Paul Holmes -
University
English Professor

Free Materials For ESL Teachers and Learners

“Video games” ESL Discussion Questions

I. General Video Game Questions

1. Do you think that playing video games is an important part of life?
2. Have you ever played an educational game? If so, what did you think of it?
3. What is the worst thing about playing video games?
4. What are some good ways to practice speaking while playing video games?
5. What is the most difficult part about playing video games?

II. Game Preferences

6. What kind of video games do you like to play?
7. What are the best video games in your opinion?
8. What kind of food do you like when playing video games?
9. Are you a fan of video games?
10. When do you think is the best time of day to play video games? Morning, afternoon, evening?

III. Gaming Habits

11. Do you ever play video games with your friends, or just by yourself?
12. What is the longest time you have spent playing a single game?
13. How much time do you spend playing video games per week?
14. Which games are the best for ESL learners?
15. Do you think that playing video games is a waste of time?

IV. Gaming Experiences

16. Do you think video games help people learn English better than other methods?
17. What was the first games console you owned?
18. Where do you play your favorite video games?
19. Who are your favorite characters in your favorite game(s)?
20. Who makes the best video games? Why?

V. Opinions on Gaming

21. Do you like playing video games? Why or why not?
22. Do people play too many video games these days, or not enough? Why or why not?
23. What are some of your favorite video game genres?
24. What do you think about violence in video games?
25. Do you have any games consoles?

VI. Game Quality

26. What’s the worst game you’ve ever played?
27. What’s the most expensive game you’ve ever played?
28. What kind of music do you like when playing video games?
29. If you were offered a job as a professional gamer, would you take it? Why or why not?
30. Do you think that video games are better or worse than TV shows? Why?

VII. Age and Gaming

31. What do you think is the best age for a person to stop playing video games? Why?
32. Have you ever played a game that was based on a movie?
33. Do you think that video games are better or worse than books? Why?
34. Do you think there’s a difference between playing video games and watching television in terms of what they do to your brain?
35. Have you ever played any sports games or racing games? Did you like them, and why or why not?

VIII. Improving Games

36. What would be the best way to improve a game that isn’t so good?
37. Do your parents allow you to play violent games? Why or why not?
38. What do you like about video games?
39. What are some of your favorite video game characters?
40. Nintendo, Sony or Microsoft? Who are the kings of games consoles? Why?

IX. Health and Gaming

41. Do you think that playing video games is bad for your health? Why or why not?
42. How often do you play video games?
43. What are your earliest memories of playing video games?
44. What do you think a good video game should have?
45. Do you like mobile games?

X. Enjoyment of Games

46. What is the best thing about playing video games?
47. Do you like playing video games with other people or alone?
48. Do you think that video games are better or worse than movies? Why?
49. When did you start playing video games?
50. Do you think unhappy people would be happier if they played more games?

XI. Favorite Games

51. What is your favorite type of game? Why do you like it?
52. Is it OK for kids to play violent video games? Why or why not?
53. How long do you play games each day?
54. Are video games fun to play when you’re bored?
55. Do you think games are good for people’s mental health? Why or why not?

XII. Gaming Controversies

56. Do you think that video games encourage violence? Why or why not?
57. Do you use any type of third-party software to manage your game library and gameplay history, for example Steam?
58. Which game have you played the longest? (In terms of hours played)
59. What do you think is the best age for a person to start playing video games? Why?
60. How long have you been playing video games?
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