ESL Games for Giving Answers

Here is a quick and easy ESL game to motivate your students to answer questions. This game can be played in any situation where the students have to answer questions in class, e.g. answering exercise questions. Take a small object such as an eraser. Hand the object to a student and then turn around facing away from the students. Students then pass the object around. After a few seconds have passed, shout 'Stop!' The student holding the object at that time must then answer a question set by you. If the student answers the question successfully, they score a point. If not, the game continues. When a question has been answered correctly, repeat the process. Continue until all the questions have been answered correctly. The student with the most points at the end of the game wins.

Here is a fun way to go through answers to questions in class. Draw a three-by-three grid on the board. Ask a question to each team in turn. If a team answers the question correctly, they draw a nought or cross in the grid. The first team to get three squares in a row scores one point. If neither team manages to get three in a row, the team with the most squares scores a point. Continue playing rounds until all the questions have been answered. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins. As a variation, instead of asking a question to each team in turn, ask questions to both teams. The first team to answer correctly draws a nought or cross in the grid.

Liven up your class when you want to go through answers to questions with this fun ESL game. Divide the students into two teams and assign each team member with a number. Explain that the students are going to race to answer questions. Draw a circle on the board and write the words 'Speak Button' inside the circle. Ask a question and then say a number. The two players with that number run to the board and race to touch the speak button. The first player to touch the button answers the question. If the player answers the question correctly, they score a point for their team. If not, the other player gets to answer the question. The game continues until all the questions have been answered. The team with the most points wins the game.

This amusing ESL game can be played when students have to answer questions in class. In teams of two, one student sits on a chair and the other student stands behind their partner. The seated students are 'buzzers' and the standing students are 'contestants'. Contestants place their hands on the shoulders of their respective buzzer, ready to press down when they know the answer to a question. Next, read a question to the class. The first contestant to sound their buzzer can answer the question. If the contestant gives the correct answer, they score one point. If not, they are out of that round and other contestants can sound their buzzers and try to answer. The only one who can answer a question is the contestant. Have the contestants and buzzers swap roles after a few rounds as some buzzers may run out of voice. The team with the most points at the end of the game wins.