
ESL Activity
Which One is Different? (sometimes called Odd One Out) is a 20-minute staple in the ESL world because it generates heaps of meaningful output. The real magic takes place after teachers nudge students to describe creative answers, not just the obvious ones.
Flow
Break students into pairs. Explain this exercise builds speaking, listening and thinking skills. Point out that each paper has a table with rows. Each row has four words.
- Student A reads one row of four words.
- Student B listens.
- Student B chooses one word which is different and explains why. Any answer is possible as long as it is logical. So students can’t say, “Cats are different because I don’t cats, but I like the other animals.”
- Students rotate asking and answering questions until complete.
Stress there are no right or wrong answers, just well reasoned answers and illogical answers. Encourage partners to offer alternate answers.
Resource
Here is the worksheet for the Odd One Out exercise.