Social English Responses- Card Games

Social English Responses Card Games
Instructions for teachers

Photocopy one copy per student to take away, plus one copy per group of two to four
students to be cut up into playing cards.

Cut up one pack of cards per group, with the bold ones on the left hand side divided from
the ones of the right and the latter group of cards shuffled.

Give out just the left-hand cards (questions) first of all, and ask students to brainstorm
possible responses. Then give out the other cards (responses) and ask them to match
them up. If they get stuck, tell them that there should be three responses for each
question.

Give out copies for them to check their answers, and answer any questions.

To practise the language, play a selection of these games:
 One student reads out a question, and the others try to make as many different

responses as they can (not necessarily the ones in the pack)

 One student reads a response and the other students try to make a question that

could produce that response (not necessarily the one on the worksheet)

 One student reads out a question, and their partner then chooses and reads out one

of the responses. They then continue the conversation for as long as they can. After a
few minutes of that, they hide the responses and try to have long conversations with
just the questions as prompts.

 Students deal out the whole pack of cards and try to say as many of those things as

they can while having a reasonably natural conversation.

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2015

Social English responses review card games
Playing cards/ Suggested answers

Could I possibly

have a cup of tea?

Sure. Here you are.

Yes, of course.

Please help yourself.

I’m afraid we don’t

have any. Would

coffee be okay?

Excuse me.

Yes, how can I help

you?

Yes. Have you lost

your way?

Yes, do you need

some help?

I didn’t get the job.

That’s a pity./ That’s

a shame.

I’m sorry to hear

that. I’m sure you’ll

get something soon.

That’s too bad.

Better luck next

time.

I got the job!

Congratulations!

Well done!

That’s great news.

I’m so happy for

you.

It was really nice to

talk, but I have a

meeting in 5 mins.

It was a pleasure to

speak to you too.

Oh, I’ll let you get on

then.

No problem. I’ll walk

you to the lift, then.

Can you mail it to

Steve Hfgthtuzx at

hotmeg dot com?

Sorry, I didn’t catch

your family name.

Sorry, can you spell

the part just before

“at”?

Sorry, could you say

the whole thing

again more slowly?

Sorry for missing

the meeting on

Friday.

That’s no problem.

You weren’t the only

one!

Don’t worry about it.

It (really) doesn’t

matter.

Thanks so much

for your help with

the project.

Not at all. Please ask

me again anytime.

You’re very

welcome.

It was really no

problem (at all).

This is my line

manager, George

Martin.

Very pleased to meet

you.

We’ve emailed a few

times, but it’s so nice

to finally meet.

Actually, we’ve

already met. How

have you been?

Would you like a

cup of tea?

Yes, please.

Thanks for the offer,

but I had one just

before coming here.

That’s very kind but

I’m afraid I’m allergic

to caffeine.

Would you like to

come out for a

drink on Friday?

I would’ve loved to,

but it’s my wife’s

birthday. Next week?

I’d love to. Where

shall we meet?

That sounds great

but I’m flying to

Paris on that day.

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2015

Social English responses card games
Brainstorming stage
Without looking back at the worksheets, put down general language (e.g. sentence stems
like “Can I…?”) for each of the functions below (things you can remember from above or
your own ideas)
Requests

Negative responses to requests

Positive responses to requests

Getting people’s attention

Responding to people’s bad news/ Commiserating/ Sympathising

Responding to people’s good news

Ending conversations

Checking what someone said

Apologising

Responding to apologies

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2015

Thanking

Responding to thanks

Introducing people

Meeting people for the first time

Offering

Positive responses to offers

Negative responses to offers

Inviting/ Invitations

Positive responses to invitations

Negative responses to invitations

Look at the previous worksheets, add any language that you haven’t put so far, and use
that to help you come up with more ideas. Check your other phrases with your teacher or
classmates.

What functions above are most useful to you?

What language in those sections above are most useful to you?

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2015