game

Two-round boxing match

Introduction:

This is an activity for FCE students to practise the passive and the active voice in a fun and competitive way. Students change the sentences from the active into the passive voice or from the passive into the active voice. The activity could also be used as a warmer or a plenary if the students are already able to use the target language confidently.

Level: B2

Time: 30 minutes

Objectives:

  1. To change the sentences from the active into the passive voice or from the passive into the active voice.
  2. To get a winning line of four noughts or four crosses in either a horizontal, vertical or diagonal row.

Materials (Click on the worksheets below to download the PDF files):

  1. Round One Worksheet, one per pair.
  2. Round Two Worksheet, one per pair.

Procedure:

  1. Divide the students into pairs and hand out a Round One Worksheet to each pair.
  2. The players start with Round One.
  3. Each player takes a turn to change one of the sentences from active into passive voice. If they manage to do it correctly, they add either an O or an X to the board. The first player to line up 4 of their symbols in a row wins. The students must write each answer in the space provided below the table.
  4. Repeat the procedure with Round Two Worksheet.
  5. Monitor at all times and go through some of the most problematic sentences together at the end of the class.

Fast finishers:

  1. Ask students to write 4 sentences in the active voice and 4 in the passive voice using a variety of tenses, e.g. Stuart is going to buy Karolina coffee this afternoon. Karolina was invited to a storytelling event by Brittany. When the students have finished they swap their sentences with their partner and change the eight sentences into active or passive voice.

Related posts:

Noughts and Crosses

P.S. “Never use the passive where you can use the active.” George Orwell

Noughts and Crosses

 

Introduction:

This is an activity for PET students to practise Part 1 of the Writing Exam in a fun and competitive way. Students complete the second sentences in bold so that they mean the same as the first. The examples for this exercise are similar to the ones students could find in the PET exams (Writing Part 1).

Level: PET

Time: 45 minutes

Objectives:

  1. To complete the second sentences so that they mean the same as the first.
  2. To get a winning line of four Noughts or four Crosses in either a horizontal, vertical or diagonal row.

Materials:

  1. Noughts and Crosses Worksheet, one per pair.

Procedure:

  1. Divide the students into pairs and hand out a Noughts and Crosses Worksheet to each pair.
  2. Each player takes a turn to complete one of the second sentences in bold to mean the same as the first sentence using no more than three words. If they manage to do it correctly, they add either an O or an X to the board. The first player to line up 4 of their symbols in a row wins.
  3. Monitor at all times and go through some of the most problematic sentences together at the end of the class.

Fast finishers:

  1. Write 4 sentences about yourself using the structures from the sentences in bold, e.g.  I prefer working alone to working with other people. I have eaten a grasshopper before.

Let’s Get Better Acquainted :)

Introduction:

This is a free printable board game for students to get to know each other better. The game could be used at the beginning of each term/year but also when a new student joins the class. I have also used it with FCE students to practise Part 1 of the FCE speaking exam and encouraged them to speak for at least a minute.

Level: B1+

Time: 45 minutes

Objectives:

  1. To reach the end by moving across the board whilst answering questions.
  2. To learn new things about students’ classmates.

Materials:

  1. Printable Let’s Get Better Acquainted game.
  2. One die per group of 2 or 3.
  3. One checker per player.
  4. A countdown timer.

Procedure:

  1. Let’s Get Better Acquainted is played by 2 to 3 players.
  2. Before the game begins tell students to pay close attention to their classmates’ answers as they might be quizzed at the end of the activity.
  3. Players take it in turns to throw the die and move the number thrown.
  4. When a player lands on a square, they answer the question from that square. The student has to speak for at least 1 minute and include as much detail as possible in their answer.
  5. The game continues in the circle going left.
  6. When the students have finished, in the same groups ask each student to summarise what they have learnt about a person on their right. Continue until both or all three students have spoken.
  7. Ask students to share how accurate and detailed the accounts of their answers were.

Fast finishers:

  1. Ask students to write down 5 ‘Get to know you’ questions that they tend to ask people they have just met, e.g. at a party.

Lets Get Better Acquainted

Related posts:

Are you bored or just boring?

Ask a Q board game

Time to keep up with the times

When & where board game

Compare & contrast board game

You talkin’ to me?

Introduction: 

These are activities for upper intermediate students to introduce and practise communication idioms. Students unscramble the expressions, match them with the correct definitions and play a game.

Level: B2

Time: 45 minutes

Objectives:

  1. To introduce communication idioms and expressions.
  2. To use the new expressions in context whilst playing a game.

Materials:

  1. You talkin’ to me? Worksheet, one per student.
  2. Dice, one per group.

Procedure:

  1. Put students into pairs and ask them to briefly discuss the following questions: What makes communication effective? Who do you struggle to communicate with and why? How has technology changed the way we communicate?
  2. Hand each student ‘You talkin’ to me? Worksheet ’.
  3. Individually, students put the jumbled words in the correct order to discover the expressions.
  4. When the students have finished, they compare their answers with their partner.
  5. Check the answers as a class.
  6. Now, the students match the expressions to the definitions and compare their answers with their partner.
  7. Check the answers as a class.
  8. Put students into groups of 2 or 3 and give each group a die.
  9. Using the expressions from the worksheet, the first student rolls the die and depending on the number thrown must follow the instructions below. The point is given to the first player to correctly guess the expression. The player with the highest number of points wins.
  1. Act out the expression.
  2. Define it.
  3. Give an example.
  4. Draw the expression.
  5. Give an example of something that means the opposite.
  6. Give 3 clues to help their classmates guess the expressions.

