Last Updated on October 4, 2023 by Editorial Team
We all know how education surrounds us everywhere! Whether you go to the office or simply at the grocery store, you’re bound to come across advertisements, hoardings, and everyday communication. All of this comes to you in unconventional ways yet they make you read and instantly connect with the text. Through all these languages, grammar connects with you every day.
As humans, we are bound to spot hilarious grammatical mistakes in news, magazines, and social media too. Even when you can recognize written communication errors, it is equally crucial to analyze the common errors in our verbal communication. There are instances when we as adults tend to make grammatical errors even after acquiring a sound knowledge of the subject matter. These common errors might change the context of the statement leading to disappointment.
What comes to the rescue in such situations is to practice a lot and engaging games and activities can be the ideal option for the same. As grammar is a comprehensive term, games, and activities focused on varied grammatical concepts help you enhance vocabulary, learn new spellings, and improve verbal communication skills. Such activities and games require no heavy preparations hence, can be easily played with large groups.
Engaging games to boost grammatical skills
Games are ideal to create a challenging environment for adults. These games can be played with social groups as well as organization employees. Since games include factors like winning or losing, they boost individual confidence and vocabulary. Check out how interesting games can amplify your surroundings with grammatical vibes.
1. What’s Wrong Here?
Presenting a fun game where adults can engage in various grammatical concepts while challenging the other teams for this game.
- To conduct this game, divide the players into a team of 3 members each.
- Now, two teams shall be playing the activity together.
- One team is supposed to make grammatical mistakes in the sentences.
- The other team has to guess the grammatical mistake within a set time limit.
- Now, the team speaks different sentences that are grammatically wrong.
- Here the opposite team members are supposed to guess the grammatical error made in each statement.
- The game ends after calculating which team has been successful in recognizing maximum grammatical mistakes.
- For example, if the first team says – I didn’t knew, the opposite team should be quick enough to recognize the mistake and repeat the correct statement – I didn’t know.
This is a super fun game filled with creativity. It challenges members to come up with various statements of grammatical mistakes. Payers also get to understand grammar in a deeper sense thereby enhancing their critical thinking abilities.
2. Talk About Your Vacation
Presenting an entertaining game that involves note-taking while also understanding the grammatical concepts. This is an easy game and can be played with large groups.
- To play this game, make players sit in a circle.
- The game starts with a single player who is supposed to talk about his or her vacation.
- Ask the players to be descriptive about their vacations or summer days.
- You can modify the topic at your convenience.
- As the player begins talking, the other players are supposed to spot maximum grammatical concepts by active listening.
- For example, a certain player may say the following.
- I had been to Mexico during my summer days and it was thrilling to experience tacos in the narrow lanes of the city.
- With this example, the other players can start taking notes in the following way.
- I had been – past perfect tense
- summer days – adjective
- thrilling – adjective
- Mexico – proper noun
- The player with the maximum right guess wins the game.
3. Here is your Error
This is an engaging game that can be played in large groups. The game focuses on building written communication skills while taking care of different grammatical concepts like nouns, verbs, adjectives, punctuation marks, and correct usage of these subjects.
- For this game, distribute a blank sheet of paper and pen to all the players.
- Ask them to write a small paragraph about anything. They can write about their vacation, a letter to a friend, or any ridiculous story.
- Set a timer of 3 minutes for players to complete this paragraph.
- Now, they should pass this sheet of paper to the player sitting to their right.
- Now that sheets are exchanged, players are supposed to start making grammatical corrections after reading paragraphs from different players.
- These grammatical errors can be as silly as punctuation marks or the usage of correct tenses.
- The player with the minimum grammatical mistake wins the game.
This game inculcates grammatical understanding among all players; they also get to understand the essence of return communication and how different words convey stories in different contexts. To increase the difficulty, you can have a host to cross-verify all the grammatical errors spotted by different players for the final result.
4. Check your Prepositions
This is an interesting game that can be played in teams or with individual players. The game aims to test the understanding of adults with reference to prepositions. For this game, you need to have different prepositions written in the chit and then put them in a large box or bowl.
- To play this game, divide the players into teams of two members each.
- Now, the first team shall start the game.
- One player is supposed to pick a chit while the other player should be able to make a sentence with it.
- The players may take as many possible chits within a time limit of 1 minute.
- For example, if the chit reads the preposition – above, the player may say – This bee is flying above my head.
- Now, the players shift their jobs – the 1st player is supposed to make the sentence while the 2nd one picks the chit.
