Whose Adjective Is It Anyway?

Choose this exercise

Purpose: Identify and interpret nonverbal cues and vocal tones during interpersonal conversation.

Use it when: Use in communication or interpersonal skills sessions to examine vocal and body language cues.

Skip it when: Skip when participants decline spontaneous roleplay or when the session focuses on quiet analytical work.

Group arrangement: Whole-room circle with volunteer pairs for 4 to 8 people; concurrent small groups of 4 to 6 people for 9 to 24 participants. Any odd member in a subgroup serves as designated timekeeper and primary observer.

Timing: Source states 15 to 30 minutes; 20 minutes fits two concurrent rounds and a debrief.

Materials and tools

• 20 index cards with pre-written emotion or demeanor adjectives
• 1 timer per subgroup
• Scratch paper and pens for observers

Before participants arrive

1. Write one adjective clearly on each of the 20 index cards.
2. Place card decks face down at each subgroup table or the front performance space.
3. Arrange chairs so observers face the acting area.

Say this to open

Two volunteers will improvise a brief scene: two friends meeting for lunch. Each actor secretly picks an adjective describing their demeanor. Never speak your word out loud. Play the conversation while showing that demeanor through tone, pacing, and posture. After two minutes, you will guess each other's words.

How to run it

1. Form groups and set scene 3 minutes

   Deliver the opening script. For 4 to 8 participants, remain as one room. For 9 to 24 participants, split into concurrent groups of 4 to 6. In odd-numbered groups of 5, the fifth person serves as timekeeper and observer.

2. Perform round one and reveal 7 minutes

   In each group, two actors step up. Each actor draws one separate secret adjective card. Observers start a 2-minute timer. The pair improvises a lunch scene. When time expires, actors guess each other's secret adjective. Observers then give one guess out loud before cards are revealed.

3. Perform round two and reveal 7 minutes

   A second pair steps up in each group. Each actor draws one separate secret adjective card. The previous actors take observer and timekeeper roles. The pair improvises for 2 minutes. Actors guess each other's adjective first, then observers share spoken guesses before revealing the cards.

4. Debrief cue recognition 3 minutes

   Reconvene the full room. Ask 2 or 3 participants to name specific vocal or physical cues that gave an adjective away, and where an expression was almost misinterpreted.

Debrief questions

• What specific nonverbal cues or speech patterns made an adjective easy to detect?
• When vocal tone conflicted with spoken words, how did the other actor react?
• How can subtle demeanor cues be misinterpreted in daily conversations?

Finished output: Every participant acts or observes a timed scene, followed by recorded and revealed behavioral cues for each adjective.

Remote

Run in video meeting software. Facilitator sends secret adjectives to individual actors via direct message. Pairs keep cameras and microphones on while observers mute and turn off cameras. Observers record notes and speak their guesses aloud after actors complete their initial guesses, or write them in chat for the facilitator to read aloud.

Hybrid

Pair in-person participants together and remote participants together. In-person pairs perform in front of the room camera; remote pairs spotlight their video feeds. Observers on both sides take notes. During the reveal, remote observers unmute to share one guess or post in chat to be read aloud by the facilitator.

Access and participation choices

• Participants may opt to serve as observers, timekeepers, or note-takers rather than performing.
• Actors may perform entirely while seated if standing or physical movement is uncomfortable.

If the session gets stuck

An actor accidentally says their secret adjective out loud during the scene.

Pause briefly, instruct the actor to express the state using posture or tone instead, and resume the timer.

Actors run out of dialogue before the 2-minute timer expires.

Offer a neutral prompt, such as 'The server just brought the wrong order,' to restart dialogue.

Terms used here

• Cue-sensing: Noticing vocal tone, facial expression, posture, and pacing to interpret another person's demeanor.