An activity I use to help students learn grammar

Aidan Pelly British Council Teacher Trainer

I like this activity because it is easy, economical and efficient (see p7). It is as easy and effective to do in a class of 60 as it is in a class of 16 and it is very easy to adapt for different language points, and different levels. During the activity, the students spend a lot of time thinking about the target language in a personalised and contextualised way while having fun at the same time.

In the example below, I have chosen to focus on the difference between the past simple and present perfect

.…..it is very easy to adapt for different language points, and different levels.

Resources needed:
• You don’t need anything! Optional:
• A piece of paper already divided into a grid.
• A large piece of paper with your prompts written on it.


Procedure:

Get the students to divide a piece of paper into 10 squares (12, 14 or 16 if your students are strong enough) or provide a piece of paper already divided if you are able – this will save time. Tell them they are going to write short answers in a random order to the prompts below about themselves. You can dictate the prompts, writing them on the board as you go to give your students confirmation that what they heard is correct. Write your own answers up as you go, so that the students see how to do it and so you can use your answers later.

• The name of a friend you have know for more than three years
• A film you have seen recently
• Something you did yesterday
• Something you have lost
• Something someone said to you last week
• A place in Vietnam that you visited last year
• Something you did last month that you really enjoyed
• A present that you have been given recently
• Something that you bought last week
• Somewhere you have wanted to visit for a long time

Example:
 

Some special	A jacket
Sam	Nha Trang
China	A papaya
I went fishing	Superman returns
Met some friends for coffee	I don't like spuid

When they have finished, get them to guess your answers by saying the correct prompt in full (so that they think about the language being practiced). For example;

    Student: China. Is that a place that you have always wanted to visit?
    Aidan: Yes.
    Student: Some special tea. Is that something you bought last week?
    Aidan: No. Try again. (etc………)

You can help the students with any pronunciation problems at this stage.

Next, the students get into pairs and try to guess each others’ answers. Make sure they say the prompts in full! (If your students’ English is good, get them to ask follow up questions to find out more information).

If you have time, you can do a little round up around the class asking questions to different students, for example;
1. What was something your partner bought last week?
2. What film has your partner seen recently?
3. What did someone say to your partner recently? Who were they?


Can you guess my answers?
Some special tea - A present that you have been given recently. A jacket - Something you have lost. Sam - The name of a friend you have know for more than three years. Nha Trang - A place in Vietnam that you visited last year. China - Somewhere you have wanted to visit for a long time. A papaya - Something that you bought last week. I went fishing - Something you did last month that you really enjoyed. Superman returns - A film you have seen recently. Met some friends for coffee - Something you did yesterday. I don’t like squid - Something someone said to you last week.

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