Vocabulary Cards

GAME IDEAS
There are so many fantastic ways to make practising vocabulary
with flashcards fun, helpful, and just the right amount of competitive.

For these games, all you need are Bond 11+ Vocabulary Flashcards or
Bond 11+ Advanced Vocabulary Flashcards, unless other simple equipment is stated.

SIMPLE DEFINITIONS QUIZ

2 people

This is a great place to start as it introduces all the words in a relaxed

way to familiarize you with the cards. You can even begin this quiz before
looking at any of the cards in the pack, making educated guesses and
talking through your thinking with an adult.

• Sit opposite a friend or family member and ask them to hold up a

flashcard with the word side facing you.

• They will tell you how many meanings there are, and you tell them the
definitions of the word. Some words have just one meaning, others
have multiple.

• You might like to start by working through the pack alphabetically and
then scrambling the order when you become more confident with
the words.

• Get your friend or adult to create three piles as you go through: cards
you got spot on, cards you were almost there with, and cards you
didn’t know. These piles will show you the words you need to focus on
next time around.

• Once you’ve had a few goes, test the other half of your pair by holding
up the cards for them! Make sure you’re fair with them like they were
with you!

ALTERNATIVE: You can also flip this quiz on its head and get a friend or family
member to read out the definitions and synonyms, prompting you to guess the word.
They will need to cover the back of the card – hiding it behind a large book is a good
way to do this! This is a slightly trickier challenge so it might be best to start with the
first version before moving on to this.

TOP TIP! When you’re starting out, it’s especially important to use the
waterfall method. Sort the cards into three piles: mastered, a bit wobbly,
unsure. Put extra effort into conquering the second and third piles but don’t
forget to occasionally return to the mastered pile to refresh your memory. As
you practise, you can move the cards across the piles until you’ve perfected
them all.

AROUND THE WORLD

2+ people

This is a fun way to practise flashcards with a few friends. You will need
a die and counters to play this game.

• On the floor or on a large table, place 30 randomly chosen cards in a

large circle with the word side facing up.

• Take it in turns to roll the die and move that number (1–6) around the
circle of cards with your counter.

• Another player picks up the card you land on and quizzes you on the
definition(s). If you get it right, you get to keep it.

• If you get it wrong, it is put back and the turn moves on. Play until all
the cards have been picked up.

• Whoever has the most cards at the end of the game wins.

TOP TIP! Are you a visual learner? Adding little drawings or printed out
images next to the words might help them stick in your memory.
 STORY MAKER
1 person

Put your mastery of language into action by creating a story using your
new vocabulary. You will need a pen and paper.

• Select 5 –10 cards at random or ask an adult to select them for you.
Give yourself 20 –30 minutes to write a short story that uses all the
words. By using the cards as creative writing prompts, you will soon
amass an impressive portfolio of terrific tales.

NEVER-ENDING STORY
2+ people

Friends and family can join in with this game, developing one long,
probably quite strange story!

• Shuffle the cards thoroughly and place them in the middle of a table.

• Pick up a card and come up with a sentence which includes that word.

• The person next to you then has to pick up a card and, using
a connective, come up with another sentence which adds to the story.

• Go around in the circle, adding a sentence each time, to develop the

narrative.

• Work your way through the whole pack or stop once you’ve told a wild
story with a satisfying ending!

TOP TIP! Whenever you can, say the words out loud. Studies show you are
more likely to remember something if you say it out loud.
 WORD TYPE MATCH
2+ people

Match up words in pairs which belong to the same class, i.e. noun, verb,
adjective, adverb.

• Get an adult to lay out 40–60 cards word side up on a large table or
floor space. In the pack there will be some remaining, so it is a good
idea to get an adult to filter through the pack first, making sure an even
number of each word type has been selected.

• On ‘Go’, make the matches and keep them in separate piles.

• Time yourself! Keep a record and aim to beat your speed each go.

TOP TIP! Take the pack with you on journeys so you can fill spare time with
quick revision sessions.

QUICK GRAB
2+ people
Test your word knowledge in this fast-paced reaction-based quiz.

• Ask an adult to lay out 20 flashcards on a table or on the floor in a

5 x 5 grid. If playing against a friend or family member, sit next to each
other or on either side of the grid.

• The adult gives the definition, and you must compete – either against
a friend or against the clock – to grab the correct answer.

• To keep it fair, put your hands on your head between goes.

• Whoever has collected the most cards by the end of the game wins!
 TRUE OR FALSE
2+ people

Outsmart an adult with this True or False game. You will need some tape
or a skipping rope.

• Use some tape or a skipping rope to make a 1m line on the floor.

The left side of the line is ‘True’ and the right side is ‘False’.

• Get an adult to give you words and their definitions – sometimes

the definitions will be real and sometimes they will be made up by
the adult!

• Hop to the side of the line you think is correct.

• Collect the cards you got right.

TOP TIP! Think of your own example sentence for each word. If they are funny
or personal, they will be more memorable to you.

WORD OF THE DAY CHALLENGE

1+ people

Embed new vocabulary into everyday life.

• Pick a card from the top of the pile and use the word correctly as much
as you can throughout the day.

• This works best on the weekend when you might be spending time
with your friends or family.

• You can also introduce a surprise factor where an adult randomly

prompts you to use the Word of the Day and you have to come up with
a silly sentence on the spot that correctly uses the word.

TOP TIP! Don’t know how to pronounce a word?

Visit https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/, search for the word, and
click on the blue speaker icon to hear it said out loud.
 DRAW IT
2+ people

Use the flashcards as prompts for this speedy drawing game. You will
need a pen and paper. This game works best with 4, 6, or 8 players.

• Get into pairs and place the flashcards into a bag.

• Pull out a card from the bag, making sure your partner can’t see it. You
can check the definitions to give you guidance.

• Set a timer for 60 or 90 seconds and try and draw the word for your
partner, without using any letters or numbers in your drawing.

• If your partner guesses correctly, your pair keeps the card. Play as
many rounds as you like!

• Your creative drawings will help the words stick in your memory.

If you think of other fun games to play, let us know at [email protected].

We would love to share your great ideas with the rest of the Bond 11+ community!

Remember, as with all 11+ preparation, the key to success is regular practice.

GOOD LUCK!