# Communicative Activity Bank

`scripts/activity_picker.py` reads the table below; keep one activity per row and the column order unchanged.
Levels are CEFR ranges; Minutes is a typical run time including setup; Min Ss is the smallest class it works with;
Online says whether it works in a video call with breakout rooms.

| Activity | Skills | Levels | Grouping | Min Ss | Minutes | Prep | Online | Language focus | How it works |
|----------|--------|--------|----------|--------|---------|------|--------|----------------|--------------|
| Find someone who | speaking | A1-B2 | mingle | 6 | 15 | low | no | questions, any tense, experiences, habits | Each S has 8-10 prompts ("Find someone who has been to Asia"); mingle asking full questions; write a name and one follow-up detail; report the most surprising answer |
| Spot the difference | speaking, vocabulary | A1-B1 | pairs | 2 | 10 | low | yes | there is/are, prepositions, present continuous | A and B have similar pictures with 6-8 differences; describe without showing; list the differences; compare pictures at the end |
| Split timetable | speaking, listening | A1-B1 | pairs | 2 | 15 | medium | yes | times, days, can/could, future arrangements | A and B each have half a schedule (trains, cinema, doctor); ask to complete it, then agree a time to meet |
| Picture story sequencing | speaking | A2-B1 | groups | 4 | 15 | low | yes | past simple, sequencing linkers | Each S in a group holds 1-2 pictures from a story; describe without showing; agree the order; tell the story |
| Jigsaw reading | reading, speaking | A2-C1 | groups | 6 | 25 | medium | yes | summarising, reported speech, topic lexis | Text split into 3-4 parts; expert groups read one part; regroup with one expert per part; share to answer questions on the whole text |
| Ranking task | speaking | A2-C2 | groups | 3 | 15 | low | yes | comparatives, giving reasons, agreeing, disagreeing | Rank 6-8 items (survival items, qualities of a teacher); justify; agree a group ranking; compare with another group |
| Desert island | speaking | B1-C1 | groups | 3 | 20 | none | yes | conditionals, would, persuasion | Group can take five items; each S argues for an item; agree on five |
| Balloon debate | speaking | B1-C2 | groups | 4 | 25 | low | yes | persuasion, conditionals, hedging | Famous people in a sinking balloon; each S defends one; group votes who stays |
| Role play with cards | speaking | A2-C1 | pairs | 2 | 15 | medium | yes | functional language: complaining, booking, requesting | Role cards with goal and hidden information (A wants a refund, B can only offer an exchange); reach an agreement; swap roles |
| Guess who / 20 questions | speaking | A1-B1 | groups | 3 | 10 | none | yes | yes/no questions, present simple, descriptions | One S thinks of a person or object; others ask up to 20 yes/no questions |
| Taboo | speaking, vocabulary | A2-C1 | groups | 4 | 15 | medium | yes | paraphrase, relative clauses, definitions | Describe the word on the card without saying it or the taboo words; team guesses within a time limit |
| Back to the board | vocabulary, speaking | A1-B2 | groups | 4 | 10 | none | yes | vocabulary revision, definitions | One S per team sits with back to the board; teammates define the word written there; first to guess wins a point |
| Two truths and a lie | speaking | A2-C1 | groups | 3 | 10 | none | yes | past simple, present perfect, question forms | Each S tells three facts, one false; group asks follow-up questions and guesses the lie |
| Survey and report | speaking, writing | A2-B2 | mingle | 8 | 25 | low | yes | question forms, quantifiers, reporting results | Pairs write 4 survey questions, interview classmates, then report findings using most of us, a few, nobody |
| Information gap crossword | vocabulary, speaking | A2-C1 | pairs | 2 | 15 | medium | yes | definitions, relative clauses | A has the across words, B the down words; define words to complete the grid |
| Running dictation | listening, writing, speaking | A1-B2 | pairs | 4 | 15 | low | no | spelling, short-term memory, any text | Text on the wall; runner reads and dictates to the writer; swap roles halfway; first pair with an accurate text wins |
| Dictogloss | listening, writing, grammar | A2-C1 | groups | 3 | 25 | low | yes | target grammar in a short text, discourse | T reads a short text twice at normal speed; Ss note key words; groups reconstruct the text; compare with the original |
