Vocabulary

Objective & content

A printable memory game on everyday actions for beginners (A1-): eleven pairs of picture and base verb, such as sleep, eat, swim, dance and study, plus shopping. Each word card carries its phonetic transcription; students turn the cards face down, match each picture to its word and say it aloud to claim the pair. By the end, they recognise and say the eleven words.

Pedagogical guide

These are verbs students meet and use early. The cards show the base form without to (eat, not to eat), and shopping is the one card that ends in -ing; tell the class before play. Memory brings each word back without a drill, and saying it aloud makes pronunciation part of the game. Use the deck after an oral presentation of the actions and before written work on the present simple, which the deck does not teach.

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Lay one set face up. Say each word and mime it; students repeat and mime back.
2. (5 min) Turn the cards face down in a grid and model one turn aloud: "Swim... and dance. No match."
3. (15 min) Groups of three or four play. A pair only counts if the player says the word aloud; partners check the phonetic transcription and may ask for a second try.
4. (5 min) Close as a class: mime an action and let students name it in turn.

Adaptations

[S] Play with 8 pairs only and keep the word cards face up as a word bank.

[A] The winner says when (I swim on Thursdays.).

Materials & prerequisites

Print the two card sheets once per group of three or four and cut out the 22 cards; laminate them to reuse the deck.