Christmas Word Ladders (A2+)

Objective & content

Four Christmas word ladders on one page: BOX to TOY, SNOW to SHOP, CAKE to LIKE and COLD to GOOD. Pupils go from the top word to the bottom word by changing one letter at a time. Every step is an everyday word with its own clue ("Not a girl.", "You buy presents here."). Three ladders have two steps and one has three, and the top and bottom words are given. Page 2 is the answer key, with the letter that changes marked at each step.

Pedagogical guide

A quick puzzle for spelling and for reading short definitions. The words are everyday words, so the challenge is the spelling, not the vocabulary, and the Christmas clues keep it seasonal. It takes about 10 minutes: use it as a warm-up, between two longer activities, or for pupils who finish early. If a pair is stuck, give the first letter of the next word.

Suggested procedure

1. (2 min) Do ladder 1 together on the board: read the clue for each step and find the word.
2. (6 min) Pupils do ladders 2, 3 and 4 alone or in pairs.
3. (2 min) Check with the key: a pupil reads each step and says which letter changed.

Adaptations

[S] Give the first letter of each missing word.

[A] Pupils make a short ladder of their own (two steps, a clue for each step) and swap it with a partner.

Materials & prerequisites

One copy of page 1 per pupil, in colour or in black and white; keep page 2 for yourself. Pencils.