Aim of the Game
The aim of the game is for the learners to decide on the correct pronunciation of regular past simple endings and run to the corresponding wall of the classroom. The last player to reach the correct wall is out. The last player left in the game is the winner.
Procedure
Stick the pronunciation posters up on the walls of the classroom.
Explain to learners they are going to play a racing game, where they have to listen to some infinitives and decide which of the three pronunciation endings is the correct one. They then have to run to the corresponding wall of the classroom. The last learner to touch the correct wall is out. The game continues with a variety of verbs until only one learner is left in the game - they are the winner.
Do an example or two first to make sure everyone knows how the game works and how to differentiate between the different sounds of the endings.
Place a chair in the middle of the room that the learners have to be touching when you state the verbs, to ensure the learners are all a similar distance from the walls at the beginning of each turn.
Variations
The game can be played in teams. The team whose player is left in the game last is the winning team and so players can play tactically and block stronger students from other teams so they get left out quicker, or direct remaining players in their own team towards the right answer once they are out themselves.
If you don’t want players to be out of the game, award points instead to the first three learners to arrive at the correct wall. Points are accumulated throughout the game and the player or team with the most points at the end is the winner.
There is also a blank version so you can adapt to your own activity.