A warmer / lesson filler involving making sentences from numbers.

With a large group I write different numbers at random on the board. With smaller groups I use cards - 6cm x 4cm (makes the best use of an A4 sheet), which I laminate for a longer life!

The variety of numbers I use is dictated by the level of the learners. e.g. for elementary level:

  • 16
  • 3.15
  • 58kg
  • £85 etc.

The students must make a sentence using the number I point to on the board, or the number on the card that they pick from the pile.

16 My sister is 16
3.15 School finishes at 3.15 OR a quarter past three.
58 kg I weigh 58kg
£85 I owe £85

The sentence does not have to be true - maybe the student’s sister is 18, but it must make sense. NOT My mother is 16.

For more advanced students I use more variety: e.g. 2059 (for future tense) 1967 (for past tense) 5x (for present perfect / past perfect) 50% etc.

The list of numbers I use includes:

cardinal numbers; ordinal numbers; years; dates; weight; height; prices; temperatures; length; distance; time; telephone numbers; times ( e.g.5x)

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