English Refresher

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.

A2–C1 ~45 minutes Speaking & fluency

Warm-up · ask three

  1. Where was the last place you traveled to?
  2. If you could teleport anywhere right now, where would you go?
  3. Window seat or aisle seat — and why?
Turquoise lagoon and overwater huts in Bora Bora Where to next?
A passport ready for travel

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.

1:00

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 vacation or city break — which is more you?A2
  • Have you ever traveled 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 trip 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 traveling?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 traveling?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

I went to … last year. We ended up in… The best part was… I’d never seen anything like it.

Preferences

I’m more of a … person. I’d rather … than … If I had the choice, I’d…

Recommending a place

You’ve got to go to… Make sure you… Don’t bother with… It’s worth every penny.

Getting around

How do I get to…? Is breakfast included? Could you recommend…?

Words & phrases

Collocations to upgrade B1–C1 speaking.

off the beaten trackphrase

away from busy tourist areas

“We found a beach off the beaten track.”

a once-in-a-lifetime tripphrase

a special, rare experience

“Seeing the pyramids was once-in-a-lifetime.”

travel lightphrase

to pack very little

“I always try to travel light.”

get awayverb

to go somewhere for a vacation

“I need to get away for a few days.”

a stopovernoun

a short stop between flights

“We had a stopover in Dubai.”

soak upverb

to enjoy and absorb an atmosphere

“We sat and soaked up the atmosphere.”

breathtakingadjective

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.

bustlingremotestunningcrowdedlivelypeacefulancientvibranttouristyunspoiled
Teacher tip Pre-teach five describing words, then play Where in the World? — when teams guess, they must add one sentence describing the country using a word from the bank.

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.

Team A0
Team B0
Mystery destination Worth 3 points

    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 vacation with an unlimited budget. Where would you go, and what would you do?

    B1–B2~150 words

    02

    Describe the most memorable place you’ve ever visited. What made it special?

    A2–B1~120 words

    03

    Write a travel-diary entry from the best day of a trip — real or imagined.

    B1~150 words

    04

    Give a friend advice for visiting your country for the very first time.

    B1~120 words

    05

    Describe your perfect day on vacation, from morning until night.

    A2–B1~120 words

    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.”