It is not a secret that grammar is the most boring part of the language for many students. But how can we speak correctly and beautifully without it? Teachers will agree that classroom work is even more difficult, as it is impossible to cover 30 people at once in 45 minutes. That’s where games come in. They make grammar more fun and engage all students. But we should not forget that despite the proven benefits and expediency of using games in the educational process in general and in the study of grammar material in particular, it is important to remember that the best is the “enemy” of the good. Therefore, they also need to be used in moderation and correctly.
First of all, remember that when playing, students, especially if they are children, and not individually, but in a group, become very excited and energetic. Therefore, if you plan to discuss a new topic after the game, you will waste your time, as it can be quite difficult to establish discipline. It is better to use games to consolidate the studied topic, so that the practice of new grammatical constructions is easy and relaxed in a playful and friendly atmosphere.
Therefore, it is most appropriate to use games in lessons in a cycle of discussion of a particular grammar topic. As for the time in the lesson, it is better to do it closer to the end – this will help you relax a little and leave a pleasant impression of the lesson until the next meeting. We have made a selection of some interesting grammar games that are designed for different levels.
So, let`s go on…
Word race
This is a great game to reinforce the words you learned in the last lesson. Such grammar games in English lessons allow you to liven up the atmosphere and make the lesson more fun. Moreover, the game is suitable for students of any age and level.
Rules of the game:
Students are divided into two teams;
The board is divided into two halves and the theme of the competition is indicated at the top;
Students then begin to write down one word at a time according to the topic;
One word, one point. The team that writes the most words on the board in the allotted time wins.
Noughts and crosses
If you want to practice prepositions of Time and Place in a beginner class try this one. For the game you need to prepare in advance:
1— tables with prepositions;
2- Sets of cards
3– envelopes;
4— pencils.
The next step is to divide the students into two teams. Before the game starts, place a table and a set of cut-out cards in an envelope in front of the teams. Explain the sequence of actions. First Team Member:
- Takes an envelope and takes out a card with a word on it;
- Finds a preposition in the table that is combined with this word;
- Composes a sentence with the resulting phrase;
If the student has correctly chosen a preposition and made a sentence, the team puts a cross or a zero on the table with prepositions in the field where the preposition was; If not, the card is returned and the turn passes to the other team.
Like a tic-tac-toe game, the game ends when students are able to cross out their sign diagonally, horizontally, or vertically in a row. To keep the game short, add a time limit. The more participants there are, the more time you will allocate for the game.
Hot Seat
Hot Seat helps to develop the skill of speaking and phonetics of English. Such vocabulary games in English lessons are very popular among students.
How to Play Hot Seat?
- Students are divided into two teams. And one sits facing the class and with his back to the blackboard;
- A group of words for each team is written on the board;
- The students then sit one by one across from the student on the Hot Seat and try to help them guess the word on the board;
- You can describe a word and suggest synonyms, but you can’t name it or draw it on paper;
- Time is allotted for each student. The first team that guesses all the words on the board wins.
What’s my problem?)
Educational games in English lessons should be interesting so that students are involved in the process. “What’s my problem” is just that. The game helps to expand your vocabulary and consolidate the vocabulary you have learned.
How to play?
- Various life problems are written on sticky notes, and then the leaves are randomly pasted on the backs of students;
- Next, students communicate and ask each other where I should go and what I need to do to get rid of this problem. But at the same time, you can’t tell your partner the problem itself.
- Based on the tips, the student needs to guess what exactly his problem is, written on the back. It can be any imaginary problem with health, work, family, etc.
The most
This game best suits elementary students when practicing superlatives of adjectives.
Prepare in Advance: Cards for Distribution
There is no need to divide students into teams. Give each student a card with descriptions of the people. The student reads the description and finds the one in the class who most matches it. During this time, you can walk around the classroom and communicate in English. Set a time limit of 10 minutes. During this time, students should have time to communicate with everyone in the class and write the name of the student who fits the description in the card. Then, discuss some of the results together.
Robin Hoods and Journalists
Robin Hoods and Journalists is a pre-Intermediate game for practicing used to and Past Simple constructions.
Prepare in Advance: Character Description Cards
- Divide the students into two teams. Some of them will be Robin Hoods, and others will be journalists. Give each student a card according to their role and time it takes two to three minutes to prepare. Robin Hoods must fill in the information about themselves in the card. Journalists compose questions for them with the construct used to.
- Once the students are ready, divide them into pairs. The task of journalists is to ask questions of Robin Hood and record the answers. Give your students 15 minutes to talk.
- At the end of the activity, explain to the students that journalists’ homework is to write an article. And the Robin Hoods should write about what they were doing before they were caught. For more interactivity, have your students define their role using a randomizer.
Change the room
This is quite a fun and active game for Passive Voice that will not leave anyone indifferent. It is easy to adapt it to the present or past tense. Divide students into two teams. Choose one member from each team and ask them to come out the door. Meanwhile, students rearrange furniture or objects in the classroom. Invite students to return to class. They should describe in English everything that has changed. Set time limits. Whoever names the most correct sentences wins.
Here’s what students might say: “The table has been moved,” “The board has been cleaned,” “The window has been closed,” and so on.
We hope that the mentioned ideas will be of interest to you and your students. Have fun!)
