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Do, make, have or take? An instant headache

Introduction:

This is a classifying and speaking activity for intermediate + students to practise common collocations with do, make, have and take.

Objective:

1. To practise and review common collocations with do, make, have and take.

Preparation:

Print out and cut up one set of cards per pair or group of three (Alternatively you can copy the words on post-it notes)

Procedure:

Elicit some example of common collocations with do, make, have and take, and put the examples in clear columns on the board.

Part 1:

  1. Put students in pairs or groups of three, and give one set of cards to each pair or group.
  2. Ask students to put the words into four different categories of words that collocate with: do, make, have and take.
  3. Draw their attention to the fact that some words can collocate with more than just one verb e.g. take / have a shower.
  4. Monitor and provide feedback.

Part 2:

  1. Mix the students and put them into small groups of at least 3 students; ask them to shuffle the cards and put them face down in a pile on the table.
  2. The first player takes the top card from the pile and makes a sentence with the word on the card, e.g. On average I spent 1 hour a day doing my hair; I find it really difficult to make friends, etc.
  3. The other players listen to the sentence and decide if it is correct.
  4. If the sentence is correct the player keeps the card. If the sentence is incorrect the card is placed at the bottom of the pile and the player who identified the mistake has an extra turn and takes the top card from the pile.
  5. Play continues in a circle going left.
  6. The winner is the player with the most cards at the end of the game.

cards

collocations-answers

P.S. Massive thank you to my friend Alex. This blog wouldn’t have been possible without your support.

Posted on by karolasenglishblog

(Un)conditional love

IMG-20140825-WA0086

Introduction: 

This is a speaking activity which allows students to revise zero, first, second and third conditionals. Students write questions for each other and answer them in pairs.

Objective:

1. To practise zero, first, second and third conditionals.

Procedure:

1. Students write 8 conditional questions: in 1&2,  students write two zero conditional questions; in 3&4, students write two first conditional questions; in 5&6, two second conditional questions, and in 7&8, two third conditional questions. For example:

  1. How do you feel when you don’t get enough sleep?
  2. How do you react when you have an argument with someone?
  3. What will you do if you have extra free time next week?
  4. What will you do if it rains next Sunday?
  5. If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life what food would you choose?
  6. If you could have dinner with anyone who would you choose?
  7. Where would you have gone on holiday last year if time had been no limit?
  8. What would you have done if you had been the headmaster of your school during your school years?

2. When the students are finished, they must pass the sheet to another student, who writes a brief answer to all the questions on a separate piece of paper.

3. Put students in pairs (student A and student B).

4. Using only the answers produced by each student, Students A and B swap answer sheets. They will each have different answers to each other as they have answered different questions.

5. Looking at the answers given by their partner, the students now ask each other questions, e.g. Student A: “Why did you write ‘Stay at home’ in number 4?” Student B: “Because if it rains on Sunday, I will stay at home.”

6. Monitor and provide feedback.

 

 

Posted on by karolasenglishblog

Lights, camera, action! Wordsearch

Introduction:

This is a puzzle I have created using Free Discovery Education Puzzle Maker. The idea is to recycle some of the vocabulary students have used in the ‘Lights, camera, action! Speaking activity’ (previous post).

Objective:

  1. To find the 12 film related words hidden in the box.
  2. To review film related vocabulary.

Materials:

Printable PDF worksheet

Procedure:

  1. Hand each student a copy of the printable worksheet.
  2. Ask the students to find the 12 film related words hidden in the box.

lights-camera-action-wordsearch

 

Posted on by karolasenglishblog

Lights, camera, action! Speaking activity

Introduction:

This is a speaking activity which allows students to describe their favourite film in great detail.

