Miming Adverbs

One student leaves the room while classmates choose a manner adverb; the student returns, gives action commands, and guesses the adverb from how classmates perform them.

Procedure

1. One student goes outside. The rest choose a manner adverb (e.g., quickly, angrily).
2. The student returns and gives commands to classmates: Stand up!, Write your name on the board!, Open the door!
3. The person addressed carries out the command in the manner of the chosen adverb.
4. The student guesses the adverb. If they can't guess, they continue giving commands.

Adverb Banks

• Elementary-Pre-intermediate: quickly, slowly, angrily, sadly, happily, quietly, loudly, lightly, heavily, strongly, funnily
• Pre-intermediate-Intermediate: calmly, lazily, sleepily, fearfully, proudly, secretly, silently, painfully, lightly, seriously
• Advanced (practising -ly/-ally suffix): dramatically, gracefully, decisively, apologetically, worriedly, thoughtfully, stiffly, jerkily, childishly, drunkenly, unwillingly

Tips

• Send two students outside instead of one — less stressful and they can collaborate on giving commands.
• At advanced levels, acting students may also speak (as long as they don't mention the target adverb or its adjective).
• Great fun as an end-of-lesson filler.