Objective:
To sharpen fluency, persuasive language, and critical thinking while practicing advanced vocabulary, idiomatic expressions, and question formation.
Time Needed:
15–20 minutes
How It Works:
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Warm-Up (2 minutes):
The teacher explains:
“You’re going to tell two short personal stories — one true, one completely made up. Your goal is to convince me that both are true. I’ll try to guess which is the lie by asking follow-up questions.” -
Preparation (3–5 minutes):
The student thinks of:-
One real, unusual or surprising event from their life (keep it short: 2–3 minutes when told aloud).
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One entirely fictional story that sounds believable.
Both stories should:
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Use past tenses accurately (past simple, past perfect, etc.)
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Include at least 3 advanced vocabulary words or idioms
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Have a clear beginning, middle, and end
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Storytelling (5 minutes):
The student tells both stories, in any order. The teacher listens without interrupting. -
Interrogation Round (5 minutes):
The teacher asks detailed follow-up questions to both stories to test consistency. Encourage use of:-
Conditional questions: “What would you have done if…?”
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Clarification: “Can you explain that part again?”
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Vocabulary probing: “What do you mean by ‘on a whim’?”
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Reveal & Debrief (2–3 minutes):
The teacher guesses which story was the lie.
After the reveal, discuss:-
Which language was most effective?
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Where was the storytelling strongest or weakest?
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Any grammatical slips or vocabulary misuse?
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Why It Works:
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Encourages fluent storytelling under pressure
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Builds persuasive skills and use of nuance
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Practices both speaking and listening actively
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Can be adapted to 1-on-1 or small group lessons