- With every round, the roles change and both players receive an equal opportunity to be involved in the game.
- The team that is able to make maximum correct statements of different prepositions wins the game.
Such a game imparts knowledge on prepositions while fostering an environment for team building. Players learn to collaborate and make collective efforts to win the game. The game provides a good opportunity to recognize as well as explore multiple pronouns that can be used in everyday communication.
5. Create Your Grammar Sticks
Presenting an entertaining and creative game where adults can indulge in learning as well as collaborating with different team members. The activity aims to enhance their understanding of various grammatical concepts while being innovative with colors.
- To play this game, distribute ice cream sticks to all individuals.
- Each individual shall have 5 ice cream sticks.
- Now, give different colored sketch pens and ask them to start coloring their ice cream sticks.
- Once they are done coloring the sticks, ask them to use any two ice cream sticks and write any grammatically correct concept on it.
- For example, adults can write past perfect tense, adjectives, conjunctions, figures of speech, or any topic related to grammar.
- Here’s the twist in the game; once they are done writing different grammatical concepts on any two sticks, start dividing them into teams.
- Each team shall have three members.
- Now, individuals with different colored sticks and different grammatical concepts are teamed together.
- After this, the host starts to read out different statements that involve grammar.
- If that statement reflects what is written on the stick, the adults should show their sticks in front of all the different teams.
- For example, if the host says – I had been to Germany last year and if any team has a stick with past perfect tense, that team gets a point.
- Now, adults also have 3 blank sticks with them which helps them to instantly write the grammatical concept after listening to the host.
- The team that gets the maximum correct answer wins the game.
This game creates a challenging environment for all teams. As these teams are equipped with three blank sticks, they can go creative and write grammatical concepts by being spontaneous. The game enhances team-building capacities and individuals get to learn and recognize grammar in a quick sense.
Interesting grammar activities for grown-ups
Grammar-based activities are a good way to inculcate an understanding of different grammatical concepts while keeping it fun. These activities can be played in social groups or even with employees in an organization. As activities do not have the concept of winning or losing, participants are more likely to show enthusiasm and creativity.
1. What’s in a noun?
Presenting an interesting activity that can create a fun learning environment for adults. This activity tests the knowledge with reference to nouns. As nouns are of different types, adults are more likely to get tricked yet enjoy the activity with fun banter.
- To conduct this activity, make all players sit in a circle.
- Now, the host of the game should first decide on a letter in the beginning.
- The host should then announce the type of noun that all players need to focus on. For example, it could be a proper noun, common noun, collective noun, or abstract noun.
- For example, if the host announces the letter C along with the Proper noun, all players are supposed to be quick.
- Within one second, each player is supposed to say aloud a proper noun starting with the letter C.
- As the circle completes, the host changes the letter along with the type of noun.
While it seems to be a simple activity, it is quite tricky for players to quickly understand the letter as well as recall a noun for it. Such an activity tests adults with reference to their understanding of different types of nouns. It also enhances vocabulary and players get exposure to different kinds of nouns.
2. Tensed about the Tense
As the name suggests, this activity focuses on learning different types of tenses. The activity is fun and also enhances knowledge about different tenses. The main aim of the activity is to clear various misconceptions about tenses.
- To conduct this activity, write different tenses on chits of paper.
- Now, put the chits of paper in a huge bowl.
- Divide the players into teams of 3 to 4 players per team.
- Ask two teams to come together and compete with each other
- Now the host picks 1 chit and reads out the tense.
- Both groups and given a time of 1 minute 30 seconds to speak as many sentences as possible about the given tense
- For example, if it is present in continuous tense, the players may say the following
- I am playing the sport
- She is doing her makeup
- He is actively listening to the game
This is an interesting game as players are more likely to make a variety of mistakes in understanding the tense. Additionally, it allows other players to understand how tenses work and adults get to brush up on their skills. The activity also teaches the importance of using different types of sentences in different situations.
3. Emphasize with FOS
Figures of speech (FOS) is a broad aspect of grammar. Figures of speech are generally used in poetic effects for greater emphasis. This activity focuses on teaching the importance of figures of speech while bringing creative thinking to adults.
- To conduct this activity, make players sit in a circle.
- Now the host plays the music and everyone passes the ball.
- As the music stops, the player holding the ball is supposed to be active in the activity.
- The player holding the ball will be asked a question by the host.
- Questions can be related to any figures of speech or the player may also be asked to derive a sentence from a given figure of speech.
- For example, if the host asks for a statement on antithesis, the player should say the following.