Objective:

  1. To describe a film using film related vocabulary

Materials:

Printable worksheets (one per student), two dice

Procedure:

  1. Ask students to think of their favourite film.
  2. Put students in pairs or threes and hand each of them a copy of the printable worksheet. Go through the vocabulary around the edge of the questions as a class to ensure the students understand it and are confident in using it correctly.
  3. Students take it in turns to throw the dice and move to the square indicated on the dice e.g. if a student rolls a 2 and a 4, they move to question number 6.
  4. Students answer the question and incorporate the film related words around the outside of the board. If the student uses the word(s) correctly they can cross it / them out. Every time students answer the question they can cross out at least one word but no more than four words.
  5. The other students in the pair or group can ask questions to encourage the use of the language.
  6. The winner is the first student to cross out all the vocabulary on the board.

lights-camera-action-lets-talk-about-your-favourite-film

Posted on by karolasenglishblog · 4 Comments

My favourite mistakes card game

Introduction:

This is a fun, competitive card game for small groups of 3 or more players to review the most common mistakes made typically by Spanish speakers of English, whilst encouraging teamwork and peer correction.

Objective:

  1. The objective of the game is to collect the most cards by correcting the sentences written on the cards.

Materials:

33 printable cards

How to play:

  1. Print and cut out the cards, one set per group of 3 or 4.
  2. Place all cards face down on the table.
  3. The first player draws the top card of the pile and reads the incorrect sentence out loud. The remaining players listen to the sentence and try to identify the mistake. The first player to raise their hand and read the sentence correctly keeps the card. If they are wrong, the opportunity to win the card goes to the second player who put their hand up, and then the third. If none of the players identify the mistake, the card is placed at the bottom of the pile.
  4. Play continues in a circle going left.
  5. The winner is the player with the most cards at the end of the game.

 

my-favourite-mistakes-cards

P.S. Stu, this is for you. No more fiddling.

🙂

Posted on by karolasenglishblog · 2 Comments

Random words

Introduction: 

This is a creative speaking activity inspired by a great book by Edward de Bono called “Creativity Workout”. I bought it a couple of years ago and couldn’t help thinking how useful some of the techniques he mentions could be in the classroom.

Objective:

  1. To recycle vocabulary in a new and memorable context.

Materials:  

One die per pair or group

Procedure:

  1. Draw a 6 x6 grid on the board.
  2. Ask the students to review recently studied vocabulary (words from a specific unit, words belonging to a specific category, etc.) and provide a word for each square – make sure each student suggests at least one word to personalise and give ownership. Make sure the students know the meaning of all the words.
  3. When the grid is complete, put students in pairs. To obtain words for the speaking activity students throw the dice twice: the first throw indicates which column they are going to use and the second indicates which row they are going to use. Depending on the task, they must roll for the number of words and use them repetitively to complete the activity.
  4. The following are just examples of activities that can be done with random words. They could be done in one session or you could choose a few to do as a warmer or plenary :
  • Obtain four random words. Combine the words to create a new business, explain how the business would work and how it would make profit.
  • Obtain four random words. Create a pilot episode of a television series using the random words in any order you wish.
  • Obtain four random words. Use the words to design a new sport and explain the benefits of the new sport to your partner.
  • Obtain five random words. Define a problem your hometown faces and show how the ideas expressed by those words could help solve the problem.
  • Obtain four random words. Create new school subjects using the random words and explain how they would benefit the students.
  • Obtain five random words. You are the president of the country. Create five new rules the citizens must follow using the random words.
  • Obtain three random words. Design a futuristic piece of technology that will revolutionize our world using the random words. Explain how the new piece would work.
  • Obtain five random words.  Using the random words explain to your teacher / boss why you were late for class / school.
  • Obtain three random words. For each of the words produce 5 more words which are somehow related to that word. The tighter the relationship between the two words the better.
  • Obtain five random words. Using the words create an alibi for a relative who has been accused of a crime.
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What ya doin’ warmer

Introduction:

This is a great warmer I’ve actually taken part in in an acting class. It allows elementary students to practise the present continuous in a really entertaining way.

