Speaking Activities for the Classroom

Words that Mean the Same and the Opposite 

 

Words that mean the opposite are called antonyms. Some students may have to 

use a dictionary or thesaurus to help them out in the exercises in this lesson. 

In the empty boxes below, add words that have the opposite meaning. 

 

selfish lazy  shy 

orderly outgoing 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the empty boxes below write homonyms/words with the same meaning. 

 

house spouse chum enemy 

home 

   

residence 

   

dwelling 

   

domicile 

   

habitat 

   

 

 

 

 

 

Fill in antonyms in the spaces below. 

  

honest dishonest 

dangerous 

safe 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the next task add homonyms to the list. 

 

specific vague  certain  tired 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don’t be hesitant about looking things up when necessary. It’s good discipline. 

 

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Job Descriptions 

 

Below are the names of some professions. Write out lists of some jobs they do 

and then tell the class. It’s probably a good idea to use a dictionary as needed. 

 

Doctors teachers 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

policemen accountants 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

lawyers engineers 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Safety First 

 

Get the classto write a list of safety factors to consider in each situation. Use 

the examples as guidelines and try to think of some new ones to add to the list : 

 

Driving Safely 

 

Write a list of courteous driving habits to follow so as not to endanger others. 

Don’t cut in front of other cars in a reckless fashion. 

Don’t shine your high beams in another driver’s eyes. 

Don’t change lanes without looking in the rear view mirror 

Don’t drive so fast you lose control of the car in a curve 

Don’t tailgate the car in front of you. 

 

Car Safety  

 

Write some things that could be wrong with your car and cause accidents. 

Bald tires 

Rusty muffler 

Broken signal lights 

Old window wiper blades 

Windshield washer out of order 

 

Safety in the Home 

 

Write a list of safety habits to follow in the home to avoid accidents. 

Keep medicines out of the reach of children. 

Use a ladder instead of a chair when changing a light bulb. 

Switch off the fuse before attempting an electrical repair. 

Don’t hold onto an electrical appliance when standing in a wet area. 

Place a rubber bathmat in the tub so you don’t slip when getting in and out. 

 

Water Safety 

 

Write a list of things you should be careful of when swimming or boating. 

Always wear a life jacket when the boat is underway. 

Sit still in the middle of a small boat so it doesn’t lose balance and tip over. 

Don’t go out sailing after there is a storm warning. 

Don’t swim in a river where there are dangerous underwater currents. 

Don’t dive in an area where there are dangerous rocks. 

Don’t windsurf alone far from shore. 

 

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Write out Words Related to...  

 

Divide the class into groups and see which one can be first to complete it. 

Follow the example for finance and write in words related to the initial word. 

 

Finance  

Accounting  

Auditing 

Economics 

Commerce 

Computer 

    

Management 

    

Construction 

    

Transport 

    

Hospital 

    

Police 

    

Banking 

    

Automobile 

    

Office 

    

Furniture 

    

Cleaning 

    

Gardening 

    

Camping 

    

Bathroom 

    

Kitchen 

    

Hobbies 

    

Handyman 

    

Tools 

    

Dishes 

    

Hotel 

    

Dentist 

    

School 

    

Airplane 

    

Tennis 

    

Football 

    

Bowing 

    

Movies 

    

Boss 

    

Golf 

    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you are finished, read out the word lists aloud to check their correctness. 

If you hear anything wrong, stop the reader and correct him/her. 

 

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Who’s Got the Last Word? 

 

Play in groups or sit in a circle. First, one student (or group) sings a line from a 

famous or popular song, and the next student (or group) must sing a new line 

from any song that starts with the first letter of the last word of the line that they have 

just heard. Everyone in the room must take a turn in the round. Students who 

can not think of a new line have to drop out of the game, which keeps going 

on ‘til only the winner is left. below are some lines taken from golden oldies to 

illustrate how it works, butyoung people should use songs that they all know : 

 

Because I love you 

Young love, true love 

Light my fire 

For always and always 

All I want from you 

You are my lucky star 

Such a strange feeling 

Forever and ever 

Day by day 

Do not deceive me 

More and more 

Marry me my darling 

Did it my way 

Where did you go 

Green fields of home 

Heaven and earth 

Each day I sing my song 

Such a feeling 

First love, true love 

Let me love you 

You make me feel so good 

Going to take a sentimental journey 

Just around the corner 

Come on baby, twist and shout 

September in the rain 

Rock and roll 

Remember me 

 

If this task is too hard, students need not necessarily have to use lines from songs, but can 

make up any short sentence using the first letter of the last word of the 

sentence they have just heard. Or if that is too hard see the next sheet. 

