Pronouncing longer and longer numbers games
Write a two-figure number like “15” and see if your partner can pronounce it, correcting them if they say it the wrong way. Your partner will then put another figure before or after your number (making it “115”, “155”, etc) for you or the next person to pronounce. They may also put units and/ or a decimal point (e.g. making it “0.15” or “$153”).
Continue making and pronouncing longer and longer versions of that number until someone gives up, then start again with another two-figure number.
| Useful phrases for checking pronunciation
How do you pronounce this number?/ How can you say this number? I think it’s pronounced…/ I would say… (but I think… is also correct). I’m not sure, but I guess… Does that sound right? Useful language for correcting each other Actually, it should be pronounced… That’s almost right, but the correct way to say it is… Actually, the number that you said would be written… This number is… That’s correct, but it’s easier to say…/ That’s right but you can also say… |
Example with seven stages:
- seventy one
- seven hundred and ten
- seven thousand one hundred and five
- nought point seven one oh five
- ten point seven one zero five
- ten point seven one oh five five
- a hundred (and) ten point seven one zero five five
If you haven’t already, do the same with numbers with decimal points (e.g. “12.0203”).
Do the same with fractions, starting with one figure above and below the line, and adding one number above or below each time, for example:
- a half
- a twentieth
- eleven twentieth
- a hundred and eleven over twenty
etc
Do the same, but with one person writing all the longer and longer numbers for the other person or people to pronounce.
Play the same making numbers longer by adding one figure before or after game as before, but do it orally, without writing anything down. Each time repeat the last number before saying your longer version.
| Other useful language for correcting each other
I said…, so I think you’ve changed one of the numbers. I said…, so I’m not sure how yours is a longer version of that. |
Correcting longer and longer numbers game
Listen to your partner say a two-figure number and deliberately write it slightly wrong (e.g. write “50” if they said “fifteen”). They will correct you, and you or the next person should write the correct version. Then do the same with you dictating a three-figure number, the next person dictating a four-figure number, etc. Numbers before and after the decimal point also count in the figures (so “0.013” counts as a four-figure number in this game).
| Useful language for dictating
Can you write (the number)…? Useful language for taking and checking dictation Just a moment while I write that down. Okay. Is that correct?/ How’s that? Useful language for correcting mistakes (That’s nearly right, but) I said… (not…) Actually, the first figure/ middle figure/ last figure should be… (not…) You’ve written… but what I meant was… I’ll say that again more slowly. It’s… Let me say that another way. It’s… (That’s…) (That’s too small.) You (also) need (to put in)…(before…/ after…/ between… and….) That figure is too big. You don’t need/ You can take out… Useful language for confirming Okay, (I think that) I’ve got it now, thanks. I’ll write it again. Is that okay now? Great. That’s right (now). |
If you haven’t yet, do the same with decimals and fractions.
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Using more and more checking/ clarifying questions challenge
Take turns dictating longer and longer numbers to each other, starting with a two-figure number and going up one figure each time (e.g. “17” the first time, “91.8” the second time, “1001” the third time, etc). Before you write the number that is dictated to you, use as many checking/ clarifying questions like those below as you can. You get one point for each question that you use correctly, so you should use as many questions as you can even if you understand the number straightaway. However, you should make sure that the whole conversation makes sense, so don’t check the same thing twice, etc.
| Useful checking/ clarifying questions
Sorry,… Can you say that again (more slowly)? Can you say the whole thing one more time (more loudly)? Can you repeat (just) the first number/ second figure/ third…/ middle/ last…/…? (I understood up to…) Can you repeat the part after that/ after…? Can you say that another way?/ Can you rephrase the number? Do I need… (before…/ after…/ between… and…)? Is that with (or without)…? How many figures/ zeros are there (before…/ after…/ overall)? Should I write… (or…)? Did you say… (or…)? Is that… (or…)? Is that the same as…? Can I check…? Can I double-check…? Can I check that back? Can I read that back to check? (NOT Please repeat… X) Useful responses Of course. It’s/ I said… Of course. Please go ahead. Ending Okay, I think I’ve got it now, thanks. Just a moment while I write that down. |
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Longer and longer calculations game
Write down a number. The next person will say (not write) something to add to, subtract from etc that number. The following person should listen and write that symbol and number on the calculation, then say (not write) the total. That person should then repeat that calculation and say another step. The next person will write that and say the total of all three steps, then add another. Continue until someone sets a challenge that no one can calculate the total to, then start again with another number.
| Useful calculations language
…plus…equals… …minus…equals… …divided by…equals… …multiplied by/ times…equals… If you add… to…, you get… If you take away/ subtract… from…, you get… If you multiply… by…, you get… If you divide… by…, you get … equals…/ … makes… (not… as you said) |
Do the same, but adding longer and longer numbers to the calculation each time, for example:
20 x 100
20 x 100 + 1200
20 x 100 + 1200 – 10,001
etc
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Pronouncing longer and longer words game
Write a (real, or imaginary but possible) three-letter English word for your partner to pronounce. They will then add a letter before or after that word to make it longer and probably more difficult for you or the next person to pronounce, e.g. changing it to “shun” if you wrote “hun”. Continue until it isn’t possible to add more letters and still pronounce it, then start again with another three-letter word.
| Useful language for correcting each other
Corrections from the person who wrote it Actually, it should (probably) be pronounced… That could be right, but I would say… That is possible, but the normal pronunciation is… Actually, the word that you said would be written… This word is… That sounds right, but you can also say… Corrections from the person who is pronouncing it Actually, I don’t think that can be a word/ an English word because… I don’t think it’s possible to pronounce that (because…) |
Example
(The realistic but not real words underlined below are also fine in this game, but impossible made-up words like “btrabusing” would not be)
sin
sing
using
busing
abusing
rabusing
trabusing
strabusing
Do the same, but telling someone else which letter to add and where, and then asking them to pronounce it.
