ESL/EFL Teaching and Learning Resources

Vocabulary Resources
(see also Online Dictionaries, Encyclopedias, Thesauri, and Translations)

Glossing Tools

VoyCabulary <http://www.voycabulary.com/> -- a glossing tool; VoyCabulary^(tm) makes the words on any webpage into links so you can look them up with just a click!  It links every word to a dictionary (e.g. Merriam Webster with sound, acronym/computer/medical/law dictionary) or thesaurus; Spanish.Voycabulary.com; Science.Voycabulary.com; English.Voycabulary.com 

LookWAYup <http://lookwayup.com/free/> -- On ANY web site, highlight a term with your mouse by double-clicking or dragging the mouse, then press 'LookWAYup' on your Links bar. A LookWAYup window will appear with information about that word. Install free browser plug-in:  http://lookwayup.com/free/install.htm.  LookWAYup combines dictionary, thesaurus, translation, and other handy tools, also for translations to other languages.  Integrate it into your browser by following the 10-second directions on-- the dictionary on your web site.  Also see The wireless dictionary for your cell phone or wireless PDA.

The Visual Thesaurus <http://www.visualthesaurus.com/index.jsp> -- an amazing visual tool that maps a word and its synonyms, antonyms, parts of speech meanings, sample sentences, etc.  Try typing in the word "experience" to see what you get, and don't forget to click "Display Options" at the top!

Frequency Counts

Word Frequency Lists <http://www.edict.com.hk/textanalyser/wordlists.htm> -- includes the Academic Word List; Virtual Language Center, University of Victoria, Hong Kong

Chris Greaves' Text Analyzer <http://www.edict.com.hk/textanalyser/textanalyserAWL.htm> -- Text Word Frequency Analyser for the 2000 Most Frequent Word Families and Academic Word List; University of Victoria's Virtual Language Center, Hong Kong

WordNet <http://wordnet.princeton.edu/links/> -- a lexical database for the English language; Princeton University, March 2005

Daily Vocabulary subscriptions

Daily Page For Students Of English <http://www.aitech.ac.jp/~itesls/daily/> -- This page changes daily and includes such things as "Proverb of the Day," "Word of the Day" and "Idiom of the Day."

Word.A.Day <http://wordsmith.org/awad/>  -- written definitions and voice recording to assist a learner with word pronunciation (contributed by Anna Marie Robinson); email subscription, RSS feed available

Merriam Webster's Word of the Day <http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/mwwod.pl> -- includes email subscription and RSS feed
Merriam Webster's Word for the Wise <http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/wftw.pl> -- with audio broadcast

Oxford English Dictionary, Word of the Day <http://www.oed.com/cgi/display/wotd>  -- includes meaning, etymology and date chart; email subscription at http://www.oed.com/services/email-wotd.html

English Idioms and Slang <http://www.englishcaster.com/idioms/> -- Slang and idiom lessons for learners of English; podcasts (audio blogs) for listening with scripts (blogs) and explanations of vocabulary, idioms, cultural conventions, etc.; RSS feed: http://www.englishcaster.com/idioms/wp-rss2.php

Words/Phrases, Meaning, Origin

NetDictionary <http://www.edict.com.hk/lexiconindex/> -- dictionary gives synonyms and related word forms for words; shows collocations for words and strings of words (e.g. phrasal verbs) and has links to text-to-speech audio files for entries

Phrase of the Week <http://www.onestopenglish.com/section.asp?theme=mag&catid=58225> -- from OneStop English

BBC Learning English Grammar and Vocabulary <http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/> -- words, phrases -- with text/audio; site includes Keep your English Up to Date (audio and text about English words, phrases, phenomena with David Crystal)

Antagonyms <http://www-personal.umich.edu/~cellis/antagonym.html> 

Heteronyms <http://www-personal.umich.edu/~cellis/heteronym.html> 

ESL Idiom Page <http://www.eslcafe.com/idioms> -- lists, definitions, examples, by Dennis Oliver

ESL Cafe's Phrasal Verb Page <http://www.eslcafe.com/pv> -- lists, definitions, examples, by Dennis Oliver 

