M i l i t a r y   E n g l i s h

Welcome to DITC’s Military English teaching resources. These focus on teaching vocabulary for a wide variety of military topics. These resources will help learners get ready for ADFELPS, and for international missions or exercises where English is used.

The resources are in three formats: 

  • Reading Lesson – students read a text and learn some Military English vocab from it, then practise using this in writing and speaking
  • Listening Lesson – students listen to a text and learn some Military English vocab from it, then practise using this in writing and speaking 
  • Vocabulary Builder – students match new vocab to pictures then practise the vocab 

All resources have a students’ and teacher’s copy for download. There are also recordings of the listening audio, and for practice of pronunciation. 

The resources target English language levels from ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 to ADFELPS 6 / CEFR B2.  We’re working to display the levels on the Teacher’s copy of every lesson, and on this page here. We are adding more resources all the time, so expect to see more and more materials with an assigned level.  Let us know at ditc.militaryenglish@defence.gov.au if you have a question or a suggestion about Military English. 

We hope you – and your students – enjoy using these materials.

 

 

Australian Army Corporal Dylan Smith from the 3rd Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, takes part in the obstacle course as part of the Commander's Trophy competition at Lavarack Barracks, Queensland, on 20 August 2021.
At an obstacle course
/vocabulary-builder-obstacle-course
compass
Compass points
/vocabulary-builder-compass-points
Exercise Pitch Black 24 is the Royal Australian Air Force’s biennial capstone international engagement exercise, with forces drawn from a wide range of regional, coalition, and allied nations.
Facilities on an Air Force base **NEW**
/vocabulary-builder-facilities-air-force-base
Australian Army Aviation personnel march on the parade ground at Russell Offices, Canberra to mark the establishment of the new Army Aviation Command
Facilities on an Army base **NEW**
/vocabulary-builder-facilities-army-base
Each year personnel from Sydney Royal Australian Navy base, HMAS Waterhen, provide support to Legacy by raising money through the sale of Legacy Badges across the North Sydney region.
Facilities on a Navy base **NEW **
/vocabulary-builder-facilities-navy-base
Australian Army Lieutenant Alex Beaumont, General Service Officer from 2nd Health Battalion on Exercise Viper Walk 2024.
Field medicine - part A
/vocabulary-builder-field-medicine-part-A
Australian Army medics from 2nd Health Battalion provide emergency medical care to simulated casualties at the point of injury during Exercise Viper Walk 2024.
Field medicine - part B **NEW**
/vocabulary-builder-field-medicine-part-b
This worksheet lists vocabulary for reading parts of a map and navigation.
Mapping **NEW**______________ Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
/vocabulary-builder-mapping
RAAF Ex-Talisman Sabre 2023
Military organisation
/vocabulary-builder-military-organisation
navy time
Military time
/vocabulary-builder-military-time
army tank
Military vehicles
/vocabulary-builder-military-vehicles
A Royal Australian Navy clearance diver from Clearance Diving Team Four (AUSCDT FOUR) conducts an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) Disposal scenario during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022.
Mine clearance
/vocabulary-builder-mine-clearance
bush fire
Natural disasters ** UPDATED **
/vocabulary-builder-natural-disasters
F-18 Super Hornet
Parts of an aircraft
/vocabulary-builder-parts-aircraft
assault rifle 2
Parts of an assault rifle ** UPDATED **
/vocabulary-builder-parts-assault-rifle
A Bushmaster Protected Mobility Vehicle manoeuvres between positions during Exercise Rhoden Strike at Puckapunyal Military Area on 17 November, 2023.
Parts of a Bushmaster
/vocabulary-builder-parts-bushmaster-protected-mobility-vehicle
Australian Army soldier Steve Brien (kneeling) from Rifle Company Butterworth rotation 116 briefs Sergeant Rob Stratton from the NSW Police Force during an F89 Minimi range shoot at Gurun field firing range in Malaysia on 11 January 2017.
Parts of a firing range
/vocabulary-builder-parts-firing-range
