50 Basic English Questions

Useful Phrases
What is your name?
Hello, my name is…
Pleased to meet you. / Nice to meet you.
How are you?
What’s happening? / What’s up?
I’m fine, thank you.
And you?
How old are you?
I am … years old.
Where are you from? I’m from…
Where do you live?
What do you do? / What do you do for a living?
Do you speak Spanish?
Excuse me.
I don’t understand.
Can you repeat, please?
Can you speak slower, please?
Thank you very much!
You’re welcome.
See you later!
Have a nice day!
Same to you.
Useful Phrases (Frases útiles)
What is your name? (¿Cómo te llamas?)
Hello, my name is… (Hola, me llamo…)
Pleased to meet you. / Nice to meet you. (Encantado / Mucho gusto)
How are you? (¿Cómo estás?/¿Qué tal?)
What’s happening? / What’s up? (¿Qué pasa?)
I’m fine, thank you. (Estoy bien, gracias.)
And you? (¿Y tú?)
How old are you? (¿Cuántos años tienes?)
I am … years old. (Tengo … años.)
Where are you from? (¿De dónde eres?)
Where do you live? (¿Dónde vives?)
What do you do? / What do you do for a living? (¿Qué haces? / ¿En qué trabajas?)
Do you speak Spanish? (¿Hablas español?)
Excuse me. (Perdón.)
I don’t understand. (No entiendo.)
Can you repeat, please? (¿Puedes repetir por favor?)
Can you speak slower, please? (¿Puedes hablar más despacio por favor?)
Thank you very much! (¡Muchas gracias!)
You’re welcome. (De nada.)
See you later! (¡Hasta luego!)
Have a nice day! (¡Que pase un buen día!)
Same to you. (Igualmente.)
50 Basic English Questions
Personal Information
What's your name?
Peter.
Where are you from? / Where do you come from?
I'm from ... I come from ...
What's your surname / family name?
Smith.
What's your first name?
Tom.
What's your address?
7865 NW Sweet Street
Where do you live?
I live in San Diego.
What's your (tele)phone number?
209-786-9845
How old are you?
Twenty-five. I'm twenty-five years old.
When / Where were you born?
I was born in 1961 / Seattle.
Are you married? / What's your marital status?
I'm single.
What do you do? / What's your job?
I'm a librarian.
Where did you go?
I went to a friend's house.
What did you do?
We played video games.
Where were you?
I was in New York for the weekend.
Have you got a car / job / house / etc.?
Yes, I've got a good job.
Have you got any children / friends / books / etc.?
Yes, I've got three children - two boys and a daughter.
Can you play tennis / golf / football / etc.?
Yes, I can play golf.
Can you speak English / French / Japanese / etc.?
No, I can't speak Japanese.
Could you speak English / French / Japanese / etc.?
when you were five / two / fifteen / etc. years old?
Yes, I could speak English when I was five years old.
Introducing Yourself / Saying Hello
How do you do?
How do you do. Pleased to meet you.
How are you?
Fine, thanks. And you?
Shopping
How can I help you? / May I help you?
Yes. I'm looking for a sweater.
Can I try it on?
Sure, the changing rooms are over there.
How much does it cost? / How much is it?
It's $45.
How would you like to pay?
By credit card.
Can I pay by credit card / check / debit card?
Certainly. We accept all major cards.
Have you got something bigger / smaller / lighter / etc.?
Certainly, we've got a smaller sizes as well.
Asking Something Specific
What's that?
It's a cat!
What time is it?
It's three o'clock.
Can / May I open the window?
Certainly. It's hot in here!
Is there a bank / supermarket / pharmacy / etc. near here?
Yes. There is a bank on the next corner next to the post office.
Where is the nearest bank / supermarket / pharmacy / etc.?
The nearest pharmacy is on 15th street.
Who wrote / invented / painted / etc. the ...?
Hemingway wrote "The Sun Also Rises".
Is there any water / sugar / rice / etc.?
Yes, there's a lot of sugar left.
Are there any apples / sandwiches / books / etc.?
No, there aren't any apples left.
Is this your / his / her / etc. book / ball / house / etc.?
No, I think it's his ball.
Whose is this / that?
It's Jack's.
Questions with 'Like'
What do you like?
I like playing tennis, reading and listening to music.
What does he look like?
He's tall and slim.
What would you like?
