Recall the plot

1. Tell the students about a film you have seen or a book you have read recently: recount the plot briefly, in the present simple. Get one o...

Experiences I haven't had

1. Give the students these two patterns: I've never / I haven't yet2. Head the left hand side of board: Good experience I haven'...

My names

1. Using the pattern: I'm / I was / I used to be called... by... when... and tell the students half a dozen names you are or have been k...

Detectives

1. One volunteer is the detective and goes outside. You give a coin to one of the students in the class to hide on their person - he or she ...

Future-telling

1. Tell the students the following themes: Romance; Money; Work; Family; Home; Leisure.2. Ask each student is to write on separate cards thr...

Predicting achievements

1. Tell the students to invent for themselves an extremely successful future career in whatever field they like. Give them a minute or two t...

Family modals

1. As homework ask students to collect oft-repeated parental utterances. 2. If they are school students living at home ask them to bring a s...

Your students' rules

1. Ask the students to imagine themselves as teachers.2. Tell them to write 5 rules they would want their students to obey.

Analogies

1. Ask students to create examples upon these models: Rabbit's tail (part of smth.); Uncle's aunt (possession)2. One student should ...

Oral close

1. Read a story or prose passage, which can be from your course book. 2. Stop occasionally before a key word and get the students to guess w...

Short story writing

1. Each learner writes the title and first three sentences of his short story on a sheet of paper. 2. Then he or she passes the sheet to the...

Silent speech

1. In order to focus on pronunciation and the contribution of mouth movement, list on the board words, which will illustrate the various sou...

Five favourite words

1. Students look through their exercise books and select from the words that they have recently learned five words that they particularly li...

Debates

1. The class is divided in two teams. One team prepares list of advantages, another - disadvantages.2. Propositions for brainstorming advant...

Then and now

1. Discuss with students how they remember their childhood. Happier and freer than now? Or the opposite? Then ask them to write down four li...

Commentary

1. Choose a group of two or three 'storytellers'. These can be swapped during the course of the activity to give everyone a chance t...