Looking for superlative adjective games that actually engage adult ESL students? I’ve got two for you – one that feels like a game show, and one that gets students out of their seats and arguing about who on their team is the most punctual.
Both games sneak in grammar practice through competition and conversation. Students get so focused on winning that they forget they’re drilling superlative forms.
Why Games for Adult Students?
Here’s the thing about adult ESL learners: some love worksheets and want nothing else. Others find them boring and disconnected from real communication. Most fall somewhere in between.
So I use everything, worksheets, activities, games…whatever will get the job done without killing their desire to learn English. Games practice the same grammar structures as worksheets, just in a completely different way.
Now, let me address the elephant in the classroom: some adult students think games are a waste of time. I get it. They’re paying for this class (or their company is, or their government scholarship program is). They want to feel like they’re learning, not playing Candyland with grammar terms slapped on top.
So when you introduce these games, be sure to mention how they reinforce the concept through repetition and context. Something like, “This game is going to help cement these patterns so you can use them automatically when you’re speaking.” (But say it at their level.) Boom. Now it’s educational. Now it’s worth their investment because they’ve got a why that makes sense for them.
Game 1: Team Theories
This one’s basically like a popular game show, but for ESL. Students love it because it feels competitive and fast-paced. You’ll love it because they’re producing full sentences with superlatives.
What you’ll need
Cut 10-20 index cards in half. On each card, write a category question at the top, then list five answers ranked from most to least common (or biggest to smallest, or whatever makes sense). Don’t feel like you need to research this. Just go with your gut. It’s for a game, not a research paper. If students give answers that you feel like should have been on the card, you can always make adjustments for the next time you take the game out. Here’s an example:
What are the five most popular items to write with?
1. pencil
2. pen
3. marker
4. crayon
5. keyboard
Other category ideas: most common pets, biggest coffee chains, most difficult languages to learn, fastest land animals, most expensive cars, etc. You get the idea.
How to Play
Divide your class into two teams. Have one student from each team come to the front.
Read the category question aloud. The two students at the front try to guess the number one answer. Whoever guesses the highest-ranking answer gets to decide: does their team play this round, or do they pass?
Here’s where the superlatives come in. When team members guess, they have to answer in a full sentence: “A pen is one of the most popular items to write with.”
If the playing team can guess all five answers without getting three wrong, they win 10 points. But if they strike out three times, the other team gets a chance to steal by guessing the remaining answers.
Bring up two new students and start again. Keep going as long as engagement stays high.
Why this game will be a hit
Students are so focused on winning that they don’t realize they’re doing grammar drills. Plus, you get to hear them use superlatives in natural sentences, which means you can catch errors in real-time without it feeling like a grammar inquisition.
Game 2: Line Up
This one gets students moving, which is critical when you’re teaching right after lunch in an IEP and there are signs of food comas taking over.
What you’ll need
Make a list of different ways teams can line up. Think:
- eldest to youngest
- tallest to shortest
- biggest to smallest family
- most to least artistic
- loudest to quietest voice
- darkest to lightest hair
- shyest to most outgoing
- most to least punctual
- fastest to slowest at reciting the alphabet backwards
- from the city with the biggest to smallest population
- best to worst singer (this one always gets interesting)
Also create three “challenge cards” per team. Just index cards that say “CHALLENGE” or something equally dramatic.
How to Play
Divide the class into 2-4 teams. Teams need at least three people or this falls apart.
Give each team their three challenge cards.
Call out a line-up method: “Line up from eldest to youngest!”
Teams race to get in the correct order. First team done wins 5 points.
Here’s the accountability part: the first and last person in each line have to state their position using a superlative. “I am the eldest on my team.” “I am the youngest on my team.” If you want the others to talk, have them pick either the first or last in line and make the sentence. “She’s the eldest on my team.” “He’s the youngest on our team.”
Now for the fun part. Any team that didn’t finish first can use one of their challenge cards to demand proof. “How do we know you’re really the eldest? Show us your ID!” If the challenged team can’t defend their order, the challenging team steals the 5 points. Either way, that challenge card is gone.
Call out another line-up method and repeat.
At the end, the team with the most points wins. If there’s a tie, teams get one bonus point per remaining challenge card.
Why this game will be a hit
It’s physical. It’s competitive. It requires quick conversation because students have to figure out where they belong in line. (“Wait, when’s your birthday?” “How tall are you exactly?”)
And every single round reinforces superlative forms because students have to state their position out loud.
So there you have it. These two games will give you solid alternatives to worksheets when you need to change things up. Some days your students need the structure and focus of fill-in-the-blanks. Other days they need movement, competition, and conversation. Now you’ve got both options ready to go.
The Bottom Line
Superlatives can feel abstract when they’re just circling words on a page. But when students are arguing about who has the loudest voice or defending their position as the most punctual person on their team, those grammar structures suddenly become useful tools instead of random rules to memorize.
That’s it from me. See you in the next post!
Want a ready-to-use resource made for adult ESL? You can get my superlative adjectives grammar guide & worksheet pack in my TpT store
