Time: 30+
Level: HS~Adult
Mode: Pair Work Activity

Students tell their partner's fortune - but with a twist. They tell their partner Good News and Bad News. The Good News and Bad News predictions will turn your class into a flurry of excited (and animated) conversation.

This lesson begins with a simple question: "What do you want to do?"

From the responses, students create their partner's fortunes. For example, a student may say: "I want to take a nice vacation."

The partner then creates Good News and Bad News predictions about their partner's vacation. For example:
You will take a long vacation this year.
The Good News is that you will see some interesting places.
The Bad News is that you will lose your passport and all your money!

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Time: Varies
Level: HS~Adult
Mode: Pair Work Activity

Getting students to plan a trip is guaranteed to get them interested. In this lesson, they will be planning a 3-5 day bicycle trip (in pairs) and will need to work closely together.

This lesson is immensely flexible in terms of language ability, very low-level to very high-level students can benefit from this lesson.

This lesson works well because of its realistic nature. It's a major discussion opportunity for students to really get involved in working out the details of their mini-vacation. They'll be making all kinds of suggestions, debating alternate routes, planning ahead and eventually compromising in order to sketch out their bicycle trip.

This worksheet is a map, designed in complete detail and very realistic. Since the purpose of the trip is to enjoy the scenery and nature, students will need to avoid cycling through cities. Also, the route they plan should steer them away from things like the airport, the city dump, the state prison, the Motorcross Raceway, the nuclear power plant and Mosquito Marsh.

Though this pdf file is in color, it will print nicely in black and white.

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Time: Varies
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair / Group Activity

The purpose of this lesson is to get students involved in imagining or speculating about the trash bag owners, i.e., how many people live in this apartment / house, how old they are, what their names are, what their hobbies are, what jobs they have, what kind of things they like or don't like, what kind of personalities they might have. There are no right or wrong answers, merely hints to guide students' imagination.

Vocabulary development -- there are dozens of common, everyday household items illustrated on this worksheet. See how many students can identify them in English. This is also useful for working with speculative opinions, "I think the person who lives here is a young male because... ".

The answer to Who Lives Here #1 is probably a young, working couple.

Some of the items in the trash are:
a parking ticket
an unfinished crossword puzzle
an empty bottle of sleeping pills
a book titled Popular Children's Names -and-
a bottle of hot tub cleaner

Students can also practice the following phrases:
might be, could be and must be as well as
might have, could have and must have.

There are four delightfully illustrated worksheets in this series. They are:
Who Lives Here? (2) (See Lesson 08b below)
Who Lives Here? (3) (See Lesson 08c below) -and-
Who Lives Here? (4) (See Lesson 08d below).

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Time: Varies
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair / Group Activity

The purpose of this lesson is to get students involved in imagining or speculating about the trash bag owners, i.e., how many people live in this apartment / house, how old they are, what their names are, what their hobbies are, what jobs they have, what kind of things they like or don't like, what kind of personalities they might have. There are no right or wrong answers, merely hints to guide students' imagination.

Vocabulary development -- there are dozens of common, everyday household items illustrated on these worksheets. See how many students can identify them in English. This is also useful for working with speculative opinions, "I think the person who lives here is a young male because... ".

The answer to Who Lives Here #2 is probably two young single men.

Some of the items in the trash are:
a take out box of Chinese food
cockroach killer spray
a Baseball Today magazine
a tube of acne remover -and-
plastic forks and spoons

Students can also practice the following phrases:
might be, could be and must be as well as
might have, could have and must have.

There are four delightfully illustrated worksheets in this series. They are:
Who Lives Here? (1) (See Lesson 08a above)
Who Lives Here? (3) (See Lesson 08c below) -and-
Who Lives Here? (4) (See Lesson 08d below).

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Time: Varies
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair / Group Activity

Another great worksheet for students to speculate about. Very different from the first two but equally compelling. Students will have to look very carefully at the contents of the trashbag to pick up hints as to who "might" be the owner(s). There are so many little hints as to the people living here that students can help but be involved, especially as the clues start coming together!

The answer to Who Lives Here #3 is probably an extended young family.

Some of the items in the trash are:
a hospital nurse's cap
fishing lures
quilting magazines
coupon for baby food -and-
a moving company pamphlet

This is probably the home of an extended family of five; a father who loves fishing, a mother who is a nurse, a hard-of-hearing grandmother who loves to sew and make quilts, a young son who likes baseball and an infant who is teething. They probably have two dogs, one is large and the other is only a puppy. The parents are probably in their early 30s and they have recently celebrated their 6th or 7th anniversary where they went to a nice restaurant together while grandmother babysat. The family is probably preparing to move to a new city, possibly from California to New York.

Students can also practice the following phrases:
might be, could be and must be as well as
might have, could have and must have.

There are four delightfully illustrated worksheets in this series. They are:

Who Lives Here? (1) (See Lesson 08a above)
Who Lives Here? (2) (See Lesson 08b above) -and-
Who Lives Here? (4) (See Lesson 08d below).

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Time: Varies
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair / Group Activity

Who Lives Here? (#4) is probably the home of two female roommates in their early 20s. They might not be good cooks and are very busy. One of them is a waitress, the other one probably has a day job so she takes night classes at the university. One or both of them has a boyfriend. One of them wants to be a dancer. They follow the horoscope, one of them is a Cancer (June 22 - July 23). They like to watch TV and one or both of them likes to read about popular gossip.

Some of the items in the trash are:
empty bottles of perfume
high heels
a Romantic Meals cookbook
university flyer -and-
an empty bottle of hair rinse

Students can also practice the following phrases:
might be, could be and must be as well as
might have, could have and must have.

There are four delightfully illustrated worksheets in this series. They are:

Who Lives Here? (1) (See Lesson 08a above)
Who Lives Here? (2) (See Lesson 08b above) -and-
Who Lives Here? (3) (See Lesson 08c above).

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Time: 40+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair / Group Activity

This lesson is a guaranteed hit with your students. In pairs, students first ask for a number between 1 and 5, between 6 and 10, between 11 and 15 - all the way to between 176 and 180.

Each chosen number corresponds to a word on the worksheets. When finished, students read their horoscopes to their partners.

There are five areas of fortune: Health, Money, Travel, Home & Family and Love & Romance. Within each section, there is a prediction and a warning. . . but unlike more serious fortune telling, these predictions are hilarious.

