APIEVocabulary: Guessing Games and Surprises
Guessing games and surprises
Answers and an explanation for each question appear once you add this activity to your own library.
Guessing Games and Surprises
Learn 10 key words to talk about tricks, guessing, and how sure you feel in 20 minutes.
📌 How to use this lesson
👩🏫 For Teachers
Guide students through the 3 word themes in 5 minutes and check answers together after practice.
Use the Shadowing section for 5 minutes of focused pair speaking and listening feedback.
🧑🎓 For Learners
Read the Word table and memory tips first to remember the 10 core words easily.
Complete the 16 practice questions next, then record your voice in the Shadowing part.
"It might be a gift, but I am not sure."
Why this works:
Use words like might, perhaps, or certain to tell people how sure you are about a surprise or guess.
Word table
1 Theme 1: Games and tricks
| Word | Meaning | Common collocations | Word forms | Example sentence | Memory tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| magic | secret power or tricks that surprise people | magic trick, magic wand | magical (adj) | The magician performed a fun magic trick. | Think of "magical" feelings when seeing a surprise. |
| quiz | a short game with questions to test knowledge | do a quiz, quick quiz | – | We completed a fun quiz about surprises. | A quiz is a quick game of questions! |
| wand | a thin stick used by a magician | magic wand, wooden wand | – | He waved his magic wand and the rabbit appeared. | A wand is the thin stick in a magician's hand. |
| sleeve | the part of clothing covering your arm | up your sleeve, roll up sleeves | – | She hid the secret card inside her sleeve. | Arm goes inside a sleeve, like a secret pocket! |
2 Theme 2: Ways to guess
| Word | Meaning | Common collocations | Word forms | Example sentence | Memory tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| imagine | to picture something in your mind | imagine that, hard to imagine | imagination (n) | Can you imagine finding a box of gold? | "Imagine" starts like "image": picture it in your mind! |
| wonder | to want to know something or feel curious | wonder why, wonder if | – | I wonder what is inside this wrapped box. | When you wonder, you think "I want to know!" |
| believe | to think that something is true or real | believe in, hard to believe | belief (n) | I believe that you can solve this puzzle. | Say "bi-LEEV": you think it is true. |
3 Theme 3: How sure we are
| Word | Meaning | Common collocations | Word forms | Example sentence | Memory tip |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| perhaps | maybe; used when you are not fully sure | perhaps yes, perhaps later | – | Perhaps it is a surprise birthday present. | "Perhaps" means the same as "maybe". |
| probably | very likely; almost certain to happen | probably win, probably true | – | She will probably win the game today. | "Probable" means high chance. |
| certain | 100% sure about something; no doubt | feel certain, pretty certain | certainly (adv) | I am certain that this key fits. | "Certain" means the same as "sure". |
Practice
16 ItemsA Collocation Matrix: Select the natural word pair
Choose the word that naturally pairs with the given word.
Which word pairs with "magic" for a surprise act?
Which word pairs with "magic" for a stick?
Which word pairs with "up your"?
Which word pairs with "pretty"?
B Gap-fill: Short Dialogues
Word Bank: quiz | sleeve | magic | probably
Dialogue A
Speaker A: Look at this secret box! Is it a
____
box?
Speaker B: Yes, let's open it!
Dialogue B
Speaker A: Do you want to take a short
____
about surprises?
Speaker B: Sure, I love games!
Dialogue C
Speaker A: Will she win the trick game?
Speaker B: She will
____
win, she is very good.
Dialogue D
Speaker A: Where is the secret coin?
Speaker B: He hid it inside his shirt
____!
C Choose the word: Semantic fit
Select the single word that fits the meaning of the sentence.
The magician pointed his magic _____ at the box.
I _____ what surprise is inside this heavy package.
_____ he will come to the game, but I am not sure.
Are you _____ that this key opens the door?
D Word Formation: Change the word form
Use the correct word form (magical, imagination, belief, certainly) to complete each sentence.
It was a _____ show full of surprises. base: magic
Use your _____ to guess what happens next. base: imagine
It is my _____ that anyone can learn magic tricks. base: believe
She will _____ win the prize today. base: certain
Shadowing
12 Speaking ItemsListen to each phrase or sentence, then tap the record button to practice your pronunciation.
magic trick 🔊
[Bài tập luyện nói]
____magic wand 🔊
[Bài tập luyện nói]
____up your sleeve 🔊
[Bài tập luyện nói]
____pretty certain 🔊
[Bài tập luyện nói]
____I wonder what is inside. 🔊
[Bài tập luyện nói]
____Perhaps it is a secret gift. 🔊
[Bài tập luyện nói]
____She will probably win the game. 🔊
[Bài tập luyện nói]
____I believe this is your card. 🔊
[Bài tập luyện nói]
____He has a trick up his sleeve. 🔊
[Bài tập luyện nói]
____Are you certain about the answer? 🔊
[Bài tập luyện nói]
____imagine 🔊
[Bài tập luyện nói]
____sleeve 🔊
[Bài tập luyện nói]
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