Information Questions
Subject/Object Questions
Answering Techniques 1. Short Answers
*“And-what-about-you” Questions
Tag Questions
*Negative Questions
Answering Techniques 3
*Homework
Would you be a good police officer? Why?/Why not? (2)
Basic Grammar in Use R.Murphy PP. 82 – 83; 84 – 85; 86 – 87 Units 37, 41,42, 43
(Information Questions, Tag Questions)
Make up sentences using the following words:
1. Give, paper, a piece, of, me, a pencil, and. 2. Week, Mr. Barnett, new, brings, Mary, and, books, magazines, every. 3. Tall, General Henderson, with, hair, a man, white, was. 4. Was putting on, gloves, her, in, Nancy, a way, slow. 5. Show, can, I, something, you, interesting. 6. Good, English, some, have, I, books. 7. Them, can, I, bring, to, the Institute, you, to. 8. Cold, a night, January, was, it. 9. Long, can't, we, stay, here. 10. In, coffee, the morning, I, like.
Warmer
Do the quiz “Would you be a good police officer?” and interview your partner using the questions, check the key and speak about your partner’s result.
Information Questions
If you want more specific information about the subject matter you ask “wh-questions” or “information questions”. These questions begin with question words. Study the chart and make your own questions.
WHO |
(h) Who can answer that question? Who came to visit you? |
I can. Jane and Eric. |
Who is used as the subjeet of а question. It refers to people. |
|
(i) Who is coming to dinner tonight? Who wants to come with me? |
Ann, Bob, and Al. We do. |
Who is usually followed by а singular verb even if the speaker is asking about more than one person. |
WHOM |
(j) Who(m) did you see? Who(m) are you visiting? (k) Who(m) should I talk to? To who(m) should I talk? (formal) |
I saw George. My relatives. The secretary. |
Whom is used as the object of а verb or preposition. In everyday spoken English, whom is rarely used; who is used instead. Whom is used only in formal questions. Note: Whom, not who, is used if preceded by a preposition. |
WHOSE |
(l) Whose book did you borrow? Whose key is this? (Whose is this?) |
David's. It's mine. |
Whose asks questions about possession. |
WHAT |
(m) What made you angry? What went wrong? |
His rudeness. Everything. |
What is used as the subjeet of а question. It refers to things. |
|
(n) What do you need? What did Alice buy? (o) What did he talk about? About what did he talk? (formal) |
I need a pencil. A book. His vacation. |
What is also used as an objeet. |
|
(p) What kind of soup is that? What kind of shoes did he buy? |
It's bean soup. Sandais. |
What kind of asks about the particular variety or type of something. |
|
(q) What did you do last night? What is Mary doing? |
I studied. Reading a book. |
What + a form of do is used to ask questions about activities. |
|
(r) What countries did you visit? What time did she come? What color is his hair? |
Italy and Spain. Seven o'clock. Dark brown. |
What may accompany a noun. |
|
(s) What is Ed like? (t) What is the weather like? |
He's kind and friendly. Hot and humid. |
What + be like asks for a general description of qualities. |
|
(u) What does Ed look like?
(v) What does her house look like?
|
He's tall and has dark hair. It's a two-story,* red brick house. |
What + look like asks for а physical description. |
WHICH |
(w) I have two pens. Which реп do you want? Which one do you want? Which do you want? (x) Which book should I buy? |
The blue one. That one. |
Which is used instead of what when a question concerns choosing from a definite, known quantity or group. |
|
(v) Which countries did he visit? What countries did he visit? (z) Which class are you in? What class are you in? |
Peru and Chile. This class. |
In some cases, there is little difference in meaning between which and what when they accompany a noun, as in (y) and (z). |
*American English: a two-story house. British English: a two-storey house.
(English Grammar B.S. Azar Unit B: Questions B-2 A9-A10)
EXERCISE 1. FCE Use of English Virginia Evans PP. 185-186
Subject/Object Questions
If “what”, “which” or “who” are the subject of the question, the word order is the same as in statements. If they are the object of the question, the verb is in question form. “Which” is normally used when there is a limited choice. Ex. Which is your car- the Mercedes or the Volvo? (there are only two cars we are talking about).
When there is a verb with preposition, the preposition usually goes at the end of the question. In formal English it can be put before the question word. What are you talking about?/ About what are you talking?
