# First English lesson icebreakers: 8 getting-to-know-you activities for class and online

The aim of the first lesson is for learners to get to know each other and the teacher, get used to speaking English, and let the teacher see the class's level. Eight icebreakers with their level, time and preparation, adaptations for one-to-one and online lessons, and what to keep in mind.

Author: Aslıgül Aşkın · Published: 2026-10-20
Page address: https://grammardots.com/en/blog/first-english-lesson-icebreakers

The aim of a first English lesson is not to teach a topic; it is for learners to get to know each other and you, to see that speaking English in class is normal, and for you to get a sense of the class's level. The eight icebreakers below come with their level, time and the preparation they need. All of them work in a large class, and most can be adapted for one-to-one or online lessons. The ones that need no preparation at all are the name chain, three things in common and two truths and a lie; the one that gets everyone up and talking to many people is “Find someone who”.

Eight icebreakers at a glance

| Activity | Level | Time | Preparation |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Name chain | Pre-A1–A1 | 10 min | None |
| Question ball | Pre-A1–A1 | 10 min | A ball and a marker |
| Line up | A1–A2 | 10 min | None |
| Find someone who | A1–B1 | 15 min | A worksheet |
| Three things in common | A1–B2 | 10 min | None |
| Three objects, three sentences | A1–B1 | 15 min | Learners' own things |
| Two truths and a lie | A2–B2 | 15 min | None |
| Ask the teacher | A1–B2 | 10–15 min | Small slips of paper |

## 1. Name chain

Learners stand in a circle. The first one says their name and something they like: “I'm Deniz. I like cats.” The second introduces the first, then themselves: “She's Deniz. She likes cats. I'm Mert. I like football.” As the chain grows everyone tries to remember the earlier names, and the class helps anyone who gets stuck. With complete beginners you can start with just “I'm …” and add “I like …” in a second round. Besides names, the activity naturally repeats he and she and the third-person -s. In a large class, groups of eight to ten keep the chain from getting too long.

## 2. Question ball

Write six to eight short questions on a light ball: “What's your name?”, “What's your favourite colour?”, “Do you have a pet?”, “What's your favourite food?”. The ball is thrown from one learner to another; whoever catches it answers the question under their right thumb and throws the ball on. A crumpled sheet of paper works if you have no ball. Reading the questions together first and writing the answer pattern on the board (“My favourite colour is …”) makes it easier for shy learners to answer too.

## 3. Line up

Ask learners to form a line by the month of their birthday, from January to December; the only rule is that they talk to each other only in English: “When's your birthday?” “In March.” “Oh, you're before me.” Once the line is complete, everyone says their month in turn and the class checks the order together. The activity practises the names of the months and the pattern “in + month”. The same game works with the time learners get up: “What time do you get up?” “At seven.”

## 4. Find someone who

Give each learner a sheet with six lines: “Find someone who… has a pet / can play an instrument / likes winter / gets up before seven / can cook pasta / has read a book this month.” Learners walk around, form the questions (“Do you have a pet?”, “Can you cook pasta?”) and write down the name of a classmate who says “Yes”. A rule of no more than two questions to the same person makes everyone talk to several people. At the end each learner introduces one person they found: “Ece can cook pasta.” Choose the lines to suit the level: at A1, have, can and like are enough; at B1 you can add present perfect lines such as “has read …”.

## 5. Three things in common

Learners work in pairs and try to find three things they have in common in two minutes, then introduce the pair to the class: “We both like pizza. We both get up early. We both walk to school.” From B1, things you can see (both wearing glasses, for example) do not count, and the pair also adds something they do not share: “Neither of us likes horror films.” It is quick, all speaking, and suits adult groups who do not know each other too.

## 6. Three objects, three sentences

Each learner picks three things from their bag, pocket or pencil case that say something about them, and gives a sentence or two about each: “This is my key ring. It's from Bursa. My grandmother gave it to me.” At A1, “This is my … I like it because …” is enough; at B1 you can expect a short story in the past tense. In an online lesson the learner shows the objects to the camera.

## 7. Two truths and a lie

A learner writes three sentences about themselves; two are true and one is a lie: “I can swim. I have three cats. I broke my arm when I was six.” The class or group tries to find the lie by asking questions: “What are your cats' names?”, “How did you break your arm?” It is a good start for the teacher to model it first with their own three sentences. At A2 the present simple and past simple are enough; from B1, present perfect sentences such as “I have never …” can be added.

## 8. Ask the teacher

Learners write a question they would like to ask the teacher on a small slip of paper; the slips are collected and the teacher picks a few to answer. Reading the questions also shows you how well the class forms questions: who can say “Do you like …?” and who says “Where you live?” It gives you a first idea of the level without a test. Saying at the start that you may skip questions you do not want to answer, and giving learners the same right, keeps the activity comfortable.

## If you teach one-to-one or online

In a one-to-one lesson group activities do not work as they are, but most can be adapted for one learner. Two truths and a lie can be played back and forth between teacher and learner; three objects works on camera; ask the teacher turns into the first five minutes of the conversation. In a one-to-one lesson the first lesson is also a conversation about goals: why the learner is learning English, which situations they find hard and how much time they can give each week. To practise introductions with a beginner, you can share [introducing yourself in English](https://grammardots.com/en/blog/introduce-yourself-in-english).

## What to keep in mind in the first lesson

Questions can be personal but should not put anyone on the spot. Avoiding questions about family circumstances, weight, money or beliefs, and giving every learner the right to say “Pass”, keeps the activity comfortable for everyone. There is no need to correct errors in detail in this lesson; the aim is to get people talking. Ready-made patterns on the board, and speaking first in pairs and only then to the class, help shy learners. For the learner's side of this worry, you can also share [five steps to feel less anxious about speaking](https://grammardots.com/en/blog/fear-of-speaking-english).

## Frequently asked questions

### How long should icebreakers take in the first lesson?

There is no single right length; one or two activities are usually enough. The rest of the lesson can cover how the course will work and a short first topic.

### Which activity suits complete beginners?

The name chain, the question ball and line up can be played with a few patterns. Writing the patterns on the board and saying them together first is enough: “Hello, I'm …”, “I like …”, “In March.”

### Do icebreakers work with adults?

Yes. With adults the focus is on conversation more than on play; three things in common, Find someone who and two truths and a lie suit adult groups too.