GERUNDS AND INFINITIVES
The following activity is meant to give high-intermediate English language learners additional practice with gerunds and infinitives. The focus of the activity is on correctly identifying whether an infinitive or gerund should be used. This activity allows students to focus on selecting the correct use of gerunds and infinitives given common head verbs. I designed it as a game to make this more fun than a typical grammar exercise. The competitive element tends to get students to focus on accuracy. I also think that it provides students with ample practice. Even if it isn’t their turn, students will be learning, as they are the judges of their fellow students correctness.
ACTIVITY: GERUND OR INFINITIVE BOARD GAME
Students are broken up into groups of 4-5 to play. Each group is given a board, tokens, a die and three sets of cards (white, green and blue). Students are each dealt 5 white cards. The remaining while cards are placed in a pile facedown on table. The blue and green decks are also placed facedown on the table. Student with the closest birthday goes first. On their turn, each student rolls the die and moves their piece that number of spaces. Student then draws a card from the corresponding colored deck. Student then must make a sentence using the drawn card and one card from their hand. If their sentence is correct, student can discard their white card. If student is incorrect, student must keep their white card and move back 2 spaces. If student cannot make a correct sentence using the cards in their hand, they must draw an additional card. Play moves on to next student. First student to make it to the finish wins.
MATERIALS
-
Green cards (24) - Head Verbs that require infinitives (plus some that work with either)
-
Blue cards (24) - Head Verbs that require gerunds (plus some that work with either)
-
White cards (60) - Verbs in infinitive or gerund form