Ask a question about this picture classroom game.
10 sets of questions to ask about an image
We often use images in class to begin a lesson or to generate discussion. Photographs,
cartoons, paintings and graphics can all provide a context to the topic of a lesson. They
often appear with a longer reading text, so they are also a good way to prepare for reading
it. Talking about images can also be useful practice for certain parts of speaking
examinations which require the students to talk about and sometimes compare images. The
sets of questions here are all examples of the types of questions you can ask the students
about many different types of images. Alternatively, you could write the questions on the
board and the students could work with a partner and ask each other the questions.
- Description
What can you see?
What does the picture show?
What is happening?
Say three adjectives that describe this picture. - People
Where are the people in this picture?
What are they saying/thinking?
How do they feel?
How well do the people in the picture know each other? - Activity
What are they doing?
Do they like doing this?
How often do you think they do this?
What has just happened? - Imagine you are in the picture
What would you be doing?
What would you say to the other person/people?
Would you enjoy being here? Why? Why not?
What question would you like to ask the person/people in the picture? - Time
When do you think the picture was taken?
What year is it?
What time of day/year is it? - Personalisation
What does it remind you of?
Have you ever been in a similar situation? - Comparison
How is the place in the picture similar to or different from where you live?
Compare the people in the picture. Find three similarities and three differences. - Predicting and speculating
What do you think will happen next?
What do you think the person is going to say/do next?
What do you think is to the right-hand side of the picture? - Picture with a text
Look at the picture with this text. What is the text going to be about?
Which part of the text is about the action or place in the picture? - Reusing the image
Imagine this picture is from a film poster. What is the title of the film? What kind of film is it?
Imagine this picture is the cover of a book. What is the title of the book? What kind of book is it?
Imagine this picture is the cover of a computer game. What is the title of the game? What kind of game
is it?
Imagine this picture is from an advertisement. What is the product or service it is advertising?
“I use images in my classes because they warm up ideas and build vocabulary. I
prefer to use images related to the students’ interests and background, or
images that students find challenging, informative and amusing.”
Marianne Chavarria, Costa Rica