Dealing with Problems ESL Activities, Worksheets & Games
Household Heroes
ESL Problems and Solutions Board Game - Speaking: Forming Sentences, Freer Practice - Group Work
In this engaging problem-solution board game, students practice identifying common household problems and suggesting appropriate solutions. To begin, students place their counters on the...
Identifying and Clarifying Problems
ESL Dealing with Problems Worksheet - Vocabulary and Writing Exercises: Gap-fill, Matching - Speaking Activities: Asking and Answering Questions - Pair Work
In this free dealing with problems worksheet, students practice common phrases for identifying and clarifying everyday problems. First, students discuss...
What if we tried...?
ESL Dealing with Problems Activity - Vocabulary and Speaking: Sentence Completion, Gap-fill, Discussion, Freer and Communicative Practice - Pair Work
Here is a dealing with problems speaking activity to help students practice language for suggesting, evaluating, and agreeing on solutions. First, in two groups...
What Is Problem and Solution Language?
Dealing with problems is a functional language skill that covers identifying an issue, describing it clearly, and working toward a solution in spoken or written English. Students who lack these phrases often either stay silent when something goes wrong or come across as blunt and uncooperative, which in a workplace setting can create more friction than the original problem.
This page covers dealing with problems at B2 level, with three resources including a board game, a worksheet, and a speaking activity, with one available as a free download.
The table below maps the key communicative goals in problem and solution language, showing who typically uses each type of phrase and a natural example.
| Communicative Goal | Who Uses It | Example Phrase |
|---|---|---|
| Identifying a problem | Either speaker | 'It seems like there's an issue with...' |
| Clarifying a problem | Either speaker | 'Can I just check what exactly is happening on your end?' |
| Describing the cause | Speaker reporting the problem | 'It's been making a loud noise every time I open a large file.' |
| Suggesting a solution | Either speaker | 'Have you thought about bringing in extra support for this?' |
| Evaluating a solution | Either speaker | 'That might work, but have we considered the cost?' |
| Agreeing on a solution | Either speaker | 'I think that's our best option at this point.' |
When to Use Problem and Solution Language
Reporting a Problem at Work: When something goes wrong in a professional environment, using clear identifying language signals that you are in control of the situation rather than panicking, as in 'It seems like there's an issue with the server connection that's affecting the whole team.'
Asking for Clarification Without Sounding Rude: When you don't fully understand what the problem is, a well-chosen clarifying phrase lets you gather more information without making the other person feel criticised, as in 'Could you help me understand exactly what's happening with the delivery?'
Proposing a Solution Collaboratively: When you want to suggest a fix without imposing it, framing your idea as an open proposal invites buy-in from the other person rather than resistance, as in 'What if we moved the deadline to Friday and checked in on Thursday afternoon?'
3-Step Framework for Teaching Problem and Solution Language
1. Build the Core Phrase Bank: Start with vocabulary and phrase recognition. Students work through gap-fills and matching tasks to build a set of functional phrases for identifying and clarifying problems, indicating the function of each phrase as they go. The sequence ends with students writing their own sentences and reading them to a partner, who then clarifies the issue described.
2. Practice Suggesting and Evaluating Solutions: Split the class into two groups and have each side read the same problems and complete two sentences with creative solutions. Students then pair up with someone from the other group, use the language from the activity to evaluate both sets of solutions, and tick the one they agree on before reporting their final choices back to the class.
3. Consolidate with a Competitive Board Game: Bring everything together under time pressure. Each turn, a student reads a situation card and classmates race to name the household problem behind it using one of the identifying phrases displayed on the board. The winner rolls the dice, moves their counter, and must suggest a solution using the phrase on their landing square or move back two squares.
Common Mistakes with Problem and Solution Language
Describing the Symptom Instead of the Problem: Students often describe what they can see or feel rather than identifying the underlying issue, which makes it hard for the listener to understand what actually needs fixing. Wrong: 'The computer is making a noise.' Correct: 'It seems like there's a problem with the fan. It's been making a loud noise every time I open a large file.'
Proposing a Solution Before Clarifying the Problem: Students often jump straight to suggesting a fix without first checking that they have understood the problem correctly, which can lead to solving the wrong thing entirely. Wrong: 'You should restart the router.' Correct: 'Can I just check, is the problem that the internet is slow for everyone or just on your device? If it's just yours, restarting the router might help.'
Common Questions About Problem and Solution Language
What is a good board game for practicing problem and solution language?
The board game Household Heroes uses a racing mechanic where students compete to name the household problem behind each situation card. The first student to identify it rolls the dice, moves their counter, and must suggest a solution using the phrase on their landing square or move back two squares.
What is a useful worksheet for teaching phrases to identify and clarify problems?
The worksheet Identifying and Clarifying Problems takes students through gap-fills and matching tasks to build a core phrase set, with each phrase categorized by function. Students finish by writing their own sentences describing a problem and reading them to a partner, who then uses the language from the worksheet to clarify the issue.
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