I'd like a steak and chips.
What is it like?
It's an interesting country.
What's the weather like?
It's raining at the moment.
Would you like some coffee / tea / food?
Yes, thank you. I'd like some coffee.
Would you like something to drink / eat?
Thank you. Could I have a cup of tea?
Asking for an Opinion
What's it about?
It's about a young boy who encounters adventures.
What do you think about your job / that book / Tim / etc.?
I thought the book was very interesting.
How big / far / difficult / easy is it?
The test was very difficult!
How big / far / difficult / easy are they?
The questions were very easy.
How was it?
It was very interesting.
What are you going to do tomorrow / this evening / next week / etc.?
I'm going to visit some friends next weekend.
Suggestions What shall we do this evening?
Let's go see a film.
Why don't we go out / play tennis / visit friends / etc. this evening?
Yes, that sounds like a good idea.
1.
Use this role play to practice asking about personal information. Make sure you know how to ask questions
with the verb "to be". Personal information includes information about a person's job, marital status, address,
phone number, etc. these questions are important when providing information at banks, schools, stores,
when taking surveys and more.
Personal Information
What's your surname (family name)?
2.
1.
Smith
What's your first name?
2.
1.
Fred
Where are you from?
2.
1.
Atlanta, Georgia
What's your job?
2.
1.
I'm a teacher.
What's your address?
2.
1.
34 White Street
What is your phone number?
2.
1.
308-6730
How old are you?
2.
1.
54
Are you married?
2.
Yes, I am.
Key Vocabulary
surname, family name, first name
Where are you from?
What's your job? address? phone (telephone) number?
How old are you?
Are you married?
married, single, divorced, separated
Introducing Yourself
Use this role play to practice introducing yourself. Study the verb "to be" with questions such as "Where are
you from?, What's your name? Are you American? etc." to help continue the conversation with your partner.
Introductions
1. Hello. My name's Peter. What's your name?
2. Janet.
1. Where are you from Janet?
2. I'm from Seattle. Where are you from?
1. I'm from Madrid.
2. Are you American?
1. Yes, I am. Are you Spanish?
2. Yes I am.
Key Vocabulary
My name is...
What's (is) your name ...
Where are you from?
I'm from... Are you (Spanish, American, German, etc.)
Hello and Goodbye - Three Short Conversations
Hello
1. Hello, Peter. How are you?
2. Fine, thanks. How are you?
1. I'm fine, thank you.
Goodbye
1. Goodbye, Janet. See you tomorrow!
2. Bye bye, Peter. Have a nice evening.
1. Thanks, you too!
2. Thanks.
Key Vocabulary
Hello... How are you?
I'm fine, - OK, - well, thank you
Goodbye, - bye bye
See you tomorrow
Have a nice evening, - day
How Are You? Beginning English with the Verb "To Be"
Read the conversations below:
Ken: Hello, My name's Ken. What's your name?
Jack: Jack. How are you?
Ken: I'm fine, and you?
Jack: Great. Where are you from?
Ken: I'm from Seattle.
English Beginner Conversation Questions – Where
Posted by SimpleESL on Mar 8, 2012 in Beginner Conversation Questions | 0 comments
A list of English questions for beginner ESL students learning to question people using ‘where’. You can download and
print the Question worksheet as a Word Doc.
Where:
1. Where are you from?
2. Where is your mother from?
3. Where is your father from?
4. Where do you live?
5. Where is your school?
6. Where do you want to visit on vacation?
7. Where is the Eiffel tower?
8. Where is Buckingham palace?
9. Where is the Empire State building?
10. Where is the Great Wall?
11. Where is Argentina?
12. Where is Madrid?
13. Where is Seoul?
14. Where is Manchester?
15. Where is Rome?
16. Where is Berlin?
17. Where is Delhi?
18. Where is Jakarta?
19. Where is your jacket?
20.Where did you last go on vacation?
21. Where are we now?
22.Where is the nearest cinema?
23.Where will you go tonight?
24.Where is your art classroom?
25.Where is your favorite teacher from?
26.Where is your favorite actor from?
