Who Am I

Each student has a word stuck on their forehead or back — a person, animal, object, or concept — that they cannot see. They mingle, asking yes/no questions to figure out what they are. Canonical for question-formation practice.

Procedure

1. Prepare sticky notes: one word per note. Use whatever target category suits the lesson:
   • Famous people
   • Animals
   • Jobs
   • Household objects
   • Abstract nouns (patience, success, freedom)
2. Stick one note on each student's forehead or the back of their shirt. They must not see their own.
3. Students mingle and ask each other only yes/no questions: Am I a person? Am I alive? Am I famous? Am I a woman?
4. Once they guess correctly, they help others but keep their sticker on.
5. Set a time cap (8–10 minutes). Regroup: who guessed? Who didn't?

Why It Works

• Question-formation drill: the whole activity is made of questions; natural practice of word order and auxiliary use.
• Strategy: students who narrow down categorically (big questions first) outperform random askers.
• High energy, low stakes: movement and friendly deceit make it a favourite.

Variations

• Two-question rule: at each partner, you may ask exactly two yes/no questions before swapping partners. Forces mingling.
• Listed attributes: student must correctly state 5 attributes before guessing (I am alive, I am an animal, I have four legs...).
• Category reveal: after 5 minutes, teacher announces the category (all jobs). Remaining guessers have narrowed scope.
• Thematic: match the category to the current unit (all irregular-verb infinitives, all phrasal verbs).

Tips

• Name tags beat forehead notes for adult professional classes; nobody wants glue on their skin.
• Mix difficulty: include both obvious (elephant) and subtle (insomnia) items.
• Debrief winners: what question unlocked the answer fastest? Teaches strategy through reflection.