- We play the game to win but we may also lose.
- Once the player is done, the music starts again, players pass the ball and likewise, each player is given an opportunity to present their understanding of different figures of speech.
Such activity creates enthusiasm among players as figures of speech are generally used in creative writing. It also enhances their critical thinking by being active and taking part in a challenging environment.
4. Think and Reveal
Introducing an engaging activity to make adults understand the importance of using different adjectives. Adjectives not only make a conversation easy but adults also get to understand how to use an adjective in the correct manner to lay emphasis on communication.
- To conduct this activity, divide players into teams of 2 members per team.
- Now, put different objects in a large box.
- Here, one team member shall be using adjectives while the other team member will be guessing the object.
- As the activity begins, ask one team member to close their eyes and select an object from the box.
- The person selecting the object should be blindfolded.
- Once the person has selected the object, it should be kept aside.
- Now, the second team member uses different kinds of adjectives to reveal the object while the first team member is blindfolded.
- For example, if the object is a compass box, the other team member may use adjectives – flat, thick, yellow.
The activity focuses on imparting knowledge about different adjectives and their application. While an object may be easy to see and feel, it can be challenging for adults to derive adjectives for it. Hence, this activity boosts their creative thinking and enhances their vocabulary.
5. What’s on your Placard?
Presenting an interesting activity to boost knowledge about various grammatical concepts. The activity aims to provide comprehensive knowledge about a plethora of topics just in a single time.
- To conduct this activity, prepare various placards of nouns, punctuation marks, adverbs, adjectives, conjunctions, verbs, and other such concepts.
- Now, distribute these placards to all the players.
- Ask them to stand in a circle with their placards hidden from other players.
- Start the music and let everyone run in the circle.
- As the music stops, ask them to find the exact pair they have with them. For example, if a player has a picture of a comma, he/she is supposed to find any other punctuation mark (exclamation mark, full stop, semicolon, etc.)
- Similarly, an adverb finds an adverb, a verb finds a verb and a conjunction is supposed to find another conjunction.
- Give them a minute and start the music again.
- The activity goes on until each player has found the pair.
This is a fun activity as adults might not initially recognize minor differences between the parts of speech and the grammatical concepts. They can also be confused with the types of nouns. In this situation, the activity is a good way to clarify their understanding thereby creating enthusiasm to learn more.
Grammar for grown-ups: What does the research say?
While grammar is a comprehensive branch of the English language, it is used in everyday communication. Whether in a social setting or a formal office setting, adults are bound to use grammatical concepts to a great extent in written as well as verbal communication.
Significant research[1] was conducted to analyze the usage of unconventional grammar in text messaging. Children as well as adults are often engaged in technological advancements for everyday communication. The research suggests that text messaging to various mediums leads to poor grammar skills. If children make grammatical errors in messaging, they are more likely to make them in their communication.
Hence, the research led to the conclusion that individuals make grammatical mistakes when their core concepts are not clear. It can be said that core grammatical understanding is crucial for personal and language development.
Another important research[2] was conducted to analyze the impact of aging and the loss of grammatical sense. For the research, adults were given a short version of the vocabulary subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. They were asked to identify 12 different words. Adults were also provided with a 20-minute sample of speech and then they were asked to relate some of their stories with respect to their first job, experience, or marriage.
The samples of their speech were recorded for analysis. In this research, it was concluded that adults make the most common grammatical mistakes with singular and plural nouns, past tense, verb forms, demonstrative pronouns, articles, adjectives, and prepositions. There were more than 35 grammatical forms where adults made errors. Gerunds, modal auxiliary, and participles were also some of the common grammatical errors made by adults.
Summing up,
Grammar-based games and activities are helpful ways to inculcate knowledge about different grammatical concepts. The games and activities can also be modified according to the group of adults. Similarly, these activities can be made challenging with the usage of tough grammatical concepts and materials. It is crucial for adults to be engaged in such activities and games that help them stay active with reference to verbal and written communication.
Grown-ups should engage themselves in reading different books and enhancing knowledge through online applications. They can also opt for different websites that provide useful insights on grammatical concepts. Now that you have the list of different games and activities, try them in your social groups, office, or with your siblings. These activities are sure to create a fun learning environment for everyone!
References
- Kemp, N., Wood, C. & Waldron, S. do I know it’s wrong: children’s and adults’ use of unconventional grammar in text messaging. Read Writ 27, 1585–1602 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-014-9508-1
- Kemper, Susan. (1991). Aging and the loss of linguistic complexity.
An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’,