A compilation of games and exercises to increase your word power
Match the words with the meanings
Give the students some new vocabulary, teach them pronunciation and see if they can match the word to the definition. After, give them a chance to use the new words.
describe planned, in order, not a mess
imagine having to do too many things
typical feeling you have too much work
pressure normal, usual
organised to tell what something looks or like
community to think about something
stressed the place or area where you live
The student was under ______ to finish the project on time.
All the neighbours are friendly. It’s a nice ________ to live.
Can you __________ what the man looked like ?
After teaching 20 young children, I felt very _________.
The German workers all knew what to do, they were so _______
Close your eyes and _______ you are relaxing on a beach.
On a _________ day, I drink coffee, go to work, come home and watch TV.
disparity // tongue in cheek // consider // extrapolate // significance
And we need to increase the frequency of discourse markers:
subsequently // therefore // consequently
First, elicit the meanings, then decide which words or expressions fill these gaps ?
You must scan the article quickly in order to ……….. the relevant information.
There is a huge ………. between the super rich and the poor in many countries.
The students just played with their phones in class. …………. many failed their test.
I need time to …………. your proposal.
What was the ………… of 30th April 1975 ?
He refused to ask directions and …………. was completely lost.
“Vietnam is such a clean, environmentally-friendly country,” John said, ……………..
Friend: personality and occupations
Expression – don’t judge a book by its cover
Friends (men). Here are five of my friends. Guess their personality and occupation:
Personality adjectives and idioms
funny / aggressive / dependable / generous / serious / reliable / intellectual / dull /unreliable / unpleasant / scary / witty / arrogant / boring / friendly/ light-hearted a push over / mean / bossy / impatient / a screw loose / solid as a rock / tough cookie life and soul (of the party) / nice / shy / confident / arrogant / hard-working / lazy / aloof, /kind / unkind / sweet / nasty / generous / mean (1 nasty, 2 not generous) / unfriendly / awkward – difficult, hard to please
White collar doctor, accountants, teacher, lawyer, professional / office worker
blue collar chef, factory worker, mechanic, shop workers, fix machines, plumber
arts artist, actor/tress, painter, musicians, DJs, poets, writers
estate agent / consultant / plumber / PR Public Relations / HR / volunteer worker / unemployed / therapist / bouncer / shoe-shine boy / market trader / dog-walker /stockbroker / interior decorator / gambler / self-employed / psychic /road sweeper /security guard / pollster / politician / postal delivery / barista / quantity surveyor / criminal /
I think he could be a … / She seems to be …/ I get the impression that she is … / From his build, I’d say he was a … / Because of her appearance, I feel she must be a …
Personality adjectives (negative – arrogant). These are strong adjectives:
arrogant // self-obsessed // pretentious // obnoxious // full of themselves
Let’s kick off with some basic information about my friend Pete:
Pete’s family are Irish. He was born in Kent, south England. He loves music especially Jazz and he can play saxophone, keyboards, guitar and bass. He is 40 years old. He is bald, and wears glasses. Currently he plays bass in a band called ‘The Deep Six’. They have a video on YouTube. In the photo, Pete is with the famous 60s drummer Kenny Jones. He was in The Small Faces. Later he joined The Who after their original drummer died.
Pete, who was born in Kent in the south of England, is of Irish heritage. Although he is just forty, Pete looks older, probably due to the fact that he is bald, as well as having to wear glasses. His great passion in life is music, especially Jazz, but his interest is not merely passive; he plays several instruments. In addition to saxophone and keyboards, Pete is 