Vocabulary

Objective & content

A printable memory game on feelings and physical states for beginners (A1-): twelve pairs including happy, sad, angry, tired, hungry and surprised. Each pair joins an illustration to the written word and its phonetic transcription; students turn the cards face down, match them and say the word aloud to claim the pair. By the end, they can name the twelve states from a picture.

Pedagogical guide

These words let a beginner talk about themselves, so the deck also works as a start-of-lesson ritual. Memory brings each word back without a drill, and saying it aloud makes pronunciation part of the game. Several cards are states rather than emotions (hungry, thirsty, hot, cold, sick), and afraid and scared are close in meaning. English uses be: French pupils say I have hunger, so model I am hungry, I am cold. Use the deck after an oral presentation of the words.

Suggested procedure

1. (5 min) Lay one set face up. Say each word and act it out; students repeat and copy.
2. (5 min) Turn the cards face down in a grid and model one turn aloud: "Happy... and sad. 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: hold up a card, the class says the word, then ask three students How do you feel? and accept I am....

Adaptations

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

[A] The winner says a sentence with I am or She is (I am hungry.).

Materials & prerequisites

Print the two card sheets once per group of three or four and cut out the 24 cards; laminate them to reuse the deck.