Have you heard of the game I Have…Who Has…? It’s everywhere in elementary schools, but most adult ESL teachers have never heard of it, which is wild because it solves so many everyday problems.
You know how most speaking activities put students on the spot one at a time while everyone else zones out? Or how vocabulary review feels like pulling teeth? Or how you’re constantly trying to keep your mixed-level class engaged at the same time?
This game changes all of that.
Why This “Kids’ Game” is Perfect for Adult ESL Students
I Have…Who Has…? does something most games can’t: it keeps EVERYONE engaged at the same time. Nobody’s zoned out while waiting for their turn. Nobody’s scrolling on their phone. Everyone has to pay attention because they don’t know when their card is coming up.
Your absolute beginners can play. Your almost-intermediates can play. Your students who clam up when all eyes are on them? They can play too, because you can tweak it so they’re never speaking alone.
And the best part? They think it’s fun. They don’t realize you’re assessing their pronunciation. They don’t notice you’re checking whether they learned those 15 vocabulary words from Tuesday. They’re too busy trying to beat the clock.
What Exactly IS I Have…Who Has…?
It’s a card game. Each card has two things on it: an answer (I have…) and a question (Who has…?).
You deal out the cards. The person with the first card starts by reading their card: “Let’s begin! Who has the word for a long period without rain?” The person with “drought” on their card answers: “I have drought. Who has…?” and so on until you reach the end (or loop back to the beginning depending on how the cards are set up).
That’s it. That’s the whole game.
But the magic is in what you can DO with it.
The Tweaks That Make It Perfect for Adults
For students who freeze when speaking alone: Have the whole class repeat the “I have…” part together. The student with the card still asks “Who has…?” but they’re not the only voice in the room for that first part. Suddenly, speaking isn’t so scary.
For mixed-level classes: Use images instead of words on the cards. Your beginners just say the word. Your intermediate students add articles (a storm, an earthquake, the drought). Your advanced students use it in a sentence or give you the verb form. Same game, different challenge levels.
For students who need more practice: Give them multiple cards. For students who don’t? Give them one. Simple.
For the students who get bored easily: Add a timer. Tell them their first round took 3 minutes and 42 seconds. Then challenge them to beat it. Watch what happens.
Here’s How to Play this Game in Your Classroom
Pass out the cards. Pay attention to who gets the starter card.
The student with the starter card reads: “I have [vocabulary word]. Who has [definition/synonym/image description]?”
The student who has that answer responds with their “I have…” and asks their “Who has…?”
This continues until the end or until you loop back to the starter card.
First time playing? Don’t time them. Let them figure out the rhythm. Answer questions. Make sure they understand how it circles back.
Second time? Time them. Write it on the board. Then shuffle the cards and deal again. Challenge them to beat their time.
Ways to Level this Up
Vocabulary class? Put definitions on the cards instead of words. “I have catastrophic. Who has the word that means to continue despite difficulty?” (persevere)
Grammar focus? Use images but require specific structures. “I have women. Who has the plural form of wolf?”
Advanced students? Go wild. Synonyms, antonyms, word families, collocations. “I have erupt. Who has the adjective form of the word that means widespread destruction?” (catastrophic)
Pronunciation practice? Use images of minimal pairs or commonly confused words. You’ll hear immediately who’s still mixing up “ship” and “sheep.”
The Real Reason this Game is Brilliant
Here’s what makes this different from most speaking activities: students don’t just wait passively for their turn and then check out. They have to stay alert because if they miss hearing their answer, the whole chain breaks. Even if they’ve already used one of their cards, they might have another one coming. And if you’re timing them? They’re invested in the group’s speed, so they’re tracking the flow, ready to jump in the second they hear their cue or to help a classmate.
Your shy students aren’t performing for the class, they’re just participating in a chain. Your competitive students are racing the clock. Your easily-distracted students can’t drift off because they might miss their cue.
And you? You’re listening to every single student pronounce that tricky vocabulary. You’re seeing who hesitates, who’s confident, who’s still confusing “famine” with “feminine.” You’re getting assessment data while they’re having fun.
That’s the kind of classroom activity that makes time fly right by.
The Bottom Line
I Have…Who Has…? isn’t just for elementary students. It’s for any teacher who’s tired of vocabulary review that feels like a chore, who wants everyone engaged at the same time, and who wouldn’t mind if their students asked to practice pronunciation more with it.
Steal this game from those elementary teachers. They won’t mind. They’ve been having all the fun for long enough anyway.
That’s it from me. See you in the next post!
Save time and get some ready-to-print I Have…Who Has? games from my TpT store.
Each game is also available separately.
The Vocabulary Bundle . . . . | | | | . . . . The Pronunciation Bundle
Read about some more games to use with your adult ESL students!
6 Exciting Subject-Verb Agreement Games & Activities for Adult ESL
2 Vocabulary Games That’ll Get Even Your Skeptical Adult ESL Students Excited
