Category: English Conversation

asking and giving directions

Asking and Giving Directions

Posted on by Ms. Elle

Here you are going to learn languages used in asking and giving directions.

asking and giving directions

Rajamangala University of Technology Map

  1. From Liberal Arts Faculty 58 Building to Computer 59 building.
  2. From Chevron to Engineering faculty
  3. From Business Administration to Industrial Education
  4. From gate 3 to Architecture building
  5. From gate 3 to Chevron

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Complaining, Apologizing, Clarifying, and Thanking

Posted on by Ms. Elle

Here, you will learn about making a complaint, apologizing, clarifying, and thanking in English.

Speaking Practice 1 with AI

Audio Script

3BB customer service:   Hello 3BB internet customer service. How may I be of help.

Customer:           _______________________________________________

3BB customer service:  Sorry to hear that. What is the problem?

Customer:           _______________________________________________

3BB customer service: For a moment. I need to check if there’s a reported issue in your area. I need your client number. Do you have it?

Customer:          _______________________________________________

3BB customer service:   Thank you. The system does not show any maintenance in your area.

Customer:           ______________________________________________

3BB customer service:   I can’t tell from here. A technician has to come to your house and take a look.

Customer:           _____________________________________________

3BB customer service:  They can be there between 8AM and 12PM tomorrow. Will someone be home at that time?

Customer:           _____________________________________________

3BB customer service:   Okay. Our technician will be at your house sometime between 8AM and 12PM tomorrow. Is there anything else?

Customer:           _____________________________________________

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4 structures of english conversation

4 Structures of English Conversation: Getting to Know You

Posted on by Ms. Elle

Scroll through this presentation on the 4 structures of English conversation. Learn what the 4 structures are and then create your own conversation.

4 structures of english conversation

Example: OPENING a conversation

Example: MAINTAINING a conversation

Example: LEAVE TAKING

Example: ENDING a conversation

DO THIS… unit 2

4 Structures of English Conversation

Example

4 Structures of English Conversation: Getting to Know You

Download this conversation template

CONVERSATION TEMPLATEDownload

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online quiz mitchryan

Understanding Questions: Wh-Questions

Posted on by Ms. Elle

WH-Question Practice: Answer the following WH-questions by matching the the wh-question with the rest of the sentence.

Go back to main page: Understanding Questions

INSTRUCTIONS: Re-write the words in the correct order to form questions. Make sure to have ONE SPACE ONLY between words.

QUIZ START
online quiz mitchryan

Understanding Questions: A2 CEFR Level

Posted on by Ms. Elle

A2 CEFR level questions included in this quiz are as follows: yes/no, wh-, alternative, embedded, and tag questions.

If you want to go back to the main page: understanding questions

INSTRUCTIONS: Re-write the words to the correct order to form questions. Make sure to have ONE SPACE ONLY between words.

QUIZ START
understanding questions english conversation

Understanding Questions

Posted on by Ms. Elle

Questions

           A question is a sentence that asks for information. There are several kinds of questions in English. Being aware of the different types of questions can help you know what kinds of information people are asking for and how to response. Understanding questions and being able to form questions are necessary for successful conversation.

Yes/No Questions

We ask this type of question when the expected answer is either yes or no. Yes/No Questions begin with auxiliary verbs and the verb be, for example are, is, do, does, did, was, were, have, will, would, can, and should.

QuestionsResponses
Are you from around here?Yes, I am. / No, I’m not.
Did she grow up in Malaysia?Yes, she did. / No, she didn’t.
Can they sing and dance?Yes, they can. / No, they can’t.
Is this bus going downtown?Yes, it is. / No, it isn’t.
Should we buy our tickets online?Yes, we should. / No, we shouldn’t.

NOTE:

DOES and DID take the simple form of the verb

Practice

Convert the following statements into questions.