| Disappearing dialogue | speaking | A1-B1 | pairs | 2 | 15 | low | yes | functional exponents, memorisation of chunks | Dialogue on the board; pairs practise; T erases words gradually; Ss reproduce the whole dialogue from memory |
| Opinion continuum | speaking | B1-C2 | whole class | 6 | 15 | none | no | opinions, agreeing, disagreeing, hedging | Statement read out; Ss stand on a line from strongly agree to strongly disagree; explain position to neighbours; may move |
| Speed dating discussion | speaking | A2-C1 | pairs | 6 | 15 | low | yes | any topic, question forms, fluency | Inner and outer circle; 2-minute conversations on a prompt card; outer circle moves on |
| Problem page | reading, writing, speaking | B1-C1 | groups | 3 | 25 | low | yes | advice: should, ought to, if I were you | Groups read a problem letter, agree on advice, write a reply; compare replies |
| Describe and draw | speaking, listening | A1-B1 | pairs | 2 | 10 | low | yes | prepositions, shapes, imperatives | A describes a picture, B draws without looking; compare and discuss differences |
| Mystery / murder mystery | speaking, reading | B1-C1 | groups | 4 | 30 | high | yes | modal deduction, past tenses, alibis | Each S has clue cards; share clues orally; deduce the culprit with must have / can't have |
| Class consensus poster | speaking, writing | A2-C1 | groups | 4 | 30 | low | yes | suggestions, imperatives, topic lexis | Groups create a poster (class rules, eco tips, city guide); present; class votes |
| Interview the expert | speaking | B1-C1 | pairs | 2 | 20 | low | yes | question formation, topic lexis | S chooses a field they know; partner prepares and asks questions; then report the most interesting fact |
| Chain story | speaking | A2-B2 | groups | 3 | 10 | none | yes | narrative tenses, linkers | Each S adds one sentence starting with a given linker (Suddenly, Unfortunately, Luckily) |
| Board race | vocabulary, writing | A1-B1 | groups | 6 | 10 | none | no | spelling, word categories | Teams race to write words in a category on the board; one pen per team; points for correct spelling |
| Mingle with role cards | speaking | A2-B2 | mingle | 8 | 20 | medium | no | small talk, introductions, past tenses | Each S gets a character card; mingle at a "party"; find people with something in common |
| Picture prompts debate | speaking | B2-C2 | pairs | 2 | 15 | low | yes | speculation, opinion, contrast | Pairs get a provocative photo; speculate what happened; argue opposing views on the issue it raises |
| Problem-solving case | speaking, reading | B2-C2 | groups | 3 | 30 | medium | yes | recommendation, hedging, cause and effect | Short business or community case; groups agree on three recommendations; present and defend |
| Pyramid discussion | speaking | A2-C1 | pairs | 4 | 20 | low | yes | justifying, compromising | Ss choose top 3 alone, agree in pairs, then fours, then whole class |
| Questionnaire swap | reading, speaking | A2-B2 | pairs | 2 | 15 | low | yes | habits, frequency adverbs, present simple | Pairs complete a lifestyle questionnaire for each other and read the result key aloud |
| Story from objects | speaking, writing | B1-C1 | groups | 3 | 20 | low | yes | narrative tenses, imagination | Groups get 4 random objects or pictures and make a story connecting them; tell it to another group |
| Error auction | grammar, speaking | A2-C1 | groups | 4 | 20 | low | yes | accuracy, error awareness | Teams bid fake money on sentences (some wrong) from Ss' work; win money for correct sentences |
| Grammar mingle with answers | grammar, speaking | A1-B1 | mingle | 6 | 10 | low | no | target structure | Each S has a question card with the answer on the back; ask, check, swap cards, find a new partner |
| Video narration | listening, speaking | A2-C1 | pairs | 2 | 20 | low | yes | present continuous, narrative tenses | One S watches a silent clip and narrates to a partner facing away; swap for the second half; partners retell the whole clip |
| Phone call simulation | speaking, listening | A2-B2 | pairs | 2 | 15 | medium | yes | telephone language, spelling, numbers | Back-to-back call with role cards (booking, complaint, enquiry); listener takes notes and confirms details |
| Elevator pitch | speaking | B2-C2 | individual | 4 | 20 | low | yes | persuasion, concise language | Each S prepares a 60-second pitch (product, idea, themselves); class gives feedback with criteria |