Activities and Games - Speaking

IELTS SPEAKING
WARM-UP
1. Board fixed expressions and complete:
Long time no ….. (see)
At the end of the …. (day)
Better luck next …. (time)
Same thing, day in …… (day out)
There’s someone for …….. (everybody)
2. Desert survival
Students are put into two groups and given a sheet with a number of items. They have
to work together to decide upon five items ONLY that will help them survive in the
desert.
Factors to consider: food, drink, heat, cold, injuries, attracting attention, wildlife
First aid kit / matches / rope / knife / compass
cigarettes / blankets / barrel of water /flare gun /torch
magnifying glass / Beatles CD / make-up set / dried food
grammar study book / Angry Birds game / air rifle / sun block
Negotiation language
I see your point but … / that’s interesting, however …
I’m not sure about that / I can’t go along with that
I don’t feel that is entirely right / I fail to see the merits
I respectfully disagree / I find your contention somewhat flawed
Your case (arguement) is not without value, but …
Have you fully considered the implications of your decision ?
The students have to practice the given language and negotiate with each other, then
with the other team. We need to find a consensus of five items.
ACTIVITY 1
EXTRA ACTIVITY 1
1. Discuss two contentious issues
Vietnamese are so lazy
Vietname should be part of China
I am expecting a vociferous outcry, but the object here is to let the students gather their
ideas and verbalise them in a suitable way for IELTS.
They will need to give their opinions, use adverbs, and back them up with reasons.
2. Poems for pronunciation practice
Let’s take a look at the first poem, ‘Dreams’ from 1922.
Recite the poem slowly and clearly. In the first line, stress ‘fast‘ and ‘dreams‘.
Secondly, listen for the rhyming pattern in lines 2 & 4: ‘die’ rhymes with ‘fly’, while
verse 2 rhymes ‘go’ with ‘snow.’
Regarding ‘colour’, which tone of voice to use, decide if this is a positive or negative
poem. Discuss in class what you think and give reasons.
Remember, art (painting, cinema, literature etc) is subjective; each person is allowed
to have their own opinion. Develop speaking skills to enable you to support your
views (give reasons).
Dreams – by Langston Hughes
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams

For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.
Famous people recited the poem: https://www.youtube.com/watch?
time_continue=1&v=TdphtMWjies&embeds_euri=https%3A%2F
%2Fthaypaulsnotes.com%2F&source_ve_path=Mjg2NjI&feature=emb_logo
3. Pronunciation practice
Arrange the class in small groups and hand each member an card. The students have to
read out the information, while the other write down what they hear. Many of my
students feel that work is something to be done as quickly as possible, but that will not
work in this situation.
Instead, the other team members will need to check what is being said. This
encourages slow, clear and careful pronunciation. To assist, use expressions such as:
Can you speak slower, please.
Would you mind speaking slower, please.
How do you spell that ?
Could you repeat that, please.
Sorry, I didn’t catch the phone number.
Let me confirm …
Is that ‘b’ as in blue or ‘p’ as in pink ?
Hi, my name is Jane
I’m 22 and work as DJ
I’m really into dancing and parties
I don’t like reading or housework
I hang out with my best besties
We go to clubs and bars
I get there by motorbike or taxi
My email is [email protected]
IELTS GAME
1. Family Fortune game
Students are put into small groups and have a set time to come up with four answers.
These can be learning based (e.g. four adverbs of degree), new vocabulary or general
knowledge questions. To make it more fun, I could ask questions regarding my
experiences (I have lived in four countries; which ones ? What are my favourite
Vietnamese dishes ? What do I like more in VN than UK ? etc).
Each team chooses up to two players to write down answers to a series of five
questions. The answers are then scored based on the points printed on the question
sheet. Finally, each team adds the scores from the two rounds, and the highest total
wins.
2. Movie dubbing/ What the Dub?!
A multiplayer party game where each player overdubs missing dialogue from
hilariously awful B-movies, PSAs, speeches, short videos, and industrial films, with
their own witty (or just plain stupid) dubs.
3. IELTS Got Talent
Pick examiners randomly each section
REVIEW
WRAP-UP
1. How much is true?
1. What do camels have in their hump(s) ?
Are you ready ?
The answer …
… it’s NOT water. A camel stores fat in the hump(s).
2. A snow leopard is a leopard. An Arctic fox is a fox, but what is a killer whale ?
3. How do cats talk to each other ? Do they meow ?
4. How loud is a snow leopard’s roar ?
5. What colour is a polar bear ? Do polar bears play or fight with penguins ?
Let’s leave the animal kingdom and turn to history …
6. Where were the first boomerangs found ? Do they always return if you throw them
correctly ?
7. How long was the 100 Years War in Europe, fought over who would be king of
France ?
8. What country invented the Chinese fortune cookie ?
The Answers
1) A killer whale is part of the DOLPHIN family. These dolphins actually work together and kill whales, so they were known as ‘whale
killers.’
Read more here: https://www.ripleys.com/weird-news/or-not-killer-whales/
2) By meowing … ? No, cats meow (mostly) to get attention from humans. With other felines, cats use scent and touch, maybe hissing, and
body language, but not by meowing.
3) Trick question … a snow leopard CAN’T roar; it can hiss, purr and meow but only makes a non-aggressive sounding ‘chuff’.
4) A polar bear’s skin is black, it is just the fur that is white. Also, polar bears live in the Arctic, the penguins spend their time on ice in
the Antarctic, so they only meet in fake pictures.
5) Did you say AUSTRALIA … used by Aborigines ? Boomerangs were invented some time between 25 000 and 50 000 years ago, and used
for hunting. The earliest one was found in POLAND, believed to be 20 000 years old. The first boomerangs DID NOT fly back. The
Aborigines are thought to have discovered that a boomerang will return if made of curved wood, but these were used for sport, not hunting.
Read more here: http://www.culturequest.us/aboriginal_tools/boomerang.htm#:~:text=The%20boomerang%20was%20invented

%20between,used%20for%20hunting%20and%20killing.
6) The War started in 1337 and finally ended in 1453, so a total of 116 years, although there were long periods of truce and peace.
7) Fortune cookies were invented by the Japanese in the C19th, then became popular in California, USA starting first in either San
Francisco or L.A. (it is disputed, but the time period would be 1890 – 1918)
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IELTS SPEAKING

Hold fast to dreams

Read more here: https://www.ripleys.com/weird-news/or-not-killer-whales/

Read more here: http://www.culturequest.us/aboriginal_tools/boomerang.htm#:~:text=The%20boomerang%20was%20invented

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