Royal Australian Navy sailor Able Seaman Medic Cayla Barlow provides a tour of HMAS Sydney's medical capabilities to Crystal Hawes, a candidate from Defence Force Recruiting Wollongong during the Indo Pacific 2022 conference in Sydney.
Parts of a Basic First Aid Kit **NEW**
/vocabulary-builder-parts-basic-first-aid-kit
Task Group Taji Ten Medical Technician Corporal Sarah Nixon in the Middle East.
Parts of a combat first aid kit **NEW**
/vocabulary-builder-parts-combat-first-aid-kit
helicopter
Parts of a helicopter
/vocabulary-builder-parts-helicopter
Australian Army soldiers from the Red Berets parachute display team at the Australian Defence Force Parachuting School conduct a freefall jump from a Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules aircraft as part of the Australian Defence Force Academy open day in Canberra on Saturday, 19 August 2023.
Parts of a parachute
/vocabulary-builder-parts-parachute
HMAS Childers
Parts of a patrol boat
/vocabulary-builder-parts-patrol-boat
HMAS Canberra
Parts of a ship
/vocabulary-builder-parts-ship
An Australian M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank
Parts of a tank
/vocabulary-builder-parts-tank
Australian army sleeve Australia badge
Parts of a uniform
/vocabulary-builder-parts-uniform
Australian Army soldiers assist the Western Australian Police Force at a vehicle check point on Forrest Highway in Lake Clifton, Western Australia.
Parts of a vehicle checkpoint **NEW**
/vocabulary-builder-parts-vehicle-checkpoint
typewriter keys
Phonetic Alphabet ** UPDATED **
/vocabulary-builder-phonetic-alphabet
army ranks
Ranks in the Australian Army ** UPDATED **
/vocabulary-builder-ranks-australian-army
RAAF Roulettes
Ranks in the Royal Australian Air Force
/vocabulary-builder-ranks-royal-australian-air-force
submarines
Ranks in the Royal Australian Navy ** UPDATED **
/vocabulary-builder-ranks-royal-australian-navy
soldier combat equipment
Soldier combat equipment
/vocabulary-builder-soldier-combat-equipment
mountain tops
Terrain features
/vocabulary-builder-terrain-features
army vehicles
Types of army vehicles
/vocabulary-builder-types-army-vehicles
Abram Tank fires at Chong Ju Fire Power Demonstration at Puckapunyal Range in Victoria.
Types of army weapons
/vocabulary-builder-types-army-weapons
A Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules prepares to take off from RAAF Base Darwin to assist Northern Territory emergency authorities to evacuate up to 600 persons from the Kalkarindji, Pigeon Hole and Daguragu areas.
Types of fixed wing military aircraft
/vocabulary-builder-types-military-aircraft-fixed-wing
HMAS Perth -navy vessels
Types of navy vessels
/vocabulary-builder-types-navy-vessels
Two Australian Army CH-47 Chinook's prepare to deliver supplies to the flood effected community of Cooktown on 21 December 2023.
Types of rotary wing military aircraft
/vocabulary-builder-types-military-aircraft-rotary-wing
ASLAV crew conducting training
A job in the Army - armoured vehicle crew **NEW**______________ Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
/lesson-listening-job-army-armoured-vehicle-crew
Anzac Day memorial
Anzac Day
/lesson-listening-anzac-day
A soldier's biography
A soldier's biography
/lesson-listening-soldiers-biography
Australian Army soldiers from Rifle Company Butterworth rotation 116 provide a capability demonstration for participants of Exercise Boss Lift 2017 at Gurun field firing range in Malaysia on 11 January 2017.
At a firing range
/lesson-listening-firing-range
disaster relief - tsunami
Disaster relief ** UPDATED **
/lesson-listening-disaster-relief
soldiers in the jungle with weapons
Jungle warfare training
/lesson-listening-jungle-warfare-training
The Land Commander Australia, Maj General Perter Abigail, AO presents the Australian Active Service Medal (AASM) to soldiers from the Headquarters Sector West.
Life of a Peacekeeping Officer - Medic - Part A **NEW**______________ Level: ADFELPS 5 / CEFR B1 and above
/lesson-listening-life-peacekeeping-officer-medic-part
Army Reservist, Lieutenant Rachuel Manning, shows children the world is theirs after a health clinic held in the Bobonaro district of East Timor. The Hobart based nurse is a member of the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps who along with the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps are celebrating a hundred years of service this year.
