Asking Simple Questions

Asking Simple Questions

Use question words to ask for information.

Question words

  • Who, what, where and when are question words.
  • They go at the start of a question.

Be polite

  • Say please when you ask.
  • Say thank you when you get an answer.

Examples

Example 1

  1. You want to know the time.
  2. Ask: “What time is it?”
  3. Remember to say please.

Example 2

  1. You want to know where the toilet is.
  2. Ask: “Where is the toilet?”
  3. Say thank you when they tell you.

Activities

  • Learner: Ask your helper a question using what.
    Helper: Tell the learner a short fact, such as “I have a dog.” Ask the learner to ask you a question starting with what about the dog.
  • Learner: Ask your helper a question using where.
    Helper: Say you are going somewhere, such as “I am going to the shop.” Ask the learner to ask you a where question.
  • Learner: Ask your helper a question using when.
    Helper: Say you are doing something, such as “I am having lunch.” Ask the learner to ask you a when question.

Checklist

  • I used a question word to start
  • I said please when I asked
  • I said thank you for the answer
  • My question made sense
Start the interactive Asking Simple Questions lesson → ← Back to Functional English