27.Where is your favorite singer from?
28.Where is your favorite restaurant?
29.Where is your best friend now?
30.Where do your parents work?
Ken: Where is that girl from?
Jack: She's from Japan
Ken: How old is she?
Jack: She's twenty-six
Complete the conversation. Click on the arrow to see the answer.
Mary: Hello. My
Mary. What's
Peter: Peter. How
name?
you?
Mary: I'm
and you?
Peter: OK,
you from?
Mary:
from Ireland.
The above conversations used the verb "to be". Look at the conjugation charts of the verb "to be"
Positive
I
am
from Seattle.
He
She
It
is
from Toronto.
We
You
They
are
from Japan.
Negative
I
am not (I'm not)
from Seattle.
He
She
It
is not (isn't)
from Toronto.
We
You
They
are not (aren't)
from Japan.
Questions
Where
am
I
from?
Where
is
he
she
it
from
Where
are
we
you
they
from?
Read the text below
My name is Ken Beare and I'm a teacher. My address is Green Street, 19 and my telephone number is . I'm 39 years old
and I'm married. My daughter, Katherine, is two and half years old. My wife, Barbara, is Italian. She is a bank teller.
Fill in the gaps in this paragraph. Click on the arrow to see the answer.
My name
Mario and
a doctor. My
Avenue, 23 and my
years
Peter,
She
is York
.
and I'm married. My son,
ten
. My wife, Giorgia, is American.
a lawyer.
Write a short paragraph about you!
'To Be' - Quiz for English Beginners
Fill in the chart on a piece of paper with the correct forms of the verb 'to be' in the
present tense.
Positive
I
from Seattle.
45
He
She
It
from Toronto.
We
You
They
from Japan.
Questions
Where
I
from?
Where
he from
she
it
Where
we from?
you
they
Write down the correct use of the verb 'to be' for the subject Example: (She).
There are positive, negative and questions. Click on the arrow to see the
answer.
1.
Where
2.
(he) from?
(I) a teacher.
3.
(They) very hungry.
4.
(She/not) happy.
5.
(you) from Japan?
6.
(English) difficult.
7.
(We/not) hungry.
8.
(They) students?
Beginner English Conversation Questions: Introductions & Getting to
Know Someone
Posted by SimpleESL on Mar 9, 2012 in Beginner Conversation Questions, Conversation Questions | 0 comments
This is a list of ESL conversation questions designed to help the English student get to know someone. The list comprises
basic questions that will teach beginner introductions. For the printable ESL question sheet, please click here.
English Introductions
1.
What is your name?
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Where are you from?
How old are you?
What is your job?
Do you have a big family?
Are you married?
What is your hobby?
What type of music do you like?
Where do you usually go on vacation?
Do you have any children?
What is your star sign?
What is your favorite football team?
Do you like travelling?
Do you like sports?
Do like movies?
What type of movies do you like?
What did you major in (US English)?
What did you study at university (UK English)?
Do you like reading?
Where do you live?
Do you have a girlfriend/boyfriend?
Can you drive?
Do you have a car?
What do you do in your spare time?
English Beginner Conversation Questions – Who
Posted by SimpleESL on Mar 8, 2012 in Beginner Conversation Questions | 0 comments
A list of English questions for beginner ESL students learning to question people using ‘who’. You can download and print
the Question worksheet as a Word Doc.
Who
1.
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Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
Who
is your father?
is your mother?
is your grandfather?
is your grandmother?
is your cousin?
is your best friend?
is your sister?
is your brother?
is your hero?
is scary?
is funny?
is interesting?
is boring?
is smart?
is beautiful?
is handsome?
is your teacher?
takes you to school?
cooks the food at home?
do you hate?
do you like?
is tall in your class?
is the smallest in your class?
is your favourite actor?
is your favourite singer?
is your favourite teacher?
is kind to you?
annoys you?
29. Who makes you happy?
30. Who is the president?
31. Who is the Queen of England?
32.
33.
English Beginner Conversation Questions – Where
