APIEA2CEFRSpeaking20 min
Class activity: Speaking Game: Mystery Dish Food Clues (Food)
Food
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🍳 Mystery Dish!
Speaking & Guessing Game • A2 Food Unit • 20 Minutes
📘
Rules of the Game
👨🏫 Teacher Guide
- Divide students into pairs or small teams of four.
- Give each team a set of 12 printed cards and 4 blank cards.
- Explain that one reader reads clues one by one while others guess.
- Keep time on the board and remind players of the scoring points.
- Check the Teacher Key at the bottom of this sheet to settle doubts.
🎒 Student Rules
- Your goal is to guess the secret food with as few clues as possible.
- Player 1 reads clue 1 only: "It looks...". Teammates make one guess.
- If wrong, Player 1 reads clue 2: "It smells...". Teammates guess again.
- If still wrong, Player 1 reads clue 3: "It tastes...". Make a final guess!
- Take turns being the reader. Write your own clues on blank cards next.
⏱️
Timed Plan (20 Minutes Total)
2'
Step 1: Get into teams.
3'
Step 2: Read example cards.
8'
Step 3: Play rounds 1 to 12.
4'
Step 4: Write your blank cards.
3'
Step 5: Count points & close.
🍽️
12 Dish Cards
🍕
Dish Card
#1
👀 It looks round, flat, and very colourful.
👃 It smells warm, rich, and really fresh.
👅 It tastes savoury, salty, and a bit oily.
Teacher only:
Pizza (Italy)
🍣
Dish Card
#2
👀 It looks small, neat, and very clean.
👃 It smells cold, light, and a bit sour.
👅 It tastes fresh, soft, and really salty.
Teacher only:
Sushi (Japan)
🌮
Dish Card
#3
👀 It looks folded, crunchy, and bright.
👃 It smells warm, strong, and really spicy.
👅 It tastes juicy, savoury, and very hot.
Teacher only:
Tacos (Mexico)
🍜
Dish Card
#4
👀 It looks deep, clear, and very steamy.
👃 It smells fragrant, sweet, and really fresh.
👅 It tastes warm, smooth, and a bit sour.
Teacher only:
Pho (Vietnam)
🥐
Dish Card
#5
👀 It looks golden, curved, and very flaky.
👃 It smells sweet, rich, and really buttery.
👅 It tastes soft, sweet, and a bit salty.
Teacher only:
Croissant (France)
🥘
Dish Card
#6
👀 It looks bright yellow, wide, and heavy.
👃 It smells smoky, rich, and very warm.
👅 It tastes savoury, salty, and really chewy.
Teacher only:
Paella (Spain)
🍲
Dish Card
#7
👀 It looks thick, creamy, and dark orange.
👃 It smells sweet, strong, and really warm.
👅 It tastes rich, sweet, and very spicy.
Teacher only:
Curry (India)
🥗
Dish Card
#8
👀 It looks green, wet, and very fresh.
👃 It smells light, sharp, and a bit sour.
👅 It tastes crunchy, cold, and really clean.
Teacher only:
Greek Salad (Greece)
🥟
Dish Card
#9
👀 It looks small, pale, and round.
👃 It smells hot, savoury, and really rich.
👅 It tastes soft, juicy, and a bit salty.
Teacher only:
Dumplings (China)
🍔
Dish Card
#10
👀 It looks tall, brown, and very thick.
👃 It smells smoky, rich, and really warm.
👅 It tastes juicy, savoury, and a bit sweet.
Teacher only:
Burger (USA)
🍨
Dish Card
#11
👀 It looks frozen, smooth, and very colourful.
👃 It smells sweet, cold, and a bit fruity.
👅 It tastes icy, sweet, and really creamy.
Teacher only:
Gelato / Ice Cream (Italy)
🐟
Dish Card
#12
👀 It looks golden, dry, and very crunchy.
👃 It smells oily, warm, and really salty.
👅 It tastes crisp, salty, and a bit sour.
Teacher only:
Fish and Chips (UK)
✏️
4 Blank Cards (Write Your Own!)
Custom Dish
B1
👀 It looks _________________
👃 It smells ________________
👅 It tastes ________________
Secret: ______________
Custom Dish
B2
👀 It looks _________________
👃 It smells ________________
👅 It tastes ________________
Secret: ______________
Custom Dish
B3
👀 It looks _________________
👃 It smells ________________
👅 It tastes ________________
Secret: ______________
Custom Dish
B4
👀 It looks _________________
👃 It smells ________________
👅 It tastes ________________
Secret: ______________
🏆
Scoring System
+2 pts
Right guess after the 1st clue!
+1 pt
Right guess after the 2nd clue.
0 pts
Guess only after the 3rd clue (free pass).
+1 Bonus
Write a new card with look / smell / taste + adjective.
💬
Sentence Starters (Grammar & Unit Words)
🔹 It looks really fresh because we chop fresh vegetables.
🔹 The sauce smells a bit spicy in the kitchen.
🔹 It tastes really delicious with this homemade recipe.
🔹 It looks a bit oily after you fry the main ingredient.
🔹 The soup smells really warm when you boil it.
🔹 It tastes very sweet without extra sauce.
🔑
Teacher Key & Common Errors
Card Solutions
#1 Pizza: round • warm, fresh • savoury, salty
#2 Sushi: neat, clean • cold, sour • fresh, salty
#3 Tacos: folded, crunchy • spicy • juicy, hot
#4 Pho: deep, clear, steamy • sweet • warm, sour
#5 Croissant: golden, curved • buttery • soft, sweet
#6 Paella: yellow, wide • smoky • savoury, chewy
#7 Curry: thick, orange • sweet, warm • rich, spicy
#8 Salad: green, wet • light, sour • crunchy, cold
#9 Dumplings: pale, round • savoury • soft, juicy
#10 Burger: tall, brown • smoky • juicy, savoury
#11 Gelato: frozen, smooth • fruity • icy, creamy
#12 Fish & Chips: golden, dry • oily • crisp, salty
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Listen For
- Using adverbs after sense verbs: "It tastes well" → Correct: "It tastes good".
- Using preposition 'like' before plain adjectives: "It smells like delicious" → Correct: "It smells delicious".
- Missing intensifiers or placing them incorrectly: "It is bit hot" → Correct: "It is a bit hot".
🎲
Variations
Easy Mode
Open Word Bank
Display the list of 12 dish names on the whiteboard so students pick from a known set.
Medium Mode
Standard Play
No list on the board. Teammates must guess freely using only the three spoken clues.
Hard Mode
Taboo Adjectives
Readers cannot say "good", "bad", or "nice". They must use words like fresh, crisp, or sour.
Fast Finishers
Card Exchange Challenge
Groups swap their written blank cards with another team and race to solve them first.
❓
Closing Questions
1️⃣ Which dish was the easiest to guess, and which clue helped you immediately?
2️⃣ Did you use look, smell, or taste more often when making your own card?
3️⃣ What is one homemade dish in your family that tastes really delicious?
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