Practical speaking time

Choose a language exchange activity

Pick an activity that fits your level and the way you are meeting, then give both partners an equal turn.

LevelFormatDurationGoal

25 activities match your filters

Describe a picture

Take turns describing a simple image while your partner asks follow-up questions.

Beginner
Video call
Short
Speaking

Suggested correction: Important errors only

How to run this activity

Preparation: Choose one simple photo you are happy to show. Avoid faces of people who did not agree to appear.
Partner A: Describe what you see in slow, short sentences. Name colours, objects and where they are.
Partner B: Ask three follow-up questions, then describe the same photo in your language.
Starter prompts: What is in the foreground?
What might have happened just before this photo?
Would you like to be in this place? Why?
Easier or harder: Easier: name five objects only. Harder: do not use the most obvious noun; explain it instead.
After you finish: Which words did you need and not have?

Compare daily routines

Talk through a typical day and notice useful time, frequency, and sequence expressions.

Beginner
Voice call
Medium
Speaking

Suggested correction: Written notes

How to run this activity

Preparation: Think of a typical weekday, not a perfect day. One or two times are enough.
Partner A: Walk through your morning in order. Use time phrases such as then, after that, usually.
Partner B: Ask about one difference from your own morning, then describe your evening.
Starter prompts: What do you do first after you wake up?
Which part of the day feels busiest?
What is one small habit you would like to change?
Easier or harder: Easier: talk only about breakfast. Harder: compare a weekday with a weekend.
After you finish: Which time or sequence phrase felt useful enough to reuse?

This or that

Choose between two simple options and explain your reasons in a few sentences.

Beginner
Text chat
Short
Confidence

Suggested correction: Minimal correction

How to run this activity

Preparation: Prepare six gentle pairs, such as tea or coffee, morning or night, city or countryside.
Partner A: Offer one pair and give a short reason. Keep the choice light.
Partner B: Answer, then offer the next pair. Do not turn it into a debate.
Starter prompts: Tea or coffee, and why?
A quiet evening or a busy one?
Walking or public transport for a short trip?
Easier or harder: Easier: answer with one sentence. Harder: add one exception.
After you finish: Did you explain a preference without needing a long story?

Give a simple object or room tour

Name everyday objects and what you use them for, then let your partner ask where they came from.

Beginner
Video call
Short
Vocabulary

Suggested correction: Important errors only

How to run this activity

Preparation: Pick a room, bag or desk you can show or describe without sharing private papers.
Partner A: Name five objects and what you use them for.
Partner B: Ask where two objects came from, then give a short tour of your own space.
Starter prompts: What is the oldest object you can see?
What would be hard to replace?
What do you never leave at home?
Easier or harder: Easier: show the objects. Harder: describe them without naming the room.
After you finish: Which object names or location phrases do you want to keep?

Restaurant or café role-play

Practise ordering, asking for a small change, and solving a polite problem at a table.

Beginner
Voice call
Medium
Speaking

Suggested correction: Immediate correction

How to run this activity

Preparation: Agree on a simple café visit: table for two, two drinks, one small problem.
Partner A: Play the guest. Order, ask one question, and say if something is missing.
Partner B: Play the server. Greet, take the order, and solve the small problem politely.
Starter prompts: What would you like to drink?
Could we have a quieter table?
This is not what I ordered. Could you help?
Easier or harder: Easier: use a written menu. Harder: switch roles after two minutes.
After you finish: Which polite request would you reuse in a real café?

Climb a question ladder

Move from basic questions to slightly more personal ones, and stop while the topic still feels safe.

Beginner
Text chat
Medium
Confidence

Suggested correction: Minimal correction

How to run this activity

Preparation: Stay with safe topics: food, weekends, work in general, neighbourhoods. Skip family, money and dating.
Partner A: Ask a simple question, then a slightly more personal follow-up only if the answer is open.
Partner B: Answer honestly but briefly. Say if a question is too personal.
Starter prompts: What did you do last weekend?
What is your neighbourhood like in the evening?
What kind of work takes most of your energy?
Easier or harder: Easier: stay with yes/no plus one extra sentence. Harder: ask only open questions.
After you finish: Where did you stop before the questions felt too close?

