Rules of the game
With your partner sort the pack of cards your teacher gives you into:
3 point cards- Very difficult to make and understand a gesture for
2 point cards- A little difficult to make and understand a gesture for
1 point cards- Easy to make and understand a gesture for
Choose how many point card from the other team you want to try and mime. You have one minute to do as many as possible. If the first one you try is a one point card, the next must be a two point card etc.
Discussion Questions
Did you agree with the other teams’ choices for number of points/ level of difficulty?
Do you think any of the gestures you used are the same in every country of the world? Do you know of any gestures that are used in other countries that are not used in your country?
Common functional language universal gestures Playing Cards
Teacher’s instructions- Photocopy and cut up one pack of cards per group of 2 to 4 students. To help you in the discussion stage, the cards are arranged approximately by how easy and universal they are (most difficult at the bottom).
(I’m) angry |
(I’m/ I feel) cold | Pain/ it aches/ it hurts | (I’m) happy |
| Excuse me (waiter!) | (It’s too) loud/ I don’t want to hear | Long | (I’m/ he is) sleep(ing) |
| 10 | You can’t/ it’s not allowed/ no entry | (A) half | Heavy/ weigh/ weight |
| 100 | (Can I take) a photo(graph of you?) | (Let’s) talk | (a) book |
| 35 | (turn) left | (turn) around | (turn) right |
| 300 | Centre/ middle | Corner | (to) type/ typewriter/ computer |
| (be) quiet/ Shut up! | Big/ large | Small/ little/ tiny | (that’s) funny |
| (play) golf | TV | Remote control | (I’m in) shock/ (I’m) shocked |
| push | gun/ shoot/ bullet | Drive ( a car) | (wearing) glasses |
| sign (here please) | (I) don’t feel well/ (I am/ feel) sick/ ill | (the) time | |
| Cut | (good)bye | (Waiter) the bill/ check (please) | |
| (I’m) hungry | Wide | In | On |
| (I’m/ I feel) hot | (I am/ feel) upset | (pay by) credit card | (write an) EMS/ text (message) |
| effeminate/ gay | sexy (body) | (please) eat/ food | (you’re very) strong |
| Stop | Slow (down)/ calm (down) | Please | Six |
| (you’re) late | (at) 7 o’clock | (I’m getting) married | (I’m) disappointed |
| You | yes, sir | (I’m) think(ing about it) | Yes |
| This way (please) | I forgot (about it) | Up | Down |
| Listen | fear/ afraid/ scared | a hole | look |
| (I’m) looking forward to this/ expectation | Sorry | Call/ telephone (me) | Relax(ed/ ing) |
| one | Okay | Love | 20 |
| (you’re) thin/ slim/ (you’ve) lost weight | (I) won/ (I’m the) winner/ champion | You can’t smoke/ no smoking | (please) sit (down)/ (please) take a seat |
| (I’m) impatient/ (I don’t want to) wait | 1,2,3 | Smell/ smelly | read |
| House/ home | pull | baby | (it’s) broken |
| Wake (up) | (I) insist/ demand | ||
| Pleased to meet you | Snob/ superior/ arrogant | (I’m) pregnant | Hello |
| Together/ meet | Tea | Behind | In front (of) |
| After you | (I) don’t know/ don’t understand | (It’s) straight on/ ahead | No |
| Drink (alcohol) | (I) don’t believe (it/ you) | Peace (man!) | Come (here) |
| Go (away) | |||
| (I) doubt (it)/ (I’m) not sure | Bored/ boring | Mind your own business/ don’t interfere | victory |
| Quick(ly) | A girl/ woman/ lady/ she | (It’s ) cramped/ crowded in here | (I’m) stupid/ stupid me! |
| (I’m) proud | I/ me | Two | Good |
| (It’s) great/ wonderful | (He’s/ she’s) mad/ crazy/ insane | 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 | Bad |
| Money/ cash | I swear/ I promise | Zero/ nought/ nothing | (He is) dead/ (he) died |
| so-so | Excuse me (can I get past/ can I get through?) | A bribe/ a backhander/ money under the table | (I’m/ I feel) sad |
| 1.5 | (This/ that is/ was) delicious | Thank you | one more time/ repeat |
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PDF for easy saving and printing: Common functional language universal gestures
Related pages
TEFLtastic 
Where are the answers? I don’t know about half of these. Probably cause I’m American!