With this game, the teacher can distribute different texts among the students. In turn, the pupils read the text aloud and the teacher asks the pupil to pay attention to the commands 'more', 'less' or other. The teacher can repeat these instructions several times in order to make the pupils improvise more and more exaggerated or more and more neutral words.

Common A2 Level Gradable Adjectives

Common A2 Level Gradable Emotions

Gradable Quantity Expressions

Gradable Distance Expressions

More, Less or Other

An Improvisation Game for English Learners (B2 Level)

Index

How to Play:

  1. Students start reading the text below
  2. When the teacher says "More", replace the last word/phrase with something more exaggerated
  3. When the teacher says "Less", replace with something more neutral
  4. When the teacher says "Other", replace with a completely different word of the same type
  5. You can switch between B2 (upper intermediate) and A2 (elementary) level passages

Click Start to begin reading the passage

Example Transformations:

Examples will appear here as you play...

Create a printable wall poster with all expressions and examples

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More, Less or Other

An Improvisation Game for English Learners

How to Play:

  1. Students start reading a text passage aloud
  2. When the teacher says "More", replace the last word/phrase with something more exaggerated
  3. When the teacher says "Less", replace with something more neutral
  4. When the teacher says "Other", replace with a completely different word of the same type
  5. The teacher can repeat these instructions several times to make students improvise more

Gradable Adjectives

  • big → huge → enormous
  • small → tiny → microscopic
  • good → great → excellent
  • bad → terrible → awful
  • happy → delighted → ecstatic
  • sad → miserable → devastated
  • tired → exhausted → completely worn out
  • hot → boiling → scorching
  • cold → freezing → arctic
  • old → ancient → prehistoric
  • new → brand-new → cutting-edge
  • interesting → fascinating → captivating
  • boring → dull → mind-numbing
  • pretty → beautiful → gorgeous

Gradable Emotions

  • happy → cheerful → overjoyed
  • sad → upset → heartbroken
  • angry → furious → enraged
  • scared → frightened → terrified
  • surprised → amazed → astonished
  • worried → anxious → panicked
  • excited → thrilled → ecstatic
  • confused → bewildered → completely lost
  • embarrassed → mortified → humiliated
  • bored → disinterested → completely unengaged

Quantity Expressions

Neutral/Basic: some → a few → several → many → a lot → plenty

Moderate Emphasis: numerous → countless → a great deal → a whole bunch → loads of → heaps of

Strong Emphasis: tons of → masses of → a mountain of → piles upon piles → an avalanche of

Highly Exaggerated: a gazillion → astronomical amounts → mind-boggling quantities → infinite numbers of

Distance Expressions

Neutral/Basic: close by → nearby → a short distance → far away → a long way

Moderate Emphasis: a stone's throw away → just around the corner → down the road → miles away

Strong Emphasis: a hop, skip, and a jump → right next door → clear across town → in the middle of nowhere

Highly Exaggerated: at the ends of the earth → a million miles away → on the other side of the world → in another galaxy

Example Transformations:

B2 Level: Barcelona Trip

Original: "My trip was amazing."

MORE: "My trip was mind-blowing."

LESS: "My trip was nice."

OTHER: "My trip was unforgettable."

B2 Level: Environment

Original: "Climate change is serious."

MORE: "Climate change is catastrophic."

LESS: "Climate change is concerning."

OTHER: "Climate change is unexpected."

A2 Level: Park

Original: "The park is nice."

MORE: "The park is beautiful."

LESS: "The park is okay."

OTHER: "The park is green."

More, Less or Other - An Improvisation Game for English Learners