Here's a typical fortune (from the Travel section):

On the 7th day after the first of August, you will have a chance to swim to Tahiti and to stay at a dirty hotel for six nights. This could be the most boring trip of your life! Be careful of the taxi drivers because you could get a stomach ache.

Students will be laughing so much that they'll forget that they are doing this lesson in English!

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Time: Varies
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Small Group Activity

Raising money for one's club or group requires careful planning, attention to detail and, obviously, a lot of discussion.

Fund Raiser 1 offers a sample Car Wash flyer that a club might create to announce their money raising project. After looking at and discussing the sample, groups of students then begin planning their own (imaginary or real) Fund Raising Project.

This lesson gets students motivated and keeps them focused on the project of raising money. In so doing, they'll be using English to communicate with each other about the best way to raise money for their imaginary club.

There are three similar worksheets available. They are:

Fund Raiser 2 A Pancake Breakfast (See Lesson 10b below)
Fund Raiser 3 A Talent Show (See Lesson 10c below) -and-
Fund Raiser 4 A Teacher/Principal Auction Fund Raiser (See Lesson 10d below).

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Time: Varies
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Small Group Activity

These fund raising worksheets requires groups of students to plan carefully, to pay close attention to detail and, perhaps most importantly, spend a lot of time discussing.

Fund Raisers 2 shows a sample Pancake Breakfast flyer that a club might create to announce their money raising project. After looking at and discussing the sample, groups of students then begin planning their own (imaginary or real) Fund Raising Project.

There are three similar worksheets available. They are:

Fund Raiser 1 A Car Wash (See Lesson 10a above)
Fund Raiser 3 A Talent Show Fund Raiser (See Lesson 10c below) -and-
Fund Raiser 4 A Teacher/Principal Auction Fund Raiser (See Lesson 10d below).

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Time: Varies
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Small Group Activity

Raising money for one's club or group requires careful planning, attention to detail and, obviously, a lot of discussion.

Fund Raiser 3 introduces the concept of a Pancake Breakfast to raise money. In pairs or small groups, students set goals for the amount of money they hope to raise, and decide on all the details necessary in planning a fund raiser. This lesson encourages intense discussion.

There is an accompanying worksheet which outlines all of the necessary information that a fund raiser requires.

This lesson gets students focused and keeps them focused on the project of raising money. In so doing, they'll be using English to communicate with each other about the best way to raise money for their imaginary club.

Fund Raisers 1, 2 and 4 offer additional sample fliers that a club might create to announce their money raising project. After looking at and discussing these samples, groups of students then begin planning their own (imaginary or real) Fund Raising Project.

There are three similar worksheets available. They are:

Fund Raiser 1 A Car Wash (See Lesson 10a above)
Fund Raiser 2 A Talent Show (See Lesson 10b above) -and-
Fund Raiser 4 A Teacher/Principal Auction Fund Raiser (See Lesson 10d below).

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Time: Varies
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Small Group Activity

Fund Raiser 4 shows a flier for a Teacher Auction - a very interesting way to raise money. In pairs or small groups, students set goals for the amount of money they hope to raise, and discuss all of the necessary details to plan a successful fund raiser.

There is an accompanying worksheet which outlines all of the information that a fund raiser requires.

After looking at and discussing these samples, groups of students then begin planning their own (imaginary or real) Fund Raising Project.

This is a very realistic way to get students to communicate in English.

There are three similar worksheets available. They are:

Fund Raiser 1 A Car Wash (See Lesson 10a above)
Fund Raiser 2 A Talent Show (See Lesson 10b above) -and-
Fund Raiser 3 A Pancake Breakfast (See Lesson 10c above).

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Time: 25+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair Work Activity

We all know a lot of superstitions, some of them are reasonable, others are, well, just a little wacky.

This pair work lesson gets students to create some really crazy superstitions. They are guaranteed to laugh a lot when they hear these good luck superstitions.

Students will be having so much fun that they will barely notice the fundamental English skills they'll need to do this lesson. These skills include parts of speech, singular vs plural, countable vs uncountable nouns.

There are five other similar worksheets. They are:

The Maitre d' (See Lesson 11b below)
The Doctor's Office (See Lesson 11c below)
An Original Story (See Lesson 11d below)
A Call to Santa (See Holiday Lesson Set - Xmas 01) -and-
Cupid's Solution (See Holiday Lesson Set - Valentines 02).

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Time: 15+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair Work Activity

This lesson is guaranteed to make everyone laugh. One student is the waiter or waitress. The other is the customer. Once students have finished the initial work of gathering information from their partners, they will have a very odd conversation with some surprising requests for food!

No one will be able to keep a straight face, yet beneath the silliness, students will be working with grammar including parts of speech, subject/verb agreement, count vs. non-count nouns and distinguishing between the articles "a" and "an."

There are five other similar worksheets. They are:

The Lost City of Ohmygosh (See Lesson 11a above)
The Doctor's Office (See Lesson 11c below)
An Original Story (See Lesson 11d below)
A Call to Santa (See Holiday Lesson Set - Xmas 01) -and-
Cupid's Solution (See Holiday Lesson Set - Valentines 02).

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Time: 15+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair Work Activity

This fun pair-work lesson is guaranteed to bring any class to life. And it's really short (about 15 minutes) so it's a perfect ice-breaker.

During the activity, students will be working with sentence parts (verbs, adjectives, etc.), building vocabulary and practicing singular vs. plural nouns.

Worksheet A is for the Doctor, Worksheet B is for the Patient. Partners ask for information (according to what is printed on the worksheet. For example: "Tell me an animal sound," "Tell me a body part," "Tell me an adjective," etc.

Students add the missing elements of the dialogue by providing their partner's with names of flowers, adjectives, carpenter's tools, sports verbs, and so on.

Once all of the information has been gathered and written on the worksheets, the fun begins. Students read their dialogues. A typical conversation could look like the following:

Doctor: Hello. I'm Dr. Oink Oink Wilson.
Patient: Hi, my name is Hibiscus but everyone calls me banana head.
Doctor: Wow! That's a wonderful nickname.
Patient: Thanks.
Doctor: How can I help you?
Patient: Yesterday, I crashed into a leaf.
Doctor: Well, I'm afraid I have to cut off your foot....

