ESL Odd One Out

ESL Odd One Out

EFL Games, esl activities for kids, ESL Games and activities, ESL Games for children, esl games for kids, ESL Vocabulary games, ESL young learner games, ESL Young learners, Online ESL Games, Young learner games, Young learners DavidM



ESL Odd One Out is a free online vocabulary and speaking game designed for young English language learners. Students look at four pictures and identify which one is different — and more importantly, explain why. With 8 rounds and 3 sets of pictures in each round, there is enough variety to fill a full lesson activity or use as a quick warmer across multiple classes.

The game is particularly well suited to students preparing for the Cambridge Movers speaking exam, where Part 2 asks students to identify which picture is different and describe it using full sentences. Playing regularly helps students build the vocabulary, confidence, and sentence structures they need to perform well on the day.

Age/Level: Young Learners (Cambridge Movers / A1–A2)
Time: 10–30 minutes depending on how many rounds you play
Players: Teams or individually
Preparation: None — just open the game and project it
Aim: To practise vocabulary, prepositions, and speaking. Ideal preparation for Cambridge Movers Part 2.

How to play ESL Odd One Out
  1. Display the game on your interactive whiteboard or projector.
  2. Show students the four pictures and ask: “Which one is different?” — the same wording used in the Movers exam.
  3. Students select the odd one out and explain their choice. Encourage full sentences: “This one is different because…”
  4. Play as a whole class, in teams, or give each student one set of pictures to answer individually.


Remember: There is no single correct answer. What matters is that students give a complete sentence explaining their reasoning. This builds both vocabulary and speaking confidence at the same time.

Tips for using ESL Odd One Out in class

Model the language first. Before playing, write “This one is different because…” on the board and drill it chorally. Young learners need the sentence frame before they can use it independently.

Award points for quality, not just speed. Give one point for identifying the odd one out and a bonus point for a complete, well-formed sentence. This encourages fuller answers and rewards effort over guessing.

Use it as exam simulation. For Movers candidates, treat each set of pictures as a mock exam turn. Ask follow-up questions the same way an examiner would: “Can you tell me more about this picture?”

Extend the activity. After identifying the odd one out, ask students to describe all four pictures — not just the different one. This stretches higher-ability students while the core task remains accessible for everyone.

LessonVibe
🆕 Create custom vocabulary games for your young learners in seconds
LessonVibe lets you build AI-powered Board, Jeopardy, Taboo & Millionaire games around any topic or word list. No student logins. No setup. Sign up free and get 100 games.
Get 100 free games →


Frequently asked questions

What is ESL Odd One Out?
ESL Odd One Out is a free online speaking and vocabulary game for young learners. Students look at four pictures and identify which one is different, then explain their answer using a full sentence. It is designed to mirror the format of the Cambridge Movers speaking exam Part 2.

What level is this game suitable for?
The game is designed for young learners at A1–A2 level, particularly students preparing for the Cambridge Young Learners Movers exam. It can also be used with older beginners who need practice with basic vocabulary and picture description.

How many rounds does the game have?
The game has 8 rounds with 3 sets of pictures in each round, giving 24 picture sets in total. This is enough for multiple lessons or to use as a regular warm-up activity across several weeks.

Is there a correct answer?
Not always — any answer is acceptable as long as the student can justify it with a full sentence. This makes the activity inclusive and encourages creative thinking alongside vocabulary practice.

13 comments

  1. Brad Spencer
    says:
    October 9, 2020 at 4:45 am

    Hello,
    I was just curious to see if this website is under construction? I find the “Odd One Out” quite useful, but it no longer comes up. Am I missing a step?
    Thank you for your useful tools!
    Sincerely,
    Brad Spencer

    • DavidM
      says:
      October 9, 2020 at 7:08 am

      Hi Brad,

      Thanks for your message. This game is actually still online. The issue is likely to do with your browser blocking the content. I’m going to send you an email directly to see if I can help.

      Regards,

      David

      • Brad Spencer
        says:
        October 10, 2020 at 5:46 am

        David,
        Thank you for such a quick and personal reply. The page is working correctly now and I don’t have any issues. I really appreciate you providing this service for free during these uncertain times. It’s a great relief that there are still people out there who take the time to put up content like this for free.
        (non-paying) customer service= A+

      • Jeffrey Gilmore Carvajal
        says:
        October 22, 2022 at 4:00 pm

        Hello David,
        I was wondering if you could send me the link, too? I also can’t access it. I’d appreciate it!

        Jeffrey

  2. NIYA ASHARAF
    says:
    November 8, 2020 at 9:24 am

    SUPER

  3. nilay
    says:
    November 10, 2020 at 5:59 pm

    This website is amazing. Thank you so much for provıdıng us wıth so much material free of charge

    • DavidM
      says:
      November 10, 2020 at 6:27 pm

      Thank you so much. I’m glad you find the website useful! As a teacher I know how hard it can be to find online activities. Hopefully your students enjoy them. Stay safe.

  4. Daniel
    says:
    March 31, 2021 at 3:43 pm

    I don’t usually give a comment online but today I break the norm. I had to because I must commend such feat of selfless sacrifice by the custodians of eslkidsgame.com. Thank you so much for the great contents and the good work you do to enable the larger community of English teachers like us access materials to engage the class when finding such materials could really be daunting. And to think you do this for free is really amazing. I hope my words cheer you up. Gracias!!!

    P.S. I am an ESL Teacher working in Uzbekistan

    • DavidM
      says:
      April 1, 2021 at 9:31 pm

      Thank you so much for the kind words Daniel. I am delighted that you have found value in the materials on the site. I have been working on this site for almost 10 years and this is undoubtedly one of the nicest messages I have received. I hope your students enjoy the games and I hope to have many more on the way in the near future.

  5. Margarita
    says:
    January 30, 2022 at 8:00 am

    Thank you a lot! I use it during my online classes with little ones. such a great job you did!

Leave a Reply

*

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.