TEACHER’S NOTES

Board Game: Can (ability)

by Jill Hadfield

Level: Elementary Procedure: Part 2

fun with grammar tEACHER’S NOTES

Target age: Secondary / adult 3. Give the groups the üand X cards and tell them
to put them in a pile face down (demonstrate).
Time needed: 15-20 minutes
Grammar objective: To practise can in 4. Tell students to replay the game. However, this
statements, negatives and questions time when a player lands on a square he/she
must pick up a card:
Materials: Each group of four students will
need one copy of the board, one copy of the • If the card is a ü, he/she must make a statement
cards, one dice and four counters. If you don’t beginning I can … .
have dice, you can get the students to spin
• If it is a X card, he/she must make a statement
large coins and apply the rule: heads move
beginning I can’t … .
forward one square, tails move forward
two squares. • For example, if landing on the picture of the
Summary: The first part of this activity is a swimmer and picking up a ücard, the correct
fluency-based board game practising questions answer is I can swim; if landing on the picture of
with can. The second part uses this fluency- the swimmer and picking up a X card, the correct
based board game to provide practice in answer is I can’t swim.
statements and negatives. • The rest of the group must decide if the statement
is true or not.
Procedure: Part 1
Key to illustrations:
1. Divide students into fours. Give each group a 1. cook Chinese food
board and ask them to put their counters on the 2. play basketball
‘Start’ square (demonstrate). 3. ride a horse
2. Explain how to play the game and demonstrate 4. play the piano
each action: 5. rollerblade
6. play tennis
• Player 1 throws the dice or spins the coin. 7. fly a plane
8. play the guitar
• He/she moves the counter forward according to 9. box
the number on the dice or side of the coin. 10. play football
• When he/she lands on a picture he/she must 11. speak French
ask the group a question with Can you … ? 12. play chess
For example, if landing on the picture of a 13. skateboard
swimmer, the question would be Can you swim? 14. ski
15. swim
• The others must answer Yes or No (Yes, I can or 16. play the violin
No, I can’t). 17. knit
18. dance
• Then it is the next player’s turn. 19. drive a car
• The game ends when the first person reaches the 20. ride a bike
‘Finish’ square.
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EB LO B
W N IA

© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009

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GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY / Fun with grammar / Board game: Can (ability)
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 TG or WORKSHEET
Worksheet
Title
Board game: Can (ability)
Author
by Jill Hadfield

Board
subject
fun with title

Start
grammar Worksheet

Finish

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© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009

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GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY / Fun with grammar / Board game: Can (ability)
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 TG or WORKSHEET
CUT-OUTs
Title
Board game: Can (ability)
Author
by Jill Hadfield

Cards
subject
fun with title

#
ü x
ü x
ü x
grammar CUT-OUTs

ü x
ü x
ü x
ü x
ü x
ü x
ü x
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© Macmillan Publishers Ltd 2009

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GRAMMAR & VOCABULARY / Fun with grammar / Board game: Can (ability)
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