give the deadline as [DEADLINE DATE]. Do not invent a homework detail, and anything I did not give goes in as [VERIFY]. Sign off with [TEACHER FIRST NAME].
Pro tip: Use initials or the student's first initial in the greeting, and never paste a full name into the tool.
Speaking Lesson Start Checklist
29/30✨ What it does
Gives a six-line tick list to run before an ESL speaking lesson, covering target language, a model answer, mixed-level pairs, error correction, early finishers and the first question. Use it for your first week, then cut any line you never need.
Build a checklist of 6 items to check before a [CEFR LEVEL] speaking lesson on [LESSON AIM] with [CLASS SIZE] learners: target language on the board, a model answer ready, how pairs are matched across levels, when to correct errors, what early finishers do, and the first question. Each item is one line with an empty tick box at the start. Do not invent facts about the room or the learners, and mark any item that depends on something I did not tell you as [VERIFY].
Pro tip: Print the list and keep it on your desk, so the check takes under two minutes.
Cover Teacher Version of a Plan
30/30✨ What it does
Rewrites your ESL lesson plan for a cover teacher in short sentences at the class CEFR level, with numbered steps and when to use first language. Check that every resource the cover teacher needs is listed, since a missing audio file can stop the whole lesson.
Here is my lesson plan: [PASTE PLAN]. Rewrite it for a cover teacher who has never met this [CEFR LEVEL] class [CLASS LABEL NO CODES]: short numbered steps, no jargon, and the exact words to say at each step, in short sentences a [CEFR LEVEL] learner can follow, plus a line on when the cover teacher may use learners' first language. Base this line on my plan; if the plan gives no first-language rule, write [VERIFY] on that line. Swap any student name in the plan for initials before you rewrite it. Keep the whole rewrite under 300 words. If a step needs a resource I did not list, such as a worksheet or audio file, mark it [VERIFY] rather than inventing a resource.
Pro tip: Add the class's usual routine in one line at the top, so the cover teacher starts on the right foot.
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