Level: Intermediate to Advanced

Standard exercises for learning and practicing verb tenses can be dull for students and not nearly as productive as putting these new skills to use within a clear context. Fortune-telling games can be an easy and fun way to get students using the future tense.

• Provide students with a simple description of how to read palms or tell fortunes with playing cards (most bookstores and many drug/grocery stores carry inexpensive fortune-telling books).

• Split the class into pairs or small groups and have them practice telling each others' fortunes.

This is a good exercise for teaching students when and how to use "going to" vs. "will" in future tense constructions: You will live a long life. / You're going to face difficulties at work.