And it just gets sillier and sillier. There are several of these types of exercises in the EFL4U lessons, they're all fun and wacky. They are:
The Lost City of Ohmygosh (See Lesson 11a above)
The Maitre d' (See Lesson 11b above)
An Original Story (See Lesson 11d below)
A Call to Santa (See Holiday Lesson Set - Xmas 01) -and-
Cupid's Solution (See Holiday Lesson Set - Valentines 02). Back to Top

Time: 40+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair Work Activity

This multi-purpose lesson is a really fun yet practical way to review parts of speech, plural vs. singular nouns, articles and sentence construction. Furthermore, students will gain practice in reading a short story naturally - including conversations where intonation is important.

Students work in pairs, one asking for items and the other supplying the answers. For example:
Student A: Tell me a month.
Student B: February.
Student A: Tell me a Boy's name.
Student B: Ted.
Student A: Tell me a male relative.
Student B: Uncle.

After all of the answers have been written on the worksheet, the student reads the short story. It might sound like this: (The underlined words are sample words supplied by the students.)

One day last February, Ted decided to visit his uncle who lived in Lisbon. He hopped 752 kilometers and arrived at 5:39 p.m. the next day.

Before going to his uncle's house, he stopped at a bus station to buy 88 chipmunks. He cautiously put them into his briefs and took a taxi to his uncle's place.

When he knocked on the door. . . etc.

The story will be so odd that students won't be able to help themselves from laughing!

There are five other similar worksheets. They are:

The Lost City of Ohmygosh (See Lesson 11a above)
The Maitre d' (See Lesson 11b above)
The Doctor's Office (See Lesson 11c above)
A Call to Santa (See Holiday Lesson Set - Xmas 01) -and-
Cupid's Solution (See Holiday Lesson Set - Valentines 02).

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Time: 30+
Level: HS~Adult
Mode: Small Group Activity

A massive discussion generator, The Marriage Counselor gets students to role play a happily married couple (who have been bickering a lot recently) and a marriage counselor who tries to get them to talk about their problems.

The problems that this couple share are fairly common ones that people bicker about. There are 36 "complaint" cards for the husband and wife, 18 each.

For example, the husband says: "She's always late for everything and makes me wait for her," or the wife says: "He's always inviting friends to our house but he never tells me they are coming."

Together, with the "counselor," the couple try to work through their problems.

Complaining, agreeing, disagreeing, discussing and offering advice are all involved with this lesson. Students will have to listen carefully to each other and the counselor must keep a written record of the counseling session.

The download includes several sets of cards and a Counselor's Report worksheet.

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Time: 15+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair / Group Activity

Do your students know what a cow, a rooster or a horse says in English? The worksheet has illustrations of 17 different animals. Students first learn the English equivalent of the animal sounds and then they use the worksheet for a really fun activity.

In groups of three, students offer hints about a selected animal. For example:

It's dangerous, OR It's noisy.

The other students try to guess the animal. To do so, they have to ask the question:

Does it say Cock-a-doodle-doo?

If correct, the student receives four points. If not, a second hint is given such as:

It has a long tail.

The other students try a second guess. For example:

Does it say Whinny, whinny?

The process continues until the students have identified the selected animal by its cry.

Underneath all the silliness, there is a real English lesson at work. Students practice simple present tense verbs; giving hints using: It is..., It has..., It eats..., and It lives... to describe various animals.

Warning: This is a really noisy lesson and guaranteed to be fun!

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Time: 25+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Tri-Work Activity (Three students)

To do this lesson, students will need to listen to each other carefully while spotting errors in English grammar and syntax.

There are three sections to this worksheet: A B & C. Each section has ten sentences and each sentence is exactly the same except that only one of them uses correct English. Students, in groups of three, have to listen carefully to each other to discover who has the grammatically correct sentence.

There is even a "built in" confirmation with this lesson; once students have finished, they insert the code and hopefully will spell out the title: Sour Grapes.

There are similar lessons available. They are:

The Lazy Grasshopper (see Lesson 14b below)
The Smart Crow (See Lesson 14c below)
The Clever Fox (See Lesson 14d below)
Greedy Dog (See Lesson 14e below)
The Silly Crab (See Lesson 14f below) -and-
The Sun Vs. Wind (See Lesson 14g below).

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Time: 25+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Tri-Work Activity (Three students)

Listening is inherently important in this lesson. Students must listen carefully to each other in order to spot errors in English grammar and syntax.

There are three sections to this worksheet: A B & C. Each section has nine sentences and each sentence is exactly the same except that only one of them uses correct English. Students, in groups of three, have to listen carefully to each other to discover who has the grammatically correct sentence.

There is even a "built in" confirmation with this lesson; once students have finished, they insert the code and hopefully will spell out the title: The Lazy Grasshopper.

There are five similar lessons available. They are:

Sour Grapes (see Lesson 14a above)
The Smart Crow (See Lesson 14c below)
The Clever Fox (See Lesson 14d below)
Greedy Dog (See Lesson 14e below)
The Silly Crab (See Lesson 14f below) -and-
The Sun Vs. Wind (See Lesson 14g below).

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Time: 25+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Tri-Work Activity (Three students)

Listening to each other and spotting errors in English grammar and syntax.

This worksheet has three sections, A B & C. Each section has nine sentences and each sentence is exactly the same except that only one of them uses correct English.

Students, in groups of three, have to listen carefully to each other to discover who has the grammatically correct sentence. Many of the errors are with missing or incorrect articles (a, an or the), a dropped unnecessary "s" or inaccurate verbs.

By working closely together, and listening carefully, students can easily identify the incorrect sentences simply by comparing the three.

There is even a "built in" confirmation with this lesson; once students have finished, they insert the code and hopefully will spell out the title: Smart Crow.

There are five similar lessons available. They are:

Sour Grapes (see Lesson 14a above)
The Lazy Grasshopper (See Lesson 14b above)
The Clever Fox (See Lesson 14d below)
Greedy Dog (See Lesson 14e below)
The Silly Crab (See Lesson 14f below) -and-
The Sun Vs. Wind (See Lesson 14g below).

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Time: 25+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Tri-Work Activity (Three students)

Listening to each other and spotting errors in English grammar and syntax.

This worksheet has three sections, A B & C. Each section has nine sentences and each sentence is exactly the same except that only one of them uses correct English.

Students, in groups of three, have to listen carefully to each other to discover who has the grammatically correct sentence. The errors include missing or incorrect articles (a, an or the), singular vs. plural nouns or inaccurate verb tenses. (There are no spelling errors).

By working closely together, and listening carefully, students can easily identify the incorrect sentences simply by comparing the three.

