Idioms: humour, jokes, and laughter

This ESL worksheet is about idioms related to humour, jokes, and laughter. Students will learn and practise 13 idioms and expressions, will discuss topics like sense of humour and humour around the world, and will be asked to come up with jokes.
After a couple of lead-in discussion questions, the first group of idioms (e.g. in stitches, barrel of laughs, all in good fun, take a joke, keep a straight face) are introduced through a short dialogue. Students match the idioms to their definitions. Then, they complete 4 statements with the correct idiom, and discuss the statements. After that, they are given a few talking points, and are asked to use a specific idiom when discussing each point.
Next, the rest of the idioms (e.g. bring the house down, crack a joke, laughter is the best medicine) are introduced through 6 short dialogues. Students match the idioms to their definitions, and then discuss a few conversation questions given.
Then, students are asked to paraphrase 8 sentences, using idioms from this lesson. Finally, students are asked to tell a joke to the class.
To review the idioms, and for more speaking practise, you can use the conversation cards.