EXERCISE 2. FCE Use of English Virginia Evans P.185 Ex.238
EXERCISE 3. English Grammar in Use R.Murphy P.99 Ex. 49.2
EXERCISE 4. Put questions to the words in bold.
There are two computers in the office. 2. This is a new printer. 3. It is three miles to the shop. 4. There is a mistake in the text. 5. They are famous detectives. 6. It's Mary's book. 7. It's Sunday today. 8. He is in Paris now. 9. Mr. Parker is my teacher. 10. He is a lawyer. 11. This is an important question. 12. They are artists. 13. Marina is a secretary. 14. Henry is twenty years old. 15. This is a colour printer.
EXERCISE 5. Translate the sentences.
1 . — Кто этот парень? — Это Дима. Он мой друг. 2. — Чем он занимается? (Кто он?) — Он студент. 3. — Кто эти люди? — Они наши соседи. — Чем они занимаются? (Кто они?) — Они служащие. 4. — Чья это папка? — Она моя. 5. — Какого рода эта работа? — Она неплохая. 6. — Сколько лет твоей жене? Сколько лет твоим детям? — Вы ведь не инспектор, не правда ли? 7. В Англии много хороших традиций, не так ли? 8. — Что это за фильм? — Это комедия. 9. — Который из этих дисков твой? — Они все мои. 10. — Как Вы? Как жизнь? Как родители? — Всё прекрасно, спасибо. 11. — Почему ты такая печальная? В чём дело? — Я просто голодна и хочу спать. 12. — Когда твой день рождения? — Это секрет. 13. — Я прав или не прав? — Это трудно сказать. 14. — Где ученики? Где учитель? — Они в зале. Там концерт. 15. Это не очень-то хорошая идея, не правда ли? 16. — Почему вы здесь? — Я новый секретарь. Какие мои обязанности? 17. — Что он за человек? — Он честный человек и помешан на работе
EXERCISE 6. Work in pairs, in groups, or as a class.
Speaker A: Give the cues in the text. The first of the two cues is the answer to the
question you want Speaker В to form. Your book is open.
Speaker B: Make an appropriate question for the answer Speaker A gives you. Your book is closed.
Examples:
SPEAKER A (book open): The teacher. The teacher opened the door.
SPEAKER B (book closed): Who opened the door?
SPEAKER A (book open): Opening the door. The teacher is opening the door. SPEAKER B (book closed): What is the teacher doing?
My friend. That letter is from my friend.
Maria. Maria wrote that letter.
My mother's. That is my mother's coat.
In August. Alice and John are going to get married in August.
Gray. Her eyes are gray.
Black. Her hair is black.
Herb tea. I’d like some herb tea.
Coffee. I usually drink coffee with my breakfast.
The soap bubbles. The soap bubbles made her sneeze.
Ten minutes. It usually takes me ten minutes to eat breakfast.
By taxi. I got to the airport by taxi.
A ball. The boy has a ball in his pocket.*
Four. I have four brothers and sisters.
Florida. I grew up in Florida.
Five hours. It takes five hours to get there by plane.
Historical novels. I like to read historical novels.
Chapters 2 and 3. The test will cover Chapters 2 and 3.
I was late. I was late because the traffic was heavy.**
For three days. She's been sick for three days.
Twenty. I'm going to invite twenty people to my party.
This one. You should buy this camera, not that one.
Marie Curie. Marie Curie discovered radium.
Practicing asking questions. We're practicing asking questions.
Great. Everything's going great.
(English Grammar B.S. Azar Unit B: Questions B-2 A9-A11 Ex.11)
EXERCISE 7. English Grammar in Use R.Murphy PP.98- 99 Ex. 49.1, 49.3
COMMUNICATION ACTIVITY 1. Spy game. Your partner has a password sentence. You can only hear the predicate of the sentence. To know the whole sentence ask information questions.
COMMUNICATION ACTIVITY 2. Guess who? Work in two teams. Together with you partners choose a famous person. Make sure you know a lot of important information about this person. You partners will ask you some wh- questions to guess the person.
Answering Techniques 1. Short Answers
Short answers are extensively used in conversations to make them dynamic, to avoid unnecessary repetition or to show interest.
