Try out this would you rather ESL activity if you want to have a fun time discussing some impossible options with your students. Have some fun with ESL would you rather!
Would you Rather ESL Activity
Are you looking for a quick, no-prep ESL warm-up activity that’ll work for both kids as well as adults? Then you’re in the right place.
Keep on reading to learn more about the Would you rather icebreaker and how you can use it in your ESOL classes.
Would you Rather ESL Activity
This is a fun ESL warm-up activity. You can buy ready-made decks, but they aren’t ESL-specific. I use self-made cards, which take a bit of time but then you can recycle them from class to class. Another option is to just make a list of questions. If you’re quick on your feet, you can do this without materials.
For example, “Would you rather have eyes like a fly’s, or eyes like a spider’s?” Students must choose one and explain why.
If your class is small, you can do this as a single group. Each student can answer the question, and you can too! If the class is a bit larger, I prefer to work in small groups of 3-4, giving each group part of the deck of cards. This helps make your class more student-centred and increases student talking time.
If you want to work in groups but haven’t prepared questions in advance, state two choices and give each group 1-2 minutes to discuss amongst themselves.
Procedure for this Would You Rather Icebreaker
- In advance, prepare cards with two choices, the odder, the better. For example, “Would you rather have eyes like a fly’s, or eyes like a spider’s?” If you want to do this without cards, simply give students two choices and 1-2 minutes to discuss.
- Start off the activity with an example. Have one student choose a card and then ask you the question.
- Divide students into groups of 3-4 and give each group an equal portion of the deck of question cards.
- Have students take turns choosing a card to ask their group, or read aloud and give their own answer.
- If you’ve done this activity in smaller groups because you have a bigger class, elicit some example answers from each group. Or, have each group choose their most interesting question to ask you.
Would you Rather Adults and Kids
Would You Rather for Kids, Teenagers and Adults
A common question that teachers have is whether or not Would you Rather ESL works for kids and adults. In my experience, it works very well, but you just have to adapt the questions to suit the age and level of students.
Kids
For example, kids may enjoy talking about superheroes. For example, “Would you rather be Superman or Batman?” Here’s a list of some more questions for kids:
Adults
Adults might find chores they want to avoid quite funny. For example, “Would you rather clean your floor, or wait in line at the bank for 30 minutes?” Need a list of adult questions? You can find that here:
Teens
Finally, teenagers may like talking about junk food. For example, “Would you rather eat your Mom’s cooking, or at McDonald’s?” If you want some more teen questions, then you’ll want to check out this list:
Would you Rather Card Game for Kids
- Contents:
- 77 Dilemma Cards
- 2 Voting Cards
- 1 Would You Rather card
If you’re looking for a ready-made version of this game that’ll work well for kids, we have some good news for you! You can find it on Amazon.
In the box you can find the following:
- 77 dilemma cards
- 2 voting cards
- A Would you rather card
- Instructions on how to play
The thing we love about this for ESL is that there are pictures on the cards, which makes it better for beginners who might be struggling with the English vocabulary involved in this game.
However, be warned that many of the card options are kind of gross and they may not be suitable for children under the age of 10 or so. Use your discretion!
Do you want to check out this Kids Edition Game? You can find it easily on Amazon:
Would you Rather Adults Game
- PICK YOUR POISON is a card game of unfathomable "What would you rather...
- Spark fun conversations -Everyone anonymously "Picks their Poison" –...
- Endless Combinations - PICK YOUR POISON Family Edition gives you 300...
- Perfect idea for White Elephant and Secret Santa gift exchange! Our...
If you teach more advanced-level students or just love this game so much that you want to play with your friends, we have a recommendation for you! Pick your Poison is a similar style game that can be easily found on Amazon.
With more than 300 poison cards, there are endless combinations of possibilities. However, be warned! This definitely could be very inappropriate to play in class!
Did you Like this ESL Warm-Up Activity?
If you liked this ESL warm-up activity, then you’ll need to check out this book on Amazon: 39 ESL Warm-Ups: For Teenagers and Adults. There is enough fun, engaging and interesting ESL warm-ups to start off every one of your classes in style.
Chances are your students who haven’t spoken a word of English since your last class. If this is your situation, then you’ll need to do your best to ease students into it. I find that going directly into the lesson is less than ideal!
It’s best to start with something light and fun but in English. Once everyone is warm, dive into your main lesson for the day. Your students will be ready to learn and what you really want to teach them will sink in a whole lot better. If you’ve never used warm-ups in your classes before, give them a try and see if you notice the difference (my guess is that you will!).
If this sounds awesome and you’re looking for fresh new ideas for ESL warm-ups, check out the book on Amazon. It’s available in both digital and print formats.
Keep a copy on the bookshelf at your office at work as a handy reference tool. Or, take a copy on your phone or tablet to your favourite coffee shop when you’re planning your lessons. Yes, it really is that easy to have better English lessons.
Pick up Your Copy of ESL Warmers Today
Buy 39 ESL Warm-Ups for Teenagers and Adults today. But, only if you want to get your classes started off on the right foot.
—>39 ESL Warm-Ups for Teenagers and Adults<—
Have your Say about Would You Rather
What are your thoughts about this ESL warm-up activity that you can try out in your classes? Leave a comment below and let us know what you think. We’d love to hear from you.
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Last update on 2025-04-09 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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