Fast finishers/ homework:

  1. Individually, students choose 7 expressions they would like to use more often and write their own sentences.

You talkin’ to me. Worksheet

Solutions

If my memory serves me right…

Introduction:

This is an activity you can do with students to review ‘there was’ / ‘there were’ and prepositions of place. Students look at a picture for one minute, answer questions from memory and write questions for other students about pictures they have brought to class. The photo on the worksheet is one I took recently on holiday in Croatia and it is just an example. Of course, you can use your own photo and create your own questions.

Level: A2+

Time: 35 minutes

Objectives:

  1. To review ‘there was’ / ‘there were’ structures and prepositions of place.
  2. To write 10 ‘was there’ / ‘were there’ questions using students’ own pictures.
  3. To practise answering questions with the correct structures and prepositions.

Materials:

  1. If my memory serves me right PDF worksheet, one per student.
  2. Teacher’s own photos or magazines.
  3. Students’ own photos or magazines.

Procedure:

  1. Divide the class into groups of three or four. Explain that you are going to show them a picture for 1 minute and that they must memorize as many details as possible for a quiz afterwards (Make sure you have made enough copies of the picture or display it on a TV or projector).
  2. When the minute has passed, nominate someone from each team to be spokesperson and explain that you will only accept the answer given by that person. This encourages discussion and forces the stronger members to be patient. If an answer is shouted out by someone other than a spokesperson, the answer cannot be accepted, and a spokesperson from another team can ‘steal’ the answer.
  3. Ask the 5 questions about the photo (see PDF Worksheet) and award one point for the correct answer.
  4. Explain that the students will now repeat this process, using a picture on their phone or from a magazine that you have provided.
  5. Using the picture, they must write 10 questions that they will use to test other students’ memory, including prepositions of place, e.g. Was the woman in the picture behind or next to the blue car?
  6. When the students have finished, put them in pairs or threes. Taking it in turns, students will show their picture to their classmates for exactly 1 minute, before asking them 10 questions.
  7. Monitor to ensure students answer in full sentences, e.g. No, the woman in the picture was behind the blue car.
  8. Continue until all students have tested and been tested!

 Fast finishers: 

Students imagine their classmates’ picture is a picture of a crime scene and they must describe it to the police in great detail. They write a short description of it from memory and, when finished, show it to their classmates to “correct”.

If my memory serves me right PDF worksheet

Related posts:

The search is on (preposition game)

When & where board game

 

 

 

Worn to a frazzle? Relax with a puzzle

IMG-20170816-WA0027

Introduction:

This is a puzzle I created using Free Discovery Education Puzzle Maker. The idea is to recycle some of the vocabulary students have used in Mirror mirror on the wall… (Previous post).

Level: B2+

Time: 20 minutes

Objectives:

  1. To recycle and revise vocabulary used to describe physical appearance by unscrambling the 12 jumbled words.
  2. To discuss a famous quote by Ovid.

Materials:

Printable Mirror mirror on the wall…double puzzle, one per student.

Procedure:

  1. Hand each student a copy of the printable worksheet, Mirror mirror on the wall…double puzzle.
  2. Individually, the students must unscramble the 12 jumbled words and put the letters in the numbered boxes into the corresponding boxes at the bottom of the page to reveal a quote by Ovid.
  3. When the students have finished, they compare their answers and discuss the quote in pairs.

Solution: First appearance deceives many.

*** Ovid (43BC – AD 17), a Roman poet and scholar.

Mirror Mirror on the wall double puzzle

Related posts:

Mirror Mirror on the wall…

 

 

Time to keep up with the times

Introduction:

This is a fun, competitive board game for small groups of 3 or 4 players to review the time expressions used with past simple and present perfect tenses.

Level: B1

Time: 45 minutes

 Objectives:

  1. To reach the end of the board with the highest number of points by forming questions or affirmative and negative sentences whilst using the time expressions written on the cards.

Materials:

  1. 48 printable cards, one per group of 3 or 4.
  2. 1 board, 1 die and 3 or 4 checkers per group of 3 or 4.

How to play:

  1. Print and cut out the cards, one set per group of 3 or 4, and place in three piles (Qs, As & Ns) face down on the table.
  2. The players take it in turns to throw the die and move the number thrown.
  3. When a player lands on a Q, A or N square they take the top card from the corresponding pile and create a Question or Affirmative or Negative sentence using the time expression on that card. For example, Q: Have you ever ridden an elephant before?  A: I’ve ridden a donkey twice. N: I haven’t ridden a camel this week. If the player uses the correct tense with the expression given they receive a point. The card is then placed at the bottom of the pile.
  4. Play continues in a circle going left.
  5. Monitor and write down the mistakes the players make and offer them an opportunity at the end of the game to correct them. They receive additional points for each mistake they correct.
  6. The winner is the player with the highest number of points for correct sentences.

time-to-keep-up-with-the-times-board-game-cards

P.S.  Thank you for your helpful feedback Kate. I really appreciate it.

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Best birthday ever

Summary of past or recent events

Ir(regular) Xmas

Soap Opera