- Time
- 5 min
- Level
- A1-A2
- Grouping
- Whole class
- Materials
- None
One student mimes an action verb; the class guesses it using the correct tense you specify (“She is cooking” vs. “She cooks every day” vs. “She cooked yesterday”). It's physical, energizing, and directly reviews tense form rather than just vocabulary.
What it practices
Same mime, different tense — you control what it drills by naming the tense before each round:
- Present continuous ("She is cooking") — the natural default for describing an action happening right now.
- Present simple vs. continuous contrast ("She cooks every day" vs. "She is cooking") — the exact contrast most A2 classes struggle with.
How to run it
- Announce the tense before the round starts “Guess using present continuous” or “Guess using present simple.”
- Whisper or show the verb to one student only on a card, so the rest of the class doesn't see it.
- Give the student 30-60 seconds to mime it no speaking, no mouthing words, gestures only.
- Accept only full sentences as guesses not the bare verb — “She is cooking,” not “cook.”
- Correct form on the spot if the guess uses the wrong tense, ask the class to fix it before moving on.
- Rotate the mimer every round so different students get the physical, lower-anxiety turn.
Classroom management tip: run one full round in present continuous, then switch the same verb list to present simple for a second round — the repetition with a different tense is what actually drills the contrast.
Level variations
- A1Use present continuous only, with common, easy-to-mime verbs (eat, run, sleep, write).
- A1-A2Alternate rounds between present simple and present continuous with the same verb list.
- A2Mix in past simple (“She cooked yesterday”) once the present simple/continuous contrast is solid.
Free worksheets for follow-up practice
Follow up with the exact tense contrast this game drills:
- Present Simple vs. Present Continuous (A2) — the core contrast this game is built around.
- Present Simple vs. Present Continuous – Practice (A2) — extra controlled practice on the same contrast.
- Present Continuous Tense – Grammar (A2) — form and spelling rules if continuous alone needs more work.
Browse the full set of grammar worksheets or see the guide on how to teach present continuous for a complete lesson plan.