Esl Question Activities (1)

8/14/2019 Esl Question Activities (1)

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ESL Activities forPracticing Question

Formation

Alyson OShea

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Introduction:

These activities are all based on questions. The t!es of questions addressed include "h#

questions$ es%no questions$ and truncated questions. The activities address different as!ects of

question formation. Some activities focus on form$ such as sub&ect#o!erator inversion$ formation

"ith the co!ula be$ and formation "ith the o!erator do. 'ther activities focus on the meaning of

question "ords. Still others focus on the use of question "ords in conte(t. Some activities

include a combination of form$ meaning and use. A fe" activities also hel! students !ractice

fluenc and intonation. The length of the activities varies from ) minutes to an entire class

!eriod.

These activities are intended for an intermediate level ESL class of oung adults to

adults. *o"ever$ the activities can easil be modified for use "ith different levels and ages of

learners. As a caveat$ these activities should be used in con&unction "ith a lesson. The should

not be used to teach a ne" conce!t about question formation$ but rather should be used to

!ractice and reinforce s+ills the students have studied in the lecture. Therefore$ the activities "ill

most li+el require some ad&ustments to ma+e them a!!ro!riate for each !articular conte(t and

lesson.

The activities are !resented in an order in "hich the might be taught. In general$ the

sim!ler activities are at the beginning$ and the activities become more com!le( to"ards the end

of the list. Also$ the activities that cover es%no questions are to"ards the beginning$ follo"ed

b "h#questions$ and finall those activities that include a mi(ture of the t"o. Those activities

that focus on form tend to be first in each section$ follo"ed b those focusing on meaning$ and

ending "ith those focusing on use. I begin first "ith an activit that introduces students to the

different t!es of questions and their form$ meaning$ and use. This activit does not require the

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students to !roduce questions$ merel recogni,e them. Its intent is to get students thin+ing about

ho" questions are formed$ "hat the mean$ and "h the are used.

Activity #1: Questions in a Song

Time: -) minutes Form$ /eaning$ and 0se

S+ills: 1ece!tive s+ills$ identifing questions and e(amining them

Pla a song that contains man questions. Some e(am!les include 23lo"in4 in the 5ind6 b3ob 7lan and 2Someda 5e4ll 8no"6 b the 9e" 1adicals. The students should listen for the

questions in the song. The should +ee! a tall of the t!es of questions the hear. Are there

es%no questions or a "h#questions Are there an truncated questions Are the questions

ans"ered Are there an rhetorical questions 5hat is the !ur!ose of using questions in asong 7id the questions use rising intonation Pla the song a fe" times to give students a

chance to ta+e note of all the questions. After the students have offered some comments$ hand

out the lrics to the song so the can have visual in!ut as "ell. *ave a class discussion about

their findings.

Activity #2: Flannelboard

Time: -;< minutes Form

S+ills: !racticing sub&ect o!erator inversion "ith es%no questions in various tenses =once the

students have mastered the basic es%no questions strategies$ o!erator doand negatives can be

!racticed as "ell>

*ave a large flannelboard "ith "ords and !unctuation. Sho" the class ho" to form sentences

"ith the "ords. /a+e an e(am!le sentence in !resent !rogressive li+e: 2?ohn is reading the

boo+.6 Then sho" students ho" to invert the sub&ect and o!erator and change the !eriod to a

question mar+ to ma+e the sentence 2Is ?ohn reading the boo+6 Provide several e(am!les$ then

have some students volunteer to come u! and ma+e their o"n sentences in !resent !rogressive.

After the students have mastered these transformations$ more advanced transformations can be

!racticed. For e(am!le$ the students can !ractice sentences "hich require the addition of the

o!erator do: 2?ohn read the boo+.627id ?ohn read the boo+6 The students can !ractice

using different tenses or changing the tenses of !reviousl formed questions.

The activit ma be revisited "hen students learn to use negatives in sentences. For e(am!le$

2?ohn read the boo+.627idn4t ?ohn read the boo+6

Activity #3: Surveys

Time: -) minutes Form

S+ills: !racticing formation of questions "ith !resent tense o!erator doand res!onding to these

questions

Put the students in !airs. @ive each student a surve consisting of a!!ro(imatel < questions.

