Who Wants to Be a (Grammar) Millionaire?

Shaun Gates

Shiga Women' s Junior College



QUICK GUIDE

Key Words: Test Preparation, Revision, Games, Pairwork
Learner English Level: All
Learner Maturity Level: High School and up
Preparation Time: Very short if using exercises from textbook or test booklet
Activity Time: About 30 minutes
This is a language game based on the television game show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?" It can be used with any type of multiple-choice exercise so it is particularly useful if your class is preparing for the TOEFL, TOEIC, or STEP. If you have not seen the game, here is a summary. The television show is based on the notion of "double or quits." The contestant starts with £1,000. She is asked a question and given four answers, one of which is correct -- a situation similar to the student trying to answer a multiple-choice item. If she chooses the right answer, the prize money doubles and the contestant moves on to the next question. As the game moves towards the £1,000,000 prize the questions get harder, and at some stage the contestant faces a question she cannot answer with confidence. At this point she can fall back on three lifelines: she can ask the audience, she can call a friend, or she can ask for two wrong answers to be removed giving her a 50/50 chance of choosing the correct answer. Each lifeline can be used once only. The contestant can withdraw at any stage in the game and keep the money she has won.

This game can be easily modified for class work. The chief difference is that on the television programme only one contestant can play at a time, but in the classroom version, the whole class plays in pairs.

Preparation

Before class make a list with ten multiple-choice test items. As far as possible, arrange the items in order of increasing difficulty. You can choose grammar structures covered during course work or, if you prefer, structures your students have problems with. Photocopy the list.

In Class

1. Hand out one copy to each pair and give them five minutes to think about the answers. Students can discuss answers with their partner only. While they are working prepare Figure 1 on the blackboard.

2. Illustrate the point of the game by referring to the blackboard, and explaining the rules thus: "You and your partner have ¥1,000. If you choose the correct answer to Question 1 your money doubles to ¥2,000. You do the same thing from Questions 2 to 10 so if you get all the answers right you will win ¥1,000,000. If you choose the wrong answer you lose half your money but you can carry on playing. (This is done to encourage "losers" to keep playing.) You can withdraw from the game at any time by raising your hands. The winners are the pair with the most money at the end of the game."

Figure 1

1. ¥2,000
2. ¥4,000
3. ¥8,000
4. ¥16,000
5. ¥32,000		 6. ¥64,000
7. ¥125,000
8. ¥250,000
9. ¥500,000
10. ¥1,000,000

Three lifelines:

  1. Ask someone in the class.
  2. Use a textbook or reference book.
  3. Remove two wrong answers.
If your answer is right your money doubles.
If your answer is wrong your money halves.

3. Read out Question 1 and then the four answers. For example, if the question is:

I _______ my leg.

a. have been breaking
b. had breaking my leg
c. have broken
d. was broken

you read, "a -- I have been breaking my leg, b -- I had breaking my leg, c -- I have broken my leg, d -- I was broken my leg."

4. Ask the students to choose an answer. Before you give the correct answer, draw their attention to the blackboard again and tell them about the three lifelines: "When you do not know an answer you can use a lifeline. You have three lifelines. You can ask other pairs for advice. Or you can look at your class book/reference book for one minute. Or you can come to my desk and I will point out two answers that are wrong. You can use each lifeline only once." After all the students have made their decisions, give the correct answer and move on to the next question.

5. Don' t play the game too fast. Give your students time to think and argue about answers. They can sharpen their understanding of a grammar structure even if they choose the wrong answer. Remind them about the lifelines and withdrawing, and ask them to update their total every time you give an answer. If the game finishes with more than one winning pair you can ask some supplementary questions.

Some Final Points

You can adapt this game to any multiple-choice exercise, e.g. a vocabulary test, a reading comprehension exercise, etc. If your students can cope with a large number of test items, play the game like the television show. Invite a student to sit opposite you at the front of the class and answer questions like a contestant. When this game finishes, start again with a new contestant and new questions. A Japanese version of this game show is on television so your students may already be familiar with the rules.