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Asking General Questions

 


Objective: Asking general questions to help us start a conversation or keep the conversation going.

Exercise 1. Here are some common general questions:

Where did you go?


What did you do [next]?


Where were you?


Do you have a car/house/children/etc. ?


Can you play tennis/golf/football/etc.?


Can you speak another language?


 

Practice Dialogue:

Haru: Where did you go last night?
Yuwan: We went to a bar and then out on the town.

Haru: What did you do?
Yuwan: We visited a few clubs and danced.

Haru: Can you dance well?
Yuwan: Haha! Yes, I can dance!

Haru: Did you meet anyone?
Yuwan: Yes, I met an interesting Japanese woman.

Haru: Can you speak ____________?
Yuwan: No, but she can speak English!

Haru: Can she play golf?
Yuwan: No, but she can play tennis!

Haru: Did you invite her to play tennis?
Yuwan: Yes, we are going to play tennis this weekend!

Haru: That’s great!
Yuwan: Yes, it sure is!


Exercise 2. Shopping

Here are some common questions that will help you when you go shopping. 

Can I try it on?

How much does it cost?/How much is it?


Can I pay by credit card?


Do you have something bigger/smaller/lighter/etc.? 


 

Practice Dialogue:

Shop Assistant: How can I help you?/May I help you?
Customer: Yes. I'm looking for a sweater like this one but in a smaller size.

Shop Assistant: Here you go.

Customer: May I try it on?
Shop Assistant: Sure, the changing rooms are over there.

Customer: How much does it cost?
Shop Assistant: It's $45.

Shop Assistant: How would you like to pay?
Customer: Can I pay by credit card?

Shop Assistant: Certainly [Cer-ten-li]. We accept all major cards.

 

Exercise 3. Matching

Tell your tutor the answer that matches the statements or questions.

1.  Where did you go?

            a. I went out of town.

            b. I like dancing.

2. What did you do?

            a. We went to a bar.

            b. I visited my friends.

3. I can dance well.

            a. What did you dance to?

            b. Can you dance well?

 4. Can you speak another language?

            a. Yes, I can speak well.

            b. Yes, I can speak another language.

5. I am looking for a sweater.

            a. How can I help you?

            b. Sure, just go look over there?

6. May I try it on?
            a. Sure, the changing rooms are over there.

            b. Certainly.

7. It’s $50.

            a. How would you like to pay?

b. How much does it cost?

8. Yes. We do accept cash, debit card,
and credit card payment.

            a. Can I pay by credit card?

            b. How would you like to pay?

Exercise 4. Asking Questions

Situation 1. Your friend visited her best friend’s family in Kyoto last weekend. You are having a break from work and are now talking about your event over the weekend. Ask your friend questions about her weekend. [Your tutor will be your friend in this situation]

Where did you go? I went to Kyoto.

What did you do? I visited my family in Kyoto.

Did you meet your family? Yes, I did.

Do you have children? Yes, I do.

Can your friend speak another language? Yes. She can speak English.

 

Situation 2. Your officemate asks about your activity during the weekend. Tell her you went shopping for a new dress for summer. Your friend asks the following questions.

                        What did you do over the weekend? I went shopping.

                        What did you buy? A new dress for summer.

Where did you buy a summer dress? I bought a summer dress from a shopping mall.

                        How much did it cost? It’s $50.