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Students take turns being detectives. They interrogate each other with 5 questions and guess which response is a lie.

Learner Level: Beginner – Intermediate
Theme: Mystery
Skills: Speaking, listening, asking questions
Time: 10-20 minutes
Materials: paper and pens
Grouping: Pairs
Preparation: Write “Who, What, Where, When, Why, How” on the board.

Teacher Instructions:

1. Place students in pairs. Student A is the detective first. Student B is the suspect
2. The detective must ask Student B five questions using Who, What, Where, When, Why (or How). Student A must answer truthfully (in complete sentences) to all of the questions except one.

3. After the interrogation, the detective guesses which answer was a lie. Student B confesses.
4. Students switch roles.

For Example:

Student A: Who were you with last night.
Student B: I was by myself.
Student A: What color is the door of your home?
Student B: The door of my house is purple.
Student A: Where were you born?
Student B: I was born in Chicago.
etc.

Confession
Student A: Your door isn’t purple, is it? Tell me the truth!
Student B: Yes it is. I wasn’t born in Chicago, though. I was born in New York.

Teacher 2 Teacher:

For low beginners, place simple WH questions on the board, such as “What is your full name?” or “Where do you live?”. For advanced learners, have students add a specific crime (reason for the interrogation), such as “stolen puppy” or “graffiti on the wall”.

Related Topics from ESL Library.com:

Easy Grammar: Grammar Sentences
Detective Series: The Case of the Missing Ring