Экзамены играючи. Playing exams

Е.А. Филимонова

А.Р. Рюкова
Д.Р. Валиева 

ЭКЗАМЕНЫ ИГРАЮЧИ

PLAYING EXAMS

Учебное пособие

Москва

Издательство «ФЛИНТА»

2018

УДК 811.111(075.8)
ББК  81.432.1я73

Ф53

 Ф53 

 Филимонова Е.А. 
      Экзамены играючи. Playing exams  [Электронный ресурс] : учебное 
пособие / Е.А. Филимонова, А.Р. Рюкова, Д.Р. Валиева. — М. : 
ФЛИНТА, 2018. — 138 с. 

ISBN 978-5-9765-4028-6 

Данное пособие представляет собой коллекцию игр для 
подготовки к международным экзаменам (напр. IELTS, TOEFL), 
а также к единому государственному экзамену по английскому языку. 
Кроме того, большое количество игр можно применять для 
закрепления грамматических и лексических навыков учащихся.  
Книга состоит из четырех частей, в каждой из которых 
рассматривается одно из языковых умений (Listening, Reading, 
Writing, Speaking), а также навыки, которыми необходимо овладеть 
для успешной сдачи экзаменов. Для овладения языковыми умениями 
предлагается подборка игр с подробным описанием подготовки и хода 
игры, в конце книги предлагаются ксерокопируемые материалы. 
Каждая игра занимает от 10 до 30 минут и может быть использована 
на заключительном этапе урока, либо как повторение пройденного 
материала. 
В конце пособия предлагается наглядная структура изложения 
материала, которая помогает преподавателю подобрать необходимую 
игру в соответствие с академическими требованиями. 
Книга рассчитана на преподавателей, готовящих к сдаче 
экзаменов, учеников старших классов и студентов ВУЗов, а также 
всех, интересующихся английским языком и игровой формой его 
изучения. 

УДК 811.111(075.8)
ББК  81.432.1я73

ISBN 978-5-9765-4028-6
© Коллектив авторов, 2018
© Издательство «ФЛИНТА», 2018

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About the book
Exam preparation is a challenging experience, which requires a lot of effort and 
considerable amount of time. Some courses last up to more than half a year. Another 
point is the difference in students’ knowledge and skills necessary for this or that exam. 
Thus, teachers face various problems while lessons preparation: they should improve 
students’ general knowledge of the language and/or different aspects of it, on the one 
hand. On the other hand, teachers should cover and train all the involved skills which can 
differ greatly from one exam to another. As the research shows, even people with high 
level of the language knowledge can hardly get top marks unless he/she has done 
preparatory work. 
The aim of this book is to use games as one of the most useful and productive ways of 
teaching for exams. Games present an interesting activity of reaching a certain goal. 
There are several types of games. They can be played in the form of individual or group 
challenges. As a rule, time and the number of participants limit them. Each game in this 
book is created to train a particular skill or several of them. At the end of the book, you 
can find a structure list which clearly depicts the skills trained by games presented. 
Another advantage of using games is that they provide a friendly atmosphere and 
motivate students to consider exams as an interesting, although challenging, activity, 
rather than a stressful experience.
There are several benefits of this book which applies a new approach to exams 
preparation. All the materials used in the book have a similar level of difficulty presented 
in exams. However, at the same time, games can be practiced with students of all 
language levels.  The book contains many skills integrated tasks, as well. And there is 
one more feature: games can be played during different parts of a lesson: either it is a 
warm-up, feedback or review of relevant vocabulary and grammar.
As for the structure of the book, it is divided into listening, reading, writing and speaking 
parts. Each part presents and trains the main skills required for exams. This is a useful 
way to practice and check students’ capabilities.

Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank, first and very much foremost, Sue Davies, IELTS 
Stakeholder Relations Officer and Claire Hunter, Principal of the Edinburg School of 
English, for the greatest opportunity to attend the Eastbourne British Council IELTS 
Teacher Workshop and get acquainted with friendly British teachers. They inspired us to 
start writing this book and to let candidates of various exams and their teachers have 
some fun while preparing.
We are also grateful to our colleagues, talented teachers and enthusiasts, for acceptance, 
support and help.
For several games the material was taken from free IELTS preparation resources and 
free resources of Federal Institute of Educational Measurements, Russia.
https://ieltsforfree.com
http://www.fipi.ru

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LISTENING

Any examination both international and local aims at testing listening comprehension. 
The procedure is generally challenging and proves to be truly stressful. Students are 
exposed to the listening materialjust once, though in certain formats they are lucky to 
have a second chance to proof-listen or just to catch up on the missing assignments. 
The following chapter aims at integrating game aspects in the process of exam 
preparation to alleviate the stress and build positive conditioning to the listening section.
Every skill necessary to succeed is worked out with the help of particular class games 
which are to supplement the conventional drilling and testing discussion.

