Word Game - Synonyms and Antonyms
by Lynne Hand
Instructions to the English teacher
Explain what synonyms and antonyms are.
Synonyms are different words with similar or identical meanings. They are interchangeable.
For example: Car and automobile.
Antonyms are words with opposite or nearly opposite meanings.
For example: Large and small.
This is a nice warm up game using synonyms and antonyms. You can make it as difficult or easy as you wish, depending on the level of your students.
Hand out a list of words to each student. There should be two columns next to each word, label the heading of each column, synonym and antonym. You can make up your own lists using words you've already taught. Thesaurus.com is a useful tool for this exercise.
Then read out the synonyms and antonyms of those words. The students have to write these words next to the word they are the same or the opposite of.
Here is an example:-
Word Synonym Antonym big teach
You then read out the word "large" and the students should fill in the column synonym against the word "big".
You then read out the word "learn" and the students should fill in antonym column against the word "teach".
Word Synonym Antonym big large teach learn
At the end go through the lists using a board or OHP.
You could give a small prize to the students who get the most right.
Do you have an article, handout or a teaching idea/tip that you would like to share?