There are t"o different surve forms$ A and 3. /a+e sure each student in a !air has a different

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surve form. The surves could contain questions related to a theme covered in class$ or more

general questions about students4 bac+ground$ interests$ hobbies$ or habits. Each surve has

slightl different questions to !revent redundanc "hen the students as+ each other the

questions. There are also some blan+s at the bottom of the surve sheets for the students to come

u! "ith three of their o"n questions to as+ one another. 5hen ans"ering the questions$ the

students should focus on using the o!erator doand correct sub&ect o!erator inversion for question

formation. Since the focus is on the questions$ it is not necessar for the students to ans"er in

com!lete sentences. See Appendix Afor an e(am!le surve form.

Activity: #4: Find someone wo!

Time: -)#< minutes Form

S+ills: !racticing question formation of es%no questions "ith o!erator doand co!ula be

The students must find someone in the class "ho fits each of the descri!tions illustrated in the

handout. The handout should contain . See Appendix "for

an e(am!le sheet.

Activity #: Sort Story $anges

Time: -< minutes /eaning

S+ills: es%no question formation "ith co!ula be$ o!erator do$ and the negative/a+e u! a short stor and read it to the class. The students should listen intentl to the events

that ha!!en in the stor. 1ead the stor again$ but change a fe" of the details. Students should

as+ focused es%no questions about the details that "ere changed. The should as+ questions in

the format 25asn4t itB6 and 27idn4t sheB6 @ive students some time to ma+e u! their o"n

stories and !ractice "ith their classmates. See Appendix $for an e(am!le stor.

Activity #%: &oss a "all

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thin+ing of a question. Some e(am!le to!ics include: academic ma&ors$ hobbies$ favorite foods$

famil$ etc.

Activity #': (uess )o

Time: -)#;< minutes Form

S+ills: !ractice the formation of es%no questions "ith co!ula beand o!erator do

This is a board game manufactured b /ilton 3radle. It is for t"o !eo!le =or could be t"o

teams of t"o in the classroom.> There are ;D cards "ith cartoons of different !eo!le on them.

Each !laer !ic+s one card and !laces it on their board. Each of the boards contains all ;D

!eo!le$ "hich are on cards that can be fli!!ed u! or do"n. At the start of the game$ all of the

cards are fli!!ed u! so that the !eo!le can be vie"ed. The ob&ect is to guess the identit of the

o!!onent4s card. The !laers ta+e turns as+ing each other es%no questions about their

o!!onent4s card. 5hen the ans"er to a question eliminates certain cards$ those cards are fli!!ed

do"n. 5hoever guesses the other4s identit first "ins. The !laers might as+ questions such asthe follo"ing: 27oes our !erson have red hair6 2Is our !erson a "oman6 27oes our

!erson "ear glasses6

Activity #*: 2+ Questions

Time: -;< minutes Form

S+ills: !racticing the formation of es%no questions "ith the co!ula be

'ne !erson =the teacher ma "ant to begin to !rovide the students "ith a model> thin+s of a

noun. The noun should be something that everone +no"s. The !erson must tell the class if the

noun is an animal =including humans>$ vegetable =an living non#animal>$ or mineral =anthinginanimate>. The students must then as+ es%no questions to determine "hat the noun is. The

ma use ;< questions to guess the ans"er. /ost questions should use the beco!ula$ although

other forms of es%no questions are also acce!table. The student "ho guesses the ans"er "ins$

or if no one guesses correctl$ the !erson ans"ering "ins. The student "ho "ins ma then thin+

of the ne(t item. If$ for e(am!le$ the ans"er is an animal$ students might as+ questions such as

the follo"ing: Is it large Is it fast an it fl

Activity #,: -a.ing /e0uests

Time: -< minutes 0se

S+ills: !ractice using es%no questions "ith modals to ma+e !olite requests.

@ive students a sheet that lists some modals that can be used "hen ma+ing requests. The sheet

should also include some suggestions of verbs the students can use "hen ma+ing requests of

their classmates. See Appendix for an e(am!le sheet. The sheet is onl intended as a

reminder%revie" for the students to hel! them as the begin the assignment. Put the students in

!airs and have them !ractice ma+ing requests of each other. The !artner should onl grant the

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request if it is as+ed !olitel. If not$ the student ma refuse the request. The students can use the

e(am!les given on the sheet to develo! requests$ or the can come u! "ith their o"n as "ell.

