ESL Conversation: Crazy Big Numbers

ESL Conversation Activities

Do your students struggle big numbers? Here’s an ESL speaking activity that gives them oodles of opportunities to practice pronouncing and listening to numbers in pairs.

ESL Activity Objectives

This ESL conversation activity for high beginner+ students has three learning outcomes:

  • demonstrate an ability to read and pronounce large numbers by answering questions;
  • differentiate countable from non countable nouns by correctly answering questions;
  • recognize big numbers by listening to and recording spoken answers.

Step 1 Set Up

This is a pair work English fluency activity with two worksheets. Download and copy the printable worksheets for this ESL speaking activity.

Step 2 Pre Teach

Before launching into the lesson, it’s a good idea to review a few basic points about reading and pronouncing numbers. Be sure to review:

  1. how to pronounce large numbers, especially those with multiple commas (e.g. millions, tens of millions)
  2. how to distinguish between teen and ty, such as 13 and 30
  3. countable and non-countable nouns
  4. how to answer questions about frequency (e.g. how often do you …)
  5. questions with yes-no answers

Step 3 Explain Activity Flow

  • Student A begins by asking partner a question from the worksheet.
  • Student B makes a full sentence answer with one number from the bottom of B page.
  • Student A listens and writes the number on his/her page.
  • Students take turns until all questions have been asked and answered.
  • Students must use the numbers on the page, hence the crazy answers, hence the name of this exercise.

Step 4 Wrap Up

Review a few questions and answers (especially questions 2, 4 and 7) with whole class at the end of the activity.

More ESL Speaking Activity Ideas?

Looking for a couple more ESL speaking activity ideas? Try this link. You’ll find three more ESL conversation activities.

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If you and your students enjoy this activity, why not buy the ebook? The Monster Pack is filled with classroom resources that help students learn the language and lighten the teacher’s workload.


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