There is even a "built in" confirmation with this lesson; once students have finished, they insert the code and hopefully will spell out the title: Clever Fox.

There are five similar lessons available. They are:

Sour Grapes (see Lesson 14a above)
The Lazy Grasshopper (See Lesson 14b above)
The Smart Crow (See Lesson 14c above)
Greedy Dog (See Lesson 14e below)
The Silly Crab (See Lesson 14f below) -and-
The Sun Vs. Wind (See Lesson 14g below).

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Time: 25+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Tri-Work Activity (Three students)

This is a tri-work activity (made for groups of 3 students). This worksheet has three sections which have ten sentences each. Only one of the three is grammatically correct, the other two have one error each. (There are no spelling errors.)

Many of the mistakes have missing or incorrect articles (a, an or the), a dropped unnecessary "s" or inaccurate verb tense. Students have to listen carefully to each other to discover who has the grammatically correct sentence.

Once students have finished, they insert the special code and spell out the title: Greedy Dog.

There are six similar lessons available:

Sour Grapes (see Lesson 14a above)
The Lazy Grasshopper (See Lesson 14b above)
The Smart Crow (See Lesson 14c above)
The Clever Fox (See Lesson 14d above)
The Silly Crab (See Lesson 14f below) -and-
The Sun Vs. Wind (See Lesson 14g below).

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Time: 25+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Tri-Work Activity (Three students)

Another lesson in this series to encourage students to listen carefully to each other in order to spot errors in English grammar and syntax.

There are three sections on this worksheet, A B & C. Each section has nine sentences and each sentence is exactly the same except that only one of them uses correct English.

Students, in groups of three, have to discover who has the grammatically correct sentence. Many of the errors are with missing or incorrect articles (a, an or the), a dropped (or unnecessarily added) "s" or inaccurate verbs.

By working closely together, and listening carefully, students can easily identify the incorrect sentences simply by comparing the three.

There is even a "built in" confirmation with this lesson; once students have finished, they insert the code and hopefully will spell out the title: Silly Crab.

There are five similar lessons available. They are:

Sour Grapes (see Lesson 14a above)
The Lazy Grasshopper (see Lesson 14b above)
The Smart Crow (see Lesson 14c above)
The Clever Fox (see Lesson 14d above)
The Greedy Dog (see Lesson 14e above) -and-
The Sun Vs. Wind (see Lesson 14g below).

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Time: 25+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Tri-Work Activity (Three students)

This series encourages students to listen carefully to their group mates in order to spot errors in English grammar and syntax.

The worksheet has three sections: A, B & C. Each section has nine sentences and each sentence is exactly the same except that only one of them uses correct English; the other two have one mistake each.

Students, in groups of three, have to discover who has the grammatically correct sentence. Many of the errors are with missing or incorrect articles (a, an or the), a dropped (or unnecessarily added) "s" or inaccurate verbs.

By working closely together, and listening carefully, students can easily identify the incorrect sentences simply by comparing the three.

There is even a "built in" confirmation with this lesson; once students have finished, they insert the code and hopefully will spell out the title: Sun vs Wind.

There are five similar lessons available. They are:

Sour Grapes (see Lesson 14a above)
The Lazy Grasshopper (See Lesson 14b above)
The Smart Crow (See Lesson 14c above)
The Clever Fox (See Lesson 14d above) -and-
The Greedy Dog (See Lesson 14e above) -and-
The Silly Crab (See Lesson 14f above).

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Time: 50+
Level: HS~Adult
Mode: Pair / Group Activity

Using real English to track the profit / loss of one's imaginary stock portfolio.

There are three worksheets with this lesson, Week One, My Portfolio Update and My Partner's Portfolio Update.

Using a current newspaper (and with a calculator on hand) students purchase five stocks. They must keep track of the name and code of the stock, the price per stock, the number of stocks purchased and a total amount of money spent. Then, in pairs (or small groups), students share their purchase information with their partners.

At a follow up time, students look at their stock performance (using the Update Worksheet). They have the option to keep the stocks, sell some or buy new ones. This is again shared with their partners using the My Partner's Portfolio Update Worksheet.

Because this lesson is a real-life simulation of tracking stock, students become very animated as they watch their stocks rise and fall.

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Time: 50+
Level: SHS~Adult
Mode: Pair Work Activity

Do you know who the stapler was invented by? Or when? Or where? How about paper clips? Or the disposable diaper?

In groups of three, students ask and answers questions in the passive voice about the origin of common objects. For example:
Student A: Who was the stapler invented by? Was it invented by George W. McGill, Sir Elliot Bingham or Otto Hotchkiss?
Student B: It was invented by (guesses a name), wasn't it?
Student A (if incorrect): Sorry, it wasn't invented by him. Try again.
Student B: It was invented by (guesses another name), wasn't it?
Student A (correct): Yes, that's right!

Student A continues with the next question: Was it invented in 1858, 1879 or 1892?
Student B: It was invented in (guesses a year), wasn't it?

And on it goes until Who, When and Where have all been answered.

There are six inventions in total, three for each student in the pair.
A different version of this lesson is available. See:
Important Discoveries (See Lesson 16b below). Back to Top

Time: 50+
Level: HS~Adult
Mode: Pair Work Activity

Do you know who the polio vaccine was discovered by? Or when? Or where? How about radium? Or radio waves?

In pairs, students ask and answer questions in the passive voice about the discovery of important things. For example:

Student A: Who was Pluto discovered by? Was it discovered by Friedrich VanDerhorn, Winston Cray or Clyde W. Tombaugh?

Student B: It was discovered by Friedrich VanDerhorn, wasn't it?

Student A: Sorry, it wasn't discovered by him. Try again.

Student B: It was discovered by Clyde W. Tombaugh, wasn't it?

Student A: Yes, that's correct!

Each worksheet lists six discoveries for a total of twelve. By the end of the lesson, students will know who, when and where they were all made.

A different version of this lesson is available:
Modern Inventions (See Lesson 16a above). Back to Top

Time: 35+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Small Group Activity

In groups of four, students are each dealt five cards. Each card has a weather condition (sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy, windy, stormy or partly cloudy).

Each card also has one of the following cities illustrated on it: London, Paris, Sydney or New York. Each card is titled Today, Yesterday or Tomorrow.

The students will be so busy playing this card game that they probably won't realize they are speaking English. And the more they play, the smoother they get!

