Gone Fishin'

• Key words: vocabulary, speaking, verb usage (Do you have…)                                         
• Learner English skill level: Beginner                              
• Learner age level:                                                                                                          
• Preparation time:                                                                                       
• Activity time: 15 minutes for all activities plus instruction time                                                                         
• Materials: one regular size deck of cards (see below), one oversize deck of the same cards 

There is perhaps no better way to idle away the hours than fishing and a perfect occasion to talk about the haves and have-nots of this world. This game uses a regular deck of playing cards to practice these phrases:

"Do you have a _____ _____ ?" and "Yes, I have a ______ ______ " or "No, I don't have a ______ _____."

Since we're using a deck of cards the words in the blank spaces will be either "red" or "black" followed by some number between two and ten or "ace, king, queen, or jack."

After reviewing and drilling the vocabulary and grammar to be used explain how the game is played. One way to do this is to model the game for the class with the assistance of a couple of students. Use a shorter deck when modelling the game to save time.

Deal five cards to each player and put the remaining cards in the deck face down in the center of the table. Keeping the cards in their hands and out of view of the other players, each player discards any matching pairs they have in their hand and places the matching pairs in individual piles before them. Once they have discarded their matching pairs and decided who will go first (by some means like high card low card, rock, scissors, paper, etc.) the game can proceed.

The starting player begins by looking at a particular card in his hand and asks any other player in the group if he/she has a matching card.

If a player has a eight of hearts or eight of diamonds (the red eights) he/she will choose another player in the group and ask them: "Do you have a red eight?" If the player who is asked the question has the card, he/she replies: "Yes I do" or "Yes I have a red eight." The player then hands over the card to the player who asked the question. The player who asked the question takes the card and places it along with the matching card from his/her hand on top of his/her individual discard pile located in front of them. The game continues with the next player to the right asking a question.

If the player who is asked the question does not have the card, he/she replies: "No, I don't" or "No, I don't have a red eight" (this is the same as saying "go fish" in the traditional version of the game). In this case the player asking the question draws a card from the deck in the center of the table and the game continues with the next player to the right asking a question.

Players should always have at least five cards in their hand. Some players will have more than five cards in their hands but those who don't should draw enough cards from the deck in the center of the table at the end of their turns to fill their hand. Towards the end of the game when the the deck in the center of the table is depleted, it will not be possible for every player to keep five cards in their hand. The game is over when the deck runs out and the players have matched all the cards in their hands.

Players try to collect as many pairs as they can. When there are no more cards remaining in the deck in the center of the table and the players have matched all the cards in their hands, the game is over. Players count the cards in their discard piles and the player with the most cards wins.

After modeling the game with a short deck, divide the class into groups, give each group a deck of cards and let the games begin. Each group should be able to play at least a couple of hands and... there you have it.