Gradable and Extreme Adjectives Reversi Games

Gradable and Extreme Adjectives Reversi Games
Instructions for teachers
Choose which of sets of cards below you want to use and cut up one pack per group of
two to four students by cutting between the rows of cards with the right and left parts still
attached to each other. Don’t cut along the vertical line between the two columns. Remove
any cards which are obviously too difficult and/ or not useful for your students, but make
sure there are at least 10 or 12 left in the pack.

Give out the cards and ask the students to fold them so that the two versions (gradable
and extreme, synonyms, or opposites) are on opposite sides to each other. It doesn’t
matter which side of the card is top.

There are several different reversi card games that can be played with all of the different
versions. In all of the games the students guess what is on the other side of the card and
then turn over to check. To add extra language and help them check, I always insist that
they put suitable adverbs with each word as they say them, e.g. “Fairly good. Absolutely
excellent”. If they are correct, the card stays turned over (to be done the other way round
the next time someone comes to it), then they can do the same thing with another card.
Ways of working through the cards and scoring include:
-

Putting all the cards in one vertical column and having to work through the whole
column from bottom to top in one go to win the game (like climbing a ladder)

-

Picking any card they like and the longest string of correct answers during the game
(e.g. one person once managing nine in a row without a mistake) winning

-

Picking any they like and the person with the greatest number of correct guesses over
the length of the whole game (e.g. twenty five points) winning

With the opposites and synonyms versions, before or after the reversi game, you can ask
them match up pairs of gradable and extreme adjectives (with the cards unfolded).

After they finish, they can test in each other orally on the forms.

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2017

Gradable and Extreme Adjectives Pairs Version

annoying/ irritating

infuriating

ugly

hideous

bad

awful/ dreadful/ terrible

good

great/ brilliant/ fantastic/

fabulous/ terrific/ splendid

boring

mind-numbing

interesting

captivating/ fascinating/

spellbinding

exciting

gripping/ thrilling

dirty

filthy

confusing

mind-boggling

happy/ pleased

delighted/ overjoyed

disappointed

devastated

wet

soaked/ sopping

tiring

exhausting

expensive/ pricey

exorbitant

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2017

full

stuffed

impressive

awe inspiring

loud/ noisy

ear splitting

moving

heart-wrenching

old

ancient

painful

excruciating

sad

miserable

silly

idiotic/ ridiculous

surprised

amazed/ gobsmacked/

stunned/ astonished

thirsty

parched

tipsy

wasted

hungry/ peckish

starving

important

crucial/ vital/ essential

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2017

Synonyms Version

amusing

funny

hilarious

side-splitting

irritated

annoyed

furious

enraged

attractive/ pretty

good looking

gorgeous

stunning

little

small

tiny

miniscule/ minute

big

large

gigantic/ huge

massive/ enormous

tired

sleepy

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2017

exhausted

shattered

scared

frightened

terrified

petrified

nice

pleasant

delightful/ charming

lovely

rich

wealthy

loaded

filthy rich

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2017

Opposites Version

attractive/ good looking/

pretty

ugly

gorgeous/ stunning

hideous

bad

good

awful/ dreadful/ terrible

great/ brilliant/ fantastic/

fabulous/ terrific/ splendid

big/ large

small/ little

huge/ massive/ gigantic/

enormous

tiny/ minuscule/ minute

boring

interesting

mind-numbing

captivating/ fascinating/

spellbinding

cool/ cold

warm/ hot

freezing

boiling/ baking/ roasting

depressed/ sad/ unhappy

glad/ happy/ pleased

miserable/ heartbroken

overjoyed

dry

wet

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2017

parched

soaked/ sopping

sleepy/ tired

energetic

exhausted/ shattered

hyper

hungry

full

starving

stuffed

important

unimportant

crucial/ vital/ essential

pointless/ worthless

poor

rich/ wealthy

poverty-stricken

loaded/ filthy rich

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2017