Ask Rosa (indirect questions)

Ask Rosa

Could you tell me where…?

B1 · 60 minutes

Easy or awkward?

Task In pairs. Is it easy or awkward to ask a stranger these things? Choose one for each.

1

the time

easy

awkward

2

where the nearest toilet is

easy

awkward

3

to turn their music down on a train

easy

awkward

4

how much a taxi to the airport costs

easy

awkward

5

for directions in a city where you don't speak the language

easy

awkward

6

to swap seats with you on a plane

easy

awkward

Three visitors

Task In pairs. Look at the picture and answer the questions.

Where is this? What does the person who works here do?

1

Three visitors come to the desk today, one by one. What do you think they ask about? Guess three things.

2

A day at the desk

Task Read the chat from the tourist information desk. Were your guesses right?

R

Rosa

Farah

F

R

Rosa

Lucas

L

R

Rosa

Mr Haddad

H

R

Good morning! How can I help?

Hello. Do you know what time the castle closes on Sundays?

L

Good afternoon. I wonder whether anyone has handed in a black backpack.

H

Hi! Could you tell me where I can buy a tram ticket?

F

R

At five, but the last tickets are at four. Are you going tomorrow?

R

Oh dear. People often bring lost things here. Let's see. Can you tell me where you lost it?

R

Of course. There's a machine just outside the door, or you can buy one on the city transport app.

Yes. And Monday's a holiday, right? I'd like to know whether the museum is open on public holidays.

On the number 9 bus, I think. Or maybe at the harbour.

L

H

R

And what's in it?

A jumper, a guidebook and my lunch.

H

I'll try the machine. And do you know if the number 9 bus stops near the harbour?

F

R

I'm not sure if it's open on holidays. Let me check… Yes, from ten to three.

R

Well, there's a black backpack here, but it's full of tennis balls.

That's not mine. Do you know if the bus company has its own lost property office?

H

R

Yes, it does. Get off at Fish Market. It's the third stop.

Great. How much is a ticket?

L

R

It does, at the main bus station. Can you leave your phone number? If someone brings your bag in, I'll call you.

R

It's free on holidays!

Who needed what?

Task Who needed each thing? What answer did they get from Rosa? Write the name and the answer.

What they needed

Who? What answer did they get?

1

a lost bag

2

a tram ticket

3

the museum on a holiday

4

a bus to the harbour

5

a closing time

6

another place to ask

Talk about it

Task In pairs. Answer the questions, then tell the class.

Which of the three conversations would be the hardest for you in English? Why?

1

In a new city, do you prefer to ask people for help or to use your phone? Why?

2

Look again

Task Look again at the chat. Which is correct? Then find two more polite openers the visitors use, like Could you tell me… and Do you know…, before where / what time / if / whether.

1

Farah Could you tell me __________ a tram ticket?

where I can buy

where can I buy

2

Lucas Do you know what time __________ on Sundays?

does the castle close

the castle closes

3

Farah Do you know __________ near the harbour?

does the number 9 bus stop

if the number 9 bus stops

4

Rosa Can you tell me __________ it?

where did you lose

where you lost

Two more polite openers: __________ · __________

Complete the rule

Task Choose the right words to complete the rule.

1

After the opener, the word order is like…

2

After the opener, do / does / did…

a statement

a question

stay

disappear

3

For yes/no questions, we add…

4

Look at closes and lost in Look again. The main verb…

if or whether

that

shows the tense

stays in the base form

Look at the ends of the questions in the chat. Which openers end with ?, and which end with .?

Say it

Task Listen and repeat. Then say each question to your partner.

1

Could you tell me where I can buy a tram ticket?

Do you know what time the castle closes?

2

3

I'd like to know whether the museum is open.

Do you know where it is?

4

Grammar reference

Wh- questions

do / does / did disappear

Yes/no questions

opener + question word + subject + verb.

Where is the station?

Could you tell me where the station is?

Where can I buy a ticket?

Do you know where I can buy a ticket?

The main verb takes the tense.

What time does the castle close?

Do you know what time the castle closes?

Where did you lose it?

Can you tell me where you lost it?

opener + if or whether + statement.

Is the museum open?

Do you know if the museum is open?

if and whether mean the same.

End with ?

End with .

Could you tell me…?

Can you tell me…?

Do you know…?

I wonder…

I'd like to know…

(standard: full stop)

We use these to be polite: with staff, strangers and on the phone. Could is polite, not past: Could you tell me where the station is? (not was)

CAREFUL

Do you know if the museum is open? = Is it open? Do you know the museum is open? = It's open. Did you know that? When the question word is the subject, nothing moves: Who found it? becomes Do you know who found it?

First day at work

Task It's your first day in a new job. Put the words in order to make polite questions for a colleague.

1

you

me

could

where

the printer

tell

is

?

2

know

lunch

do

starts

you

what time

?

3

wonder

I

the meeting room

whether

free

is

.

4

you

if

do

know

works

the coffee machine

?

5

I'd

to

where

I

can

park

like

know

my bike

.

