Word Game for Enhancing Diction

Abstract

This present invention relates to a vocabulary-based game for a group of players. The game can include a deck of cards having both alphabet cards and non-alphabet or action cards. Each alphabet card can have one or more letters thereon. Each action card can have one or more rules displayed thereon. The plurality of cards are dealt to participating players in a predetermined number and the game proceeds generally wherein sequential players create words by using or ‘playing’ their alphabet cards to form words. Each player, during his or her turn, attempts to play a word from his or her hand or add letters to a word from another player. Points are based on the length of the formed word (i.e. number of letters in the formed word) and can be enhanced by an action card.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A deck of playing cards comprising:
 a plurality of alphabet cards, wherein each of the plurality of alphabet cards has at least one letter thereon; and   a plurality of action cards, wherein the plurality of alphabet cards is comprised of a first group of consonant cards and a second group of vowel cards.   
     
     
         2 . The deck of playing cards of  claim 1 , wherein a count of the first group of consonant cards relative to a count of the second group of vowel cards comprises a ratio of about 4:1 to about 1:1, inclusive. 
     
     
         3 . The deck of playing cards of  claim 1 , wherein a count of the first group of consonant cards relative to a count of the second group of vowel cards comprises a ratio of about 3:1 to about 2:1, inclusive. 
     
     
         4 . The deck of playing cards of  claim 1 , wherein a count of the first group of consonant cards relative to a count of the second group of vowel cards comprises a ratio of about 2:1 to about 1:1, inclusive. 
     
     
         5 . The deck of playing cards of  claim 1 , wherein a count of the first group of consonant cards relative to a count of the second group of vowel cards comprises a ratio and further wherein the ratio is representative of a consonant to vowel ratio reflecting the actual average usage rate used in English word formation. 
     
     
         6 . The deck of playing cards of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of action cards includes an instruction thereon. 
     
     
         7 . The deck of playing cards of  claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of alphabet cards and said plurality of action cards comprise a language and further wherein said language is selected from a group consisting of English, Spanish, French, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Italian, Korean, Thai and German. 
     
     
         8 . The deck of playing cards of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of action cards includes an instruction thereon and said instruction provides an operation to a word formed by the plurality of alphabet cards. 
     
     
         9 . A method of playing a card game, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a deck of cards, wherein a first portion of said deck of cards comprises a plurality of alphabet cards each having at least one letter thereon, and a second portion of said deck of cards comprises a plurality of action cards each having an instruction thereon;   dealing in a random order a combination of said plurality of alphabet cards and said plurality of action cards from the deck of cards in a predeterminable number to each of at least two players;   stacking a remaining portion of the deck of cards in a stack pile;   each of the at least two players taking sequential turns wherein a first designated player draws out a first word using two or more of the plurality of alphabet cards;   scoring said first word according to a number of letters in the first word; and   subsequent to drawing out said first word, the first designated player picking up a number of cards from the stack pile to equal the predeterminable number for a subsequent turn.   
     
     
         10 . The method of playing a card game of  claim 9 , wherein said predeterminable number is selected from a group consisting of four, five, six, seven, eight, nine and ten. 
     
     
         11 . The method of playing a card game of  claim 9 , further comprising a second designated player drawing out a second word using two or more of the plurality of alphabet cards from the dealt cards; and
 scoring said second word according to the number of letters in said second word.   
     
     
         12 . The method of playing a card game of  claim 10 , wherein a second designated player adds to said first word using one or more of the plurality of alphabet cards from the predeterminable number of cards dealt to the second designated player to form a second word. 
     
     
         13 . The method of playing a card game of  claim 12  further comprising the step of scoring the second word, wherein a single point is awarded for each letter in the second word. 
     
     
         14 . The method of playing a card game of  claim 9 , wherein said plurality of alphabet cards is comprised of a plurality of consonant cards and a plurality of vowel cards. 
     
     
         15 . The method of playing a card game of  claim 14 , wherein a count of said plurality of consonant cards relative to a count of said plurality of vowel cards comprises a ratio of between about 3:1 to about 1:1, inclusive. 
     
     
         16 . The method of playing a card game of  claim 14 , wherein a count of said plurality of consonant cards relative to a count of said plurality of vowel cards comprises a ratio, and further wherein the ratio is representative of a consonant to vowel ratio reflecting the actual average usage rate used in English word formation. 
     
     
         17 . A method of playing a card game, said method comprising the steps of:
 providing a deck of cards, wherein said deck of cards comprises a plurality of alphabet cards each having at least one letter thereon;   dealing a predeterminable number of cards from the deck of cards to each of at least two players;   stacking a plurality of undealt cards from said deck of cards face down;   each of the at least two players taking a sequential turn wherein a designated first player draws out a first word using two or more of said plurality of alphabet cards from the dealt cards;   scoring said first word according to a number of letters in said first word; and   subsequent to drawing out said first word, said designated first player picks up a number of cards from the plurality of undealt cards to retain said predeterminable number for a subsequent turn by the designated first player.   
     
     
         18 . The method of playing a card game of  claim 17 , wherein said plurality of alphabet cards comprise a plurality of consonant cards and a plurality of vowel cards. 
     
     
         19 . The method of playing a card game of  claim 18 , wherein a count of said plurality of consonant cards relative to a count of said plurality of vowel cards comprises a ratio of between about 3:1 to about 1:1, inclusive. 
     
     
         20 . The method of playing a card game of  claim 18 , wherein a count of said plurality of consonant cards relative to a count of said plurality of vowel cards comprises a ratio, and further wherein the ratio is representative of a consonant to vowel ratio reflecting the actual average usage rate used in English word formation.