A really manageable presentation task for loads of useful language. If you like anything here and want more, please support TEFLtastic.  

This is one of the games that I use most of all and it’s only taken me this long to write about it because I couldn’t think of a good name for it. I think this name really sums up what it is and its selling points though. Students listen to the teacher reading out sentences and hold up cards that they have been given or made to show if they think they are hearing a “request” or an “offer”, a “formal” or “informal” sentence, an “email” or “telephone” phrase, etc. They can also raise both for sentences that could be either, or leave them both down if it’s neither (e.g. because it’s only face to face or isn’t something we say in English). Livelier groups can also put the two cards on the table between them and race to slap the right one first.

Students then label the same sentences on a worksheet, test each other in groups in the same way, subdivide the sentences into further categories, help their partner remember all the sentences in one category, and/ or practise responding to those sentences.

This is a great way of introducing  loads of language in a gentle way. I also think it teaches students a useful real life skill, because quite often the challenge is to work out if all those words are agreeing or disagreeing, ending the conversation or continuing it, etc.

Photocopiable simplest responses PDFs

Euphemisms simplest responses – NEW

Positive and negative language for reviews brainstorming games (in this new e-book)

Main and additional aims analysis and practice (in this bargain new e-book)

Closing negotiations decided or not simplest responses (in this bargain new e-book)

Elementary consonant clusters simplest responses 

Agreeing and disagreeing in IELTS Listening Part 3 (in this top value e-book)

Hint phrases in IELTS Listening matching tasks (in this new e-book)

Hint phrases in IELTS Listening multiple-choice tasks (in this top value e-book) 

Starting and ending business communications simplest responses 

Starting and ending conversations simplest responses 

Starting and ending meetings simplest responses (in this bargain e-book) Seasons vocabulary stations game 

IELTS Writing Task One and Task Two phrases simplest responses (in this great value e-book)

IELTS Writing Task One and Two tips simplest responses game (in this cheap as chips e-book)

Emailing informal or error simplest responses game (in this top value e-book)

Formal and informal emails simplest responses game (in this great value for money e-book)

More common emailing phrases simplest responses game (in this great value e-book)

Responding to email enquiries and requests simplest responses game (in this very reasonable e-book)

Starting and ending emails simplest responses game (in this super cheap e-book)

Questions in presentations simplest responses game (in this cheap as chips e-book)

Beginning and ending phone calls simplest responses game (in this oh so cheap e-book)

Caller or receiver simplest responses game (in this oh so very cheap e-book)

Telephone or face to face simplest responses (in this perfectly priced e-book)

Telephone requests and offers simplest responses game (in this penny a page e-book)

Telephoning Getting through or not simplest responses game (in this three pound e-book) 

Identify formal and informal emails game 

Present Continuous for the present and future simplest responses game 

Different kinds of how questions simplest responses game 

Direct and indirect questions simplest responses game (good as a warmer)

Starting and ending conversations simplest responses (in this so cheap e-book)

Meeting for the first time or again simplest responses (in this sooo cheap e-book)

Guests and hosts in restaurants simplest responses (in this so very cheap e-book)

Hosts and foreign guests simplest responses (in this cheaper than cheap e-book) 

Speaker or listener simplest responses (active listening and turn taking) 

Present or future? simplest responses game (including present and future time expressions and present and future meanings on Present Continuous) 

Plurals of words ending in -y activities 

Regular and irregular plurals simplest responses game 

Key word sentence transformations simplest responses 

Be and have for describing appearance simplest responses 

Being sympathetic and unsympathetic 

Travel English simplest responses and key word games 

Guests and hosts in restaurants key words and card games 

A, an and the in starting and ending presentations phrases simplest responses game 

Giving positive and negative feedback in academic discussions 

Alphabet homophones and minimal pairs – expanded and updated version 

Starting and ending negotiations simplest responses game and key words 

Beginning and ending negotiations (simpler version of the game above, but more in need of editing down…) 

Saying Yes, No and Maybe in negotiations simplest responses game and key words 

Negotiations Insist or soften position 

Meeting people and meeting people again review 

Starting and ending telephone calls game 

Telephone/ Face to Face/ Both Opening and closing emails simplest responses game 

Checking your understanding and their understanding phrases games 

Meeting and leaving 

Language for guests and hosts in restaurants 

Meeting people and meeting people again 

Starting and ending conversations lesson 

Past or not? 

Requests and offers functional language review 

Body part positions normal or strange 

Prepositions and school vocabulary normal or strange? 

Teleconference or face to face game and functional language 

Weak and strong opinions game and analysis (Advanced version) 

Strong and weak opinions game and analysis Intermediate version 

Email formality review 

Academic Word List positive and negative connotations 

Interrupting and getting back on topic game 

Agreeing and disagreeing language review 

Dealing with enquiries – Saying yes and no 

Opening and closing presentations 

Email or telephoning language guessing game and lower level version 

IELTS Listening – expressions which show it is or isn’t the answer 

IELTS Speaking candidate or examiner game 

Classroom language for starting and ending classes 

Remembering and forgetting phrases 

IELTS work and study vocabulary game 

And here is a less than successful attempt to take it beyond two things to hold up: IELTS presentations Beginning, middle and end 

Another TEFLtastic classic, The Same or Different, can start with students holding up “the same” and “different” cards in the same way, and for all the other TEFLtastic classics see here. 

Updated 12 February 2026