1.They are learning English.Are they learning English?
2. It is raining.
3. She is French.
4. He has finished his his report.
5. She was born in 1997.
6. They were at home yesterday.
7. Sam can cook dinner for us.
8. She will buy a new car.
9. She should wear a uniform.
10. They have visited Singapore.
11. The children would like to play.
12. He could visit her in the evening.
13. I do like swimming.
14. Pam does not like her boss.
15. The computers did not work.
16. You like music.
17. We traveled together.
18. He worked hard.
19. She lives in New York.
20. They stayed for 2 hours.

QUIZ 1: Understanding Questions

Group 6

Group 7

Group 8

Group 9

Group 10

Group 11

Wh- Questions

We use Wh– questions to ask for specific information, such as a person’s name, a price, where to meet someone, or the time an event starts or ends. Wh– questions begin with words such as what, when, who, where, why, which, whose, how, how many, how much, how long, and how often.

QuestionsResponses
1. What’s your name?It’s Roger Maxwell.
2. When was she born?She was born on March 16, 1997.
3. How long have they lived there?They lived there for about six years.
4. Why didn’t you call me?Sorry, I lost my phone.
5. Who is your English teacher?Mr. Summers is my English teacher.

Practice

Match the questions with their corresponding answers.

Column AColumn B
1. What do you do?a. fifty dollars
2. Who did you go out with last night?b. thirty-five
3. Where do you live?c. fine, and you?
4. When’s your birthday?d. Maria and Teddy
5. Why are you wearing a suit?e. I’m a teacher.
6. How many students are there in the class?f. The Times
7. How much did you pay for your shoes?g. It’s today.
8. How are you?h. I’m sure it’s mine.
9. Whose money is this?i. In a flat at the town center
10. Which newspaper do you read?j. because I’m going to an expensive restaurant

NOTE

Wh-Question Practice

Wh- Question Practice #1

Alternative Questions

An alternative question includes two or more answer choice within the question itself. We can usually recognize an    alternative question by the word or.

QuestionsResponses
1. Are you a junior or a senior?I’m a junior.
2. Does he live on or off campus?He lives on campus.
3. Did they sign up for the 9:00 or 1:00 class?The 9:00 class.
4. Do you usually drive or take the bus to work?I usually drive.
5. Is Charles English or Australian?I think he’s Australian.

Be careful! Some questions may look like alternative questions, but they are actually Yes/No questions.

Example

             Do you have any brothers or sisters? Yes, I have 2 brothers, and a sister./ No, I don’t have any.

This question is asking about both brothers and sisters, not a given choice.

Practice

StatementsAlternative questionsResponses
1. Mark can sing/dance.Can Mark sing or dance?He can sing.
2. Parrots can talk/sing.
3. Squirrels have short/long tail.
4. You like kittens/puppies.
5. She is eating an apple/cake.
6. Simon bought a pen/a pencil.
7. They cleaned the table/chair.
8. He took the motorbike/car.
9. He walks his dog/cat everyday.
10. She is from the Philippines/ Malaysia.

Alternative Question Practice

Alternative question practice #1

Embedded Questions

An embedded question is included within another question.

Note

Using an embedded question can have a “softening” effect and often sound more polite than a direct question.

Example

            Where is the post office?  vs.  Can you tell me where the post office is?

Embedded questions look like Yes/No questions, but the expected answer is usually more than just yes or no. We generally answer yes or no and then add more information.

Example

            A: Do you know when Tom’s birthday is?

            B: Yes, I think it’s March 5.

PATTERN

Introductory question phrase + Direct question

Common introductory question phrasesDirect questions Embedded questions
May I know…Where do you live?May I know where you live?
Who knows…How old are you?Who knows how old I am?
Would you mind telling me…Why are you here?Would you mind telling me why you are here.
Do you know…What time is it?Do you know what time it is?
Do you remember…What does this word mean?Do you remember what this word mean?
Do you think …Can we dine out tonight?Do you think we can dine out tonight?
Common introductory statement phrasesDirect questionsEmbedded questions
Let me know…What do you think?Let me know what you think.
I don’t know…What are you talking about?I don’t know what you are talking about.
I have no idea …What does he look like?I have no idea what he looks like.
I wonder …How much is that red dress?I wonder how much that red dress is.
I/She/He/They asked …Can they turn on the sound system?I asked if they can turn on the sound system.
I would like to know…Where is the supermarket?I would like to know where the supermarket is.
I’m not sure…Did he come late this morning?I’m not sure if he came late this morning.
The question is…Do we have the money for it?The question is if we have the money for it.
Let’s ask…Do they like the room?Let’s ask whether they like the room (or not).

