10 role play speaking activities for language learners

10 Role Play Speaking Activities for Language Learners

1 Interview with a famous celebrity role play

Easily the most popular and appealing role play activity is the celebrity interview role play. I suggest that the teacher models this activity with a student as a warm-up and to get students in the mood. Then students can be put in pairs and groups to carry out the interviewer-celebrity role play themselves. The teacher can roam the room to monitor grammar and language. At the end of the role play exercise, it may be a good idea to get the students to write out the complete questions and answers so the teacher can check on accuracy. This is a fun communicative exercise that allows students to to be creative and to improvise. Click on the image or the link to download the printable PDF file.

Celebrity interview roleplay (PDF)

2 Interview with a famous athlete role play

This is similar in format to the role play above.

Athlete interview role play (PDF)

3 FAQ Mini-Roleplays

This role play activity focuses on the language necessary for customer service,

INTRO: This role play activity is a suitable activity for:

Elementary students- for present simple requests: “Where is..?”

“Could I ?” “How much?” etc.

Pre-Intermediate students- indirect requests with verb “to be”: “Do

you know where it is?” and “to do”: “Could you tell me how much it costs?”

Intermediate students– requests using “if” and gerunds: “Is it Ok

if?” “Would you mind if?” “Would it be OK if..?” “I wonder if I could? Would you mind telling me if? “I was wondering if..?”

FAQ Mini-Role Plays (PDF)

4 Consumer complaint role play

This role play activity is great for practicing the language of consumer complaints in a variety of situations.

Consumer complaint role plays (PDF)

5 Business English introductions role play

This is a business English ESL exercise. Students follow the guide on the PDF and write short conversations.

Business introduction role plays (PDF)

6 Ordering in a restaurant conversation worksheet (with answers)

This is a fun “Ordering in a Restaurant” gap fill speaking activity for an English language class. Students use the words in the box to complete the conversation. Then the students can practice the conversations, perform role plays and/or write their own “Ordering in a Restaurant” dialogues.

Ordering in a restaurant role play (PDF)

7 Hotel reception conversation worksheet (with answers) worksheet

This is an English language exercise introducing and exploring hotel language and vocabulary. Students try to complete the conversation. Then they can create their own role play as No. 6.

Hotel conversation role play (PDF)

8 Pictures for short role plays in random business situations

This is an elementary business English ESL exercise exploring the language and vocabulary used to make short conversations in various workplace situations. Students use their imaginations to write short conversations for each situation.

Short role plays in random business situations (PDF)

9 Lost person roleplay

This is an ESL or English language role play lesson for practicing conversational English. I suggest that the teacher models this activity with a student as a warm-up and to get students in the mood. Then students can be put in pairs and groups to carry out the detective customer role play themselves.

Lost person role play (PDF)

10 Husband-wife complaint and request role play

This is an elementary English ESL role play exercise for practicing requests. Students complete the conversations with suitable expressions. Then they can compare answers and carry out the role play.

Husband wife request (and phrasal verb) role play (PDF)

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10 Role Play Speaking Activities for Language Learners

1 Interview with a famous celebrity role play