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Time: 15+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Small Group Activity

When a class needs a little pick-me-up, this is the perfect lesson. Students have to get active to play this game. In small groups, students compete against each other to be the first to identify words that rhyme. The words from the worksheet are laid out randomly on a table, one student calls out a word and the others struggle to SLAP the other words that rhyme.

Here's how it works. The teacher (or a student) calls out one of the words, for example feet. The students who slap the remaining rhyming words, meat and seat, each get a point.

Those three cards are removed from the table and another word called. Eventually, all of the words will be removed and the game is over. The student with the most points is the winner!

For similar style lessons, see:

Rhyme Time 2 (See 18b below)
Rhyme Time 3(See 18c below)
Rhyme Time 4(See 18d below)
Rhyme Time 5(See 18e below)
Rhyme Time 6(See 18f below) -and-
Rhyme Time 7(See 18g below).

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Time: 15+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Small Group Activity

In small groups or individually, students compete against each other to be the first to find and slap words that rhyme. The words from the worksheet are laid out randomly on a table, one student calls out a word and the others struggle to SLAP the other words that rhyme.

For example, the teacher (or a student) calls out one of the words, for example caught. The students who slap the remaining rhyming words, fought, thought and bought, each get a point.

Those three cards are removed from the table and another word called. Eventually, all of the words will be removed and the game is over. The student with the most points is the winner!

These Rhyme Time cards are all verbs.

For similar style lessons, see:

Rhyme Time 1 (See 18a above)
Rhyme Time 3(See 18c below)
Rhyme Time 4(See 18d below)
Rhyme Time 5(See 18e below)
Rhyme Time 6(See 18f below) -and-
Rhyme Time 7(See 18g below).

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Time: 15+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Small Group Activity

Rhyme Time 3 works with easy nouns. A great activity when the class needs a little energy fix. In small groups, students compete against each other to be the first to identify words that rhyme, for example:

The rhyming words in the third version of Rhyme Time are a bit trickier than the first two. But the game remains the same. Students compete to be the first to find and slap words that rhyme. The words from the worksheet are laid out randomly on a table, one student calls out a word and the others struggle to SLAP the other words that rhyme.

One group of rhyming words from this set includes weight, mate, bate, trait, rate and freight. Students who SLAP these rhyming words each get a point.

Those cards are removed from the table and another word called. Eventually, all of the words will be removed and the game is over. The student with the most points is the winner!

For similar style lessons, see:

Rhyme Time 1 (See 18a above)
Rhyme Time 2(See 18b above)
Rhyme Time 4(See 18d below)
Rhyme Time 5(See 18e below)
Rhyme Time 6(See 18f below) -and-
Rhyme Time 7(See 18g below).

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Time: 15+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Small Group Activity

Part 4 in the Rhyme Time Series works with slightly more difficult verbs than Rhyme Time 2.

One group of rhyming words from this set includes bind, dined, wind, grind, lined and signed. Students who SLAP these rhyming words each get a point.

Those cards are removed from the table and another word called. Eventually, all of the words will be removed and the game is over. The student with the most points is the winner!

To make the lesson much more difficult, encourage students to put the words they've slapped into correct sentences, or - put all the rhyming words into a single sentence.

For similar style lessons, see:

Rhyme Time 1 (See 18a above)
Rhyme Time 2(See 18b above)
Rhyme Time 3(See 18c above)
Rhyme Time 5(See 18e below)
Rhyme Time 6(See 18f below) -and-
Rhyme Time 7(See 18g below).

Back to Top

Time: 15+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Small Group Activity

Rhyme Time 5 works with not-so-easy adjectives. When a class needs a little pick-me-up, this is the perfect lesson. Students have to get active to play this game - in small groups, students compete against each other to be the first to identify adjectives that rhyme.

Many of the rhyming words on these cards will be new to many students. (They are also homophones!) This game is a fun way for students to learn new words. Once all the cards are spread out on the table, someone calls out one of the words. The other students compete to find and SLAP all of the words that rhyme.

One group of rhyming words from this set includes bright, light, tight, white, slight and right. Students who SLAP these rhyming words each get a point.

Those cards are removed from the table and another word called. Eventually, all of the words will be removed and the game is over. The student with the most points is the winner!

For similar style lessons, see:

Rhyme Time 1 (See 18a above)
Rhyme Time 2(See 18b above)
Rhyme Time 3(See 18c above)
Rhyme Time 4(See 18d above)
Rhyme Time 6(See 18f below) -and-
Rhyme Time 7(See 18g below).

Back to Top

Time: 15+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Small Group Activity

Rhyme Time 6 focuses on identifying homonyms (also known as homophones!). This lesson works well with intermediate ability students. Nevertheless, it's sure to be a challenge for even advanced students!

Some of the rhyming words on these cards will be new to many students. This game is a fun way for students to learn new words. Once all the cards are spread out on the table, someone calls out one of the words. The other students compete to find and SLAP all of the words that rhyme.

One group of rhyming words from this set includes praise, prays and preys. Students who SLAP these rhyming words each get a point.

;Those cards are removed from the table and another word called. Eventually, all of the words will be removed and the game is over. The student with the most points is the winner!

For similar style lessons, see:

Rhyme Time 1 (See 18a above)
Rhyme Time 2(See 18b above)
Rhyme Time 3(See 18c above)
Rhyme Time 4(See 18d above)
Rhyme Time 5(See 18e above) -and-
Rhyme Time 7(See 18g below).

Back to Top

Time: 15+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Small Group Activity

Part 7 in the Rhyme Time Series works with assorted words with pretty difficult spelling. This set of words works with spelling; as students already know, spelling in English can be frightfully difficult. This FUN lesson is a great ice-breaker or class energizer! It will even challenge some of your advanced students!

Students have fun while learning some new words in this game. First, cut the worksheets into cards. Then spread all of the cards out on the table, face up. Someone randomly calls out one of the words. The other students compete to be the first to find and SLAP all of the words that rhyme.

One group of rhyming words from this set includes flute, shoot, salute, fruit and brute. Students who SLAP these rhyming words each get a point.

Those cards are removed from the table and another word called. Eventually, all of the words will be removed and the game is over. The student with the most points is the winner!

