LibGuides: ESL: Web Sites: Reading and Writing

DICTIONARIES AND WORD FINDERS

Acronym Finder
A dictionary of acronyms, abbreviations, and initials.
Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
Includes audio pronunciation guide, thesaurus, word games, and a Learner's Dictionary for ESL students.
Merriam-Webster Visual Dictionary Online
When you know what something looks like but not what it’s called, the Visual Dictionary will help you match the word to the image.
OneLook Dictionary Search
A search engine for words and phrases, offering both definitions and translations. Indexes more than 900 online dictionaries.

English reading help including reading comprehension quizzes and tests, reading lesson plans, reading types and strategies.

English Reading Comprehension from ESL Gold
Reading exercises, learning strategies and quizzes to improve English reading comprehension.
English Reading Comprehension Skills for ESL EFL Learners
English reading help including reading comprehension quizzes and tests, reading lesson plans, reading types and strategies.
EnglishClub.com: Reading English
Includes poetry, short stories with vocabulary and comprehension quizzes, and author biographies.
U.S.A. Learns
Practice activities in listening, writing, speaking, and life skills necessary for success at work and in the community. Click on the Practice English and Reading link for intermediate-level stories and activities.

Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation
Basic rules of grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and writing numbers.
Citation Help Research Guide
Tools to help you cite your sources correctly in APA, MLA, or Chicago style.
EnglishClub.com: English Grammar
Grammar lessons with accompanying quizzes to check your understanding. Includes a glossary of grammar terms.
EnglishClub.com: English Writing
Covers use of capital letters, spelling rules, punctuation, sentence variety, peer editing, and plagiarism.
ESL Independent Study
Contains over 250 of the best Internet resources for ESL students. All Web sites are clearly annotated. Organization is by skill area and language level. Click on Writing and Grammar links.
ESL Resources from Purdue's Online Writing Lab
Resource pages and handouts for English language learners and teachers.
Guide to Grammar and Writing
Grammar help organized by level and skill type. The Word and Sentence category is particularly useful for English language learners.
Madison College Writing Center
One-on-one tutoring, online conferencing, and group workshop,s providing guidance to Madison College students at all stages of the writing process.
U.S.A. Learns
Practice activities in listening, writing, speaking, and life skills necessary for success at work and in the community.

American Idioms
Click on an idiom for a sample paragraph providing a definition of the idiom and an illustration of how it is used.
American Slang
Definitions, sample sentences, etymology, and synonyms.
ESL Independent Study: Vocabulary
Contains over 250 of the best Internet resources for ESL students. All Web sites are clearly annotated. Organization is by skill area and language level. Select the Vocabulary link.
Internet Picture Dictionary
A picture dictionary for beginning English, French, German, Spanish and Italian language learners.
Language Guide
Sound-integrated resources for 13 different languages (with a choice of 21 native language interfaces). Particularly helpful for vocabulary building and word pronunciation.
Spelling Activities
Spelling games and quizzes from Interesting Things for ESL Students