“Snap!” is an effective activity for helping ESL students practice short answers and different forms of the verb “be.” Follow these simple steps to set up and play the game:
- Divide your students into pairs and give each pair their own pile of “snap cards.”
- Have your students shuffle the cards and arrange them into two columns: one with questions and one with answers.
- Ask your students to match each question with an appropriate answer. Some questions may have more than one possible answer, so encourage your students to think carefully.
- Once your students have matched up their cards, have them separate the cards into two piles: one with questions and one with answers. Then, shuffle the piles again.
- To play, each student takes a pile of cards and places it face-down on the desk. Then, at the same time, students each take a card from the top of their pile and place it face-up on the desk. If the cards match, the first student to say “snap!” gets to keep the pile of cards. If the cards don’t match, they are left on the table and students turn over the next two cards and place them on top of the previous cards.
- When students reach the end of their piles, they can shuffle their decks and continue playing. When there are no more cards left or no more possible combinations, the student with the most pairs of cards is the winner.
Remember to demonstrate how to play with one of the pairs before letting your students play. With a bit of practice, your students will become comfortable with the different forms of “be” and will enjoy playing “Snap!” as a fun and engaging way to practice their English skills.