ESL Cafe's Slang Page <http://www.eslcafe.com/slang> -- by Dave Sperling

Roots/Prefixes/Suffixes

Focusing On Words <http://www.wordfocus.com/> -- searchable database of words of Latin and Greek origin, grouped into thematic units; includes definitions for roots, prefixes, and suffixes

Greek and Latin ROOT of English <http://pirate.shu.edu/~cottereu/roots.exe> (click to download-7.5 mb) "Use this "Roots" program to teach yourself about the History of English Words -- their Etymologies -- Where they came from -- How they got into our language."  Searchable for roots and prefixes/suffixes; quizzes included

Vocabulary Exercises

Quizlet <http://quizlet.com> -- great interactive, collaborative tool with networking page to create flashcards, practice exercises, and tests that generate random matching, multiple-choice, and true/false questions; groups allow students to collaborate on sets

FlashcardExchange <www.flashcardexchange.com> --  free registration necessary; use pre-made flashcards or create your own slide show of flashcards, with definitions on the back side (flip); then create memory exercises/games, print, and/or download (export) them; available for several languages

FlashCardMaker <http://www.americangirl.com/agmg/school_smarts/cgi/flash.cgi?op=create> -- create sets of up to 50 flash cards; save your set of cards for 30 days on this site.

Word-based Games for ESL Students <http://www.manythings.org/wbg/> -- matching, speed, jig-saw exercises with prefixes, homonyms, opposites, irregular plurals/verbs, word forms (v,n), suffixes, and more; see also the larger site for vocabulary: English Vocabulary Word Lists with Games, Puzzles, and Quizzes <http://www.manythings.org/vocabulary/>

SuperKids Vocabulary Builders <http://www.superkids.com/aweb/tools/words/wod.shtml> -- by grade level

Grammar, Vocabulary, and Culture Quizzes <http://www.isabelperez.com/grammar.htm> -- grammar explanations and interactive exercises in HotPotatoes, especially for lower proficiencies (beginner, low intermediate, intermediate), by Isabel Pérez Torres (and others)    

University of Victoria English Language Centre Study Zone  <http://web2.uvcs.uvic.ca/elc/studyzone/index.htm> -- vocabulary/matching exercises for beginners (in Hot Potatoes)

The ESL Study Hall (by Christine Meloni) -- VOCABULARY  <http://home.gwu.edu/~meloni/eslstudyhall/shvocabulary.htm>  (Flags and Countries Quiz, Word Drop and Quiz Wiz)

English2U <http://www.ajarn.com/Education/Resources/english2u.htm> -- Free English vocabulary email lessons for busy non-native speakers who have studied English for several years.

Internet Bumper Stickers <http://www.directtodave.com/ibs/index.htm> -- See if you can figure out what Americans mean.   Bumper stickers are very popular.  Americans sticks them on their cars or at the end of a message.  This is a great exercise in figurative language.

Common American Slang <http://www.aitech.ac.jp/~itesls/slang/> 

Food Vocabulary Activity <http://www.etanewsletter.com/food-act.shtml> -- It offers colorful graphics of individual food items and instructions for various ways to use them as teaching supple.

Schoolhouse Technologies <http://www.iearn.org/> -- Word Search Factory is designed to help you quickly and easily create professional looking word search puzzles to provide your students with the extra vocabulary and spelling practice they need in a format that they find very enjoyable

Vocabulary University <http://www.vocabulary.com> -- A free site that allows students at high-elem., junior high and high school levels, teachers and life-long learners to acquire and retain vocabulary. Each free session has three levels. Each level has 3 puzzles with 12 words each (36 total words in a session) and contains seven (7) additional activities/exercises that help develop vocabulary. It is continuously updated.

Phrasefun <http://www.coolquiz.com/quizzes/phrases/> -- Here's a fun quiz to test your knowledge of popular English phrases and idioms. Each phrase is missing one word. Just click on the missing word. If you miss 5 phrases, the game is over! How many points can you score?

Webopedia <http://www.webopedia.com/> -- online dictionary and search engine for computer and Internet technology