DON’T SAY IT!
Describe a word in English without saying it – or any of the 4 words on the card. Your team has to guess it before the time runs out. Great practice for the Speaking exam, in class or at home.
In class
Teams take turns. The projector shows the clock and the points; the describer sees the card on their phone by scanning a QR code.
At home
The game describes the word – you type it. Then say your own description out loud, without the forbidden words.
How to play in class
- Make teams (2 to 4) and choose the level, the topic, the time for each turn and the rounds.
- The describer scans the code on the projector with their phone and sees the card: the word and the 4 words they can’t say.
- Describe, guess, score. Correct is +1, saying a forbidden word is −1 (Oops!), and Skip is 0.
- Next team! A new code each turn, so only the describer sees the cards. Finn and Loop celebrate the winners.
Phrases to describe a word
The same strategies that help you in the Speaking exam when you don’t know a word:
- It’s a kind of… It’s a kind of fruit that…
- It’s something you use to… It’s something you use to open a door.
- It’s a person who… / a place where… It’s a place where you can borrow books.
- It’s the opposite of… It’s the opposite of “cheap”.
- You do this when… You do this when you’re tired at night.
For teachers
No accounts and no personal data: students only scan a code. No phones? Choose On my laptop and the card shows only while you hold V. Keyboard shortcuts let you run everything from your laptop or a presentation clicker.
Set Don’t say it! as homework in My classes, and try our other games, The Loop and Letter Rush.
Open Class mode →
Frequent questions
How do you play Don’t say it!?
One person describes a word in English without saying it or any of the 4 words on the card, and their team has to guess it before the time runs out. +1 for each word guessed, −1 if the describer says a forbidden word, and 0 for a skip.
Why is it good for the Speaking exam?
In the Cambridge Speaking exam you often need to explain something when you don’t know the exact word. Describing a word with phrases like “It’s a kind of…” or “You use it when…” is exactly that skill, called paraphrasing.
How does it work in class?
The projector shows only the clock, the points and whose turn it is. The person describing scans a QR code with their phone to see the card – with no account and no personal data – and presses Correct, Oops! or Skip. A new code appears each turn, so only the describer sees the cards.
What if my students can’t use phones?
Choose “On my laptop”: the card stays hidden on your laptop and only shows while you hold the V key or the button, so you can show it to the describer.
Can I play it alone at home?
Yes. At home the game describes the word and you type it. Small spelling mistakes are fine. At the end you can save the words you missed to your Mistake review.
Is it free?
Yes. Don’t say it! is free for everyone, with B1, B2 and C1 cards on work, travel, the environment, technology, education, health, free time, food and the home.
Can I use my own words?
Yes. In class mode, open “Your own cards”, write a word and the 4 words the describer can’t say, and play them with “My cards”. They are saved in your account if you are logged in.
Can I print the cards?
Yes. In class mode, choose a topic (or “My cards”) and press “Print these cards”: 8 cards on each page, ready to cut out and play without screens.
Can I set it as homework?
Yes. In My classes, choose Don’t say it! as homework for a level, or one topic for the whole class. You see who has played and their score.