Skill 1. One-time listening.

For some examinations it is required to listen to the information only once, for those with 
listening two times skill is still necessary as it allows time to checking.

Game: Guess who?

One-time listening skill, introduction or review of grammar and vocabulary
Type of activity
Small groups, memory game, drilling and production, accuracy.
About 15 min.
Function practiced
Listening comprehension, phonetic and memory training, introduction or general review 
of grammar and vocabulary.
Materials and preparation
Photocopy one set of cards for each game. Cut each worksheet into separate cards.
Explain that the aim of the game is to win cards by guessing the speaker correctly. The 
player to guess all the speakers is the winner.  
How to use the game
Students play the game in turn. First one of the players is blindfold and others are offered
a card from the pile, the students read the content of the cards and the blindfold player 
has to repeat everything said and name the player who uttered it. The objective is to 
retain the exact contentand guess the speaker; it brings the blindfold 2 points. The game 
can be played in rival teams: a player from the rival team is blindfold and guesses the 
manes of the opponents. The value of the game is in getting the students exposed to a 
single topic vocabulary, getting used to academic style and having fun as the teacher can 
make somewhat funny and weird sentences to relax the students.
Monitoring and feedback
The teacher is to offer the same cards for each team for each round and assess the final 
version repeated. The teacher then gives a point to the winning team. The game can be 
played as a warm-up every lesson and may integrate words, collocations, sentences and 
paragraphs. It can be employed to drill particular vocabulary or grammar structures. Here 
we offer sample content for the game and an empty grid that the teacher or students can 
fill out with the material under study.

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Skill 2. Multiple-choice questions.

Donot choose an option just because you hear a word from it. Think about the whole 
meaning of what is said. 

Game: Bang game

One-time listening skill, generalizing, vocabulary matching
Type of activity
Small groups, matching game, production, accuracy.
About 10 min.
Function practiced
Listening comprehension, phonetic training, introduction or general review of vocabulary.
Materials and preparation
Photocopy one board for every student. Explain that the aim of the game is to win points
by choosing the right option. The game comprises two stages.  
How to use the game
First students take some time to make 5-10 sentences with some of the words in the list, 
number them and have them checked by the teacher. Then one by one the students read 
their sentences for their partner saying “Bang” instead the word from the list. The 
listening partner has to number the words in the order he/she hears them “banged”. The 
partners then compare the order. 
Monitoring and feedback
The teacher is to offer feedback on the sentences made andexplain the difference 
between the words confused. The teacher then compares the number of points and 
announces the winner. 

Skill 3. Transformation in multiple-choice questions.

Sometimes in multiple-choice questions you have to complete a half sentence with one of 
the options. If you change the first half into a question it often makes it easier to choose 
the right answer. 

Game: Ring the bell

One-time listening skill, factual information comprehension, content matching
Type of activity
Pair work, matching game, production, accuracy.
About 10-15 min.
Function practiced
Listening comprehension, phonetic training, factual information comprehension, 
introduction or general review of vocabulary.
Materials and preparation
Photocopy one board for every student. Explain that the aim of the game is to find as 
many matches as possible providing arguments for the decision. Bring a bell to signal the 
right match.
How to use the game

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Students work in pairs. The preparatory stage implies that they make up questions from 
the statements on their cards, thinking about certain details (using active vocabulary). 
Then Student Areads5 questions one by one specifying all information written. Student B 
has to recap what was reported in echo questions and suggest a match from his/her list. 
He/she should also provide arguments for the choice. If Student B fails to find a match 
within 60 seconds, Student A ticks the candidate and his/her point. If Student B offers the 
right match Student A rings a bell. The students change their roles and eventually count 
the number of right guesses.
Monitoring and feedback
The teacher is to monitor the way the information is presented and echo-questions are 
made. When the game is over the teacher may ask the students to present their matches 
with arguments and nominate for the most original/ beautiful/ contradicting/pragmatic 
couple with extra points given. 

Skill 4. Option selection.

You will hear some reference to all the options in the list, but some of them will not be an 
appropriate answer to the question. Listen to everything the speaker says before you 
chose an answer, in order to be sure that you are selecting the correct options. 

