The Queue Jumper: ESL Partner Speaking Mystery (B1–B2)

Six people queued at Window 7 (Dog Licences, Moustache Permits and Goat Parking), and somebody pushed in. Who jumped the queue?

HOW IT WORKS

This is a partner speaking mystery for pairs. Student A has the CCTV operator's five clues about the order of the queue. Student B has everyone's ticket number (the machine gives numbers in order of arrival). Neither sheet solves the mystery alone: A has the order but no ticket numbers, and B has the numbers but no order. Students keep their sheets secret, ask and answer questions in their own words, compare what they find out and work out the real queue and find the person standing in front of people who arrived before them. 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: position (at the front, right behind, in front of), ordinals and contrast (He was second, but he arrived last.).

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.

THE MINISTRY OF SMALL COMPLAINTS

One of five mysteries set in the same very strange town hall, where every small problem needs a form, a rule and a stamp.

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.