The internet is a great source of materials for English teachers. Some of them are print-outs. But the net also offers many facilities to create your own taylor-made materials. It is not necessary to be an expert, it is much better to have a few websites at hand and explore the possibilities they offer.

1. Go to http://puzzlemaker.school.discovery.com/.

There are 10 different exercises to choose from in the pull-down menu. List of puzzle types shows you an example of each.

2. Select Word search. Follow the step-by-step instructions and fill in the form with the words you intend to teach or revise. In Step 4 you must decide if you want to print the puzzle directly from the web, or copy and paste it into another application (Word, for example).

3. Click on and the worksheet will be ready in just a few seconds. Click on for the answer key.

4. Try any of the other puzzles: with a hidden message, cryptogram, criss-cross puzzle, or even a maze.

5. If you want to make your puzzles more visually attractive, add some clip art to them.

Choose a picture from one of the categories, and copy and paste it into your word processor.

Fun Brain's Quiz Lab is similar to the Quiz centre, and also offers features such as scoring or sending reports to parents. You need to register for a 30-day trial.

eslHQ contains very useful materials for the youngest that range from ready to print flashcards to games and printables. The worksheet makers let you create a variety of activities, including board games, all with pictures. You need to register here too, but this time for free.