Cleaning / Putzen: Don’t say it! Vocabulary game for English class

Don’t say it! is an explanation game for English lessons in which learners describe English words related to cleaning, such as broom, sponge or vacuum cleaner, without using the forbidden words on the card. The person explaining comes to the front, and their team tries to guess the target word within one minute.

What is included in the material

• Game instructions explaining how to play in 2 or 3 teams, the rules and the scoring system
• 18 word cards, each featuring an English word with a picture and three forbidden words, such as bucket with water, handle and full

Tips for using the material

• Explain without aids: In addition to the forbidden words, gestures, variations of the word and translations are not allowed, so that the words are truly paraphrased in English.
• Points and rounds: If the team guesses the word in time, it gets a point, and then it is the other team’s turn; the number of rounds can be decided beforehand, and the team with the most points wins.

These skills are promoted

• Vocabulary related to cleaning, from dustpan and bin bag to all-purpose cleaner and cleaning smock
• Speaking, because the words are paraphrased freely in English
• Listening comprehension, because the team must understand the English descriptions to guess the word

On the topic of cleaning, there are also the What am I? – Cards, a Drawing Game, the Smalltalk Cards and a Vocabulary Poster.