Phrasal Verbs Opposites- Reversi Memory Game

Phrasal verbs opposites reversi memory game

Instructions for teachers

Preparing the cards

Cut up one set of cards per group of two to four students. Cut only horizontally along the rows (not vertically between the columns) so that the phrasal verbs with opposite meanings are still attached to each other. Give out the cards and ask students to fold them so that the opposites are on opposite sides of the cards (taking a quick look at the cards as they fold them if they like), and to put the folded on the table in front of them. It doesn’t matter which side of the card is up.

Playing the game

There are several games that can be played with these cards, but in all of them the student whose turn it is tries to guess what is on the other side of the card and turns it over to check. If they are right, the card stays turned over (so that it will need to be turned in the opposite direction next time) and they can try to do the same thing with the next card. If they are wrong, the card stays the same way up and play passes to the next person. The next person can do the same cards again, do cards that the last person didn’t try, or do a mix of the two.

The easiest version to play is for students to choose any cards they like (in any order) each time, and the person with the longest string of correct guesses over the length of the game (e.g. ten in a row, which one student managed on their fourth attempt) wins. There is no need for them to keep a grand total of all their correct guesses added together in this variation, but that is another possible way to score.

The most challenging version of the game to play is for the cards to be put in a single column on the table, representing a ladder. Players must always start at the bottom of the column and work their way up that column from bottom to top (in order). The person who reaches highest on the ladder or the first person to do the whole thing in one turn with no mistakes wins.

In all the variations, if they are struggling you can let them take another look at both sides of all the cards and/ or work together instead of competing (but with the same rules about stopping and starting again whenever they make a mistake).

 

Cards to cut up

break in (to a building)	break out (of a building)
(a couple) break up/ split up	(a couple) get together
bring forward (a deadline)	put back/ off (a deadline)
bring up/ chuck up/ puke up (some medicine)	keep down (the medicine)
carry on/ keep on/ stick to	give in/ give up
catch up/ get ahead	drop back/ fall back/ drop behind/ fall behind
check in (to a hotel/ flight)	check out (of a hotel/ flight)
cheer someone up	get someone down
chill out	stress out (over something)
come down with (a disease)	get over (a disease)
come forward/ put yourself forward	hold back
cool down	warm up
cut off	glue on/ sew on/ stick on
dress down	dress up
drop someone off (from your car)	pick someone up (in your car)
eat in (a restaurant)	take away/ take out (from a restaurant)
get in (a car)	get out (of a car)
get on (the bus)	get off (the bus)
go out (for dinner)	stay in (for dinner)
hand out (worksheets)	take in (completed worksheets)
hang up (the phone)	pick up (the phone)
keep someone away/ keep someone out	let someone in
leave something out/ take something out (of a report)	put something in (a report)
look down on someone	look up to someone
mess around/ play around/ sleep around	settle down
mess up (your room)	sort out/ tidy up (your room)
pick up (a pen)	put down (a pen)
put away (your pen)	take out (your pen)
put something in (your bag)	pull something out/ take something out (of your bag)
put on (clothes)	take off (clothes)
put together	pull apart/ take apart
put up (a poster)	take down (a poster)
rub out (a word)	write down (a word)
run after/ run towards (someone)	run away (from someone)
speed up	slow down