You know how some of your adult ESL students write everything in these tiny, disconnected bursts? I’m talking about short sentences with no flow…just fact after fact after fact until they hit some kind of imagined required word count and call it done.
I used to think the exercises in the grammar book would fix this. You know the ones…like simple fill in the blank with the correct time word exercise. Or, combine these two sentences using “after” or “before.” Heck, I even thought that the sentences in the “circle the dependent clause” exercises would at least give them some model sentences.
Students would ace every single answer in the exercises. Then they’d go write a paragraph full of choppy sentences like nothing had changed.
The grammar wasn’t transferring to their actual writing because they didn’t have a reason to use it. Time clauses felt like extra work for no payoff.
So I stopped teaching time clauses as grammar and started teaching them as a storytelling tool. Instead of relying on the grammar textbook, I brought in goofy photos and turned caption-writing into a contest.
Suddenly students were writing “He learned to juggle after he lost his job” instead of “He’s an office worker. He can juggle.”
It’s still the same grammar concept, but you get completely different results when they’re not filling in grammar book exercises.
Why Time Clauses Matter (And Why Students Don’t Use Them)
Time clauses are supposed to add depth to writing. Instead of “I moved last week,” students could write “I moved after my landlord raised the rent.” One is functional. The other actually tells a story.
But here’s what students hear when you explain this: more grammar rules, more complexity, more chances to make mistakes.
Another problem? Most time clause practice looks like fill-in-the-blank exercises. Effective for understanding the structure and concept? Sure. Engaging? Yeah, it can be, but if the students aren’t doing any of the creation, it’s basically in one ear and out the other.
The Photo Caption Contest
You’ll love how this activity gets students writing time clauses without realizing how much grammar they’re using. You can run it orally or in writing, with pairs or small groups, and the prep is simpler than you think.
Prep All of This
Gather Your Photos: Start with funny, weird, or unbelievable images. I’m talking about the stuff you see online and think “WHAT is happening here?” No text on the images because you want students focused on what they see, not what someone else already wrote. Check your phone. You probably have a dozen saved already. I had one of a cat sitting in a sink staring directly at the camera like it was judging everyone’s life choices. Pics like that are perfect!
How many photos do you need? Depends on how much time you have, but I’d say aim for 10-15 and keep a few extras in reserve in case one falls flat.
The Cultural Filter: Before you show these to your class, take another look. What seems funny and harmless to you might be offensive to someone else, especially if you’ve got students from cultures you’re not deeply familiar with.
Run the photos past a colleague who knows your students’ backgrounds, or show them to former students if you can. Better to cut a photo now than deal with an awkward classroom moment later.
Prep Your Photos for Class: Digital or printed? Your call, but here’s what matters either way:
If you’re printing in grayscale because color ink is freakishly expensive, make sure the image quality holds up. Some photos lose everything when you remove the color.
If you’re going digital, check the resolution. Can you blow it up on your screen without it getting blurry? If not, ditch it.
Crop the photos so students can focus on the main action. Add a colored background if you’re displaying them digitally because it’s easier on the eyes than a blazing white screen. Number each photo clearly. Students will need this later. Oh, and if you’re printing, consider laminating them after numbering. Then you can reuse them with future classes without having to redo all this prep.
Create Your Sentence Models: Write example sentences for one to three of your photos. Make them match your students’ level but also inject some creativity. You want them to see what’s possible. For that cat in the sink? “After you see the cat in the sink, you feel uncomfortable and leave the bathroom.” Or: “While you’re brushing your teeth, the cat in the sink is silently ranking your mistakes from worst to unforgivable.”
Show them what you’re looking for without making it so complex they give up before they start.
Cut Your Sentence Strips: You’ll need small strips of paper – one per sentence students will write. If you have 10 photos and 10 students, that’s a minimum of 100 strips. Cut extras. Someone always needs more.
How to Run the Contest
If You’re Displaying Digitally: Show students your example sentences first. Let them see what you created for the photos you chose.
Explain the rules: one caption per photo, write the photo number on each strip, one caption per strip of paper.
Display each photo one at a time. Give students time to think and write their sentence. Don’t rush this. Some students need a minute to get creative.
When you’ve shown all the photos, collect the strips in a bag or box and mix them up. Hand them back out randomly. Nobody should know who wrote what.
Show the photos again and have volunteers (or randomly selected students) read the captions aloud. You can have them read just a few per photo or all of them, depending on your time.
Want to add competition? Quick show of hands to vote for the funniest caption for each photo.
If You’re Using Printed Photos: Same setup…show your example sentences first, explain the rules.
Pass out the photos. If you don’t have one per student, that’s fine. Pairs or small groups can share.
Give students time to write a sentence, then call “TIME” and have them pass the photo to another student or group. Keep rotating until everyone has written captions for several photos (or all of them if you have time).
Get a few students to help tape the photos around the room on walls or boards.
Collect all the sentence strips, mix them up, and hand them back out. Students tape their strips next to the matching photos using the numbers.
Have students walk around reading all the captions and writing down their favorites for each photo.
Finish by pairing students up or creating small groups to discuss which sentences they liked best.
But How Do You Know If They Get It?
You’re making the answers anonymous, which means you can’t directly assess who’s acing time clauses and who’s struggling. So why do it this way?
Because creativity is part of the goal here, and some students freeze when they know everyone will know which sentence is theirs. I’ve watched students crumple up strips of paper and quietly pocket them rather than risk sharing something they think might sound stupid.
Anonymity removes that pressure. Students who wouldn’t normally participate will write something because there’s no risk of being singled out.
But you’re not blind here. Circulate while they’re writing. Take notes on who’s struggling. Notice who’s asking for help or staring blankly at the photo. You can address those students privately later or give them hints and prompts while you’re walking around.
Grammar Practice Doesn’t Have to Be Boring
I’ve seen grammar classes that are pure lecture and the standard dry grammar exercises. Every single day. Students learn that way, sure. Drills have value. Fill-in-the-blank exercises have their place.
But day after day after day? Who wants that?
With this photo caption contest, students have to generate their own sentences instead of just completing someone else’s. They talk to their classmates. They laugh. They get creative with language instead of just regurgitating patterns.
A change in routine wakes up brains. It shifts the classroom energy. It’s easy to get caught up in the relentless pace of Intensive English Programs. After all, you’ve got curriculum to cover, proficiency tests to prep for, a million things competing for time. Activities like this give you permission to slow down for a bit and let students enjoy the process of learning language.
The Bottom Line
Time clauses matter because they push students past basic sentence structure into writing that says something interesting. And when you make the practice fun, when students are laughing at goofy photo captions instead of filling in blanks in their textbooks, they remember the grammar without realizing how much they’re learning.
Your students won’t write simple sentences forever, but sometimes they need a judgmental cat in a sink to inspire them.
That’s it from me. See you in the next post!
Need something that is print-and-go and focused on time clauses? You can get the following from my TpT store:
Adverb Time Clauses Grammar Guides with Worksheets for Adult ESL
Adverb Clauses of Time for Adult ESL Grammar TASK CARDS
If you love freebies…
Subscribe to my newsletter below and grab your free copy. This is just what you want if you loved the idea of the activity I described above but don’t have the time to create something yourself. It’s like the worksheet version of the activity.
