To put things into the group to which they belong.
For example, learners might categorise a list of different foods into groups such as fruit and vegetables.

A task-type in which learners read a text with missing words and try to work out what the missing words are. The missing words are removed regularly from the text, e.g. every seventh word. A cloze test is used for testing reading ability or general language use.
(It is different from a gap-fill activity, which can focus on practising or testing a specific language point and particular words connected to the language point are removed from the text.)

finishing words, sentences, diagrams, tables
etc by adding missing information

identifying parts of a sentence or text
(e.g. underlining opposites)

a series of mimes to represent stages in a story or in a process.

An activity in which learners fill in spaces or gaps in sentences or texts. Gap-fill activities are often used for restricted practice or for focusing on a specific language point
(e.g. John _______ to the park yesterday.)
A gap-fill activity is different from a cloze test, which can focus on reading ability or general language use.

A communicative role-play activity.
Learners sit on a chair in the centre of the class, adopt a role (e.g. a famous artist) and respond to questions asked by the class.

ways of identifying objects, people, places etc.
binary key + lateral keys

They involve a progression of questions which have only two possible answers e.g. Does it have three equal sides? (yes / no)

They are used for comparing features of different items of a group. The set of characteristics of the group are usually presented in a table.
e.g. It has feathers, a beak, legs and wings. (a bird)

moving information from one source to another
e.g. reading an explanation then completing a diagram with key words from the explanation.

A communicative listening or reading activity. A text is divided into two or more different parts. Learners listen to or read their part only, then share their information with other learners so that in the end everyone knows all the information.
In this way, the text is made into an information-gap activity.

To put the name of an object on or next to the object
e.g. in a vocabulary lesson learners look at a picture of a house and write the different parts such as window, door, roof, etc. in the right place on the picture.

a matching game using words and pictures or words and definitions.
It can be used as a listening and speaking activity or as a reading and writing one. It is a way to revisit subject vocabulary and concepts

A task-type in which learners are asked to pair things together
(e.g. match two halves of a sentence, or match a word with a picture.)

A task-type in which learners are given a question and three or four possible answers or options.
They choose the correct answer from the options they are given (e.g. Listen to the weather report. What will the weather be like tomorrow? A very sunny B a bit sunny C not at all sunny)

A negotiating task which involves individuals, then pairs, then small groups in a decision making task.
For example, 1. the teacher writes twelve famous buildings on the board. The task is to decide on only six buildings to find information about. Learners, individually, select six buildings, they then work with a partner to agree on the same selection of buildings. Pairs then make groups to agree on the selection. 2. the teacher writes twelve endangered animals on the board. The task is that individuals choose ten animals to find out about, then in pairs they reduce it to eight, then in groups, they reduce it to six animals.