Discussion topic · Speaking
Travel & adventure
Nothing gets a class talking like the places they've been and the trips they're dreaming of. Let's pack their bags with language.
Warm-up · ask three
- Where was the last place you travelled to?
- If you could teleport anywhere right now, where would you go?
- Window seat or aisle seat — and why?
Where to next?
Let's talk
Discussion questions
Project the generator and let it cold-call a question. Filter by level, then give a student 60 seconds to talk. Browse the full decks below.
Random question generator
Press “New question” to put one on the board.
Deck 1
Your travels
- Where's the most interesting place you've ever been?A2
- Do you prefer the city or nature when you travel? Why?A2
- What's the best trip you've ever taken?A2
- Beach holiday or city break — which is more you?A2
- Have you ever travelled to another country? What surprised you?B1
Deck 2
Getting there & staying
- How do you prefer to travel — plane, train, car, or something else?A2
- Are you a light packer, or do you take everything?A2
- What three things do you always pack?A2
- Hotel, hostel, or staying with friends — what's your style, and why?B1
- What's the longest journey you've ever made? How was it?B1
Deck 3
Travel stories
- Has something ever gone wrong on a trip? What happened?B1
- What's the most beautiful thing you've ever seen while travelling?B1
- Have you ever tried food abroad that really surprised you?B1
- Tell us about a time you got lost somewhere.B1
- Have you ever made a friend while travelling?B1
Deck 4
Dream trips
- If money was no object, where would you go?A2
- What's at the very top of your travel bucket list?B1
- Is there a place you'd love to return to? Why?B1
- Would you rather explore one country deeply or see many quickly?B2–C1
- Would you ever travel somewhere completely alone? Why or why not?B2–C1
Deck 5
Big questions
- Is it better to plan every detail or travel spontaneously?B1
- Does travel really "broaden the mind," or is that just a cliché?B2–C1
- Is tourism good or bad for local communities?B2–C1
- Should we worry about the environmental cost of flying?B2–C1
- Can you ever truly know a place as a tourist?B2–C1
Talk for longer
Useful language
Give students the words to tell a travel story and make a recommendation. Pre-teach a handful, then challenge them to slip three into the discussion or the game.
Sentence starters
Scaffolding for A2–B1 — finish the sentence about you.
Talking about past trips
Preferences
Recommending a place
Getting around
Words & phrases
Collocations to upgrade B1–C1 speaking.
away from busy tourist areas
"We found a beach off the beaten track."
a special, rare experience
"Seeing the pyramids was once-in-a-lifetime."
to pack very little
"I always try to travel light."
to go somewhere for a holiday
"I need to get away for a few days."
a short stop between flights
"We had a stopover in Dubai."
to enjoy and absorb an atmosphere
"We sat and soaked up the atmosphere."
extremely beautiful or impressive
"The view from the top was breathtaking."
Describing-a-place word bank
Quick describing words for the game and the discussion.
Model dialogue
Alex & Maria swap stories
Read it together, notice the highlighted phrases, then act it out — and finally plan a trip of your own.
In a café, a big world map on the wall. Two friends are dreaming about their next trip.
I'm itching to get away again. I keep staring at this map.
Same. Where was the last place you went?
Iceland. Honestly, breathtaking — waterfalls, volcanoes, the lot.
So jealous. I did Japan in spring. The cherry blossom was a once-in-a-lifetime thing.
Did you stick to Tokyo or get off the beaten track?
Both. The little mountain villages were my favourite — no tourists at all.
That's the dream. Any tips for someone going?
Learn ten words of the language, and always travel light. It changes everything.
Good shout. So where next for you?
I'm thinking South America. Peru, maybe Machu Picchu.
Now that's a proper bucket-list trip. Take me with you.
Deal — you plan the route, I'll pack the snacks.
Now plan a trip together
Student A · the backpacker
You want adventure
Cheap, spontaneous, off the beaten track. Hostels, local buses, saying yes to everything. Comfort is overrated.
Student B · the comfort traveller
You want to relax
Nice hotels, a clear plan, good food and a pool. A holiday should feel like a break, not a survival course.
Your mission
- Agree on one destination you both genuinely want to visit.
- Decide how you'll travel there and where you'll stay.
- Each choose one must-do activity for the trip.
- Present your trip to the class in 60 seconds — use at least three phrases from the Useful language section.
Classroom game
Where in the World?
Reveal the clues one at a time. Teams shout out the country — the sooner they guess, the more points they win. Three clues, three… two… one point.
It's…
How to play: Read clue one — teams guess for 3 points. Stuck? Reveal the next clue for 2, then 1. Award points with the +/- buttons, then move to a new place.
Wind down & write
Choose your writing task
Pick one prompt to finish in class or as homework. Every option keeps students dreaming — and writing — about travel.
01
Plan your dream holiday with an unlimited budget. Where would you go, and what would you do?
02
Describe the most memorable place you've ever visited. What made it special?
03
Write a travel-diary entry from the best day of a trip — real or imagined.
04
Give a friend advice for visiting your country for the very first time.
05
Describe your perfect day on holiday, from morning until night.
Exit ticket · 60 seconds
Before you leave
Quick round-the-room close: each student answers in one sentence. A fast way to end on a sense of wanderlust.
"Tell the class one place you've added to your travel list today — and why."