Top 15 ESL Opinion Games and Activities
Are you ready to get into the ESL expressing opinions activities? Then keep on reading for our top picks right here.
#1: ESL Surveys and Giving Opinions
I love to use surveys in my English classes. Just ask my students and they’ll tell you that I use them at least once a month! They’re ideal for the unit on expression opinions and can be used for just about any topic: clothes, food, travel, etc.
Do you want to try ESL surveys out with your students? Then you’ll certainly want to check out the following resource:
#2: Problem/Advice Board Game
Along with surveys, I’m ALL about board games. They’re a fun, challenging way for students to practice their English skills. In this case, they also lend themselves extremely well to giving opinions if you fill up your board with lots of common problems that people might have.
Do you want to know more? Find out everything you need to know right here: Problem and Advice ESL Board Game.
#3: Odd One Out
This is a kind of opinion activity that’s ideal for a quick warm-up or time-filler. The way it works is that you come up with 4 words, 1 of which doesn’t fit. For example:
- Apple, orange, carrot, watermelon.
Students have to choose the one that doesn’t fit and tell you why (carrot—vegetable, not a fruit). Where the opinion comes in is that there are actually lots of other answers possible. I will accept anything as long as students are able to justify it.
Do you want to try out this quick warmer with your students? Check out all the details here: ESL Odd One Out.
#4: Have a Classroom Debate and Express Some Opinions!
If you teach more advanced level students, then consider running a formal debate. If you’ve never done something like this, not to worry. There are a ton of great videos on YouTube that can teach the students about how debates work and you can also make it as simple as you want it to be.
Here’s one example:
#5: WH Question Games and Activities
When you’re asking someone to give their opinion, it usually starts with a W or H question. Some common forms are:
- What do you think about _____?
- What’s your opinion about _____?
For some help coming up with activities for these kinds of questions, you’ll want to check out the following:
#6: Would you Rather Opinion Game
Would you rather is a fun, quick warm-up activity that’s ideal for getting students talking about giving an opinion about something serious, or silly. Come up with some would you rather questions, or get students to think of some. For example: Would you rather…
- eat something healthy or unhealthy?
- be Superman or Spiderman?
- die by fire or drowning?
What do you think about one of the best opinion games?
#7: Giving Opinions about Food
Isn’t food purely a matter of opinion? What one person likes can vary widely from what another person is into. And with the rise of cooking competitions on TV, even judges can have vastly different opinions about who the winner should be. Tha
#10: Making Predictions about the Future
A topic that lends itself very well to stating an opinion is predicting things about the future. For example, what will the world look like in 50 years from now in terms of politics, transportation/travel, food, etc.
To do this, students need to use a variety of future forms. Here are some of the top activities for this:
#11: Just a Minute Speaking Activity for Expressing Opinions ESL
If you teach high intermediate or advanced level students, then you might want to consider trying out Just a Minute. It’s a speaking activity that can be turned into a listening and conversation one as well if you require each group to ask follow-up questions.
The way it works is that students have to talk about a certain topic for an entire minute without stopping. In this case, you’ll want to choose controversial topics that lend themselves well to students giving an opinion. For example: global warming, higher taxes on cigarettes, investing more money in renewable energy, etc.
Check out this video for all the details you need to know about Just a Minute:
#12: ESL Shopping Activities and Giving an Opinion
When you’re shopping for just about anything, chances are that you’ll be giving your opinion all the time. For example:
- That shirt is nicer than this one.
- I like the blue car.
- That TV is too expensive for my budget and it’s also too big.
t’s what makes food and opinions a natural fit.
Check out some of our top recommendations right here:
#8: Expressing Opinion Videos
Do you ever get the feeling that your students get tired of hearing you talk? I feel like that a lot! One way to mix things up for the students is to show them some videos related to whatever grammar or vocabulary point that you’re teaching.
In this case, there are a ton of excellent videos on YouTube that talk about how to express an opinion in English. Here’s just one of the many examples:
#9: Task Based Teaching and Learning
I like to use some task based learning projects at least once or twice a semester in my classes for the following reasons.
- They’re student-centred
- Students can have some freedom to choose what they want to learn
- Group work is essential
- It’s a change of pace from the usual classroom activities
In the case of stating an opinion, one thing that you might want to consider is having students choose a current event or something in the news. Then, they can prepare a 1-2 slide PPT presentation or poster. After that, they can make a short presentation about what the story is and then give their personal opinion on it.
That’s why I often like to use shopping as my topic when I’m teaching about giving or expressing opinions. This is what ESL textbooks often do as well.
Check out some of my top recommendations here:
#13: Just One Question for Giving an Opinion
Just One Question is a 4-skills ESL activity that’s perfect as a round-up on the unit you’re teaching about giving opinions. It’s engaging, challenging and students seem to really enjoy it.
Do you want to know more? Then check this out: Just One Question 4-Skills ESL Activity.
#14: English Conversation Activities and Expressing Opinions
Almost all English conversation lesson plans consist, at least partly of giving an opinion about a certain topic. It’s a nice way for students to personalize what they’re learning and bring some real life into the classroom.
Here are some of our top picks for conversation activities for adults:
#15: Travel and Holiday Activities for ESL
Along with shopping, travel is another one of those topics that is often combined with asking for opinion or expressing an opinion. For example:
- Do you think we should go to this restaurant or that one?
- Would you rather take a beach vacation or a mountain one?
For some of the best ideas for this unit, you’ll want to check out the following:
Expressing Opinion Worksheets for ESL
There are plenty of great giving an opinion worksheets out there so that you don’t have to make your own. This can save a t ton of time. Here are some of the best resources:
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