Funny ESL Jokes For Students In A Classroom 2025

Humour lowers anxiety, sparks speaking, and makes language stick. Short ESL jokes introduce new vocabulary, highlight wordplay, and train students to use context. Use this guide to add jokes to lessons with purpose.

Why Use Jokes in ESL Lessons?

Model natural language: idioms, phrasal verbs, homophones, double meanings.
Build a positive atmosphere that encourages participation.
Fit anywhere: warm-ups, transitions, quick reviews.
Raise cultural awareness: when, how, and why something is funny.

How to Use Jokes Effectively

1) Match Jokes to Your Lesson Aim

Choose jokes that support vocabulary, grammar, or the theme you’re teaching.

Example (comparatives): Teacher: Why is English class longer than math class?
Students: Why?
Teacher: Because time flies when you’re having fun!

Follow-up:

Highlight the idiom “time flies.”
Practise comparatives: “English is more fun than …” / “Time passes faster when …”

2) Use Them as Warm-Ups, Brain Breaks, or Exit Tickets

Warm-up: quick joke to set the tone.
Brain break: reset attention mid-lesson.
Exit ticket: end with a related joke; students explain it in their own words.

3) Adjust for Level and Age

Young learners: simple, concrete, visual.
Teens: light wordplay, school-life topics.
Adults: idioms, workplace humor, subtle puns.

4) Teach the Joke, Don’t Just Tell It

Pre-teach key words.
Ask for predictions.
Share the punchline with timing.
Reflect: “Why is it funny?” “What’s the double meaning?”
Practise with a mini-task.

5) Keep It Inclusive and Safe

Avoid jokes about appearance, religion, nationalities, or individuals. If a line is crossed, pause, explain calmly, and restate norms.

ESL Jokes by Age and Level

ESL Jokes for Children (Beginner–Elementary)

Keep language simple; add pictures or gestures.

Why did the teddy bear say “no” to dessert?
Because it was stuffed!
Focus: Past simple of “be,” food vocabulary.
What has hands but can’t clap?
A clock.
Focus: Polysemy (hands), time and objects.
What did the banana say to the dog?
Nothing. Bananas can’t talk!
Focus: Can/can’t; animals and food.
Why did the book go to the doctor?
Because it had a bad spine.
Focus: Double meaning; body words and books.
What runs but never walks?
Water.
Focus: Verbs with figurative meanings.

Quick Activity for Kids

Show three pictures (bear, cake, stomach). Predict the joke.
After the punchline, students draw the joke and label new words.

ESL Jokes for Teenagers (Pre-Intermediate–Intermediate)

Add puns, idioms, and school-life themes.

Student: “Teacher, can I go to the bathroom?”
Teacher: “It’s May.”
Student: “I know, but I still need to go!”
Focus: Can vs. may; polite requests.
Why did the computer go to art class?
It wanted to improve its graphics.
Focus: Tech vocabulary; pun.
I told my friend 10 jokes to make him laugh. Sadly, no pun in ten did.
Focus: “No pun intended”; numbers; homophones.
Why did the music teacher go to jail?
Because she got caught with too many notes.
Focus: Double meaning (money vs. music).
My pencil broke, so I’m writing with my phone. It’s pointless.
Focus: Literal vs. figurative “pointless.”

Teen Activities

Fix the pun: Turn straight sentences into puns using a target word list (note, light, spring, charge, break).
Explain the joke: In pairs, paraphrase and identify the double meaning.

ESL Jokes for Adults (Intermediate–Upper-Intermediate)

Use idioms, workplace language, and subtle wordplay.

I opened a shop selling umbrellas. Business is good—every time it rains, profits go through the roof.
Focus: Idiom “go through the roof” and profits.
I asked my calendar for advice. It said my days are numbered.
Focus: Idiom and literal meaning.
My boss told me to have a good day… so I went home.
Focus: Pragmatics; workplace humor.
I’m reading a book on anti-gravity. It’s impossible to put down.
Focus: Idiom vs. literal meaning.
The meeting on “How to be punctual” started 15 minutes late.
Focus: Irony; workplace vocabulary.

