49 ESL Conversation Games & Activities - Jackie Bolen 2020

Pass and ask
English conversation games and activities for lower level students

Skills: Speaking/Listening

Time: 10-20 minutes

Level: Beginner to Intermediate

Materials Required: Classroom object to pass around

Pass and Ask is a simple activity that helps student work on questions and answers and is extremely interactive. Use any classroom object like a whiteboard marker or pen. Start the game off by holding the marker. Ask a question and then pass it to a person who has to answer it.

There are two variations to this activity. The first one is that the person who answers the question has to ask a question and then pass the marker on. My rule is that it can't be the same question that was just given.

The second variation is that the person who answers the question can pass the marker to someone else who must think of a question.

In a class with fewer than ten students, play it all together and there will be enough student talking time. However, for bigger classes, break the class down into smaller groups of 6-10. Circulate around the class monitoring each group.

Procedure:

1. Find a classroom object like a whiteboard marker. Think of a question and ask it to one student. Pass the marker to them and they have to answer it.

2. That student thinks of another question and passes the marker to the person who has to answer it. Or, they pass the marker to someone else who has to ask a question.

3. Continue until everyone has had a chance to play. This is a quick activity that takes around 30 seconds per student per round. Play 2-3 rounds if students are having fun with it.

4. Consider breaking down larger classes into a few different groups to increase student talking time.