Practise pronunciation contrasts

Work on word pairs that are easy to mix up, then put one word into a short sentence.

Beginner
Voice call
Short
Pronunciation

Suggested correction: Immediate correction

How to run this activity

Preparation: Choose three word pairs that are easy to mix up in the learning language, such as live/leave or ship/sheep.
Partner A: Say each pair slowly. Ask your partner to tell you which word they heard.
Partner B: Repeat the pair, then put one word in a short sentence.
Starter prompts: Did you hear live or leave?
Can you say both words once more, a little slower?
Which sound feels harder to hold?
Easier or harder: Easier: one pair only. Harder: record nothing; rely on listening.
After you finish: Which contrast is worth two minutes next time?

Build a five-sentence story

Tell a tiny story in five sentences, then hear it back in your partner’s words.

Beginner
Text chat
Medium
Grammar

Suggested correction: Written notes

How to run this activity

Preparation: Agree on a tiny story: a lost key, a delayed bus, or a good meal. Five sentences each.
Partner A: Tell the story in five sentences. Do not restart after a small error.
Partner B: Retell the same story in your own five sentences, then add one detail.
Starter prompts: Who is in the story?
What went slightly wrong?
How did it end?
Easier or harder: Easier: use present tense only. Harder: include one time marker in each sentence.
After you finish: Which sentence would you keep if you told this again?

Everyday role-play

Practise a familiar situation, such as ordering food, making an appointment, or asking for directions.

Intermediate
Voice call
Medium
Speaking

Suggested correction: Important errors only

How to run this activity

Preparation: Choose one everyday errand: a pharmacy, a post office, or booking an appointment. Agree on names only, not real personal data.
Partner A: Start the errand. State what you need and ask one clarifying question.
Partner B: Play the staff member. Offer two options and confirm the next step.
Starter prompts: I need to book a time this week. What is still free?
Could you explain that option more slowly?
What should I bring with me?
Easier or harder: Easier: write the goal first. Harder: add a small complication, such as a closed counter.
After you finish: Which request sounded polite enough to use in public?

Retell a short story

Watch or read something short, then retell the main events in your own words.

Intermediate
Video call
Medium
Listening

Suggested correction: End-of-session review

How to run this activity

Preparation: Share a two-minute video or a very short news item. Avoid violent or distressing topics.
Partner A: Listen or watch once, then retell the main events without reading.
Partner B: Ask two questions about missing details, then retell it more briefly.
Starter prompts: What happened first?
Who made a decision?
What is still unclear?
Easier or harder: Easier: take notes. Harder: retell in a different tense.
After you finish: Which linking word helped the story stay in order?

Compare everyday culture

Compare a familiar custom without treating either person as a spokesperson for a whole country.

Intermediate
Text chat
Medium
Culture

Suggested correction: Minimal correction

How to run this activity

Preparation: Pick one everyday habit: greetings, meals, or guest etiquette. Speak for yourselves, not for a whole country.
Partner A: Describe what you usually do, and one case where you do something else.
Partner B: Compare without ranking. Ask what would feel rude or kind in your context.
Starter prompts: How do people usually greet in your daily life?
When would that habit change?
What do visitors sometimes misunderstand?
Easier or harder: Easier: compare only meals. Harder: talk about a habit you have changed.
After you finish: Did you describe a person, or did you slip into speaking for everyone?

Explain a process or hobby

Give clear steps for something you know well, then check that your partner can repeat the order.

Intermediate
Voice call
Medium
Speaking

Suggested correction: Written notes

How to run this activity

Preparation: Choose a hobby or task you can explain in steps, such as making tea or setting up a bike.
Partner A: Give four to six clear steps. Pause after each one.
Partner B: Repeat the steps in order. Ask about one tool or word you did not know.
Starter prompts: What do you need before you start?
Which step is easiest to get wrong?
How do you know it is finished?
Easier or harder: Easier: use photos. Harder: explain without naming the hobby until the end.
After you finish: Which sequencing phrase made the steps easier to follow?

Solve a practical travel problem

Explain a missed connection or lost ticket and agree on a realistic next step.