EXERCISE 8. English Grammar in Use R.Murphy PP.102 – 103 Ex. 51.1
*“And-what-about-you” Questions
There is a simple but rather common way of asking questions in spoken English. Use “What about you?”, “And you?”, etc.
EXERCISE 9. Say that the person you are asked about does the same/doesn't do it.
Model: You live in North London. And your brother? - My brother lives there. They don't drink coffee. And you? - We don't drink it either.
1. I know that you don't smoke. And your husband?
2. Our relatives come to see us every summer. And how about your relatives
3. I have a lot of homework every day. And what about you?
4. Jay and Nick work for this company. And what about Mr. Hoggin?
5. My children don't eat cabbage. And yours?
6. The Nevils play golf every Saturday. And what about their neighbor?
7. I don't know the city very well. And you?
8. My parents don't feel well in hot weather. And what about your mother?
9. Bob prefers jazz. And his friends?
10. I often think of the holiday we spent together in France. And you?
11. These girls are very good singers. And what about their brothers?
12. My grandmother doesn't keep pets in the house. And yours?
13. Clare is interested in arts. And you?
14. Mr. Willard is on business in Geneva. And Mr. Hart?
(English Tenses: Grammar Practice Activities N.Dementyeva N.Akimova P. 10 Ex. VI)
*Asking Techniques 2
Apart from asking for information we can use questions in many other speech situations. We can use them to make offers and suggestions.
Would you like some coffee?
Shall we go to the opera?
EXERCISE 10. FCE Use of English V. Evans P.191 Ex.246
Tag Questions
We use tag questions mainly to make sure that the information we have is correct or to seek agreement. Question tags can be said with a rising intonation when we are not sure and expect an answer, or a falling intonation when we are sure and don’t really expect an answer.
EXERCISE 11. English Grammar in Use R.Murphy PP.104-105 Ex. 52.1-52.3
EXERCISE 12. FCE Use of English V. Evans P.187-188 Ex.240, 242
EXERCISE 13. Add question tags to the following sentences. Translate a few of them into Russian.
1. There are many stars in the sky. 2. He is a star in showbiz. 3. Something is wrong. 4. She is never happy. 5. It's fine weather today. 6. It isn't my day today. 7. There is a fax for her. 8. There aren't any messages for us. 9. Money is important. 10. Mice aren't nice. 11. There is a lot of snow in the streets. 12. These are not your papers. 13. It's late. 14. These are good examples. 15. These are not correct data. 16. She isn't old. 17. He isn't young. 18. I am on duty today. 19. They are not friends.
(The ABC of English Grammar A.A. Ionina, A.S. Saakyan PP.36-37)
COMMUNICATION ACTIVITY 2.
Work in pairs. Act out a dialogue inserting tag questions where the speakers are expecting agreement or sympathy. How is the new version different from the original?
Dialogues for adding tags
Dialogue 1
a: Nice day.
в: It'll rain tomorrow.
a: Why should it?
в: It's the picnic tomorrow. Always rains for the picnic.
a: You are in a lousy mood today.
Dialogue 2
a: I think I'll try this one.
в: Oh, yes, a lovely colour. Just matches your eyes.
a: How much is it?
в: Twenty pounds. It's much cheaper than the red one.
a: But the red one will wash better.
Dialogue 3
a: I really don't know what to do ...
в: Well, that's why you're here. You can't keep it to yourself forever.
a: I've been such a fool.
в: No you haven't. We all make mistakes sometimes.
a: It helps, talking to someone about it.
COMMUNICATION ACTIVITY 3.
Make a list of true and false statements about you or a person your partner and you both know. Give this list to your partner. Let him guess (using tag questions) which statements are true and which are false. How well does your partner know you?
*Negative Questions
These are yes/no questions with the negative form of the verb. The speaker often expects a “yes answer”.
EXERCISE 14. FCE Use of English V. Evans P.187 Ex.239
Answering Techniques 3
We sometimes use questions in answers to show our emotional reaction, for example surprise, disbelief or disapproval.
EXERCISE 15. FCE Use of English V. Evans P.188 Ex.241
EXERCISE 16. English Grammar in Use R.Murphy PP.102 – 103 Ex.51.2
COMMUNICATION ACTIVITY 4. “Boast about yourself”. Say some amazing things. Your partners will show their surprise.
UNIT 3. Warmers
Warmers
Answering Techniques 3
Neither Do I /So Do I