A natural feature of game shows is that contestants have to struggle to recall the correct word for the answer. So, why not adapt these game formats for grammar or vocabulary revision?

Another classic that I often use is Blockbusters' because it nicely offers the students a chance to work in teams and pool knowledge. In this game, contestants are given the first letter of a word and have to guess it from a definition.

‘What ‘b’ is a long yellow fruit?’

I have a PowerPoint that is beautifully formatted and easy to use in your classroom.

Here's a short video clip in which I explain how to prepare the game for class:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KL3ehFbw3mo

If you want to download the PowerPoint template, here's the link:

http://www.yearinthelifeofanenglishteacher.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Blockbusters.ppt

Why do I like this?

1. Most students are familiar this game, so you don't need a lot of explanation to set it up.
2. It's flexible: you can use it for vocabulary mainly, but also for verb tenses.
3. You can easily adapt the difficulty level. You can give the first letter of the word, the first two letters or just a number if you want to make it really challenging.
4. It's fun and builds up motivation to complete the game.

If you have any ideas about how to use this in class, please comment!