Activity #1+: ocabulary )ords

Time: -)#< minutes 0se

S+ills: !ractice using "h#questions and vocabular "ords

@ive each student a card "ith a vocabular "ord and definition. The students go around the

room and as+ each other questions about their "ords. Students should focus on the correct

formation and use of their questions. The might as+ questions li+e 25hat is our "ord6

2*o" do ou s!ell6 and 25hat does meanG

Activity #11: -atcing Questions and Answers

Time: -) minutes /eaning

S+ills: !ractice as+ing "h#questions and associating the question "ords "ith their meanings'n a sheet of !a!er$ "rite do"n as man "h#questions as there are students in our classroom.

5rite the ans"ers ne(t to the questions. The questions can !ertain to a !articular to!ic covered

in class or use a form that has been recentl taught. ut the sheet in t"o$ "ith the questions on

one side and the ans"ers on the other. ut a!art the individual questions and ans"ers as "ell.

/i( u! the questions and ans"ers. *ave each student ta+e one question and one ans"er sheet.

The students must go around the room and as+ their question of other students until the find the

student "ith a matching ans"er. Allo" all students to match their questions and ans"ers. See

Appendix for some e(am!le questions and ans"ers.

Activity #12: itcen (adgets

Time: -)#;< minutes Form

S+ills: !ractice ma+ing "h#questions "ith the beco!ula

The teacher should bring several bags of miscellaneous +itchen utensils. Include both common

and more unusual items in the bags. Put the students in grou!s of three or four and give each

grou! a bag of utensils. The students should ta+e turns !ulling an item out of the bag and as+ing

their grou! mates$ 25hat4s this6 25hat4re these6 and%or 25hat is this used for6 If no one in

the grou! +no"s the name of the item or "hat it is used for$ the can as+ other grou!s. 'nce

the have identified all the ob&ects in the bag the should teach the names of their items to

another grou!. If there are an gadgets none of the students +no"s$ the students can as+ the

teacher "hat the items are.

Activity #13: 5n6o (ap

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Pre!are t"o sheets for this activit$ Sheet A and Sheet 3. 3oth sheets have a chart "ith some

information filled in. *o"ever$ there are some blan+s in the chart. The o!!osite chart has the

ans"ers to the blan+s on each sheet. Put the students in !airs and give one student in the !air

Sheet A and the other Sheet 3. The students should as+ "h#questions to fill in the blan+s in their

charts. The students might as+ questions such as$ 25ho is from 1ussia6 or 25hat is ?ose4s

hobb6 See Appendix Ffor t"o e(am!le sheets.

Activity #14: 7eopardy

Time: -D) minutes Form and /eaning

S+ills: !ractice as+ing the "h#questions whoand what"ith the co!ula be

5rite several categories on the board$ and the !oint levels


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S+ills: !ractice intonation and grammatical form of questions

Introduce the students to !oetr that uses questions. @ive the students a sheet containing several

such !oems$ and read a sam!le !oem aloud. As+ the students to !a attention to the formation of

the questions and the intonation. 3riefl discuss the meaning of the !oem. *ave the students

re!eat each line after ou. Then have one half of the class read the question lines$ and the other

half the ans"ers. After that$ !ut the students in !airs "here one student as+s the question and the

other ans"ers it. See Appendix 9for some e(am!le !oems.

Activity #1': Followup Questions

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Activity #2+: As.ing irections

Time: -)#;< minutes 0se

S+ills: !ractice using es%no and "h#questions to as+ for directions

Put the students in !airs. @ive each student a ma! "ith a 2ou are here6 mar+er and adestination mar+er. @ive their !artner a card "ith the name of the matching destination on it.Each student must as+ their !artner for directions. *o"ever$ the !artner "ith the ma! cannot

give directions$ but can onl res!ond to questions. The should not sho" the other student the

ma!H After the student has reached their destination$ the other student can as+ for directions.

For e(am!le$ Student A has the ma! and Student 3 has the destination card. See Appendix for the matching ma!.

Student 3: I4m tring to get to the librar. an ou give me directions

Student A: Sure.Student 3: 7o I turn right first

Student A: 9o$ go straight.

