Key Words Casino

Type of activity: Small-group activity based on using key words and other words to change the
construction of a sentence without changing its original meaning.

1 – Divide the class into pairs or trios

2 – Introduce the activity by writing the following on the board:
I wouldn’t have passed the exam ____________ me.
(If you hadn’t helped)
Tell the class that in PART 3 of PAPER 3 for the FCE EXAM, they must use a minimum of two words
and a maximum of five words, including the key word in bold, to complete the second sentence so that It
has the same meaning as the first sentence. They must not change the form of the key word, and
contractions count as two words..

3 – Get feedback from the groups and write their answers on the board.

4 – Ask each group how certain they are that their answer is correct. If they are 100% sure, they can
gamble 15 points; if they’re 75% sure, they can gamble 10 points and if they are 50% sure or less,
they can gamble 5 points.

If their answers are correct, they win these points. If their answers are wrong, they lose them.

5 – In their groups, students decide how certain they are of their answers and tell you. Award or remove
points accordingly.

6 – Give each group a copy of the sentences and an answer sheet.

7 – Explain that they must transform the sentences using the key words and any other words they think
are appropriate. They should write these words in the appropriate space on their answer sheets.

8 – Also explain that they have 150 points. They can use these points to gamble with based on how
certain they are of their answers. They should write the number of points gambled in the boxes to the
right of their answers.

9 – Read out the answers while the groups check one another’s work, and add or remove the gambled
points accordingly. They write the total in the box at the bottom of the answers table, before returning
the sheets to the original group.

10 – The winning group is the one that ends up with the most points.

KEY
1-John wouldn’t have changed
2-is being released from
3-lives in Oxford, doesn’t
4-don’t mind lending
5-doesn’t take after
6-i hadn’t gone
7-don’t feel like going
8-look up to
9-in spite of a/the change
10-time I spent jogging