This is a cheeky rip-off of a game popular in drinking circles (so I’ve heard). The rules are simple, yet the game requires concentration and some prompting until pupils grasp the idea.

The premise is that everyone says “hello” to the next person and asks that person to say “hello” to the person sat after them (sitting in rows is good so it can flow).

The first person says to the second person: “Bonjour Bruce. Dis Bonjour a Bruce, Bruce.” Person number two turns to person number three and says:

“Bonjour Bruce. Dis Bonjour a Bruce, Bruce.” And person three turns and says the same to person four.

“Easy” I here you cry. But this game is all about pronunciation and fluent speech. If mistakes are made in pronunciation, grammar or they hesitate, there are consequences.

If person four makes a mistake, you intervene and the person who made the mistake must be referred to as: “Bruce qui aime cuisiner” (or any silly variation you wish).

On returning to person four as the game loops around and everybody has spoken, person two (who says “hello” to person three and asks them to say the same to person four) - still with me? - says: “Bonjour Bruce, dis Bonjour a Bruce qui aime cuisiner, Bruce.”

So, basically everyone is called Bruce until they make a mistake. If a person has made one mistake and then makes another the name gets longer.

A few suggestions on names for pupils making mistakes: 1. Bruce qui aime cuisiner.

2. Bruce qui aime cuisiner dans sa maison rose.

3. Bruce qui aime cuisiner dans sa maison rose au bord de la mer.

4. Bruce qui aime cuisiner dans sa maison rose au bord de la mer mais pas le weekend parce qu’il regarde la tele.

It gets pupils conversing quickly. They want to do it right, so they listen intently to pupils pronouncing correctly.

Choose sentences based on sounds you want to practise (changing the name if you wish) and by the end of a couple of rounds they improve

Andrew Bruton is doing cover teaching in Herefordshire