Estimated reading time: 5 minutes
If you’ve ever felt like your ESL students “check out” during listening tasks, you’re not alone. It’s hard to hold attention—especially when students don’t feel confident in their listening skills yet. That’s where a cloze listening activity ESL learners actually enjoy can make a big difference.
I started using cloze passages in my classroom a few years ago, and they’ve become one of my favorite tools for strengthening listening comprehension—especially when paired with audio and literature my students are already reading.
Let’s talk about why cloze listening works so well, and how you can easily add it to your routine.
What Is a Cloze Listening Activity?
A cloze listening activity is when students listen to a passage—often a story, article, or adapted text—and fill in missing words as they go. Think of it as a listening-based fill-in-the-blank task, where the student’s focus is on catching details, decoding meaning from context, and noticing language structures in action.
The best part? You can adapt it to just about any level or topic. And when you pair it with quality audio and familiar content, you get a triple win: listening, vocabulary, and reading skills all at once.
Why It Works for ESL Teens
I teach high school ESL, and I’ve seen firsthand how cloze listening helps students:
- Tune in more carefully because they’re searching for specific words.
- Recognize vocabulary they’ve already seen in reading lessons.
- Improve spelling and grammar by seeing correct forms in context.
- Feel less anxious because the structure gives them something to focus on.
For students who struggle with long listening passages or get overwhelmed with too much text at once, cloze activities provide a safe, scaffolded entry point. You’re not just handing them a recording and saying “good luck”—you’re guiding their ears and eyes together.
Stories That Work Well
I like to base my cloze listening lessons on short stories we’re already reading together. Two that work beautifully with this format are:
1. The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant (A2 ESL)
This classic short story explores pride, class, and consequences—all through simple but powerful language. I created a Cloze Listening Activity for The Necklace that includes:
- A printable PDF cloze passage
- MP3 audio narration with clear pacing
- Google Slides & PowerPoint options
- CEFR-aligned support for A2-level learners
It’s ideal for students who are still building foundational listening skills.
2. By Any Other Name by Santha Rama Rau (B1 ESL)
This story brings up themes of identity, culture, and belonging—topics that really connect with my students. My B1 Cloze Listening Activity for By Any Other Name comes with:
- A teacher-guided cloze passage
- High-quality audio
- Slide decks for visual learners
- Printable and digital formats
This one is perfect for intermediate ESL students who are ready to stretch their listening and discussion skills.
Classroom Tips for Using Cloze Listening Activities
Here are a few ways I like to use these in class:
- As a listening center – Great for small groups or stations
- Whole-class warm-up – Project the slides and work through it together
- Sub plan – Easy to leave with audio + worksheet + answer key
- Discussion springboard – Use the themes for speaking or writing prompts
- Homework – Assign the Google Slides version for independent practice
You can even replay the audio multiple times—first for gist, then for details, and finally to check answers. Listening and pronunciation go hand-in-hand—see how I assess speaking in a way teens don’t hate.
Bonus: Add Speaking & Writing Practice
Want to extend the activity beyond listening? Try this:
- Have students compare answers in pairs and explain their choices
- Ask them to write a summary of the story using the target vocabulary
- Let groups act out a scene using some of the cloze words they filled in
- Have them record their own version of the narration!
These quick extensions turn a passive listening task into a multi-skill lesson.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been looking for a fresh way to boost engagement and listening comprehension, try a cloze listening activity ESL students can actually feel successful with.
Both of these resources—The Necklace Cloze Activity (A2) and By Any Other Name Cloze Activity (B1)—have helped my students grow their confidence and sharpen their listening skills.
They’re teen-friendly, ready to use, and aligned with TEKS and CCSS.
And best of all? They actually work.
Let me know how cloze listening is working in your classroom—I love hearing how others adapt these activities!
