Grammar Tip:
Yes/no questions begin with the auxiliary of the verb.
If you are asking about a description of the noun, use the verb to be.
Example: Is it round?
In the present tense, the auxiliary is do or does.
Example: Does it have eyes?
Don't limit your questions to the present tense!
Ask questions about ability using the auxilary can.
Example: Can I see it?
Pronunciation Tip:
In yes/no questions, your intonation goes up at the end of the question.
Game Tips:
Begin by asking general questions. This will help you narrow down your topic so you don't run out of questions.
Don't ask "Is it a chair?" first. Instead try, "Is it in the house?"
20 Questions
Goal of the Activity:
To develop critical thinking skills and grammatical accuracy.
Objective of the Game:
Your objective is to guess what NOUN another person is thinking about by asking 20 yes or no questions. The other person should think of a noun.
Rules:
- The guesser can ask only 20 questions.
- The questions have to be yes/no questions.
- The person answering has to say a full short answer to practice grammar.
- The guesser wins if they guess in less than 20 questions.
- The person answering wins if the guesser cannot guess the noun in less than 20 questions.
Sample Conversation:
The word A. is thinking of is chair.
So you ask:
Is it bigger than a house?
A. answers:
No, it isn’t.
Now, you guess it can fit into a house. So you ask:
Is it smaller than a spoon?
A. answers:
No, it isn’t.
You think it’s smaller than a house, but bigger than a spoon. So you ask:
Is it soft?
Chairs can be hard or soft, so A. says:
Maybe
You ask:
Can I sit on it?
A. says:
Yes, you can.
You ask:
Is it a chair?
A. says:
Yes, it is.