These 68 conversation cards give adult ESL students structured practice using prefer, like better, and would rather to ask about, respond to, and state preferences. These three grammar structures show up all the time when communicating preferences.

Here’s what makes this set worth grabbing: the questions are genuinely interesting. They’re designed to spark real discussion and self-reflection, not produce one-word answers. Your students won’t be choosing between having a cat or a dog. They’ll be making meaningful choices, explaining their reasoning, and learning something about themselves and each other in the process.

WHAT’S INSIDE this 21-page PDF:

✅ Teacher’s page

✅ 68 conversation cards

HOW TO USE THESE CARDS:

Use the cards as a warm-up, a conversation activity, or a grammar-in-context practice session. Students can work in pairs, small groups, or as a whole class. Because the questions are open-ended and thought-provoking, they work just as well for conversation-focused classes as they do for grammar-focused ones.

WHY THIS WORKS FOR ADULT ESL STUDENTS

Adult ESL students come to class with real life experience and varied goals. Some are headed to university, some are building professional skills, some are working on fluency for daily life, and some are doing all of the above. 

Preference language shows up across all of it: in academic discussions, in interviews, in casual conversation, and in writing. These cards give students practice with language they’ll really use, in a context that respects their intelligence and experience.

The questions also build community. When students share genuine preferences and hear each other’s reasoning, they get to know each other and that makes for a better class environment overall.