Odd one out

Activity type: this is a discrimination activity in which students try to decide which word is the odd one out in a group according to the sounds of the words.

Level: Pre-intermediate and above


Teacher's notes:

1. Explain to the students that they are going to have to decide which word is the odd one out.
   
2. Dictate the words listed below in sequence or write them on the board. Basically the list will depend on the sounds that you want to focus on.
   
3. Once you have dictated the words go over them to make sure that the students have the correct lists.
   
4. Ask the students to work in pairs to decide which word is the odd one out according to the sounds of the words, for example:
   
   

   Coffee

   Happy

   Type

   Silly

   
   
5. ‘Type’ is the odd one out because even though it contains a ‘y’ it does not contain the /i:/ sound which the other words do.
   
6. Go over the answers with the students and highlight the sounds in the phonemic alphabet.
   
7. Note that you may want to decide on your own word lists according to the sound difficulties that the students have.
   
   

ANSWERS:

1. ‘sign’ all the rest contain /I/
   
2. ‘share’ all the rest contain the ‘ch’ sound.
   
3. ‘name’ all the rest contain the schwa.
   
4. ‘piece’ all the rest contain /ei/
   
5. ‘busy’ all the rest contain the upside down ‘v’ (in the phonemic chart).
   
6. ‘plane’ all the rest contain /e/.
   
7. ‘leave’ all the rest contain /I/
   
8. ‘dig’ all the rest contain /dz/
   

LISTS:

1.	WIN	WOMEN	FIN	SIGN
2.	CHOICE	CHIN	CHURCH	SHARE
3.	AGO	BROTHER	NAME	SISTER
4.	NICE	RIGHT	MICE	PIECE
5.	BUS	TRUST	BUSY	MONEY
6.	TEN	LEFT	PLANE	DRESS
7.	LEAVE	LIVE	DRINK	TRIM
8.	EDGE	DIG	JAM	JUDGE