Informal Ways to Say Yes and No

1. Start with a Simple Discussion (Warm-up Activity)

• Ask students:
  • "How do you usually say ‘yes’ to a friend?"
  • "How do you say ‘no’ in a polite or casual way?"
• Write their responses on the board.

2. Introduce Informal Ways to Say Yes & No

Provide a list of informal expressions:

✅ Informal Ways to Say Yes:

• Yeah
• Yep
• Uh-huh
• You bet
• Sure thing
• Absolutely
• For sure
• Count me in
• Totally
• Sounds good

❌ Informal Ways to Say No:

• Nah
• Nope
• No way
• Uh-uh
• Not really
• I don’t think so
• No chance
• Sorry, but no
• Not happening
• I’m good (when declining an offer)

3. Role-Play Activity (Practice in Pairs)

• Divide students into pairs.
• Give them different casual situations (e.g., making plans, offering food, asking for help).
• One student asks a question, and the other responds using an informal "yes" or "no."
• Example:
  • A: "Hey, wanna grab a coffee?"
  • B: "Yeah, sounds good!"
  • A: "Do you want to help me with my homework?"
  • B: "Nah, I’m too tired."

4. Fun Games to Reinforce Learning

A. Yes/No Reaction Game

• Read different statements aloud.
• If students agree, they respond with an informal "yes."
• If they disagree, they use an informal "no."
• Example:
  • Teacher: "Pizza is better than burgers!"
  • Student 1: "Yep!"
  • Student 2: "No way!"

B. Quick Fire Round

• Give students 10 seconds to answer different casual questions using informal yes/no responses.

C. Charades Challenge

• Write informal yes/no words on slips of paper.
• One student picks a slip and acts it out (without speaking).
• Others guess the correct informal word.

5. Real-Life Application (Encourage Outside Practice)

• Encourage students to use informal yes/no in real conversations with friends.
• Give a mini challenge: "Try to use at least 3 informal yes/no words today and share your experience in the next class!"