Minimal resources: Pub quiz

By Chris Speck

Level: Starter/beginner, Elementary, Pre-intermediate, Intermediate, Upper intermediate, Advanced Type: Teaching notes

Materials

Whiteboard or blackboard. Paper, pens, a prize (chocolate bar- something small)

1. Explain to students the idea of a pub quiz. It’s a fun test of general knowledge. Tell them there is always a prize for the winner. Big up your prize by saying how good it is, even though, quite obviously, its cheap.
2. Run through how to make questions. You might end up with something like this on the board.

3. Brainstorm sample questions with the students.

• • What is the biggest animal in the world?
    (Blue Whale)
  • What is the capital of the USA?
    (Washington)
  • Who is the Prime Minister of the UK?
    (Tony Blair)

4. Depending on the size of your class have students write down three (or less) questions each. If you have ten people in the class then that will make thirty-three questions ( including three from you). Go round and check the grammar.
5. Students now write the number 1-33 on a bit of paper with spaces for the answers.
6. As a class, ask and answer all the questions. Students read out their own questions. They get no marks for their own questions.
7. Check the answers, and give out the prize.

NB: It’s important that students actually know the answers to the questions they ask!! Depending on the nature of your class you might want to pre teach the word ‘cheat’!