Objective:

  1. To practise the present continuous tense.

Procedure:

  1. Ask students to stand in a circle.
  2. One student stands in the middle of the circle and mimes an action e.g. cooking.
  3. A student who stands in the circle walks up to the student in the middle and asks “What are you doing?”
  4. The miming student in the middle doesn’t say what they are actually doing but says what the student who asked will have to mime next e.g. I am skiing.
  5. The first student leaves the circle and the second student continues miming until someone enters the circle and asks what they are doing.
  6. The game continues until all the students have mimed an action at least twice.
Posted on by karolasenglishblog

Summary of past or recent events

Introduction:

This is a speaking activity which allows students to describe the most important things that happened to them in 2016, over the holidays, the last school year etc.

Objectives:

  1. To describe past events using past tenses or recent events using present perfect tenses.
  2. To practise asking wh-questions in authentic communication.

Procedure:

  1. Ask students to write down ten important or memorable things that happened to them in the chosen time period. Make sure they know the events will be discussed in class and are not too personal. You can decrease or increase that number depending on how talkative your class is (I found teenagers usually struggle with ten).
  2. Put students in pairs (student A and student B) or groups of three.
  3. Student A briefly describes the first event on the list. Once student A has finished student B asks additional questions starting with who, whose, what, when, where, why, which, how, how long and how many.
  4. Encourage students to show pictures of the events, if they have any on their phones, to make the activity more relevant.
  5. Students continue until they have each described all the events from their lists.

Alternative ideas:

  1. You could also ask students to come up with a recent summary of events in politics, art, science, etc.
  2. You could use it as a getting- to- know- you activity with students writing a list of “Ten things to know about me “.

Related posts:

Best birthday ever

Time to keep up with the times

Ir(regular) Xmas

Soap Opera

Posted on by karolasenglishblog · 1 Comment

Ask a Q board game

Introduction:

This is a free printable board game to practise adjectives followed by prepositions and improve fluency under time pressure.

Objective:

The objective of the game is to reach the end by moving across the board whilst asking and answering questions.

Materials:

Printable ASK a Q board game, a die, one checker per player and a countdown timer.

How to play:

  1. Ask a Q is played by 2 to 4 players.
  2. Players take it in turns to throw the die and move the number thrown.
  3. When a player lands on a square they ask the student on their right the question from that square. The student has to speak for at least 45 seconds without excessive repetition, and must answer the question using the adjective and the preposition in bold. If the player repeats or pauses for too long, the timer is restarted and they must start their answer again. After completing the task, they then roll the die and ask the question to the student on their right.
  4. The winner is the first player to land on the last square.

Note: The adjectives and prepositions are in bold to encourage noticing.

ask-a-q-printable-board-game

Related posts:

When & where board game

Compare & contrast board game

Time to keep up with the times

Posted on by karolasenglishblog · 1 Comment

When & where board game

Introduction:

This is a free printable board game to review prepositions of time and place.

Objective:

The objective of the game is to move across the board and reach the end with the highest number of points; points are given for correct use of the prepositions in, at or on.

Materials:

Printable board game, dice and some checkers.

How to play:

  1. When & where is played by 2 to 4 players.
  2. Players take it in turns to throw the dice and move the number thrown.
  3. When the players land on the squares they must create two sentences with the expressions on the square. The players get one point for each correct sentence e.g. if the player rolls a 3 they move 3 spaces on the blue board and think of sentences with the words given : I would love to travel to India in the future, I was at a boring meeting last night. They score 2 points and the next player rolls the dice.
  4. If the player makes a mistake they don’t receive a point for that sentence.
  5. Other players can receive extra points if they spot and correct the other player’s mistake, which encourages peer correction.
  6. The winner is the player who lands on the last square with the highest number of points for correct sentences.

when-where-printable-board-game

P.S. Thank you Alex for your support and constant motivation.

P.S. Thank you Stu for your incredible attention to detail. Feedback taken on board 🙂

Related posts:

Time to keep up with the times

Ask a Q board game

Compare & contrast board game