Game: Crazy stories
One-time listening skill, introduction or review of grammar and vocabulary
Type of activity
Small groups, matching game, production, accuracy.
About 25 min.
Function practiced
Listening comprehension, phonetic and memory training, introduction or general review 
of grammar and vocabulary.
Materials and preparation
Photocopy one set of cards for each game for every team of 4 students. Cut each set into 
separate cards.Photocopy one Guess-list for every student for every game.
Explain that the aim of the game is to win cards by guessing correctly more endings than 
competitors. 
How to use the game
Students get an ending for a funny story and they take time to write the beginning. Then 
all the students get the Guess-list of all the ending and by listening to their partners they 
have to identify which ending everyone was supposed to write for before the story 
finishes. The presenter is NOT supposed to read out the ending.
Monitoring and feedback
The game can be played as a warm-up every lesson and may integrate words, collocations 
under study. It can be employed to drill particular vocabulary or grammar structures. We 
suggest playing this game weekly; it develops writing and speaking skills a lot.
The worksheet contains more than four story endings.

Skill 5. Multiple choice.

The appropriate strategy for doing multiple choice questions is as follows. You may find it 
useful to cross out each option that you hear being eliminated. The options donot follow 
the order in which you hear them on the recording. So make sure that you read them all 
first and keep them all in mind as you answer the questions. To master this skill we offer 
the following game.

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Game: Secret Phrase

One-time listening skill, introduction or review of vocabulary
Type of activity
Small groups, searching, drilling and production, accuracy.
About 15 min.
Function practiced
Listening comprehension, phonetic and memory training, introduction or general review 
of vocabulary.
Materials and preparation
Photocopy one maze board for each student and a story card for the reader in each team. 
Explain that the aim of the game is to be the first to go through the maze by crossing out 
the phrase you hear. 
How to use the game
The game can be played between the teacher and a student or between students with 
identical maze sheets competing in their goal to get through the maze. The teacher or 
one of the students (the Reader) reads out the story only once in an appropriate tempo 
for the students. The players need to find a way through the maze by moving horizontally, 
vertically or diagonally from square to square. The objective of the game is to identify on 
which square you begin and on which square you finish. All the squaresare similar, but 
not fitting should be crossed out.
Monitoring and feedback
The game can be played as a warm-up to drill particular vocabulary or grammar 
structures. The content can be substituted with the lexis under study. Therefore we are 
offering a blank definition clues sheet and the maze board; they can be filled with the 
material under study by the teacher or students as a home assignment. The Start is B, 
the Exit is D.

Skill 6. Matching.

The words that you hear that give you the right answer may not be the same as the 
words on the page. On the other hand, you may hear the exact word from one of the 
options, but this does not necessarily mean that it is the right answer. To train the skill of 
accurate identification of the correct option we offer the following game.

Game: Definitions exchange

One-time listening skill, introduction or review of vocabulary
Type of activity
Small groups, matching game, drilling and production, accuracy.
About 25 min.
Function practiced
Listening comprehension, phonetic and memory training, introduction or general review 
of vocabulary.
Materials and preparation
Photocopy one board for each student and use each block for a separate game. 
Explain that the aim of the game is to be the first to match the definitions read out by the 
partner with the given units. 
How to use the game

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The game can be played between the teacher and a student or between students 
competing in their goal to guess more words than the opponent. Students get the list of 
synonymous words which they need to define and write down the definitions in their pads. 
For a weaker group the teacher may provide dictionaries.
When they are ready they in turn read out definitions for the vocabulary units and their 
rival has to write down the number of the unit he/she thinks is being defined. Then they 
compare the lists and count correct matches. Cards can be compiled with any 
synonymous rows under study.
Monitoring and feedback
The game can be played as a review or to drill particular vocabulary. The content can be 
substituted with the lexis under study. 

Skill 7. Map labelling

It is very important to locate yourself in the right place. 

Game: Where am I?

One-time listening skill, introduction or review of vocabulary and structures of directions
Type of activity
Small groups, matching game, drilling and production, accuracy.
About 15 min.
Function practiced
Listening comprehension, phonetic and memory training, introduction or general review 
of vocabulary.
Materials and preparation
Photocopy one map for each student; there are two maps for two games. 
Explain that the aim of the game is to be the first to locate the destination on the map;
every dialogue is to be timed to see which student took it shorter to locate the destination. 
How to use the game
The game can be played between the teacher and a student or between students 
competing in their goal to locate more places than the opponent. In bigger groups 
students work in groups of three: 2 students do the talking and the third monitors the time. 
Before the game the students mark 5 locations to describe to the partner. Students in 
turn describe their location using active vocabulary: on the right/ left, opposite, behind. 
With more confident students it is advisable to define landmarks rather than name them, 
e.g. I’m right in front of the public entertaining place where you can watch some plays or 
performances (theatre). With weaker students exact quarters can be indicated. E.g. I’m 
in/next to/between Q3B.
Monitoring and feedback
The game can be played as a review or to drill particular vocabulary and listening 
comprehension. The teacher times the speakers and identifies the winner. 