Note

understanding questions embedded questions
understanding questions embedded questions
understanding questions embedded questions
understanding questions embedded questions
understanding questions embedded questions
understanding questions embedded questions

Practice

Introductory question/statement
phrase		Direct QuestionEmbedded QuestionResponses
Do you know...What time it is?Do you know what time is it?Sure. It’s 4:30.
Can you tell me… Who those people are?Sorry. I don’t know.
Do you have any idea…Is this class full?Yes, it’s completely full.
Could you tell me…. When is the next train?It’s at 2:30.
Do you have any idea…Is she beautiful?I think she’s beautiful.
Do you remember…Where are my keys?Sorry, I don’t remember.
Let me know…Did I pass the test or not?Yes, you did.
I wonder… When are they going to pay?Tomorrow I think.
I would like to know…What are you going to eat for lunch?I’ll have fried chicken.

QUIZ 4: Google Form (your teacher will send you the link).

Tag Questions

Tag questions ask for confirmation or agreement. They consist of a statement and a tag. In a positive sentence, the tag is negative. In a negative sentence, the tag is positive. Tags always use same verb tense as the statement.

RULE: Positive statement + Negative tag question

Negative statement + Positive tag question

Positive statement + negative tagResponseNegative statement + affirmative tagResponse
It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?Yes, it is./ No, it’s not.You didn’t do your homework, did you?Yes, I did. No, I didn’t.
Ann lives near here, doesn’t she?Yes, she does. No, she doesn’t.. They haven’t traveled overseas, have they?Yes, they have./ No, they haven’t.
You can read Arabic, can’t you?Yes, I can. No, I can’t.He shouldn’t drive, should he?Yes, he should. No, he shouldn’t.

Practice

StatementTag question
Kate won’t be late, will she?
You’re tired,
You travel a lot,
You weren’t listening,
Sam doesn’t know Anna,
Henry’s on holiday,
You can speak Japanese,
They won’t mind if I take a picture,
There are a lot of people here,

QUIZ 5: Google Form (your teacher will send you the link).

TAKE THE QUIZ on Understanding Questions

Understanding questions CEFR A1 Level

Understanding questions CEFR A2 Level

Understanding questions CEFR B1 Level

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hotel english conversation online practice

Hotel Vocabulary Online Games

Posted on by Ms. Elle

Individuals working in the hotel industry or even students who are planning to find work in the hotel, must learn vocabulary related to hotel and hotel business. Online games are fun ways to remember hotel vocabulary.

Learn the ABC’s of hotel and hotel business.

WORDS RELATED TO HOTEL

  1. Log in. Write your name.
  2. Click START
  3. Read the clues/hints about the vocabulary to be guessed.
  4. Guess the vocabulary and write your answer in the box. REMEMBER, the word begins with the letter you’ve chosen.

THINGS FOUND IN A HOTEL ROOM

  1. Log in. Write your name.
  2. Click START
  3. Read the clues/hints about the vocabulary to be guessed.
  4. Guess the vocabulary and write your answer in the box. REMEMBER, the word begins with the letter you’ve chosen.

MORE HERE

hotel vocabulary mitchryan

Hotel Vocabulary: Listening, Pronunciation, and Speaking

Posted on by Ms. Elle

Dealing with hotel guests is the primary duty of hotel staff. This means being able to effectively converse with them, provide needed information, and assist and deal with challenges related to work. To successfully work in this environment, one must be equppied with communication skills. Here, ESL learners will learn and improve their listening, pronunciation, and speaking skills in terms of hotel vocabulary.

LISTENING for hotel vocabulary (00:04 – 1:20)

Answer the listening guide questions on your course book

VOCABULARY: GAMES

Game 1. Instructions

  1. Let one student stand in front of the class with his/her back to this presentation.
  2. The class gives hints/clues by describing the word.
  3. The student in front will guess the word.

