Talking Cards
Michael J. Brownmjbprac [at] datainternet.com
Hong Kong
- Materials required:
- One or two packs of playing cards and the questions sheet.
- Objectives:
- To get the student used to answering general questions at a level that resembles normal speech. To give the students conversational confidence.
- How to play:
- You distribute the cards among your students. If you have a large class use two packs of cards. The student answers the corresponding question to that card. The student is awarded 4 points for a complete answer, 3 points for a reasonable answer, 2 points for an incomplete answer, and 1 point for any answer at all. If your class is up to it, you can get them to award the points.
Spades (Describing things)
- Ace
- Describe your face.
- King
- Describe your clothes.
- Queen
- Describe your mother.
- Jack
- Describe your father.
- Ten
- Describe an apple.
- Nine
- Describe your bedroom.
- Eight
- Describe your best friend.
- Seven
- Describe what you had for breakfast today.
- Six
- Describe your English teacher.
- Five
- Describe the difference between a dog and a cat.
- Four
- Describe a pencil.
- Three
- Describe your favourite hobby.
- Two
- Describe this game.
Hearts (what questions)
- Ace
- What did you have for dinner last night?
- King
- What did you have for lunch today?
- Queen
- What is your favourite sport? Why?
- Jack
- What did you do last night?
- Ten
- What type of music do you like? Why?
- Nine
- What is your favourite game? Why?
- Eight
- What does your mother do?
- Seven
- What does your father do?
- Six
- What is your favourite lesson at school? Why?
- Five
- What did you do last Sunday?
- Four
- What is your favourite television programme? Why?
- Three
- What would you do if you could do anything in the world?
- Two
- What is the one thing you would change about yourself?
Clubs (mixed questions)
- Ace
- What is your address in English?
- King
- What time do you usually get up?
- Queen
- Where did you go for your last holiday?
- Jack
- Where were you born?
- Ten
- Why are you studying English?
- Nine
- Which do you prefer, summer or winter, and why?
- Eight
- Which magazines do you like to read?
- Seven
- How many hours do you usually sleep at night?
- Six
- Do you like shopping? Why?
- Five
- How often do you go to the cinema?
- Four
- What was the last movie you saw?
- Three
- Would you like to travel to other countries? Why?
- Two
- How many friends have you got and who are they?
Diamonds (if clause)
- Ace
- If you could have a pet what would it be?
- King
- If you had a million dollars what would you spend it on?
- Queen
- If you could meet any person in the world who would it be and why?
- Jack
- If you could change something about your school what would it be?
- Ten
- If you had to live in another country which one would you choose?
- Nine
- If you could do anything in the world what would you do?
- Eight
- If you could speak three languages well, what would they be?
- Seven
- If you were rich, what would you do?
- Six
- If you had to spend a day alone at home, what would you do?
- Five
- If everyone in the world suddenly disappeared, what would you do?
- Four
- If you could choose how old you were, how old would you be and why?
- Three
- If you could choose any meal you wanted, what would it be?
- Two
- If you found $100,000 what would you do?
The Internet TESL Journal, Vol. IV, No. 8, August 1998
http://iteslj.org/