Posted by SimpleESL on Mar 8, 2012 in Beginner Conversation Questions | 0 comments
34.
35. A list of English questions for beginner ESL students learning to question people using ‘where’. You can
download and print the Question worksheet as a Word Doc.
36. Where:
37. 1. Where are you from?
38. 2. Where is your mother from?
39. 3. Where is your father from?
40. 4. Where do you live?
41. 5. Where is your school?
42. 6. Where do you want to visit on vacation?
43. 7. Where is the Eiffel tower?
44. 8. Where is Buckingham palace?
45. 9. Where is the Empire State building?
46. 10. Where is the Great Wall?
47. 11. Where is Argentina?
48. 12. Where is Madrid?
49. 13. Where is Seoul?
50. 14. Where is Manchester?
51. 15. Where is Rome?
52. 16. Where is Berlin?
53. 17. Where is Delhi?
54. 18. Where is Jakarta?
55. 19. Where is your jacket?
56. 20.Where did you last go on vacation?
57. 21. Where are we now?
58. 22.Where is the nearest cinema?
59. 23.Where will you go tonight?
60. 24.Where is your art classroom?
61. 25.Where is your favorite teacher from?
62. 26.Where is your favorite actor from?
63. 27.Where is your favorite singer from?
64. 28.Where is your favorite restaurant?
65. 29.Where is your best friend now?
66. 30.Where do your parents work?
English Beginner Conversation Questions: Favorite
Posted by SimpleESL on Mar 7, 2012 in Beginner Conversation Questions, Conversation Questions | 0 comments
A list of English questions for beginner ESL students learning to use ‘favorite’. You can download and print the Word
Document here.
Favorite:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
What’s your favorite color?
Why is ________ your favorite color?
What’s your favorite sport?
Why is ___________ your favorite sport?
What’s your favorite subject?
Why is ________ your favorite subject?
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What’s your favorite movie?
Why is ________ your favorite movie?
What’s your favorite song?
Why is ________ your favorite song?
What’s your favorite country?
Why is ________ your favorite country?
What’s your favorite TV program?
Why is ________ your favorite TV program?
What’s your favorite game?
Why is ________ your favorite game?
What’s your favorite car?
Why is ________ your favorite car?
What’s your favorite food?
Why is ________ your favorite food?
What’s your favorite drink?
Why is ________ your favorite drink?
What’s your favorite time of the day?
Why is ________ your favorite time of the day?
What’s your favorite weather?
Why is ________ your favorite weather?
What’s your favorite season?
Why is ________ your favorite season?
Who’s your favorite actor?
Why is ________ your favorite actor?
Who’s your favorite singer?
Why is ________ your favorite singer?
Who’s your favorite teacher?
Why is ________ your favorite teacher?
Least Favorite:
1.
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31.
What’s your least favorite color?
Why is ________ your least favorite color?
What’s your least favorite sport?
Why is ___________ your least favorite sport?
What’s your least favorite subject?
Why is ________ your least favorite subject?
What’s your least favorite movie?
Why is ________ your least favorite movie?
What’s your least favorite song?
Why is ________ your least favorite song?
What’s your least favorite country?
Why is ________ your least favorite country?
What’s your least favorite TV program?
Why is ________ your least favorite TV program?
What’s your least favorite game?
Why is ________ your least favorite game?
What’s your least favorite car?
Why is ________ your least favorite car?
What’s your least favorite food?
Why is ________ your least favorite food?
What’s your least favorite drink?
Why is ________ your least favorite drink?
What’s your least favorite time of the day?
Why is ________ your least favorite time of the day?
What’s your least favorite weather?
Why is ________ your least favorite weather?
What’s your least favorite season?
Why is ________ your least favorite season?
Who’s your least favorite actor?
Why is ________ your least favorite actor?
