Simple Past Tense Was and Were Games Activities for Elementary ESL Students

 Link to the complete resource: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Simple-Past-Tense-Was-Were-Activities-House-and-Family-ESL-Grammar-Unit-Flas-16778768

This Guess: Who Was Where Yesterday? board game is a fun and interactive way for students to practice was/were, rooms of the house, family members, and WH questions through speaking. As students move around the board, they observe the room illustrations, answer questions, describe locations, and use complete sentences in the simple past. The game encourages meaningful communication while reinforcing grammar and vocabulary in an enjoyable, hands-on activity. It is perfect for small groups, literacy centers, fast finishers, or whole-class review, giving learners plenty of opportunities to build confidence using was and were in real conversations.

A Detective Game for Practicing Was and Were

Objective: Be the first detective to discover:

Who was there?, Where were they?, Which item was with them?

Print all the materials

Game Setup

1. Shuffle the Suspect Cards.
2. Shuffle the Room Cards.
3. Shuffle the Item Cards.

Without looking, place: ONE Suspect card, ONE Room card, ONE Item card inside an envelope. These cards are the secret solution.

The remaining cards are shuffled together and dealt completely out to all players.

Mark your own cards off on your detective note slip since they cannot be in the envelope. 

All players begin at the START space.

Roll: Roll the dice and move your token into a room.

Suggest: Name a suspect, a weapon, and the room you are currently standing in. Use the small token cards.

ask questions in simple past, Examples: Was Sister in the bathroom with a clock?

Disprove: The player to your left must secretly show you one card from your suggestion if they have it.

Pass: If they cannot help, the next player must try to disprove your theory.

Log: Write down what you learned on your detective note slip.

Winning the Game is by Making an Accusation

When you think you know the answer, wait until your turn.

Say: "I think Grandma was in the bathroom with the lamp."

Open the envelope.

If correct...

🎉 You win!

If incorrect... Return the cards to the envelope. Continue playing, but you may no longer make another accusation. You can still answer questions from the other players.

 

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