Life of a Peacekeeping Officer - Medic - Part B **NEW**______________ Level: ADFELPS 5 / CEFR B1 and above
/lesson-listening-life-peacekeeping-officer-medic-part-b
UN helmets and bulletproof vests
Life of a Peacekeeping Officer - Medic - Part C **NEW**______________ Level: ADFELPS 6 / CEFR B2 and above
/lesson-listening-life-un-peacekeeping-medic-part-c
military base accommodation
Living on a military base
/lesson-listening-living-military-base
map reading
Map reading & navigation
/lesson-listening-map-reading-and-navigation
20 REGT Shadow drone
Military drones
/lesson-listening-military-drones
on patrol
On patrol
/lesson-listening-patrol
Royal Australian Air Force and New Zealand Defence Force Joint Terminal Attack Controllers direct firepower on simulated targets at Townsville Field Training Area during Exercise Black Dagger
Out field
/lesson-listening-out-field
radio communications HMAS Hobart
Radio communications
/lesson-listening-radio-communications
army recruit training
Recruit training in the Australian Army
/lesson-listening-recruit-training-australian-army
UN Peacekeeping Office
A day in the life of a UN Peacekeeping Officer
/lesson-reading-day-life-un-peacekeeping-officer
a job in the army - a tank in action
A job in the Army - tank crew **UPDATED**______________ Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
/lesson-reading-job-army-tank-crew
Navy tri-service
A job in the Navy
/lesson-reading-job-navy
THE ARMY'S NEW LAND MINE CLEARING VEHICLE GIVES DEMINING ENGINEERS MORE ACCURACY IN LOCATING ANTI-TANK MINES, BUT OLD FASHIONED SOLDIERING IS STILL REQUIRED TO REMOVE THE DANGEROUS MINES. SAPPER PAUL TEWKESBURY, FROM THE ARMY'S 1ST COMBAT ENGINEER REGIMENT, PART OF THE 1ST BRIGADE AT ROBERTSON BARRACKS, KEEPS A SHARP EYE OUT WHILE SAPPER LUKAS PARKINSON SEARCHES FOR SMALLER MINES.
Demining - Women in the Defence Forces **NEW**
/lesson-reading-demining-women-defence-forces
Operation Pacific Assist- humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid ** UPDATED **
/lesson-reading-humanitarian-aid
Navy cadet visit
Leadership
/lesson-reading-leadership
marksmanship training
Marksmanship principles ** UPDATED **
/lesson-reading-marksmanship-principles
Operation Slipper - MEDEVAC
MEDEVAC: Medical Evacuation Operations
/lesson-reading-medevac-medical-evacuation-operations
military exercises
Military exercises
/lesson-reading-military-exercises
The Imam of Qaziabad (left) hosts a meal with Major 'Spud' Murphy, Captain Jada Bendall and interpreter Arshad during the visit of an Australian Defence Force medical team to remote areas of Kashmir
Military Linguist
/lesson-reading-military-linguist
Australian Army soldiers from the Red Berets parachute display team prepare to land at the Bomaderry High School trailing flags as part of an Australian Defence Force Parachuting School visit to the school in Nowra, NSW.
Parachute training
/lesson-reading-parachute-training
HMAS Maryborough (II) sails into Darwin Harbour for the final time to berth alongside HMAS Coonawarra, Darwin, NT.
Patrol boats
/lesson-reading-patrol-boats
search and rescue in Fiji after cyclone
Search and Rescue Operations___________ Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
/lesson-reading-search-and-rescue-operations
Members of the Australian Amphibious Force conduct an M1A1 Abrams tank recovery exercise during Wet and Dry Environment Rehearsals at Cowley Beach Training Area.
Snapshot of the Australian Army **UPDATED**______________ Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
/lesson-reading-snapshot-australian-army
A Royal Australian Air Force C-27J Spartan aircraft departs Port Morseby airport, Papua New Guinea, during the Defence Pacific Air Program 24-2.
Snapshot of the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) **UPDATED**____________ Level - ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
/lesson-snapshot-raaf-reading
HMAS Stuart sails back to its homeport at Fleet Base West, after completing its Pacific regional presence deployment.
Snapshot of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) **UPDATED**______________ Level: ADFELPS 4 / CEFR A2 and above
/lesson-reading-snapshot-ran
ADF cadets
Studying abroad
/lesson-reading-studying-abroad
Teacher resources
Teaching guidelines
https://ditc.defence.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-08/DITC%20-%20Mil%20Eng%20…