For similar style lessons, see:
Rhyme Time 1 (See 18a above)
Rhyme Time 2 (See 18b above)
Rhyme Time 3 (See 18c above)
Rhyme Time 4 (See 18d above)
Rhyme Time 5 (See 18e above) -and-
Rhyme Time 6 (See 18f above). Back to Top

Time: 40+
Level: HS~Adult
Mode: Pair Work Activity

After my boyfriend cleaned me out, I broke out in a sweat and decided to lash out at him, but then I chickened out. I'm still a little bummed out but I guess it will all turn out OK someday.

Although all of these verbs can stand alone (clean, break, lash, chicken, bum and turn), their meanings change substantially when combined with the prepostion out.

This lesson is made up of 24 cards, each containing a 2-word verb using out. In groups or as a whole class activity, students discuss the literal meaning as well as the figurative meaning of these words. Then, depending on the ability of the students, they could try putting the verbs into sentences.

VIP Members of EFL4U.com (those who have purchased the lessons) can download both worksheets containing 48 cards.

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Time: 40+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair / Small Group Activity

These are not only very fun lessons, but they are also a game. Students of all ages will enjoy these Tic-Tac-Toe style activities. In pairs or small groups, students have to ask their opponent a Past Tense question from the worksheet in order to place the marker. But, if the English grammar is incorrect, no marker can be placed.

The first lesson in this series focuses on past tense question starters. Students begin with the printed cue and complete the question. For example, How long did . . . ? Why were . . . ? Where did . . . ? and How was . . . ?

But, that's only half of the activity. The other half requires the other opponent to answer the question - not only correctly, but also with correct grammar. This ensures that students will listen carefully to each other.

Normal Tic-Tac-Toe uses a 3 x 3 grid, but these worksheets introduce a 5 x 5 grid which takes a lot more time to finish.

There are 8 similar worksheets available. They are:

Criss-Cross Questions #2 (Present Tense - 20b below)
Criss-Cross Questions #3 (Mixed Tenses - 20c below)
Criss-Cross Questions #4 (Tag Questions Past - 20d below)
Criss-Cross Questions #5 (Tag Questions Present - 20e below)
Criss-Cross Questions #6 (Tag Questions Mixed - 20f below)
Criss-Cross Questions #7 (Regular & Tag Questions Past - 20g below)
Criss-Cross Questions #8 (Regular & Tag Questions Present - 20h below) -and-
Criss-Cross Questions #9 (Regular & Tag Questions Mixed - 20i below). Back to Top

Time: 40+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair / Small Group Activity

This worksheet focuses on Present Tense verbs. Students will have a lot of fun with this Tic-Tac-Toe style activity. Pairs or small groups of students ask Present Tense questions from the worksheet in order to place a marker. But, if the English grammar is incorrect, no marker can be placed.

Students begin with the printed cue and complete the question. For example, What are . . . ? Where does . . . ? What time do . . . ? and When is . . . ?

There are 25 present tense question starters on the worksheet. Student or teams try to be the first to place five markers in a row.

In pairs or small groups, students ask their opponent a question from the worksheet in order to place the marker. But, if the English grammar is incorrect, no marker can be placed.

Example #1: Where are your shoe? is incorrect (shoes!) so the opponent can not place a marker. Example #2: When is your birthday? is a good question (grammatically) so the opponent places a marker on that square.

But, that's only half of the activity. The other half requires the other opponent to answer the question - not only correctly, but also with correct grammar. This ensures that students will need to listen carefully to each other.

Note: Normal Tic-Tac-Toe uses a 3 x 3 grid, but these worksheets introduce a 5 x 5 grid which takes a lot more time to finish.

There are 8 similar worksheets available. They are:
Criss-Cross Questions #1 (Past Tense - 20a above)
Criss-Cross Questions #3 (Mixed Tenses - 20c below)
Criss-Cross Questions #4 (Tag Questions Past - 20d below)
Criss-Cross Questions #5 (Tag Questions Present - 20e below)
Criss-Cross Questions #6 (Tag Questions Mixed - 20f below)
Criss-Cross Questions #7 (Regular & Tag Questions Past - 20g below)
Criss-Cross Questions #8 (Regular & Tag Questions Present - 20h below) -and-
Criss-Cross Questions #9 (Regular & Tag Questions Mixed - 20i below). Back to Top

Time: 40+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair / Small Group Activity

This worksheet focuses on Present, Past and Future Tense verbs. This Tic-Tac-Toe style activity guarantees that students will enjoy themselves. Pairs or small groups of students ask Present, Past and Future Tense questions from the worksheet in order to place a marker. But, if the English grammar is incorrect, no marker can be placed.

Students begin with the printed cue and complete the question. For example: When will . . . ? Who does . . . ? Why did . . . and Where is . . . ? But, that's only half of the activity. The opponent must answer the question - not only correctly, but also with correct grammar. This ensures that students need to listen carefully to each other.

Normal Tic-Tac-Toe uses a 3 x 3 grid, but these worksheets introduce a 5 x 5 grid which takes a lot more time to finish.

There are 8 similar worksheets available. They are:

Criss-Cross Questions #1 (Past Tense - 20a above)
Criss-Cross Questions #2 (Present Tense - 20b above)
Criss-Cross Questions #4 (Tag Questions Past - 20d below)
Criss-Cross Questions #5 (Tag Questions Present - 20e below)
Criss-Cross Questions #6 (Tag Questions Mixed - 20f below)
Criss-Cross Questions #7 (Regular & Tag Questions Past - 20g below)
Criss-Cross Questions #8 (Regular & Tag Questions Present - 20h below) -and-
Criss-Cross Questions #9 (Regular & Tag Questions Mixed - 20i below). Back to Top

Time: 40+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair / Small Group Activity

This worksheet focuses on Past Tense Tag Questions. Pairs or small groups of students ask Past Tense Tag Questions from the worksheet in order to place a marker. But, if the English grammar is incorrect, no marker can be placed. This Tic-Tac-Toe style activity is guaranteed to bring your classes alive!

Unlike the first three worksheets, this fourth one has students competing by using past tense Tag Questions. Students create the beginning of the question and end with the printed cue to complete the question. For example, . . . , did they? , . . . , wasn't he? . . . , weren't you? and . . . , didn't she?

But, that's only half of the activity. The other half requires the other opponent to answer the question - not only correctly, but also with correct grammar. This ensures that students will need to listen carefully to each other.

There are 25 present tense question starters on the worksheet. Individual students or teams try to be the first to place five markers in a row.

Normal Tic-Tac-Toe uses a 3 x 3 grid, but these worksheets introduce a 5 x 5 grid which takes a lot more time to finish.