Game 2. Instructions

  1. Let one student stand in front of the class with his/her back to this presentation.
  2. The class gives hints/clues by describing the word.
  3. The student in front will guess the word.

PRONUNCIATION: Listen to the pronunciation of common hotel-related words in the video above (1:22 – 2:02). Practice each word by saying out loud how the words are spoken. Intelligible pronunciation is more important, which follows the English phonology.

SPEAKING: Listen to a sample dialogue between two persons in the video above (2:04-2:47). Answer the guide questions on your coursebook.

  • speaking activity 1: guided (coursebook)
  • speaking activity 2: guided (coursebook)
  • speaking activity 3: unscripted (scenarios will be given in class)

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group discussion

Group Discussion

Posted on by Ms. Elle

Discussion is a process where people talk, converse, and discourse about something trivial or significant wherein the end result is to express ideas, make decision, or solve a problem.

Good vs Bad Group Discussion

Video by PolyU ELC

Lesson 1

  • Characteristics of an Effective Group Discussion
  • Roles of Each Member in a Group Discussion
  • Steps in Conducting a Group Discussion

Instructions

  • Watch the video
  • Answer the following questions for the class discussion later
    1. What are the things to avoid in a group discussion? Make a list.
    2. What would make a group discussion successful? Make a list.
    3. Name/describe the role of each of the members in the group?
    4. How does a good discussion should start? Describe it.
    5. How does a good discussion should end? Describe it.
    6. Suggest ways on how to keep the discussion going.

Suggested Topics for Group Discussion

Make a list of the advantages of marijuana

Make a list of the disadvantages of marijuana

Talk about the benefits and challenges of the use of marijuana

Discuss about the feelings of the general Thai population about same-sex marriage

Why was same-sex marriage approved by the Thai government?

How can Thai people preserve their culture and tradition in the midst of changing times?

Lesson 2

  • Deciding on a topic for group discussion
  • Mind mapping topic for group discussion

Instructions

  1. Watch the video on how to mind map topics for group discussion
  2. Together with your group members map out your topic on a paper or on your electronic device.
  3. Submit your mind map for consultation, marking, and approval.
  4. Save your work and compile them on your portfolio (paper or electronic)

Lesson 3

  • Group Discussion Script Writing
  • Finish product: group discussion script

Instructions

  1. Meet your group members
  2. Go through the guidelines in writing a script for your GD.
  3. Write/ organize ideas and information, questions and answers
  4. Submit for approval, and practice for the GD presentation (onsite or recorded in a video).

Guidelines for GD Script writing

  1. Moderator/ facilitator open the discussion
    1. greetings
    2. set the objectives/goals of the discussion
    3. explain briefly but concisely the significance of the topic (why do you need to discuss the topic)
    4. take the attendance (can done immediately after the greetings or before the greetings)
    5. begin the discussion (use transitional phrases to move from this step to the next for example, without further ado let’s begin the discussion….)
  2. Discussion proper
    1. Members at this point share their opinion(s), ask for other’s opinion, express agreement, disagreement or partial agreement, ask or give explanation, ask or express clarification, and ask or give suggestion. You may find helpful phrases for group discussion here.
    2. The exchanges among members should resemble a web of opinions, ideas, and questions, answers that are being thrown around rather than a two-way traffic of question and answer just like an interview (refer to the illustration below).
    3. While discussions are going on, minutes are jotted down or recorded by the secretary or any one assigned.
    4. The GD is completed/ finished when the objectives/goals set in the beginning have already been achieved. The moderator will then transition from this step to the next.
Ideal GD Dynamics
Poor GD Dynamics

3. The moderator summarizes the discussion and mentions important and salient points from the discussion.

  1. review objective(s)/goal(s) of the group discussion
  2. enumerate the decision reached
  3. closing remark (thank members and bid goodbye, and remind members of their responsibilities, or schedule of the next group discussion/ activities).

Group Discussion Notes HERE

GD-HandoutDownload

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