The 9:47 Scream: ESL Partner Speaking Mystery (B1–B2)

Almost every night in October, the plastic pumpkin on Mrs Varga's porch screams at exactly 9:47 pm. The neighbours have five theories: the twins, the cat, the dog, a ghost … Only one is right.

HOW IT WORKS

This is a partner speaking mystery for pairs. Student A has the owner's notebook (the town's letter, the cat, the twins, the dog, a power cut). Student B has a neighbour's noise diary (every scream) and the pumpkin's box. Neither sheet solves the mystery alone: A doesn't know when the pumpkin screamed, and B doesn't know what happens on the street. Students keep their sheets secret, ask and answer questions in their own words, compare what they find out and test each theory against the facts, rule out four and explain the one that is right. The answer is fixed and fully explained in the answer key.

LEVEL AND LANGUAGE

Written for English learners at CEFR B1–B2, grades 5–8. Language focus: dates and times (on 14 October, from 6 to 10 October) and ruling things out (It can't be the dog because … If it was the cat, it wouldn't …).

PREP AND TIMING

Print page 2 for each Student A and page 3 for each Student B. Keep pages 1 and 4 for yourself. No cutting and no extra materials. About 25 minutes.

HALLOWEEN WITHOUT THE GORE

Spooky, funny and school-friendly: no blood, no violence, no frightening images.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (1 PDF, 4 pages, full colour)

• Page 1: Teacher notes (level, timing, language focus, steps, an early-finisher idea and support/challenge tips)
• Page 2: Student A sheet
• Page 3: Student B sheet
• Page 4: Answer key with the reasoning (teacher only)

LICENCE

Purchase grants the purchasing teacher permission to use this resource in their own teaching and to print copies for their own students.

You may not resell, redistribute, share the digital file with other teachers, or upload it to publicly accessible websites. Each teacher who wishes to use the resource must purchase their own copy.