Happy April Fools’ Day! On this day, people around the world play harmless practical jokes and hoaxes on one another. In the spirit of the day, we’d like to put a smile on your face by sharing 15 classic English jokes you might not be aware of. Challenge your English-speaking friends with the questions and see what answers they come up with!

Here’s a little commentary before we dive in. All the jokes in this post rely on wordplay—a clever use of words with multiple meanings. This type of wordplay is called a pun. Take the one above, for example. It plays on the double meaning of the word “waved.” The first meaning refers to the movement of the ocean’s waves, as oceans naturally “wave” (create ripples or waves) in the water. The second meaning refers to the common gesture of waving one’s hand as a greeting or farewell. So, the joke suggests that the two oceans didn’t actually speak to each other but, instead, “waved” at each other—both as a natural occurrence (waves in the water 🌊 ) and as a pun on the gesture 👋 .

Let’s Have a Laugh!

Joke	Commentary
Why don’t skeletons fight each other? – They don’t have the guts.	Literal meaning: Skeletons are missing their internal organs (including guts), so they physically can’t “have the guts” to fight. Figurative meaning: The phrase “having the guts” is a common expression meaning courage. So, the joke humorously suggests that skeletons don’t fight because they lack both the literal guts and the metaphorical courage.
Why was the math book sad? – Because it had too many problems.	LM: problems = the exercises or questions that the book contains FM: problems = difficulties
Why don’t eggs tell jokes? – Because they’d crack each other up.	LM: Eggs have delicate shells that can crack easily, so if they “crack each other up,” it could mean they physically break apart. FM: “Crack up” is also a common phrase meaning to laugh really hard, often to the point of losing control.
What’s orange and sounds like a parrot? – A carrot.	Expectation: The setup leads you to expect something related to a parrot—maybe another bird or something that makes a sound. Surprise twist: The punchline, “A carrot,” gives a humorous, unexpected answer. A carrot, of course, is orange in color, which matches the description in the setup. However, carrots don’t actually sound like parrots, which creates the humor.
Why did the scarecrow win an award? – Because he was outstanding in his field.	LM: A scarecrow stands out in a field, as its purpose is to be placed there to ward off birds. So, the scarecrow is literally “outstanding” (standing outside in the field). FM: Outstanding = exceptional, excellent at what one does
Why was the computer cold? – It left its Windows open.	LM: In a physical sense, “Windows” refers to the openings in a building that can be opened to let in air. If a window is left open, it could make the room cold. FM: “Windows” also refers to the Microsoft Windows operating system on computers.
How do you organize a space party? – You planet!	The question asks how you organize a “space” party, which implies it’s a party related to outer space. But instead of giving an expected answer related to space (like rockets, astronauts, etc.), the response plays on the sound-alike quality of “planet“ and “plan it.”
Why don’t oysters donate to charity? – Because they’re shellfish!	Oysters are literally shellfish. But “shellfish“ sounds like “selfish,” which means someone who is not willing to share or help others — the exact opposite of donating to charity.
I’m reading a book on anti-gravity. It’s impossible to put down!	“Impossible to put down” means that the book is so interesting that you can’t stop reading it, which is a common phrase people use when talking about an engaging book. But, in the context of anti-gravity, “impossible to put down” also takes on a literal meaning: if something is truly anti-gravity, it would float, making it physically impossible to put it down.
Why did the tomato turn red? – Because it saw the salad dressing!	“Dressing” in the context of a salad refers to the sauce or seasoning that you put on top of a salad. But “dressing” can also mean getting dressed, as in putting clothes on. So, the punchline plays on the idea that the tomato turned red because it was “embarrassed” after seeing the salad “dressing” (getting dressed).

Did you enjoy the jokes above? Do you know any good ones? Be sure to share them in the comments below because who wouldn’t want more fun with jokes?