Learning new vocabulary often requires "hooks" - memory devices that help students remember the words they have learned. Here is a quick, traditional and effective exercise focusing on pairing opposites. The opposites have been divided into beginner, intermediate and advanced level lessons. The exercise can be done as a matching exercise, or, for a greater challenge, students can be asked to come up with the opposites themselves. Both types of exercises are included in the resource section of this lesson.
Aim: Improving vocabulary through the use of opposites
Activity: Matching opposites
Level: Intermediate
Outline:
- Divide students into small groups and distribute the opposites worksheet.
- Ask students to either match the opposites (exercise 1) or write the opposites (exercise 2). If you have more time, you can ask students to first match the opposites and then write out the opposites individually. Alternatively, you could give exercise as follow-up homework.
- Correct in class. Expand the exercise by asking students to provide synonyms.
Lesson Plan - ESL Vocabulary Lesson Plan - Opposites
Exercise 1 - Match the Opposites
deep win, gain
maximum succeed
wide shallow
ask reward
active release
fail quiet, silent
love past
defend passive
true on purpose, deliberately
together none
cheap narrow
future minimum
all many
help interesting
return innocent
boring hurt
friend hate
increase forget
noisy false
accidentally expensive
capture enemy
lose depart, leave
go decrease
child cowardly
brave come
punishment boiling
freezing attack
remember apart, separate
few answer, reply
guilty adult
Exercise 2 - Fill in the Opposites
deep
maximum
wide
ask
active
fail
love
defend
true
together
cheap
future
all
help
return
boring
friend
increase
noisy
accidentally
capture
lose
go
child
brave
punishment
freezing
remember
few
guilty
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