Skill 8. Map labelling vocabulary

It is very important to focus on what is a specific place rather than where something is. It 
is unlikely that the options will be referred to in exactly the same way as they are listed in 
the assignment. So students have to think in advance about how the recording might 
refer to the options. 

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Game: What is it?

One-time listening skill, introduction or review of vocabulary and structures of directions
Type of activity
Small groups, matching game, drilling and production, accuracy.
About 15 min.
Function practiced
Listening comprehension, phonetic and memory training, introduction or general review 
of vocabulary.
Materials and preparation
Photocopy one map for each student. 
Explain that the aim of the game is to be the first to locate the destinations on the map;
every dialogue is to be timed to see which student took it shorter to locate the destination. 
How to use the game
As a home assignment the students are supposed to pin 3-5 landmarks on the map and 
make some researching about some interesting facts about these places. In the 
classroom the Student A describes his/her route to Student B or a group of students (who 
also have the same maps), the landmarks are not directly named though. The objective 
of the game is to trace the route described in the most accurate way. With more confident 
students it is advisable to introduce self-correction, e.g. I’m right in front of the Queen’s 
residence, oh no, I seem to be behind it.
Monitoring and feedback
The game can be played as a review or to drill particular vocabulary and listening 
comprehension. The teacher times the speakers and identifies the winner. 

Skill 9. Matching factual data

Sometimes the correct option in listening may include all factual information mentioned. 
So students need to make sure that they hear all the information before they make a 
decision.  

Game: How often?
One-time listening skill, introduction or review of vocabulary and structures of directions
Type of activity
Pair work, matching game, drilling and production, accuracy.
About 10 min per game
Function practiced
Listening comprehension, phonetic and memory training, introduction or general review 
of vocabulary.
Materials and preparation
Photocopy one game board for each pair of students; there are 4 games to play, cut the 
board in 2 parts for Student A and Student B. The teacher can vary the contents 
following the topics the group is studying.
Explain that the aim of the game is to identify the biggest amount of the factual 
information the partner is giving. 
How to use the game
Students work in pairs. First they have 3 minutes to tick 2 options on their board that are 
to be correct and think about the way to present the factual information. Then Student A 
asks questions about the activity he/she has on the card, with question starters given. 
Student B has to mention all the options from his/her card in the way that the correct 

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answer is signaled but not evident. Student A guesses the right answer. Then they swap. 
The winner is the one having guessed the biggest amount of options.
e.g. Student A: How often do you do karate?

Student B: Actually I practice it daily with my Monday and Wednesday classes 

starting at 7 and Thursdays and Tuesdays I practice in the morning. Though recently I’ve 
got a more flexible schedule.
Monitoring and feedback
The game can be played as a review or to drill particular vocabulary and listening 
comprehension. The teacher then may ask for the feedbackto practice Reported Speech 
structures or third person singular form. 

Skill 10. Note completion

Students need to listen for words that indicate the structure of the talk (words like “first”, 
“next”, “finally”, etc.) as these will help to guide you through the notes on their pages.  

Game: Back to Back
One-time listening skill, sequencing of idea, logical development of narration
Type of activity
Small groups, matching game, drilling and production, accuracy.
About 15 min.
Function practiced
Listening comprehension, phonetic and memory training, production.
Materials and preparation
Photocopy one flow chart for each student. 
Explain that the aim of the game is tomake the most accurate drawing matching to the 
original. The teacher prints the blank flow chart for the students first draw their own 
picture story or process description and fill in the linkers they want in the boxes. Before 
the game the teacher can illustrate the activity by showing sample process diagrams for 
inspiration or with a weaker class ask the students visualize the same processes with 
their own linkers and pictures. The linkers can be printed out for each pair of students or 
just written out on the board. Alternatively the teacher can ask the students first to write 
on the board as many linkers as they remember.
How to use the game
Students sit back to back and Student A describes the process on his/her flowchart to 
Student B using the linkers indicated for each stage of the process. When the first 
drawing is ready Student B starts the description for Student A to draw. The drawing 
students are free to ask questions.
Monitoring and feedback
The game can be played as a review or to drill particular vocabulary and listening 
comprehension. 
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Linkers
consequently
meanwhile
in addition
furthermore
above all
moreover
apart from
similarly

unlike
otherwise
therefore
finally
as well as
however
except
to sum up

such as
although
in particular
subsequently
on the other hand
so
what’s more
nevertheless