Resources

As students close their eyes, the teacher hides a rubber or other classroom object in plain view. Students then open their eyes and, without moving, try to find it. If they find it, they must use complete sentences to describe its position (depending on level).

Place some school objects in the middle of the table and ask the students to cover their eyes. One at a time each student will take an object, this is done in secret. When everyone has an object they take turns guessing who has what using "he/she has got a rubber".

Students guess which person in the class is being described from their likes and dislikes. This can be organised many ways. Students write sentences describing what they like, don’t like etc, to be taken in by the teacher, shuffled, and handed out to other students. The student who receives it then reads out the sentences to the rest of their group or the class, starting with the most difficult to guess from, until someone guesses who it is.

The teacher selects one student to grab an item from the table or desk that has various school items on it. While doing so, the other children will have their hands over their closed eyes. Once the student has the item hidden away, they shout: 'What have I got?' The other students must raise their hand to guess what the student has.

Give each student a coloured pencil or marker. Ask the students to memorise who has what colour. Then, have the students put their pencils on the table in a random order. Choose one student to say which colour belonged to which student by pointing and using possessive pronouns. Ex: The blue pencil was hers! The yellow pencil was mine. Etc. (Note: Give two students the same coloured pencil to practice 'theirs' and give the student who is guessing the same coloured pencil as another student to practice 'ours'.

A drama improvisation game that will have your students laughing! Write out (or use Mica flash cards) some common phrasal verbs that your students have been learning. Choose the ones that lend themselves to drama such as: break up, get out, give up, cut back, run into...etc

Give your students a scenario for them to create a scene and hand out 2 or 3 phrasal verb cards per student. Depending on their level and confidence, either have them look in advance at their cards or keep them a secret. Instruct them to act out a scene of their choice and at random times insert their phrasal verb into the dialogue.

Some example scenarios: at a restaurant, at the moon landing, at a zoo, in a supermarket, at school on exam day, at a swimming race etc.

Both 'be going to' and 'will' can be used to predict future events:

In many cases they can be used interchangeably:

• Experts believe that the recession will continue.

• Experts believe that the recession is going to continue.

However, in some cases they are used differently:

Use 'going to' when there is evidence about what is going to happen.

• Look at the time! We’re going to be late!

'Wish' and 'if only' can be used:

1. To wish for an ability now or in the future.

I wish (that) / If only + subject + could + infinitive

- I wish I could play the guitar!

- If only I could dance like that!

- I wish I could go to your wedding next week, but I can’t.

- If only I could see my grandmother more often, but I can’t.

To wish that something could be true at the moment.

I wish (that) / If only + subject + past simple

• I wish I had long hair!

• If only I were taller!

3. To wish that something was happening at the moment.

I wish (that) / If only + subject + were + past continuous

• I wish I was lying on the beach right now!

• If only I was lying on the beach right now!

4. To wish that something kept happening again and again, or to wish it could stop happening.

I wish (that) / If only + subject + would + past participle

- I wish you wouldn’t shout so loudly.

- If only he wouldn’t shout so loudly.

5. To wish that something in the past had happened in a different way.

I wish (that) / If only + past perfect

• I wish I had studied for my exam!

• If only I hadn’t argued with him!

The students work together to tell a story by each adding one word at a time. This activity is for more advanced students.

Discuss some "Would You Rather" questions. Get the students to choose an option and then get them to explain why. There is a help card that goes with this activity.

Take turns asking questions. The person answering must answer without ever using the words Yes or No.

A game to practice was/were:

Have all students except for 1 stand in a random order in a line. Let 1 student look at the line for 10 seconds then close their eyes while the others scramble the line by taking a new position. The student opens their eyes then has to put them back into the original order saying 'You were there, he was there etc'.

Variations:

In the first stage have them strike a pose for 1 seconds doing an obvious action (brushing teeth, playing volleyball etc). The chosen student tries to remember each person's pose 'You were tying your shoelace' etc.

In the first stage the students choose a place in the classroom to stand. Then the chosen student tries to remember each person's position 'You were under the desk' etc.

Brainstorm a list of regular and irregular verbs with the class. Then brainstorm a list of linking expressions. Using the prompt 'Yesterday was a very strange day...' Have each student choose one verb and write a sentence using it in the simple past. The sentences should remain relevant to the prompt. Collect the papers, and have the students decide what order to place them in to describe a series of strange events that happened in someone's day. Work together to use the linking expressions to make the sentences fit together.