Just Ask! — Question Word Order (A2)

A2 · QUESTION WORD ORDER

Just Ask!

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“If you want to know something — just ask!”

(you add this)

Questions with be / can and do / does / did

Listening

Speaking

STAGE 1 · WARM-UP

The question game

In pairs, have a conversation — but you can ONLY speak in questions. Answer with a normal sentence and you lose!

LIKE THIS

• A: How are you?

• B: Why do you want to know?

• A: Can’t I ask?

• B: Are you always this curious?

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(you add this)

Who survived the longest?

STAGE 2 · BEFORE YOU LISTEN

Guess the job

You’ll hear a radio game show, Just Ask! Two players ask a mystery guest questions to discover her job — but she won’t say the job’s name!

PREDICT

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With a partner, write two clever questions you would ask the mystery guest.

(you add this)

Listen. Does anybody ask your questions? And what is the job?

STAGE 3 · LISTENING

Listen — what’s the mystery job?

STAGE 3 · LISTENING

Listen — what’s the mystery job?

Tapescript: “Just Ask!”

HOST: Our next mystery guest on Just Ask is Sofia. Players, discover her job! Marcus, first.

MARCUS: Sofia, do you work inside or outside?

SOFIA: Inside. Almost always inside.

MARCUS: Do you wear a uniform?

SOFIA: Yes, I do. A white one.

MARCUS: Can you do your job alone?

SOFIA: No, I can’t. I work with a big team.

TANYA: Is your job dangerous?

SOFIA: Not for me. Sometimes for other people!

TANYA: Where did you learn to do it?

SOFIA: I studied for five years, then trained for two more.

TANYA: Does your job start early?

SOFIA: Sometimes it starts at night. My job doesn’t watch the clock.

MARCUS: When did you start doing this job?

SOFIA: Ten years ago, in Lisbon.

MARCUS: Do people say “thank you” at the end?

SOFIA: The nice ones do! Usually they can’t say anything — they’re asleep.

TANYA: Asleep?! Are you a surgeon?

SOFIA: Yes, I am!

HOST: Correct! And remeber: if you want to know something — just ask!

STAGE 4 · COMPREHENSION

Which questions were asked?

Tick (mark ✓) the questions the players really asked. Careful — some are different!

• Do you work inside or outside?

• Do you like your uniform?

• Can you do your job alone?

• Is your job dangerous?

• Where do you work?

• Does your job start early in the morning?

• When did you start doing this job?

STAGE 5 · TALK ABOUT IT

What do you think?

Discuss with a partner.

Was “surgeon” easy or difficult to guess? Which question helped most?

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(you add this)

Which question would YOU not want to answer on the radio?

STAGE 6 · GRAMMAR — NOTICE

Put the questions in order

The words are mixed up! Put them in order, then check with the tapescript.

1. ready / you / are / ?

2. do / a / wear / uniform / you / ?

3. job / does / early / start / your / ?

4. did / start / when / this / job / you / doing / ?

THE RULE

After did, the main verb is the infinitive: When did you start? ( not started )

STAGE 7 · THE RULES

Word order in questions

Questions with be / can — invert the verb and subject:

(question word)

be / can

subject

…

Are

you

ready?

Can

she

drive?

Where

were

you

born?

Questions with do / does / did — (Q word) + auxiliary + subject + infinitive:

(question word)

auxiliary

subject

infinitive

Do

you

wear a uniform?

Where

does

your sister

work?

When

did

you

start?

A preposition usually goes at the end: Who do you work with?

STAGE 8 · PRACTICE

Put the words in order

1. from / where / you / are / ?

2. brothers / have / do / any / you / ?

3. your / does / English / speak / mother / ?

4. last / go / did / where / summer / you / ?

5. cook / can / friend / your / best / ?

6. do / who / live / you / with / ?

7. you / studying / did / English / when / start / ?

STAGE 8 · PRACTICE

Write the questions about Sofia

Example: Is her uniform white? → Yes, it is.

1. …? → No, she can’t. She works with a big team.

2. …? → For five years.

3. …? → Ten years ago.

4. …? → In Lisbon.

5. …? → No, it isn’t dangerous for her.

STAGE 9 · SPEAKING

The mystery guest

Play your own episode of Just Ask! in groups of four.

HOW TO PLAY

1. Each player secretly writes a real job on a slip of paper.

2. Take turns to be the mystery guest. The others ask any questions — except “What’s your job?”

3. The guest answers truthfully, but can be mysterious, like Sofia.

THE RULES

1. Two minutes per guest.

2. A question with wrong word order = the guest doesn’t answer!

3. Correct guess = 2 points; wrong guess = lose 1 point.

4. Harder round: the paper says a famous person — answer as them! (“Are you alive?” “Did you win a World Cup?”)

TEACHER'S REFERENCE

Answer key

4a Asked: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7. Not asked: 2, 5 (and “Where did you learn to do it?” replaces 5).

4b 1 white 2 seven years (five studying + two training) 3 They’re asleep — she’s a surgeon.

6a 1 Are you ready? 2 Do you wear a uniform? 3 Does your job start early? 4 When did you start doing this job?

6b be/can + subject; question word + auxiliary + subject + infinitive

6c infinitive — When did you start?

8a 1 Where are you from? 2 Do you have any brothers? 3 Does your mother speak English? 4 Where did you go last summer? 5 Can your best friend cook? 6 Who do you live with? 7 When did you start studying English?

8b 1 Can she do her job alone? 2 How long did she study? 3 When did she start (doing this job)? 4 Where did she start / study? 5 Is her job dangerous (for her)?