1 Listen to three conversations where people meet for the first time. Which do you think is the best question they use to keep a conversation going?
Suggested answers
The best questions are question tags such as isn’t it?/don’t you?,
and also echo questions such as Is it?
2 Think of three more questions you could ask to get to know someone better.
Students’ own answers
3 Look at the underlined examples of question tags from the dialogues. Then complete the sentences 1−4 below with the words in the box.
end modal negative positive |
It’s such a great city, isn’t it? Wow, so you’d never been there before, had you?
I shouldn’t be so fussy, should I?
1 A question tag is a short question added to the end of a sentence.
2 We form a question tag using an auxiliary or a modal verb and a pronoun.
3 A positive statement usually has a negative question tag.
4 A negative statement usually has a positive question tag.
4 PRONUNCIATIONS Listen and match what you hear with intonation pattern A or B below. Which pattern is used for a wh- question and which for confirming something the speaker already knows?
The intonation used on the question tag shows the speaker’s attitude to their question. Falling intonation (pattern B) on the question tag gives the impression that the statement is correct: the speaker is checking or confi rming what they know. Rising intonation (pattern A) on the tag indicates a genuine question.
5 Look at these more unusual question tags. Choose the correct words to complete the sentences. Listen and check.
1 This is silly, isn’t it / this?
2 Nothing ever changes, do / does it?
3 Come and look at this, will / don’t you?
4 Everyone was there, weren’t / wasn’t they?
5 Don’t be late, are / will you?
6 No one likes him, do / does they?
6 In pairs, look at the echo question in italics. Then answer questions 1−3 below.
Habib Actually, it’s my birthday tomorrow.
Faisal Is it? Do you have anything special planned?
1 What is the function of an echo question?
to show interest or show that we’re listening
2 Do we use a positive or a negative question to reply to a positive statement?
We use a positive question to reply to a positive statement.
3 Which intonation pattern from Exercise 4 do we use with an echo question: A or B?
A
7 Complete the conversation with no more than three words in each gap. Listen and check your answers.
Imad Where would you go on holiday if you could go anywhere in the world?
Jamal 1 That’s a good question, isn’t it? I don’t think I’ve ever really thought about it before. Hmm … Somewhere with nice beaches, I guess.
Imad But 2 there are lovely beaches in this country, aren’t there?
Jamal Oh yes, there are, but I’d like to go to a beach where it’s not too hot in the summer. It can be too hot here, 3 can’t it?
Imad Actually, I used to live in France. Jamal 4 Did you? I bet 5it wasn’t too hot there in the summer, was it? Imad No, it was quite cool, actually.
Jamal That sounds great.
8 SPEAKING In pairs, write and role play a conversation. Go to page 94.
student own answers.
Work book 9 - LESSON 4B GRAMMAR
Question tags and echo questions
1 ★ Match sentences 1–6 with responses a–f.
1 d I’m having a great time.
2 f I met a really nice tourist last week.
3 c Majeda and Malak have arrived!
4 e Jawad didn’t want to play tennis.
5 b Reem was wearing some beautiful shoes.
6 a I can’t understand what he’s saying.
a Can’t you? Why don’t you ask him to speak more slowly?
b Was she? She’s always so stylish.
c Have they? OK, I’ll be there in two minutes.
d Are you? I’m glad you could make it.
e Didn’t he? Maybe he doesn’t know how.
f Did you? What was his name?
★★ Choose the correct words to complete the question tags 1–6.
Omar Oh, dear. I’m talking too much, 1 don’t / aren’t I? I get nervous in new situations.
Nader a Do you? I hadn’t noticed. You seem quite self-confident to me.
Alia Everybody likes chocolate 2 aren’t / don’t they? I’m planning to make a chocolate cake for the party.
Hanan b ? Well, I certainly do, so please go ahead!
Rashed You haven’t met Adel, 3 have / haven’t you? He moved in next door recently.
Amer c ? Hi, Adel. Welcome to the neighbourhood. I’m Amer.
Fadia Choose some more music, 4 will / should you, Halima? My tablet is on the table.
Halima d ? Oh, yeah. Right, let’s listen to something fun.
Ramzi This is a great new sports club, isn’t 5 it / this? The old club wasn’t fun.
Hani e ? I liked it.
Jameela Everything went wrong, 6 didn’t / wasn’t it? I don’t know what to do. Amal f ? Well, perhaps I can help.
3 Now add an echo question to complete gaps a–f.
b Are you c Did he d Is it e Wasn’t it f Don’t you
4 ★★★ Complete two conversations at a family party.
Khalil Hi there. We haven’t met, 1 have we?
Husam No, I don’t think so. I’m Husam – Kamal’s cousin. I live in Egypt now.
Khalil 2 Do you? Well, it’s nice to meet you. I’m Khalil and I’m in Kamal’s sports club, though I don’t really know him very well. This is agreat party, 3 isn’t? So, what do you think of Kamal?
Husam Actually, I find him a bit unfriendly, but don’t tell him, 4 will you?
Khalil Ha! I won’t. And, that’s his brother, 5 isn’t it? The boy with the black hair? Husam Who, Muneer? No, they’re friends.
Khalil Oh! 6 Are they?
Kamal Change the music, 7 will you ?
Omar Let’s put on some traditional music, 8 shall we ?
Kamal Whatever you fancy. Do you know that boy who’s talking to Husam? He’s in our sports club, 9 isn’t he ?
Omar Yeah, I think so. His name’s Khalil.
Kamal He looks like a nice boy.
Omar Well, we can go and say hello, 10 can’t we ?
Kamal Wait a minute! We can’t just walk up and say hello.
Omar Of course we can! It’s a party after all. It’ll be fine.
Kamal 11 Will it ? Do the talking though, 12 will you ?
Omar Oh, come on Kamal. Don't be shy.