Lateral Thinking puzzles were first invented by the psychologist Dr Edward de Bono (1). They consist of a simple situation which at first sight seems strange, but actually has a very simple explanation, and were intended to encourage creative (or “lateral”) thinking. You tell the students the situation and they can then ask Yes/No questions about it until they understand what happened. In particular, it’s a great way of practising simple past and past continuous questions, but at a higher level students also have the chance to incorporate and practise the past perfect and other structures. Here are two such situations :
1. A man was lying dead in a field with a bag beside him. How did he die?
2. A woman walked into a bar and asked for a glass of water. The barman pulled out a gun and pointed it at her. The woman said “Thank you” and left. Why?
3. A woman is found hanging by her neck from the high ceiling in an otherwise empty locked room with a puddle of water under her feet. How did she kill herself?
4. A man is lying drowned in a dead forest, far from water. How did this happen?
5. Two men are served identical drinks at the bar. One lives, but the other dies. Why?
6. A man dies of dehydration in his own home. Why?
7. A man runs along a hall with a piece of paper. When the lights flicker, he drops to his knees and begins to cry. Why?
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