Games to finish a class

Note: I cant claim to have created these games, nor can I remember where I first heard of them...! 1. Stop the bus Pick four categories and write them on the board. Some example categories could be colours, types of transport, words with 7 letters, words with 3 syllables or more. Students then have 60 seconds to think of a word for each category that begins with the letter you select (you could also prepare letters and pick one from a hat, or simply hold a piece of paper with writing on and a student touches their pen on the paper without looking the letter that gets marked is the chosen letter. One point is awarded for each correct answer assuming none of the other students (or groups of students) also has this answer. 2. Liar! Students are in groups. Group 1 writes a letter on the board. Group 2 then adds a second letter to this word, group 3 the third and so on. The game is over when either (1) a group puts a letter on the word but this wouldnt spell anything Example
Group 1 S Group 2 Q Group 3 I Group 4 Liar! (no word begins with Sqi, so group 3 are out)

or when a group has spelled a complete word (even if they were thinking of a longer word). Example
Group 1 S Group 2 U Group 3 N Group 4 Finished! (even if Group 3 where thinking of the word Sunday, Group 4 have correctly identified a completed word so Group 3 are out)

3. Raise my list Split students into two groups. Give them a category (a simple example would be colours). Team 1 estimate how many colours they can write on the board with correct spelling in 30 seconds (1 member of the team writes while the others shout out). If team 2 thinks they can name more colours, they raise the number. Team 1 then get the choice of either raising the number again or telling the other to start. As soon as one team thinks they cant raise the number, they say start and the 30 seconds countdown begins for the opposing team. If they can meet their target number, they get the equivalent number of points (e.g. if they say they can write 10 colours on the board and they manage to do so in the 30 seconds, they get 10 points). If they fail to reach the number either through time running out or bad spelling, the other team gets the equivalent number of points. http://www.EnglishPracticeOnline.com

Some example categories are: colours, countries beginning with a letter, adjectives describing people, action verbs etc. 4. Taboo Split students into groups (4 groups is a good number). Each group has a piece of paper where they write something, then underneath that they have 3 other words or short phrases that cannot be said. For example THE EIFFEL TOWER
1. France 2. Paris 3. Landmark

When the game begins, one team send one of their number to the board, where they sit with their back to the board. Then you write up what another team has written on their paper. The team with the person sitting with their back to the board need to get that person to say Eiffel Tower by describing it but without using the word Eiffel Tower or any of the taboo words. They have 30 seconds to do so. The other teams should be listening for use of any of the taboo words. This doesnt work too well with low level groups, but you can make it easier by restricting the possible answers (e.g. it must be a country or it must be a landmark).

http://www.EnglishPracticeOnline.com