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1 First person questions 2 Third person questions 3 Open questions: which 4 Open questions: how 5 Closed questions 6 Choice questions 7 Mixed questions 8 Responses I 9 Responses II 10 Review
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Unit 5 Closed questions

Learning outcomes

By the end of this unit you should:

  • be able to ask closed questions
  • be able to answer using short responses
  • have practised discussing topical news events
discussion

Activity 1: Language focus - Closed questions and short answers

Closed questions are Yes/No questions that begin with auxiliary verbs (do, does, can, will, are, etc.). They use rising intonation and can be answered with short answers.

Work alone or with a partner to match the questions with the appropriate short answers.

Yes, I am. / No, I'm not.

Yes, I can. / No, I can't.

Yes, I do. / No, I don't.

Yes, I will. / No, I won't.

Practice asking and answering the questions. Use these answers first and then use create your own answers.

discussion

Activity 2: Shadowing practice

Listen to these questions and answers. Then say them at the same time and in the same way as your tutor.

  1. Are you interested in current events?
    Yes, I am. I read the news every day.
  2. Do you think social media is reliable?
    Not always. I prefer traditional news sources.
  3. Have you heard about the new technology?
    Yes, I have. It sounds very interesting.
  4. Will you vote in the next election?
    Yes, definitely. It's important to participate.

Work in pairs. One person asks questions. One person answers. Afterwards, change roles.

Activity 3: Role play

Practise these role plays in pairs.

You are discussing current events with a colleague during lunch break.

  1. Did you see the news about the new policy?
    Yes, I did. What do you think about it?
  2. Do you agree with the government's decision?
    I'm not sure. It's quite controversial.
  3. Have you read any good articles lately?
    Yes, there was an interesting piece in today's paper.
  4. Are you planning to attend the town meeting?
    I'm thinking about it. Are you going?

When you have finished one role play. Change roles. Repeat.

Activity 4: Pronunciation focus - Rising intonation

Read this explanation about rising intonation in closed questions.

Closed questions (Yes/No questions) use a rising intonation pattern. The voice goes up at the end to signal that you expect a response. This rising tone is essential for making your questions sound natural and polite.

Practice saying these closed questions with rising intonation:

  1. Are you ready? ↗
  2. Do you understand? ↗
  3. Can you help me? ↗
  4. Will you come tomorrow? ↗
  5. Have you finished your work? ↗
  6. Is this your first time here? ↗

Activity 5: Showing interest

Read.

One effective way to show interest is to ask clarifying questions. These are short, simple questions that help you understand more details.

  1. Person: "I had an interesting day."
    You: "Really? What happened?"
  2. Person: "The weather was terrible."
    You: "Oh no! Was it raining?"
  3. Person: "I saw a great movie."
    You: "Nice! Did you enjoy it?"
  4. Person: "My boss was angry."
    You: "Oh dear! Was it serious?"

Practice using clarifying questions to show interest in conversations.

Activity 6: Fluency practice

Work in pairs or groups. Practice speaking based on the scenarios below. Focus on using closed questions.

Discuss a recent news story. Ask closed questions about the facts and details.

Talk about social media usage. Ask Yes/No questions about platforms and habits.

Discuss new technology or gadgets. Use closed questions to find out opinions and experiences.

Have a conversation about political topics. Ask Yes/No questions about policies and voting.



Activity 7: Common errors

Work alone or with a partner. Identify and correct the errors below:

Are you interested in politics?

Can you speak three languages?

Did you see the news yesterday?

Will you vote in the next election?

Ask your tutor to explain any errors you are unsure about.

Activity 8: Last word

Watch.

Put text here

Review

Can you:

  1. ask closed questions using "you"?
  2. ask closed questions using "he" or "she"?
  3. give short responses to closed questions

If you can not, make sure that you do before your next class.