Media and News ESL Worksheets and Lessons

107 worksheets, 19 lessons, 11 vocabulary decks and 5 shadowing scripts · The world today

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Reading · Emails & diariesEmails: news from a friendKids · Flyers20 minFree

Reading · Adverts & noticesSchool notice: new after-school clubsA225 minFree

Grammar · Question tagsQuestion tags: the TV quiz show hostB125 minFree

Vocabulary · Media & newsMedia & news: key words for news and mediaB115 minFree

Writing · ArticlesArticles: what makes a magazine article workB120 minFree

Tests · Skills reviewsSkills review: news and opinionsB145 minFree

Grammar · Articles (advanced)Articles: a, an, the or no article in science newsB230 minFree

Writing · ArticlesArticles: features of a magazine articleB220 minFree

Grammar · InversionInversion in news reporting: hardly had the polls closedC145 minFree

Reading · EditorialsEditorial: the case for a four-day working weekC145 minFree

Grammar · Participle clausesParticiple clauses in science news: having analyzed the dataC145 minFree

Grammar · Advanced passivesAdvanced passives in the news: the suspect is believed to have fledC145 minFree

Writing · ArticlesArticle: a hidden place in your townC145 minFree

Reading · Long readsLong reads: the seventeen-year campaign for ThanksgivingC145 minFree

Vocabulary · Media & politics of languageMedia & politics of language: euphemism and spinC220 minFree

Writing · ReviewsReviews: anatomy of an effective reviewC220 minFree

Media & news worksheets

107 printable worksheets with answer keys; the 24 most used, easiest level first.

Reading · Emails & diariesEmails: news from a friendKids · Flyers20 minFree

Speaking · InterviewsInterviews: meet a star (role play)A120 minPremium

Reading · Adverts & noticesSchool notice: new after-school clubsA225 minFree

Reading · ArticlesArticles: review and write a storyA220 minPremium

Reading · Adverts & noticesAdverts & notices: lost and foundA220 minPremium

Reading · Adverts & noticesAdverts & notices: small adsA220 minPremium

Speaking · InterviewsInterviews: follow-up questionsA220 minPremium

Reading · Opinion piecesOpinion: teach social media skills instead of banning phonesB140 minPremium

Grammar · Question tagsQuestion tags: the TV quiz show hostB125 minFree

Grammar · Present perfect vs past simplePresent perfect vs past simple: news and detailsB120 minPremium

Vocabulary · Media & newsMedia & news: key words for news and mediaB115 minFree

Vocabulary · Media & newsMedia & news: reading a news storyB120 minPremium

Vocabulary · Media & newsMedia & news: collocations for news onlineB120 minPremium

Vocabulary · Media & newsMedia & news: fake news and reliable sourcesB120 minPremium

Vocabulary · Media & newsMedia & news: understanding headline languageB120 minPremium

Vocabulary · Media & newsMedia & news review: your media habitsB120 minPremium

Reading · EmailsEmails: news from a friend abroadB120 minPremium

Reading · Blog postsBlog posts: how a good post is builtB120 minPremium

Reading · Blog postsBlog posts: write your own postB130 minPremium

Reading · ArticlesArticles: review challengeB125 minPremium

Reading · ReportsReports: a news report of an eventB120 minPremium

Writing · ArticlesArticles: what makes a magazine article workB120 minFree

Writing · ArticlesArticles: catchy titles and strong openingsB120 minPremium

Writing · ArticlesArticles: talking directly to the readerB120 minPremium

See all 107 Media & news worksheets →

Media & news lessons

19 ready lessons for the four skills: teach on the board, set online or print.

Listening · LectureMedia lecture: five checks before you share a news storyA short media studies lecture gives five checks for spotting fake news online; students take notes, then test real-looking headlines.B1Adults45 minTeach · Online · PrintPremium

Reading · ArticleFake news at school: how to check a story before you share itA fake photo spreads around a school in an hour; students read the story and six checking tips, then test some headlines of their own.B1Teens45 minTeach · Online · PrintPremium

Writing · ArticleWalking football: writing a magazine article about a sportAn article on walking football, a slow game for older players. Students study article features and relative clauses, then write their own.B1Adults45 minTeach · Online · PrintPremium

Speaking · DiscussionIs the news bad for us? A discussion on news habitsThree people talk about how they follow the news and how it makes them feel; students learn phrases for opinions, examples and partial agreement, then discuss news habits in groups with roles.B1Adults45 minTeach · Online · PrintPremium

Reading · ArticleIs this photo real? Inside a news verification deskA verification journalist explains how her team checks viral photos and videos, and what readers can do before sharing.B2Adults45 minTeach · Online · PrintPremium

Writing · Formal letterMedia and news letter: writing to an editor about a print newspaperA loyal reader writes to his local newspaper about plans to stop the printed edition; students study formal letters and write one of their own.B2Adults50 minTeach · Online · PrintPremium

