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Balderdash

This document describes the word game Balderdash, where players invent fake definitions for obscure words and try to guess the real definitions. It provides the rules for playing, including how scoring works and gives a sample word list to use.

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469 views2 pages

Balderdash

This document describes the word game Balderdash, where players invent fake definitions for obscure words and try to guess the real definitions. It provides the rules for playing, including how scoring works and gives a sample word list to use.

Uploaded by

hongthaihuflit2018
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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TEACH-THIS.

COM
Balderdash
Age/Level: Elementary and above Time: 25 minutes Players: Individual

Preparation: A list of obscure words and their definitions

Aim: To invent false definitions and guess true definitions

This ESL word game is based on a popular board game of the same name. Students invent
false definitions for words and win points by correctly guessing true definitions.

Before you play the game, have the students find obscure words and their definitions.
Alternatively, you can use the sample word list below.

Procedure

Split the class into groups of four or five and provide small slips of paper for players to write
definitions on.

Each player should have a few obscure words and their definitions on a piece of paper.

Players take it in turns to be the leader. The leader of the round chooses one of their words,
reads it aloud, and spells it.

Each player then invents a false meaning for this word that could fool the other players and
writes it on a slip of paper.

The leader should copy the true definition on to their slip of paper, so that they cannot be
seen reading from the word card.

Each player then hands their definition to the leader. The leader reads aloud each definition,
including the correct one.

The players then vote on which definition they think is correct.

The leader reveals the true meaning and adds up the scores.

Then, another player becomes the new leader and play continues.

Scoring:

1 point for every vote your false definition receives.

2 points if you choose the correct meaning.

The leader gets 3 points if nobody chooses the correct meaning.

Teach-This.com ©20I3 Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.


TEACH-THIS.COM
Balderdash
Balderdash word list

aulete a person who plays the flute


belocolus a magic stone that makes a soldier invisible
bettong a small kangaroo
boletus a variety of wild mushroom
collutory antiseptic mouthwash
crwth a 6-stringed violin
dorking a chicken with 5 toes
exoduster someone who leaves town in a hurry
fard to put on makeup
forney a ring worn on the fourth finger
galligaskins loose baggy trousers
gravid pregnant
hippiater a horse doctor
histrixite a Tasmanian mineral containing copper and iron
jargonelle a pear which ripens early
mantelet a bullet-proof screen
mawworm a hypocrite
noddlethatcher someone who makes hats and wigs
oxter to walk along arm in arm
ozostomia bad breath
pistareen a Spanish coin worth 20 cents
ramfeezled exhausted, tired
sclaff to scrape the ground with a golf club before hitting the ball
screeve to draw pictures on a sidewalk for money
shiggers tight trousers worn by football players
splate a substance used in shoe making
toison the wool of a young sheep
tranka a long cylindrical box which jugglers balance with their feet
wakiup an American Indian hut
wallygowdy a precious jewel or gem

Teach-This.com ©20I3 Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

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