 

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The Last Letter of the Last Word 

 

Similar to the previous task, students can use short sentences or phrases 

starting with the last letter of the last word they have heard the previous student say, 

as in the following example using song lines :  

 

I will be your man 

Now and forever 

Reach out to me 

Each and every girl 

Love me or leave me 

Everything I do 

Only you 

Under the stars 

Somewhere over the rainbow 

Where and when 

No other love, etc. 

 

Sometimes, using lines from songs will prove too troublesome, and then you 

can simplify the game by saying any sentence that starts with the first letter. 

There is a time limit, however, of five seconds, and if you cannot think of a 

sentence in that time you have to drop out of the game: 

 

Why was I ever born? 

Nobody knows how I have suffered. 

Do something to help me. 

Even if I could, I wouldn’t want to. 

Old friends should help one another. 

Really good friends always understand. 

Please, don’t ever do that again. 

Never underestimate the power of a woman. 

Neither should you mistreat your wife. 

Everybody wants to be rich and famous. 

Some people are lucky in love. 

Even dogs deserve good treatment. 

To one another let us be true. 

Everyone has his fifteen minutes of fame. 

 

You can also do a variation of this activity by starting the next sentence with 

the last word of the last sentence. For example, everyone has the right to a fair 

trial. Trial and error is one of the ways science learns through research, etc. 

 

101

Naming Some Famous Names 

 

Going around in a group, the first person says the title of a well-known song in 

English, and the second person tells the name of the singer.  

 

Song Singer 

I Did it My Way 

Frank Sinatra 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first names the title of a a movie and the second tell one of the stars. 

Movie Star 

Die Hard 

Die Hard 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First, name a band or vocal group and second, the name of one star member. 

Group Member 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

First, name a football club, and then, name one of its leading scorers. 

Football club 

Star player 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Let the SDS choose the stars they know because it’s a generation gap thing. 

 

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Do You Have a Problem? What is Your Problem? 

 

Yes, I have a problem. The teacher goes around class asking each student, “Do 

you have problem today?” and the student answers, “Yes, I have a problem,” 

and then goes on to tell what the problem is : I feel sick at my stomach. 

I have got a bad cold. 

I’ve got a backache. 

toothache 

earache 

fever 

sore throat 

stiff neck 

nosebleed 

hangover 

I’ve got ...   the flu   

I am... lovesick 

homesick 

insulted 

angry 

sad 

disappointed 

hurt 

tired 

sleepy 

overworked 

stressed 

confused 

hungry 

I have lost face. 

I couldn’t sleep last night. 

I was late for work. 

I was caught in traffic. 

I’m worried about my family. 

My baby is sick. 

I had an argument at home. 

My boss is angry with me. 

I didn’t get a promotion. 

I’m broke. I have no money. 

I lost my wallet and have to have all my identification documents replaced

. 

 

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Are You Happy Today? Tell Me Why You Are Happy. 

 

I am happy because...  

I am in a good mood. 

I feel good. 

I feel healthy. 

It’s my birthday. 

I’m going to get a lot of presents. 

Everybody likes me. 

I love my family. 

I received many compliments. 

My boss likes my work. 

I have just finished a difficult job. 

I received praise for my work. 

I have got a promotion. 

I have got a raise in salary. 

I won some money in the lottery. 

I got a check in the mail. 

I’ve bought a new car. 

I bought some new clothes. 

I have a new boyfriend/girlfriend. 

He/she gave me a gold ring. 

I got a letter from my mother. 

Somebody loves me. 

I helped a friend. 

My heart is full of love. 

I feel good when I am able to help others. 

My heart is full of love for all-the-world. 

I feel that I am well-loved. 

My sweetheart takes good care of me. 

I enjoy learning English. 

I am going home early today. 

I’m going on holiday tomorrow. 

I don’t have to go to work for the next two weeks. 

The weather is so pleasant today. 

It has finally stopped raining. 

I’m going to the movies with my friends. 

We are going out to eat in a very nice restaurant. 

Everything will be paid for by somebody else. 

I’m always happy. I’m happy every day just to be alive. 

 

104

Tell Us Some Things That You Dislike 

 

Everyone has things that they don’ like to do or eat or drink or see. Even when 

we try to be tolerant, we find that there are still a lot of things that we dislike 

about other people’s behavior that gets on our nerves. Tell us some of the 

things that you and your friends dislike, by filling in the blanks below. 

 

Loud music 

 

Punk rock 

 

The smell of tobacco 

 

Smoke-filled rooms 

 

The smell of cheese 

 

Traffic noise 

 

Traffic jams 

 

Air pollution 

 

People who point their fingers 

 

Durian  

Hip hop 

 

Drinking alcohol 

 

Girls who smoke 

 

Men who drink and shout 

 

Impolite bus drivers 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Get all of the class members to tell you all the things they totally dislike. 

