Fake or Real

Groups each read a different surprising story, summarise it to others, then collaboratively decide which story is fabricated — practising critical reading, summarising, and speculative language.

Procedure

1. Prepare: Find 3–4 short, surprising-but-true news stories. Write one plausible fake story in the same style.
2. Distribute: Give each group a different story. They read, check key vocabulary, and discuss: does it seem true?
3. Extract key words: Pairs note key words/names from their story on a separate paper — enough to retell it without reading.
4. Jigsaw regroup: Form new groups containing one person from each original group. Students retell their story from key words only.
5. Deliberate: The group discusses which story seems fake and why, giving reasons.
6. Reveal: Tell the class which story was fabricated. Groups that got it right explain what gave it away.

Variations

• Online verification: Instead of revealing the answer, have students search for the stories online to verify.
• Detail challenge: For true stories, ask students to compare the version they heard with what they find online — what was exaggerated or missing?
• Student-created: Students write their own "unbelievable but true" stories for the next round.

Tips

• The fake story must be written in the same register and level of detail as the real ones — too polished or too vague and it's obvious.
• Emergent language: speculating (it can't be true because...), expressing certainty/doubt (I'm fairly sure...), giving reasons.
• Works well with B1+ — lower levels need heavily graded texts.