Who’s your least favorite singer?
32. Why is ________ your least favorite singer?
33. Who’s your least favorite teacher?
34. Why is ________ your least favorite teacher?
English Beginner Conversation Questions: When
Posted by SimpleESL on Mar 8, 2012 in Beginner Conversation Questions | 0 comments
A list of English questions for beginner ESL students learning to question people using ‘when’. You can download and print
the Question worksheet as a Word Doc.
1. When is your birthday?
2. When is your mother’s birthday?
3. When is your father’s birthday?
4. When is your best friend’s birthday?
5. When is your favorite singer’s birthday?
6. When do you go to school?
7. When do you go to academy?
8. When do you see your friends?
9. When do you eat lunch?
10. When do you watch TV?
11. When do you exercise?
12. When do you eat fast food?
13. When did you go on vacation?
14. When did you go to the cinema last?
15. When did you last eat?
16. When did you
17. When is Christmas?
18. When is Easter?
19. When is Ramadan?
20.When is your parents’ anniversary?
21. When does school start?
22.When will you go to the dentist?
23.When does summer start?
24.When does winter start?
25.When does fall start?
26.When does spring start?
27.When do you visit your grandparents?
28.When do your parents go food shopping?
29.When were you sick last time?
Intermediate ESL Conversation Questions: Frequency – sometimes,
always, never, rarely, seldom
Posted by SimpleESL on Mar 9, 2012 in Intermediate Conversation Questions | 0 comments
This is a list of English conversation questions designed for intermediate ESL students. The questions help to teach
adverbs of frequency such as sometimes, usually, never etc. The printable ESL worksheet is also available here.
Vocabulary:
Usually, sometimes, seldom, never, often, rarely, once a week, twice a week etc
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What do you usually do on Mondays?
What do you usually do on Tuesdays?
What do you usually do on Wednesdays?
What do you usually do on Thursdays?
What do you usually do on Fridays?
What do you usually do on Saturdays?
What do you usually do on Sundays?
What time do you usually eat lunch?
What time do you usually eat dinner?
What time do you usually go to school?
How often do you eat fast food?
How often do you go to school?
How often do you go to the dentist?
How often do you watch movies?
How often do you eat candy?
How often do you get pocket money?
How often do you get homework?
How often do you go to the doctor?
How often do you fight with your brothers or sisters?
Can you tell me something you sometimes do at school?
Can you tell me something you sometimes do at home?
Can you tell me something you sometimes do on weekends?
Can you tell me something you always do at school?
Can you tell me something you always do at home?
Can you tell me something you always do on weekends?
What do you never do, but would like to?
What do you always do, but don’t want to?
How often do you go to soccer matches?
How often do you go to music concerts?
How often do your teachers shout at you?
How often do you exercise?
How often do you go to church?
How often are you sick?
Relationship status has two parts, one a discrete enumerated set
provided as a select pop-up menu choice:

(blank) - unspecified

single

in a relationship

engaged

married

it's complicated

in an open relationship

widowed

separated

divorced
Added 2011-048:

in a civil union

in a domestic partnership
And then for *some* of those enumerated values, there is an optional
field that indicates a person

Flickr
with person - chosen by selecting another profile (URL)
From http://www.flickr.com/profile_edit.gne?from=personal (must be
logged in)
Expressed as Singleness: by Flickr, the following mutually-exclusive
radio button choices are given:

( ) Single

( ) Taken

( ) Open

( ) Rather not say


Gender:

I'm female

I'm male
Orientation:

I'm straight


I'm gay

I'm bisexual
Status:

I'm single

I'm seeing someone / here for friends

I'm married / here for friends