 

105

Things That We Like 

 

Everybody has special things they like to do or eat or drink or see, etc. Call on 

all of the class members to tell you all the things that they like and enjoy and 

write them into the list below. This is a great way to practice vocabulary : 

 

Ice cream 

 

Swimming  

Holidays  

Pop music  

 

Karaoke  

The sea 

 

Mountains  

Lobster  

Orange juice 

 

Durian  

Chocolate  

Japanese food 

 

Sushi  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Usually, we have a lot more things that we like than we dislike, so it should not 

be too hard to fill in all the blanks in the above list, if we call on everybody. 

 

106

What Do Teachers and Bosses Like? 

 

Teachers like students who are 

Teachers don’t like students who are 

Hardworking Lazy 

Polite Impolite 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bosses like employees who are 

Bosses don’t like employees who  are 

Well-trained Unreliable 

punctual dishonest 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Students like teachers who are 

Employees like bosses who are 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

107

Show and Tell  

 

Get the students to give a demonstration or explanation of the process of how 

to perform a task. It can be a task that is actually performed in the classroom or 

a presentation using diagrams or pictures on the board or using the OHP. 

Don’t use dangerous chemicals or open flame or anything that could endanger 

the safety of others. Show and tell how to do things  like the following : 

 

Make an omelet 

Brew a cup of tea 

Make a tuna sandwich 

Make a cheeseburger 

Make a grilled cheese sandwich 

Prepare instant mama noodles 

Cook Pat Thai 

Prepare Shrimp fried rice  

Make Tom Yam Kung 

Iron a shirt 

Wrap a birthday present 

Make a rag doll 

Fold an origami bird 

Make a paper airplane 

Make a paper doll 

Make a kite 

Fold drinking straws into imitation flowers 

Do a Japanese flower arrangement 

Give a facial massage 

Apply a face-cleansing masque 

Brush your teeth correctly 

Braid a lady’s hair into a ponytail 

Tie a gentleman’s necktie 

Perform a yoga exercise 

Do meditation breathing 

Do an aerobic dance 

Do a gymnastic exercise 

Hypnotize somebody 

Build an igloo 

Build an Indian Teepee 

 

There are hundreds of ideas of how to demonstrate the procedure to make or 

do something. Instead of choosing from the list above, choose you own idea. 

 

108

Making Toys from Trash 

 

In many areas around the world, in slums, in poor countries, children’s parents 

cannot afford to buy them toys, so folks produce their homemade toys using 

materials that cost nothing and are normally thrown away, and can be found in 

the home, the rubbish bin or tip or dump like  

 

old newspapers,  

different sorts of tin cans,  

discarded plastic bottles,  

rubber bands, 

metal wire 

cotton batting, 

packing straw, 

leather thongs, 

plastic twine 

string/rope,  

electric tape,  

bamboo strips, 

etc. 

 

In fact, it’s amazing what one may find in the garbage, especially for slum 

children rummaging in a town dump in India or Africa or even in your own 

country. The United Nations once even had a contest in which underprivileged 

children made toys from materials for which they had paid nothing. Some of 

the winning entries were a 

Sailboat 

Tin car 

String football 

Plastic truck 

Rag doll 

Doll house 

Stuffed animals 

Miniature car 

Top 

Sling shot 

etc. 

 

Get your group to come to class and show how to make a child’s toy from 

rubbish they can pick up somehow for free. It should be a simple process that 

can be demonstrated from beginning to finished product in about five minutes. 

 

109

Teach Underprivileged  Children How to Make Toys 

 

This is an activity that can be used to follow up on the previous exercise.  

In this second follow-up activity,  

 

1.  the student group goes out into the community 

2.  and finds some underprivileged children that they can teach  

3.  and shows them the process of how to make the toy 

4.  just as they have already demonstrated it in class 

5.  take some photos of the students’ teaching 

6.  and of the children learning the process 

7.  and of them playing with the final product at the end  

8.  and of the mother/parents/family, if possible 

9.  and a whole group photo, if possible 

10. and finally of the SDS giving the toy(s) to the kids  

 

When all this is over,  

 

1.  develop the film  

2.  and put the pictures on transparency film  

3.  so that they can be shown on the OHP 

4.  in a second student presentation on toys 

5.  give each student in the group one or two photos  

6.  which he/she must talk about 

7.  explaining to the class what is shown in the picture 

8.  telling about where you went 

9.  how you found the kids/family 

10. something about the children 

11. something about the family 

12. how they took to learning the task 

13. how they liked the toys and 

14. how the students felt when teaching the kids, 

15. and how they felt after the whole thing was finished. 

 

This can then be followed by a question and discussion period. 

 

Try to start a conversation about helping the poor people of the world. 

 

The steps outlined above are just a suggestion, and students may be encouraged 

to try variations on the idea and change it in any way that they think may make 

it more interesting for themselves and their audience. 

 

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