There are 8 similar worksheets available. They are:

Criss-Cross Questions #1 (Past Tense - 20a above)
Criss-Cross Questions #2 (Present Tense - 20b above)
Criss-Cross Questions #3 (Mixed Tenses - 20c above)
Criss-Cross Questions #5 (Tag Questions Present - 20e below)
Criss-Cross Questions #6 (Tag Questions Mixed - 20f below)
Criss-Cross Questions #7 (Regular & Tag Questions Past - 20g below)
Criss-Cross Questions #8 (Regular & Tag Questions Present - 20h below) -and-
Criss-Cross Questions #9 (Regular & Tag Questions Mixed - 20i below). Back to Top

Time: 40+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair / Small Group Activity

This worksheet focuses on Present Tense Tag Questions. Pairs or small groups of students ask Present Tense Tag Questions from the worksheet in order to place a marker. But, if the English grammar is incorrect, no marker can be placed. This Tic-Tac-Toe style activity is guaranteed to bring your classes alive!

Again, students compete, but this time with present tense Tag Questions. Students create the beginning of the question and end with the printed cue to complete the question. For example, . . . , does it? , . . . , isn't there? . . . , are we? and . . . , doesn't she?.

But, that's only half of the activity. The other half requires the other opponent to answer the question - not only correctly, but also with correct grammar. This ensures that students will need to listen carefully to each other.

There are 25 present tense question starters on the worksheet. Student or teams try to be the first to place five markers in a row.

Normal Tic-Tac-Toe uses a 3 x 3 grid, but these worksheets introduce a 5 x 5 grid which takes a lot more time to finish.

There are 8 similar worksheets available. They are:

Criss-Cross Questions #1 (Past Tense - 20a above)
Criss-Cross Questions #2 (Present Tense - 20b above)
Criss-Cross Questions #3 (Mixed Tenses - 20c above)
Criss-Cross Questions #4 (Tag Questions Past - 20d above)
Criss-Cross Questions #6 (Tag Questions Mixed - 20f below)
Criss-Cross Questions #7 (Regular & Tag Questions Past - 20g below)
Criss-Cross Questions #8 (Regular & Tag Questions Present - 20h below) -and-
Criss-Cross Questions #9 (Regular & Tag Questions Mixed - 20i below). Back to Top

Time: 40+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair / Small Group Activity

Criss-Cross Questions 6 stimulates students to ask Mixed Tenses Tag Questions. Pairs or small groups of students ask Mixed Tenses Tag Questions from the worksheet in order to place a marker. Your students will have a lot of fun with this Tic-Tac-Toe style activity.

Back to Top

Time: 40+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair / Small Group Activity

This worksheet stimulates students to ask Past Tense Questions, both Regular and Tag Questions. Pairs or small groups of students ask Past Tenses Questions from the worksheet in order to place a marker. But, if the English grammar is incorrect, no marker can be placed. Students will become quite animated with this simple Tic-Tac-Toe style activity.

Students compete by creating questions such as: Where were . . . ?  . . . , did you? What was . . . ? and   . . . , were we?.

But, that’s only half of the activity. The other half requires the other opponent to answer the question - not only correctly, but also with correct grammar. This ensures that students will need to listen carefully to each other.

There are 25 present tense question starters on the worksheet. Students or teams try to be the first to place five markers in a row.

Normal Tic-Tac-Toe uses a 3 x 3 grid, but these worksheets introduce a 5 x 5 grid which takes a lot more time to finish.

There are 8 similar worksheets available. They are:
  Criss-Cross Questions #1 (Past Tense - 20a above)
  Criss-Cross Questions #2 (Present Tense - 20b above)
  Criss-Cross Questions #3 (Mixed Tenses - 20c above)
  Criss-Cross Questions #4 (Tag Questions Past - 20d above)
  Criss-Cross Questions #5 (Tag Questions Present - 20e above)
  Criss-Cross Questions #6 (Tag Questions Mixed tenses - 20f above)
  Criss-Cross Questions #8 (Regular & Tag Questions Present - 20h below) -and-
  Criss-Cross Questions #9 (Regular & Tag Questions Mixed - 20i below).

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Time: 40+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair / Small Group Activity

This worksheet stimulates students to ask Present Tense Questions, both Regular and Tag Questions. Pairs or small groups of students ask Present Tenses Questions from the worksheet in order to place a marker.

Students compete by creating questions such as: What does . . . ? . . . , is she? When do . . . ? and . . . , are they?

But, that's only half of the activity. The other half requires the other opponent to answer the question - not only correctly, but also with correct grammar. This ensures that students will need to listen carefully to each other.

But, if the English grammar is incorrect, no marker can be placed. Students will become quite animated with this simple Tic-Tac-Toe style activity.

There are 25 present tense question starters on the worksheet. Student or teams try to be the first to place five markers in a row.

Normal Tic-Tac-Toe uses a 3 x 3 grid, but these worksheets introduce a 5 x 5 grid which takes a lot more time to finish.

There are 8 similar worksheets available. They are:

Criss-Cross Questions #1 (Past Tense - 20a above)
Criss-Cross Questions #2 (Present Tense - 20b above)
Criss-Cross Questions #3 (Mixed Tenses - 20c above)
Criss-Cross Questions #4 (Tag Questions Past - 20d above)
Criss-Cross Questions #5 (Tag Questions Present - 20e above)
Criss-Cross Questions #6 (Tag Questions Mixed tenses - 20f above)
Criss-Cross Questions #7 (Regular & Tag Questions Past - 20g above) -and-
Criss-Cross Questions #9 (Regular & Tag Questions Mixed - 20i below). Back to Top

Time: 40+
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair / Small Group Activity

This final worksheet focuses on Mixed Tense Questions, both Regular and Tag Questions. Pairs or small groups of students ask Mixed Tense Questions from the worksheet in order to place a marker. Students will become quite animated with this simple Tic-Tac-Toe style activity.
Students compete by creating questions such as: When are . . . ? . . . , did she? Why does . . . ? and . . . , is it?.

But, that's only half of the activity. The other half requires the other opponent to answer the question - not only correctly, but also with correct grammar. If the English grammar is incorrect, no marker can be placed. This ensures that students will need to listen carefully to each other.

There are 25 present tense question starters on the worksheet. Student or teams try to be the first to place five markers in a row.

Normal Tic-Tac-Toe uses a 3 x 3 grid, but these worksheets introduce a 5 x 5 grid which takes a lot more time to finish.