Intermediate
Voice call
Medium
Speaking

Suggested correction: Important errors only

How to run this activity

Preparation: Invent a practical problem: a missed train, a closed ticket office, or a bag left on a bus. No real documents.
Partner A: Explain the problem and what you have already tried.
Partner B: Offer two possible next steps and check which one feels realistic.
Starter prompts: When did you last see the ticket?
Who can still help at this hour?
What is the safest next action?
Easier or harder: Easier: the helper speaks slowly on purpose. Harder: the helper is in a hurry.
After you finish: Which question would actually get you help?

Give and follow directions

Guide someone with landmarks, then listen while they repeat the route.

Intermediate
Video call
Short
Listening

Suggested correction: Immediate correction

How to run this activity

Preparation: Use a simple map, a screenshot, or a room you can both imagine. Avoid sharing a home address.
Partner A: Give directions with landmarks, not only street names.
Partner B: Repeat the route, then say where you would get lost.
Starter prompts: What will I see on my left after two minutes?
If I pass a station, have I gone too far?
Where should I ask again if I am unsure?
Easier or harder: Easier: draw as you speak. Harder: give the route only once.
After you finish: Which landmark phrase was clearer than a street name?

Discuss a short article or video

Summarise something short, then talk about what is strong, weak or missing.

Intermediate
Text chat
Long
Vocabulary

Suggested correction: End-of-session review

How to run this activity

Preparation: Choose a short article you both can open. Skip polarising politics unless you already trust each other.
Partner A: Summarise the article in four sentences. Do not read it aloud.
Partner B: Say one point you agree with and one you want to check.
Starter prompts: What is the article trying to explain?
Which example was strongest?
What is missing from this explanation?
Easier or harder: Easier: discuss only the headline and first paragraph. Harder: compare two short articles.
After you finish: Which word from the article is worth saving?

Describe a misunderstanding and repair it

Practise saying what you thought, what you meant, and what you will do next time.

Intermediate
Voice call
Short
Confidence

Suggested correction: Minimal correction

How to run this activity

Preparation: Invent a small mix-up: a wrong time, a wrong meeting link, or a joke that did not land. Keep it mild.
Partner A: Explain what you thought was happening.
Partner B: Explain what you meant, then agree on a clearer next step.
Starter prompts: I think we planned different times. Can we check?
I did not mean that as a joke. I am sorry it landed that way.
What should we write down so this is clearer next time?
Easier or harder: Easier: repair in the stronger language first. Harder: repair only in the learning language.
After you finish: Which repair phrase felt respectful rather than defensive?

Run a vocabulary challenge

Use new words in context around one shared topic, then swap lists.

Intermediate
Text chat
Short
Vocabulary

Suggested correction: Written notes

How to run this activity

Preparation: Pick one shared topic, such as weather, kitchens or commuting. Each person prepares five useful words.
Partner A: Use each of your five words in a sentence. Do not define them first.
Partner B: Guess the meaning from context, then swap lists.
Starter prompts: Can you use that word about your own week?
What is a simpler word with a similar meaning?
When would this word sound too formal?
Easier or harder: Easier: allow a translation after two guesses. Harder: no translation at all.
After you finish: Which new word would you actually say this week?

Low-risk debate

Discuss a light topic with reasons and examples, then switch sides to practise flexible language.

Advanced
Voice call
Long
Speaking

Suggested correction: End-of-session review

How to run this activity

Preparation: Choose a light topic, such as working from a café versus at home. No identity, health or politics.
Partner A: Argue one side with two reasons and one example.
Partner B: Argue the other side, then switch.
Starter prompts: What is the strongest reason on your side?
What would make you change your mind a little?
Where do you actually agree?
Easier or harder: Easier: prepare the reasons in notes. Harder: you must steal one of your partner’s points.
After you finish: Did switching sides make your language more flexible?

Summarise and critique an article

Condense a short article, then say what is strong, weak or missing, without turning it into a fight.

Advanced
Text chat
Long
Vocabulary

Suggested correction: Written notes

How to run this activity

Preparation: Choose a short explainer, not a breaking-news piece. Agree on a time limit for reading.
Partner A: Give a four-sentence summary, then one critique.
Partner B: Add what the summary left out, then one fair counterpoint.
Starter prompts: What claim does the writer want you to accept?
Which evidence is thinnest?
Who is missing from this account?
Easier or harder: Easier: critique only the title. Harder: rewrite the first paragraph in simpler language.
After you finish: Can you separate summary from opinion in one sentence each?

