Purpose: to practice question formation

Preparation Time:  5 minutes

Materials:  Students will needs pieces of paper and something to write with; locate two empty coffee cans or Kleenex boxes in which to put the completed slips of paper, one for each team

Preparation: It usually takes some time to help students understand the concept of this activity.  The answer is provided and the students must come up with the question.  For example, if the answer is “A Coke,” the question could be “What do you want to drink?”  Plan to do a number of examples, so students understand the objective.

Procedure:

1. Divide the class into two teams.  Each team forms a circle as far apart from the other team as possible.
2. Each team prepares 10 answers for which the other team will supply appropriate questions.  This works well based on a theme such as eating in a restaurant.
3. Circulate and help the teams develop a variety of answers, making sure the team is able to provide correct questions for their own answers.
4. The teams write each answer on a piece of paper.  Collect the teams’ answers and place them in the coffee cans or boxes positioned, along with the teacher, between the two teams.
5. To start the race, a runner from each team gets one of the answers written by the other team.  They bring the answer back to their teammates, who then come up with an answer.
6. When the team has a question ready, they send a runner back to the teacher or tutor.  The team can write the question or deliver it verbally.  If the question is correct, both in form and content, give the runner the next answer in the pile to bring back to the team.
7. If the question is incorrect, send the runner back to his team by saying, “I’m sorry.  Try again.”  The first team to provide correct questions for all the other team’s answers, wins the game.

Variations:

• For more advanced students, have them prepare questions in the indirect form, such as:

Answer: “Yes, it does.”

Question:  “Does the lunch special include a salad?”