Although there is a place for rote memorization of grammar rules in the English as a Second Language (ESL) classroom, more interactive exercises will engage students and encourage them to be more involved in their own learning. ESL teachers should implement activities in their classes that have a strong educational focus on grammar but are also fun for students.

ESL Grammar Race
This exercise is enjoyable for kids and can be tailored to create a competitive game. The students, divided into two or more groups, receive a set of index cards. Each set contains the same vocabulary words, one written on each card, so the students are working equally on the same project. Depending on what type of grammar your lesson focuses on, you can have the cards feature verbs in different tenses, pronouns or phrasal verbs. Each student in each group receives one card with one word. Begin by calling out a word, and the students with that word race to the board, where they each write a sentence using that word. As the game continues, introduce a new challenge and more interaction by calling out two words at once. Two members of each group must collaborate to write a sentence using both words. To make this a more competitive activity, award a point to each group when a member finishes a correct sentence first.

Creating Definitions
Learning how to properly use an English dictionary is a challenge for many ESL students. This exercise will help them think more critically about how a dictionary works. Choose a word from the dictionary and write it on the board, then ask students what part of speech (noun, verb or adjective) they think it is. Have the students come up with their own definitions, either serious or funny, for what they think the word means. Afterward, read the real definition and lead a discussion on which student had the closest definition.

Sentence Patterns
Many ESL students struggle with sentence patterns in English. For this exercise, write different parts of sentences on the board according to what your students are studying, such as subject, verb, direct and indirect object and complement. Brainstorm a list of words for each part with the class. Then write a pattern on the board, such as "subject + verb + complement." Students can use the words you brainstormed to come up with as many sentences as they can in their notebooks, like "You look happy." Have each student read one of his sentences aloud and explain which word is the subject, which is the verb and which is the complement, then allow the students to discuss one another's sentences and come up with new sentences following that pattern.