6

can

me

are

tell

the toilets

where

you

?

On the phone

Task You're phoning a sports centre. Make each question polite. Use the word in capitals.

1

What time does the pool open on Saturdays?

KNOW

4

How much is a swimming lesson?

LIKE

Do you __________ on Saturdays?

I'd __________.

2

Where can I park my car?

TELL

5

When did you send my membership card?

TELL

Could you __________ my car?

Can you __________?

3

Do I need to bring a towel?

WONDER

6

Is the sauna open in the evening?

KNOW

I __________ a towel.

Do you __________ in the evening?

Your turn at the desk

Task In pairs. Read your card. Act out Scene 1, then swap roles for Scene 2. Start each question with a different opener.

A

Scene 1

You're at a train station. Ask the information desk:

B

Scene 1

You work at the station information desk. Answer the traveller:

• the last train to the airport

• the left luggage: where?

• bikes on trains?

• an umbrella you left on platform 2 this morning (you choose the colour).

• last airport train 23:40, platform 4

• left luggage next to the café

• bikes yes, but not 7 to 9 in the morning

• two umbrellas came in today, one green and one black: ask what colour.

A

Scene 2

You work at a hotel reception. Answer the guest:

B

Scene 2

You're a guest at a hotel. Ask reception:

• breakfast 7 to 10 in the garden room

• the lift is behind the stairs

• late checkout until 1, no extra cost

• the parcel arrived at 9 this morning: it's here.

• breakfast times

• the lift: where?

• late checkout?

• a parcel for you: did it arrive?

Homework

Task Someone is writing to a language school. The email has six polite questions, and four of them are wrong. Find and correct the four. Then add two more questions of your own (about the teachers, the books or the groups).

An email to a language school

Dear Sir or Madam,

I'm interested in your evening English course, and I have a few questions. Could you tell me how much does the course cost? I'd also like to know what time the classes start. Can you tell me where is the school exactly? I wonder the school has a car park. Could you also tell me if I can try one class first? I filled in your online form on Tuesday. Can you tell me if did you get it?

Thank you for your help.

Best wishes

TEACHER'S REFERENCE · SKIP OR DELETE BEFORE CLASS

Answer key (1)

WHO NEEDED WHAT?

1 Mr Haddad · Not at the desk: the black backpack there is full of tennis balls.

2 Farah · From the machine just outside, or on the city transport app.

3 Lucas · It's open from ten to three, and it's free.

4 Farah · Yes, the number 9. Get off at Fish Market, the third stop.

5 Lucas · The castle closes at five on Sundays; the last tickets are at four.

6 Mr Haddad · The bus company's lost property office, at the main bus station. (Rosa will call him if someone brings the bag in.)

COMPLETE THE RULE

1 a statement

2 disappear (and the verb takes the tense: closes, lost)

3 if or whether

4 shows the tense (closes, lost)

End with ? Could you tell me…? Can you tell me…? Do you know…? End with . · I wonder… I'd like to know…

FIRST DAY AT WORK

1 Could you tell me where the printer is?

2 Do you know what time lunch starts?

3 I wonder whether the meeting room is free.

4 Do you know if the coffee machine works?

5 I'd like to know where I can park my bike.

6 Can you tell me where the toilets are?

LOOK AGAIN

Which is correct? 1 where I can buy; 2 the castle closes; 3 if the number 9 bus stops; 4 where you lost

Two more openers I'd like to know (Lucas); I wonder (Mr Haddad)

TEACHER'S REFERENCE · SKIP OR DELETE BEFORE CLASS

Answer key (2)

ON THE PHONE

1 Do you know what time the pool opens on Saturdays? (also right: when the pool opens)

2 Could you tell me where I can park my car? (also right: where to park my car; where I could park my car)

3 I wonder if / whether I need to bring a towel.

4 I'd like to know how much a swimming lesson is. (also right: how much a swimming lesson costs)

5 Can you tell me when you sent my membership card?

6 Do you know if / whether the sauna is open in the evening?

YOUR TURN AT THE DESK (POSSIBLE QUESTIONS) (CONT.)

Scene 2 Could you tell me what time breakfast is? / Do you know where the lift is? / I'd like to know if I can check out late. / I wonder whether my parcel has arrived. (or: Can you tell me if my parcel arrived?)

HOMEWORK

Wrong Could you tell me how much the course costs? · Can you tell me where the school is exactly? · I wonder if / whether the school has a car park. · Can you tell me if / whether you got it?

Already right I'd also like to know what time the classes start. · Could you also tell me if I can try one class first?

Own questions (possible) Could you tell me how many students there are in a group? · I'd like to know which books you use.

YOUR TURN AT THE DESK (POSSIBLE QUESTIONS)

Scene 1 Could you tell me when the last train to the airport leaves? / Do you know where the left luggage is? / I'd like to know if I can take my bike on the train. / I wonder whether anyone has handed in an umbrella. (or: Do you know if anyone found an umbrella?) B: Can you tell me what colour it is?