Idioms - Business English Games, Activities and Worksheets
In this engaging business idioms game and activity, students learn and practice idioms related to challenges and problems. First, in pairs, students take turns reading an example sentence, question and two possible definitions of the idiom in the sentence to their partner, who tries to guess the correct one. For each correct guess, students put a tick next to the idiom. The student with the most correct guesses at the end of the game wins. Next, students ask their partner questions that contain idioms from the game and discuss the answers. Pairs then complete a story by writing the missing idiom for each sentence in the column on the right in its correct form. Lastly, students fold the worksheet so that they cannot see the idioms, and then take turns re-telling the story, trying to remember the idioms.
In this useful business idioms worksheet and game, students learn and practice some common financial idioms. Students begin by identifying and underlining financial idioms in sentences. Students then match the idioms with their definitions. After that, students discuss four conversation questions that contain the financial idioms in pairs. Next, in groups, students play a card game where they race to complete sentences with the idioms. Students take turns picking up a card and reading the sentence on the card to the group using the word 'blank' in place of the financial idiom written in bold, e.g. 'The contractor BLANK on the building materials, leading to serious structural issues.' The other students then race to complete the sentence with the correct idiom, e.g. cut corners. The first student to do this wins and keeps the card. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
In this free business idioms game, students guess idioms commonly used in business from sentences that describe their meaning. To begin, write the business idioms from the cards on the board. In pairs, students then take turns picking up a card and reading the sentence on the card to their partner, signalling the words in bold that describe the idiom with air quotation marks. Their partner then repeats the sentence back, changing the words in bold to a business idiom from the board. If the student says the correct idiom, they win and keep the card. If not, the student with the card reads out the correct idiom shown in brackets and removes the card from the game. The student with the most cards at the end of the game wins.
In this comprehensive business idioms worksheet, students learn and practice ten idioms commonly used in business. First, in pairs, students read sentences and discuss what they think the business idioms in bold mean from the contexts. Working alone, students then match each business idiom to its definition. Next, students read scenarios and write the corresponding business idioms. After that, assign each pair of students with a business idiom from the worksheet. Pairs then create a short workplace dialogue that demonstrates the business idiom without using it in their conversation. Finally, pairs role-play their dialogues to the class, who guess the business idiom being demonstrated each time.
Here are two fun business idioms games to help students practice idioms related to competition. To begin, students play a game of dominoes to practice the competition idioms. In groups, the first player tries to match a competition idiom with its definition by placing a domino down either before or after the domino on the table. The next player then tries to put down one of their dominoes at either end of the domino chain, and so on. The first player to get rid of all their dominoes wins. However, the game continues until all the dominoes have been used or the gameplay has been exhausted. Next, in pairs, students play a game where they complete sentences with the idioms. Student A reads each sentence using the word 'blank' for the competition idiom in bold to their partner, who listens, chooses a suitable idiom from their worksheet, and repeats the sentence, completing it with the correctly formed idiom. If the idiom is correct, the other student puts a tick next to the sentence. When Student A has read out all their sentences, the two students swap roles. The student with the most correct answers at the end of the game wins.