Adult Activities

Spot the idiom: Underline idioms (go through the roof, put down, days are numbered) and write literal vs. idiomatic meanings.
Office stand-up: In groups, write a 3–4 line routine using two idioms and one pun related to work.

Topical Joke Bank by Theme

Food

Why did the orange stop? It ran out of juice.
I’m on a seafood diet. I see food and I eat it.

Travel

Why don’t scientists trust atoms on planes? They make up everything—even the air.
I would tell you a joke about an elevator, but it has its ups and downs.

School

Why did the math book look sad? It had too many problems.
The history teacher broke up with the geography teacher—there was no chemistry.

Technology

My Wi‑Fi and I are not speaking. We need some space.
Why was the smartphone cold? It left its Windows open.

Weather

The sun didn’t go to school today. It had too many degrees.
I tried to catch some fog. I mist.

How to Teach a Joke: Step-by-Step Template

Pre-teach and check key vocabulary.
Set a prediction: “This joke is about food and electricity. What could happen?”
Tell the joke with timing and a pause before the punchline.
Check understanding: “What are the two meanings of ‘charge’?”
Focus on language: grammar, idiom, or homophone.
Practise: mini-drill, short dialogue, or student-made spin-offs.
Extend: students create a similar joke using a new word list.

Classroom Activities with Jokes

1) Idiom Hunt

Give 5 jokes with idioms. Students match idioms to meanings, then write original sentences.

2) Pun Workshop

Provide homophone sets (flower/flour, knight/night, sale/sail). Students invent one-liners. Vote for the best.

3) Comic Strip Builder

Turn a joke into a 3-panel comic with speech bubbles. Present to the class.

4) Pronunciation Challenge

Use words with noun/verb stress changes (record/record, present/present). Practise both and tell a related joke.

5) Explain It to a Friend

Students record a 20–30 second voice note explaining a joke to a classmate who “didn’t get it,” focusing on clarity.

6) Cultural Check-In

Pick a joke with a cultural reference. Ask: “Is it funny in your language? Why or why not?”

Differentiation Tips

Beginners: Use visuals, mime, yes/no checks; stick to concrete nouns and simple verbs.
Intermediate: Add idioms and light wordplay; ask for paraphrases.
Advanced: Encourage nuanced humor, irony, and pragmatic discussion about tone and context.

Classroom Management and Sensitivity

If a Student Crosses the Line

Stay calm and neutral.
Explain why it’s not acceptable.
Reframe: “We want humor that makes everyone feel safe.”
Move on and reinforce expectations.

If Students Don’t Laugh

Normalize it: “Not every joke lands. Let’s check the meaning.”
Briefly unpack the wordplay.
Keep the pace; don’t over-explain.

Frequency

One or two jokes per lesson is usually enough, especially if linked to the topic. A “joke of the week” can build routine.

Mini Lesson Plan (15 Minutes)

Objective: Understand and use the idiom “piece of cake.”

Warm-up (2 min): Show a picture of a cake.
Lead-in (1 min): “What’s something easy for you?”
Joke (1 min): Why did the student eat his homework? The teacher said it was a piece of cake.
Clarify (3 min): Meaning; CCQs: “Easy or hard?” “Do we really eat it?”
Practice (5 min): Two truths and a lie using “a piece of cake.”
Exit (3 min): Create a one-line joke using a different idiom (break the ice, hit the books, under the weather).

Printable Set: 12 Classroom-Safe One-Liners

The math book had too many problems.
The calendar’s days are numbered.
The pencil was pointless.
The clock has hands but can’t clap.
The sun has too many degrees.
The computer needed a restart—it couldn’t escape its problems.
The music teacher had too many notes.
The history teacher struggled—nothing was present.
The elevator joke has its ups and downs.
The banana didn’t speak—bananas can’t talk.
The orange ran out of juice.
The Wi‑Fi needed space.

Final Tips

Keep jokes short to maintain pace.
Recycle jokes to reinforce vocabulary.
Invite student contributions: “pun wall” or “joke jar.”
Model timing and stress.
Choose inclusive jokes that bring the class together.

Try one tomorrow and let students become the comedians of their own learning.