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The classic yes/no game

 This is an old favourite. In case you don’t know of it, it’s called the Yes/No game. Students play in pairs. Each partner asks questions which normally require a yes or no answer. The responder has to answer without saying yes or no. This usually means answering by repeating the wording of the question, using negatives, changing pronouns, verbs or possessive adjectives as needed. The temptation to say yes or no is strong, so it takes care and concentration.

Advanced students can play it off the cuff, but for level A2 (GCSE), for example, I’d advise giving each partner a set of questions to ask. You could give them in gapped form to add challenge. You can also have a theme for each set of questions if the aim is to practise conversation on a syllabus topic.

You can make it more competitive by having students keep score of the number of times a partner says yes or no. Below I’ve listed a set of questions in French, then the same ones in Spanish. The topic is healthy lifestyle.

Think of all the target language input and output going on here!

French

  1. Est-ce que tu manges des fruits tous les jours ?
  2. Est-ce que tu bois assez d’eau pendant la journée ?
  3. Tu fais du sport après l’école ?
  4. Est-ce que tu dors huit heures par nuit ?
  5. Tu manges souvent des légumes au dîner ?
  6. Est-ce que tu prends un petit-déjeuner le matin ?
  7. Tu vas à pied à l’école parfois ?
  8. Est-ce que tu évites les boissons gazeuses ?
  9. Tu fais du vélo le week-end ?
  10. Est-ce que tu regardes la télévision pendant longtemps ?
  11. Tu manges trop de sucreries ?
  12. Est-ce que tu fais attention à ton alimentation ?
  13. Tu aimes les repas équilibrés ?
  14. Est-ce que tu passes beaucoup de temps sur ton portable ?
  15. Tu fais de la natation pendant les vacances ?
  16. Est-ce que tu te couches avant dix heures ?
  17. Tu manges de la restauration rapide chaque semaine ?
  18. Est-ce que tu préfères les activités en plein air ?
  19. Tu fais de l’exercice tous les jours ?
  20. Est-ce que tu penses que tu as un mode de vie sain ?
Spanish
  1. ¿Comes fruta todos los días?
  2. ¿Bebes suficiente agua durante el día?
  3. ¿Haces deporte después de la escuela?
  4. ¿Duermes ocho horas por noche?
  5. ¿Comes verduras a menudo en la cena?
  6. ¿Desayunas por la mañana?
  7. ¿Vas a la escuela a pie a veces?
  8. ¿Evitas las bebidas gaseosas?
  9. ¿Montas en bicicleta los fines de semana?
  10. ¿Ves la televisión durante mucho tiempo?
  11. ¿Comes demasiados dulces?
  12. ¿Prestas atención a tu alimentación?
  13. ¿Te gustan las comidas equilibradas?
  14. ¿Pasas mucho tiempo en el móvil?
  15. ¿Practicas natación durante las vacaciones?
  16. ¿Te acuestas antes de las diez?
  17. ¿Comes comida rápida cada semana?
  18. ¿Prefieres las actividades al aire libre?
  19. ¿Haces ejercicio todos los días?
  20. ¿Piensas que tienes un estilo de vida saludable?

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