Do the same, but with everyone writing secretly, not on paper that everyone can see, using checking/ clarifying questions if the spelling etc aren’t clear.
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Dictating longer and longer words game
Take turns saying a two-letter (real or realistic) word, then a three-letter word, a four-letter word, etc, checking before you write it down and politely correcting your partner if they are wrong. The words don’t have to be related to each other this time.
| Useful checking/ clarifying questions
How do you spell that? Can you spell the first three letters/ last two letters/… (for me)? Can you say that again (more slowly)? Can you say that one more time (more loudly)? Can you repeat the first letter/ second letter/ third…/ last…/…? Do I need… (before…/ after…/ between… and…)? Is that with (or without)…? Is that (spelt) (with) double…? Is that… as in… (or… as in…)? How many letters are there (before…/ after…/ overall)? Should I write… (or…)? Did you say… (or…)? Is that… (or…)? Can I check…? Can I double-check…? Can I check that back?/ Can I read that back to check? Useful phrases for correcting spelling (That’s almost right but) that would be pronounced… (but I said…) You need… (before…/ after…/ between… and….)/ You need to add… You don’t need… (before…/ after…/ between… and…)/ You can take out… The… should be… |
Do the same but with one person saying all the longer and longer words.
Do the same, but using as many checking/ clarifying questions as you can before you write the word each time.
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Longer and longer messages game
Take turns leaving longer and longer messages for someone who you have tried to phone but is not available. Each message should include the same kinds of information as the last message plus one more detail. Continue until you can’t remember what to include or can’t think of any more details to add, then start again from just one thing.
Example 1
- your first name
- your first and family name
- your full name and company name
- your full name, company, and what time you will meet that person
- your full name, company, and what time and date you will meet that person
- your full name, company, what time and date you will meet that person, and the name of the station where you will meet
- your full name, company, what time and date you will meet that person, the name of the station where you will meet, and your mobile phone number
etc
Do the same, but roleplaying a whole phone call each time.
Useful telephoning phrases
Can I speak to…, please?
I’m afraid he/ she…
Would you like to leave a message?
Can I leave a message?
(Of course.) What would you like me to tell him/ her?
Can you tell him/ her that….?/ Can you ask him/ her to…?
(Sorry,) can I check…?
Okay, got it (now), thanks.
I’ll make sure that he/ she gets your message. Can I help you with anything else?
No, that’s all, thanks.
Thanks for your help.
Thanks for calling.
Example 2
- how many of the product that you want to order
- the product order code (e.g. NMC987) and how many you want to order
- the product order code, how many you want, and where it should be delivered
- the product order code, how many, where it should be delivered, and the date of delivery
- the product order code, how many, where to, the date of delivery, and the name of the person who will sign for it
etc
Example 3
- how many people will be visiting from the USA
- how many people and one more detail
- those two details and one more thing
et
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Longer and longer numbers to dictate – List 1
12
2.30%
1,500
70.017
100,100
1,200,000
20,000,000
212,150,000
$3,000,000,000
0.0000000004
4,124,899,789.99
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Longer and longer numbers to dictate – List 2
1.5
0.73
1.015%
10,000 t
$170,000
1,700,001
11,000,000
333,000,000
1,250,000,000
45,455,455,455
1,250,000,000.25
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Longer and longer numbers to dictate – List 3
8%
3.1%
218
2017
14,400
373,000
123.4556
22,000,000 t
$212,500,000
$3,110,000,000
$34,000,000,000
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Longer and longer numbers to dictate – List 4
nine dollars
zero point two percent
nought point seven five
twenty dollars (and) twenty one (cents)
fourteen thousand four hundred
a hundred and forty two thousand
eight point two million tonnes
eighty four million tonnes
seven hundred and ten million tons
one billion nine hundred million tonnes
twenty three billion yen
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Longer and longer numbers to dictate – List 5
seventeen
seventy one percent
one hundred and seventy dollars
nought point one two three
nought point oh oh oh one percent
one hundred and eleven thousand tonnes
one point seven million
twelve point five million
one hundred million and one
seven billion, seven hundred and seventy seven million
seventeen billion seventeen million and seventeen
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Longer and longer words to dictate or ask other people to pronounce – List 1
nap
soap
press
sponge
ferrous
cleanser
worldwide
production
work-related
steelworkers
deforestation
infrastructure
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Longer and longer words to dictate or ask other people to pronounce – List 2
pig
pipe
tubes
global
percent
Canadian
shipments
unemployed
winterproof
productivity
collaboration
multiplication
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Longer and longer words to dictate or ask other people to pronounce – List 3
gap
half
south
metric
January
industry
accounted
automotive
abandonment
subsidiaries
embarrassment
transformation
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PDF for easy saving and printing: dictating longer and longer games
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