Professional meeting practice

Practise introductions, updates, clarifying questions, and polite disagreement in a short meeting.

Advanced
Video call
Long
Professional language

Suggested correction: End-of-session review

How to run this activity

Preparation: Invent a short meeting: a project update, a delay, and one decision. Use made-up names.
Partner A: Chair the meeting. Open, invite an update, and close with a next step.
Partner B: Give the update, ask a clarifying question, and disagree once politely.
Starter prompts: Could you walk us through the current status?
I see it differently. Can we look at the timeline?
What should we decide before we leave?
Easier or harder: Easier: use a written agenda. Harder: the delay is your fault and you must explain it.
After you finish: Which phrase kept disagreement professional?

Explain humour, idioms or tone

Take a mild joke, idiom or tone of voice and explain why it works, without forcing your partner to find it funny.

Advanced
Voice call
Medium
Culture

Suggested correction: Minimal correction

How to run this activity

Preparation: Choose a mild idiom or joke. Avoid sarcasm about identity, bodies or tragedy.
Partner A: Say the phrase, then explain the literal meaning and the intended meaning.
Partner B: Try a similar phrase in your language, or say why it would not travel.
Starter prompts: What would a learner misunderstand here?
When would this sound rude?
Is there a safer way to say the same thing?
Easier or harder: Easier: explain an idiom, not a joke. Harder: explain a polite understatement.
After you finish: Did you explain tone, or only vocabulary?

Compare formal and informal language

Say the same message to a friend, a colleague, and a stranger; compare the wording.

Advanced
Text chat
Medium
Grammar

Suggested correction: Written notes

How to run this activity

Preparation: Choose one message: asking for a delay, thanking someone, or declining an invitation.
Partner A: Say it to a friend, then to a colleague.
Partner B: Say it to a stranger, then compare which words changed.
Starter prompts: What becomes too casual in writing?
What sounds cold if you say it to a friend?
Which version would you send to a manager?
Easier or harder: Easier: compare friend and stranger only. Harder: add a customer-service version.
After you finish: Which word marked formality most clearly?

Tell a story with a style constraint

Retell a familiar story using a limit, such as only the present tense or no adjectives, then drop the limit.

Advanced
Voice call
Medium
Speaking

Suggested correction: Important errors only

How to run this activity

Preparation: Pick a familiar story, such as a recent trip or a childhood memory you are willing to share.
Partner A: Tell it with one constraint: no adjectives, or present tense only.
Partner B: Tell the same story with a different constraint, then without any constraint.
Starter prompts: What happens if you cannot use describing words?
Which detail disappeared under the constraint?
What did you add back when the limit was gone?
Easier or harder: Easier: two minutes only. Harder: include one reported question.
After you finish: Which constraint made you reach for better verbs?

Give constructive feedback on a proposal

Respond to a short idea with what works, what is unclear, and one improvement, without taking over.

Advanced
Video call
Long
Professional language

Suggested correction: End-of-session review

How to run this activity

Preparation: Invent a small proposal: a study group, a weekend trip, or a better session routine.
Partner A: Pitch the idea in one minute.
Partner B: Give one strength, one unclear point, and one suggestion.
Starter prompts: What is the goal in one sentence?
What would make this easier to try this week?
What should we not change?
Easier or harder: Easier: feedback in the stronger language. Harder: feedback only in the learning language.
After you finish: Did the feedback stay specific, or did it become a general judgement?

Discuss cultural assumptions without generalising

Name an assumption you have heard, test it against your own experience, and leave room for other people to differ.

Advanced
Text chat
Long
Culture

Suggested correction: Minimal correction

How to run this activity

Preparation: Pick an assumption about punctuality, small talk, or gifts. Speak from experience, not national character.
Partner A: State the assumption, then one time it was true for you and one time it was not.
Partner B: Do the same. Avoid “people from X always…”.
Starter prompts: Where did you first hear this assumption?
Who does it leave out?
How would you check it without turning a person into a representative?
Easier or harder: Easier: talk about your own habit only. Harder: rewrite the assumption so it cannot be used as a stereotype.
After you finish: Did you leave space for people who do not match the pattern?