Student 3: '+$ after I go straight$ do I turn leftStudent A: Ces$ go straight for one bloc+ and then turn left.

Student 3: 5hat do I do ne(t

Student A: After ou turn left$ go straight for t"o bloc+s.

Student 3: Should I turn leftStudent A: 9o$ then turn right.

Student 3: 5hat should I do ne(t

Student A: @o straight for three bloc+s. Then ou "ill reach the librar.Student 3: 5ill the librar be on m left

Student A: 9o$ the librar "ill be on our right.

Student 3: Than+ ouH

Activity #21: Alibis

Time: -D) minutes /eaning and 0se

S+ills: !ractice as+ing "h#questions =and !ossibl es%no questions> to determine the veracit of

sus!ects4 statements

E(!lain the conce!t of an alibi to the students. Invent a crime$ and "rite the t!e$ location$ and

time on the board. For e(am!le$ mabe the crime "as that &e"elr "as stolen from a local

&e"elr store last night. Put the class into grou!s of about four students. As+ one grou! to

volunteer to be the sus!ects. The other students "ill be the detectives. @ive the sus!ects an

alibi last night the all "ent to see a movie in a theater that is far a"a from the &e"elr store.

The sus!ects ste! outside for a fe" minutes to discuss the details of their alibi "hile the other

students thin+ of questions to as+ them. The detectives might as+ questions li+e$ 25hat "as the

movie ou sa"6 25hich movie theater did ou go to6 25hen did the movie start6 Then the

sus!ects come bac+ into the room and are intervie"ed b each grou! of detectives. The

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detectives must tr to find holes in the sus!ects4 alibis. The can intervie" each sus!ect

individuall to see if their alibis match u!. After each grou! of detectives has intervie"ed each

sus!ect$ the class comes together to see if the alibis match. If the alibis do match$ then the

sus!ects are cleared of the crime if not$ the are charged for the crime.

Activity #22: )ose line is it anyway;

Time: -< minutes 0se

S+ills: !ractice using es%no and "h#questions in a fluent manner

Students must act out a scene using onlyquestions. @ive the students a setting$ such as in a

restaurant. 'ne student "ould act as the "aiter and the other as the customer.

The "aiter might sa$ 25hat "ould ou li+e6

ustomer: 25hat do ou have6

5aiter: 27o ou li+e fish6

ustomer: 25hat +ind of fish6

etc. The students should continue until one student uses a statement or can4t thin+ of a question.

Then it is the ne(t !airs4 turn. @ive the students a time limit to thin+ of a question$< seconds for

e(am!le. If the can4t come u! "ith a question in that length of time$ it is the ne(t !erson4s turn.

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Appendix A

Surve Form A

. 7o ou li+e to run

;. 7o ou eat brea+fast ever da

. 7o ou s!ea+ English "ith our friends

D. 7o ou !la an instrument

). 7o ou li+e to coo+

J. 7o ou have a &ob

K. 7o ou have a !et

. 7o ou li+e to "atch s!orts

M. 7o ou o"n a biccle


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. Find someone "ho has a birthda in the same month as ou.

M. Find someone "ho li+es roller coasters.


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Appendix F

Sheet A


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)


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Appendix 5

T: Are ou studing at 9C0

S: Ces.

T: 5hat are ou studing

S: La".T: 5ill ou be a la"er someda

S: Ces.

T: 5hen "ill ou be one

S: In t"o ears.

Appendix 7

'ccu!ation: *air stlist

Questions:

. 5hat is our name

;. 5hat !osition are ou a!!ling for

. Are ou a!!ling for full#time or !art#time

D. *o" much e(!erience do ou have

). 5hat t!e of training or education do ou have

J.

K.

.

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Appendix

LIBRAR

Y

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STAR


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1eferences:

. Idea for ?eo!ard game ada!ted fromhtt!:%%""".eslcafe.com%idea%inde(.cgi

dis!la:M;);;#KJJ.t(t

;. Poetr ta+en from

htt!:%%""".!oemhunter.com%christina#georgina#rossetti%

. /ster game ada!ted from: htt!:%%""".eslcafe.com%idea%inde(.cgidis!la:M;KKD)

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Esl Question Activities (1)