Games

Games — whether video, board, card, or mobile — are something almost everyone has an opinion about. These questions range from childhood favorites and party game memories to bigger discussions about esports, gaming culture, and how games influence social dynamics.

Questions are organized by level from beginner to advanced. A printable PDF of all the questions is available at the bottom of the page.

Beginner (A1-A2)

1. How many genres of video games can you name? Which one do you like the most?
2. What are some games you enjoy that are not video games? What do you like about them?
3. What kinds of games are popular now? Why do you think so many people play them?
4. What were some games that were popular when you were younger? Do you still play any of them?
5. Do you play any games on your phone? What are some good ones?
6. What is the longest time you have spent playing one game? What game was it?

Mini Conversation Project: Design Your Own Game (A1-A2 / A2)

If you could create your own game, what format would it be — a board game, a video game, a card game, or something else? Why that format?

1. What genre will your game be?
2. What will be the theme of your game?
3. What will your game look like?
4. What will be the name of your game?
5. How will people play your game? What are the rules?
6. What kind of music/sound effects will it have?
7. How will the controls work?

Elementary (A2)

1. Choose one or two examples of games or video games. What are their rules?
2. What’s your favorite game to play? What makes it your favorite?
3. Do you prefer playing games alone or with other people? What’s good about each?
4. Where do you usually play games? Why do you like that place?
5. Do you like games that are easy or games that are difficult? Why?
6. Do you prefer board games or card games? Why?
7. What games did you play when you were a child? Do you still like them?
8. Do you like games where you run and move around, or games where you sit down? What’s good about each?
9. Have you ever played a game from another country or culture? Tell me about it.
10. What’s the hardest game you’ve ever played? What made it so hard?
11. Have you ever quit playing a game because it was too hard or boring? What happened?
12. What game have you played the most times in your life? Why do you keep playing it?
13. Have you ever played a game in a different language? How did it go?
14. Have you ever gotten angry or frustrated while playing a game? What happened?

Intermediate (B1)

1. How are some of these genres unique and different from the others?
2. What makes a good game?
3. Are games good for you or bad for you? What are some upsides and downsides?
4. Are games today better or worse than games in the past? What is good about each?
5. Do you prefer games with a story or games that are just for fun? Why?
6. What is a game that is easy to learn but hard to master? Why is it so tricky?
7. Do you prefer playing games on a screen or with real objects you can touch? Why?
8. What is a good game to play at a party or a family gathering? Why does it work well for groups?
9. Should children be allowed to play violent video games? Why or why not?
10. What do you think makes a game addictive? Give me some examples.
11. Should professional video game players be considered real athletes? Why or why not?
12. Do you think playing games with strangers online is a good thing or a bad thing? Is it common in your culture or country?
13. What do you think is the biggest problem with modern video games? Give me some examples.
14. What do you think is more important in a game — good graphics or good gameplay? What makes you say that?
15. Do you think playing competitive games helps people develop useful skills, or does it mostly just create stress? What has your experience been?
16. How do you feel about games that cost money to keep playing? Is it fair, or do companies take it too far?
17. What traditional games from your culture should more people know about? What makes them special?
18. Do you think playing games together brings people closer, or can it sometimes push them apart? When does each happen?

Upper-Intermediate (B2)

1. How has the rise of mobile gaming changed who plays games and where they play them?
2. Compare how games were designed 20 years ago versus today. What has changed in terms of graphics, gameplay, and storytelling?
3. How do online reviews and streaming videos influence what games people buy? What do you think about those changes?
4. How have subscription services like Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus changed the way people access and play games?
5. Compare the gaming communities around different types of games — such as strategy games, first-person shooters, and role-playing games. How are they different?
6. What are the advantages and disadvantages of children growing up with video games compared to children who mostly played outside?
7. Board games have become much more popular again in recent years, even though we have more technology than ever. What do you think explains this trend?
8. How do games reflect the culture they come from? Can you think of examples where a game tells you something about the values or priorities of a society?
9. How is the experience of playing a game with people in the same room different from playing online with strangers? What is gained and lost in each?
10. Games like chess, Go, and Monopoly have lasted for decades or even centuries. What qualities help a game stand the test of time, and why do so many new games fail quickly?
11. Games are one of the oldest forms of human entertainment — people have played them for thousands of years. Why do you think games have always been so important to people across every culture?
12. Many of the most popular games today are free to download but make billions from small purchases inside the game. How has this business model changed the relationship between game companies and the people who play their games?
13. How does the global nature of online gaming create both opportunities for cross-cultural connection and challenges related to language barriers, time zones, and cultural misunderstandings?

Advanced (C1)

1. Governments in some countries have started regulating gaming — limiting play time for young people, banning certain types of games, or classifying loot boxes as gambling. Where should the line be between personal freedom and government protection when it comes to games?
2. Games often create their own economies — with virtual currencies, marketplaces, and items that people buy and sell for real money. What does it mean when something that only exists inside a game has real-world financial value?
3. Professional gaming can now pay better than many traditional careers, and some parents are hiring coaches for their children as young as six or seven. How is this changing what families and societies consider a ‘real’ career?
4. Games that were once considered childish — like Dungeons & Dragons or Minecraft — are now mainstream entertainment for adults. How do you explain this shift, and what does it say about how our idea of ‘adult’ entertainment is changing?
5. Traditional games like chess or mahjong carry centuries of cultural meaning, but many are being replaced by digital versions or abandoned by younger generations. What is lost when a traditional game disappears from a culture?
6. What tensions exist between artistic expression and commercial success in game development? How do independent developers and major studios navigate this differently?
7. In online games, people can hide behind avatars and fake names, and many behave in ways they never would face to face — including harassment, trolling, and cruelty. What does this reveal about how much of our everyday ‘good behavior’ depends on other people knowing who we are?
8. People often describe gaming as both a lifeline and a trap — it helps them cope with loneliness, anxiety, or depression, but it can also become the thing that keeps them isolated. How do you explain the fact that the same activity can be someone’s medicine and their problem at the same time?
9. Game companies keep re-releasing old games with updated graphics, and millions of people buy them even though they already played the originals. Why are people so willing to pay for something they have already experienced, and what does this tell us about the power of nostalgia as a business strategy?
10. Some governments and military organizations have created games specifically to recruit young people or spread political messages, sometimes without players even realizing the game has a hidden purpose. When a game is designed to influence how people think, how is that different from — or similar to — other forms of propaganda?

PDF: Download a PDF of all the questions