There are 8 similar worksheets available. They are:
Criss-Cross Questions #1 (Past Tense - 20a above)
Criss-Cross Questions #2 (Present Tense - 20b above)
Criss-Cross Questions #3 (Mixed Tenses - 20c above)
Criss-Cross Questions #4 (Tag Questions Past - 20d above)
Criss-Cross Questions #5 (Tag Questions Present - 20e above)
Criss-Cross Questions #6 (Tag Questions Mixed tenses - 20f above)
Criss-Cross Questions #7 (Regular & Tag Questions Past - 20g above) -and-
Criss-Cross Questions #8 (Regular & Tag Questions Present - 20h above). Back to Top

Time: 40+
Level: HS~Adult
Mode: Pair Work Activity

Students will have a really fun time trying to guess what their partners would do in a variety of situations. To do that, they have to listen carefully to each other..

Each worksheet has eight different scenarios; as one student reads one of the scenarios (and the multiple choice questions), the other tries to guess what his or her partner would do.

For example, the first question on Worksheet A says;

Imagine that I am sitting at a counter in a coffee shop. All of the other stools are empty. A person comes in and sits on the stool next to mine. Do you think I would:

   a) say: Please move to another seat?
   b) finish my coffee quickly and leave?
   c) do nothing?
   d) start up a conversation?

The partner keeps guessing until the correct answer is given.

There's also a built-in 'point system' to add a bit of competition to this lesson. If the partner guesses correctly on the first try, four points are awarded. Three for the second guess, two for the third and a paltry one point is given if the partner got the first three wrong. A perfect score will result in 32 points. Students who score over 24 or so have a pretty good handle on their partner's way of thinking. Back to Top

Time: Varies
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair Work Activity

This simple lesson is a highly effective way for students to talk with each other. As the title suggests, this activity comes in the form of a survey. There are 10 questions on each worksheet (for a total of 20). For example:

    Where were you born and raised?
    Do you have any bad habits? If so, what are they?
    What is something you would really like to do within the next five years? Why?
    Do you think the world is a better place now or one-hundred years ago? Why? Why not?

Taking turns, students ask each other the questions as printed on their worksheets. The goal of the lesson is for students to dig for details by asking lots of follow-up questions. There are spaces given on the printouts for students to keep notes of their partner's answers.

If time permits, students then change partners. Now they ask their new partner for the answers given by their previous partner. This requires students to shift from first person to third. (You changes to he or she.) They answer the questions according to the notes they kept during the first interview.

Although this is a simple exercise, students become very involved in asking each other questions and having the chance to talk about themselves in English.

For similar style lessons, see:
  Survey #2 (Lesson Collection Set #3 - Lesson 22b)
  Survey #3 (Lesson Collection Set #3 - Lesson 22c) -and-
  Survey #4 (Lesson Collection Set #3 - Lesson 22d).

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Time: Varies
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair Work Activity

This lesson offers a stimulus for pairs of students to ask each other questions and to talk about themselves. Each worksheet contains 10 questions which doubles (or triples) when students ask additional follow-up questions. Some of the questions printed on the worksheet include:

    Tell me about something you did that was stupid.
    Tell me three kinds of food you don’t like. Is there a reason?
    If a genie gave you three wishes, what would they be?
    Tell me about one birthday you will never forget.

The goal of the lesson is for students to dig for details by asking lots of follow-up questions. There are spaces given on the printouts for students to keep notes of their partner's answers.

If time permits, students then change partners. Now they ask their new partner for the answers given by their previous partner. This requires students to shift from first person to third. (You changes to he or she.) They answer the questions according to the notes they kept during the first interview.

Although this is a simple exercise, students become very involved in asking each other questions and having the chance to talk about themselves in English.

For similar style lessons, see:
  Survey #1 (Lesson Collection Set #3 - Lesson 22a)
  Survey #3 (Lesson Collection Set #3 - Lesson 22c) -and-
  Survey #4 (Lesson Collection Set #3 - Lesson 22d).

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Time: Varies
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair Work Activity

Getting students to converse with each other in an ESL or EFL classroom is the goal of every teacher. This lesson does just that. Pairs of students ask each other the 10 questions printed on their worksheets and ask additional follow-up questions for more details. Some of the questions printed on the worksheet include:

    If you could change one thing about your past, what would it be? Why?
    Is there any kind of music you can’t stand? Explain.
    If you could meet anyone in history, who would it be? Why?
    Everyone has regrets. Tell me about one of yours (large or small).

The goal of the lesson is for students to dig for details by asking lots of follow-up questions. There are spaces given on the printouts for students to keep notes of their partner's answers.

If time permits, students then change partners. Now they ask their new partner for the answers given by their previous partner. This requires students to shift from first person to third. (You changes to he or she.) They answer the questions according to the notes they kept during the first interview.

Although this is a simple exercise, students become very involved in asking each other questions and having the chance to talk about themselves in English.

For similar style lessons, see:
  Survey #1 (Lesson Collection Set #3 - Lesson 22a)
  Survey #2 (Lesson Collection Set #3 - Lesson 22b) -and-
  Survey #4 (Lesson Collection Set #3 - Lesson 22d).

Back to Top

Time: Varies
Level: JHS~Adult
Mode: Pair Work Activity

Getting students to converse with each other in an ESL or EFL classroom is the goal of every teacher. Pairs of students ask each other the 10 questions printed on their worksheets and ask additional follow-up questions for more details. Some of the questions printed on the worksheet include:

Would you live on Mars for three years if you could? Why? Why not?

Would you rather time travel 50 years into the past or 50 years into the future? Why?

What kind of animal do you think you were in your previous life Why?

When you were a child, who was your favorite cartoon, comic or anime character? Why?

The goal of the lesson is for students to ask lots of follow-up questions to gather more information. There are spaces given on the printouts for students to keep notes of their partner's answers.

If time permits, students then change partners. Now they ask their new partner for the answers given by their previous partner. This requires students to shift from first person to third. (You changes to he or she.) They answer the questions according to the notes they kept during the first interview.

Although this is a simple exercise, students become very involved in asking each other questions and having the chance to talk about themselves in English.

For similar style lessons, see:
  Survey #1 (Lesson Collection Set #3 - Lesson 22a)
  Survey #2 (Lesson Collection Set #3 - Lesson 22b) -and-
  Survey #3 (Lesson Collection Set #3 - Lesson 22c). Back to Top