Listening · News reportGiant pumpkins and a race on the river: a festival news reportA TV news report from a town pumpkin festival, with a giant pumpkin weigh-off and a regatta in hollowed-out pumpkins; students listen for detail and attitude, learn expressions from the report and write a short news story.B2Teens50 minTeach · Online · PrintPremium

Listening · PodcastWhy is the news so negative? Inside our negativity biasA media researcher explains why headlines are so negative and how it affects us; students analyze real headlines and try solutions journalism.C1Adults55 minTeach · Online · PrintPremium

Reading · ReviewSwitched Off: a review of a book about news avoidanceA critic reviews a book on why millions of people now avoid the news, praising its interviews but questioning its solutions.C1Adults55 minTeach · Online · PrintPremium

Writing · EmailA misleading headline: replying to a reader's complaint by emailA newspaper's readers' editor answers a complaint about a sensational health headline. Students study diplomatic language, then write a reply.C1Adults50 minTeach · Online · PrintPremium

Writing · EssayEditors or algorithms? A discursive essay on who decides the newsA model essay weighs algorithmic news feeds against editorial judgment; students analyze how it concedes and turns, then write their own.C2Adults60 minTeach · Online · PrintPremium

Writing · ArticleWhat's in a name? A magazine article on why we name stormsA magazine article traces the history and psychology of naming storms; students analyze how it hooks and argues, then write their own weather article.C2Adults55 minTeach · Online · PrintPremium

Listening · 4 →Reading · 4 →Writing · 6 →Speaking · 5 →

Media & news vocabulary

11 word decks with meanings, examples and pronunciation: flip, quiz, print as flashcards or play as a game.

Film, books & the artsWatching movies: funny, scary or exciting?Kids · Movers12 wordsPremium Word list Flashcards

Media & newsTV, radio and the newsKids · Flyers13 wordsPremium Word list Flashcards

Media & newsNews, TV and social mediaheadlinearticlereporterB116 wordsPremium Word list

Media & newsAds, brands and slogansadcommercialbrandB116 wordsPremium Word list

Media & newsNews and mediaheadlinejournalistsourceB212 wordsPremium Word list

Media & newsReporting, bias and breaking newsbroadcastcoveragecurrent affairsB216 wordsPremium Word list

Media & newsFame, celebrity and life in the spotlightfamecome at a pricecelebrityB216 wordsPremium Word list

Media & newsJournalism and the modern presscirculationeditorialgutter pressC116 wordsPremium Word list

Media & newsJournalism, spin and public opinionspin doctorsoundbitepaywallC216 wordsPremium Word list

Media & newsPublishing, editing and the book trademanuscriptproofreadcopy editorC216 wordsPremium Word list

HalloweenHorror on screen: the critic's vocabularyjump scareslow burnforebodingC216 wordsPremium Word list

Open the vocabulary library →Play them as games →

Media & news shadowing

Listen, repeat, record and compare: short scripts for pronunciation and fluency.

I think social media gets a lot of unfair criticism.B2 · 5 linesPremiumSocial media: good or bad?

Social media puts a lot of pressure on teens to look perfect.B2 · 6 linesPremiumFilters and self-esteem

What I find strange is how much we care about celebrities.C1 · 5 linesPremiumThe cult of celebrity

Did you see that headline about coffee and living longer?C1 · 6 linesPremiumTaking a headline with a grain of salt

I can see why you'd put it that way.C2 · 6 linesPremiumFielding hostile questions

All shadowing scripts →

Warm-ups and fillers

Quick Fun Corner activities on the same theme: no preparation.

Joke · C1Why did the vampire start reading the local newspaper?
Joke · C2What did the headline say when a very short fortune teller escaped from prison?

Open the Fun Corner →

About Media & news

Learners are surrounded by media every day, from TV programs and videos to news apps and social media. Teaching this topic helps them understand real English and think critically about what they read and watch.

Kids and A1 learners talk about favorite TV programs and cartoons with like and simple adjectives. A2 learners describe types of programs (news, soap opera, quiz show) and talk about how much time they spend online. B1 learners read simple news stories, use the past simple and present perfect for news, and discuss social media. B2 to C2 learners analyze headlines, bias and fake news, use reported speech and the passive, and debate media ownership and freedom of the press.

On this page you will find printable worksheets, ready-to-teach lessons and vocabulary flashcard decks on media and news.

Teaching tips: Media & news

Show learners real headlines and teach the grammar of headline English, such as present simple for past events and dropped articles.
Ask groups to spot the fake among three news stories and explain their reasoning.
Use present perfect for breaking news ("The Prime Minister has resigned") and past simple for the details.
Have learners produce a short news bulletin in groups and present it to the class.

Questions teachers ask

How do I teach headline language?

Point out common features such as present simple for past events, infinitives for the future (PM to visit...), missing articles and short, dramatic words like slam and axe.

Which grammar works best with news stories?

Present perfect to introduce news, past simple for details, the passive for events where the agent is unknown, and reported speech for quotes.

How can I teach media literacy to teenagers?

Compare how different sources report the same story and discuss bias, clickbait and how to check facts.