Verb Patterns Pellmanism Game (Advanced) - Teachers' Notes

Verb Patterns Pellmanism Game Advanced Level Version
Teachers’ instructions

Preparation
Photocopy and cut up one pack of cards above per 2 or 3 students. Photocopy one more
copy of the worksheet for students to check their answers with and take away as
reference (optional).

Language presentation
Give out one pack of cards per group of 2 to 4 students. Get them to arrange the cards
into four columns depending on whether they are followed by the –ing form of a verb (e.g.
enjoy + doing), the infinitive with to (want + to do), someone plus infinitive with to (e.g.
tell someone to do) or someone plus bare infinitive (let someone do).

If some groups think they have finished quickly, first tell them that there are an equal
number in each column apart from the last one, then point out how many are wrong in
each column.

Go through the answers as a class or give out the extra photocopies for them to check
their answers.

Note that some of the verbs could go in different columns, although often with different
meanings.

Practice- Pellmanism memory game (pairs)
Get students to turn all the cards over face down and spread them over the table. The
aim of the game is to find pairs of cards that take the same verb pattern, e.g. two cards
that followed by the infinitive with to (want and need etc.). If both cards they take are
followed by the same verb pattern they get to keep those two cards and score two points.
If they get two verbs which are followed by different verb patterns (e.g. enjoy and want),
they have to put them back in the same places they took them from and play passes to
the next person.

Extension/ Variation- Personalisation
After or instead of this activity, students can take cards at random and ask each other
questions about them, e.g. “Are there any school subjects you can’t stand studying?”

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2007