http://www.espressoenglish.net/100-answers-to-common-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.
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.
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.
100
Answers to Common English Questions
Sometimes, even when
you know a lot of English, you can have difficulty finding the right words or
phrases to answer simple questions. Here are 20 of the most common questions
in English – each one with five sample responses.
General Questions
1. What do you do?
This question means “What is your job/profession?”
00:00
00:00
§ I’m a student.
§ I work in a bank.
§ I’m unemployed at the moment.
§ I run my own business.
The word “run” means you are the primary person responsible for operating the business.
§ I’m retired now. I used to be an engineer.
“Retired” means you have stopped working (usually after you are 60 or 65 years old).
2. Are you married?
00:00
00:00
§ Yes, I’ve been married for two years now.
§ I’m divorced.
§ I’m engaged – we’re getting married next
year.
§ No, but I’m in a relationship.
§ Nope, I’m single.
“Nope” is an informal way to say “No.”
3. Why are you studying English?
00:00
00:00
§ For work.
§ So I can communicate when I travel.
§ I love learning new languages.
§ Because I’d like to immigrate to the U.S.
§ I’m thinking of studying in England.
The correct way is “thinking of studying” and not “thinking to study.”
4. Where/How did you learn English?
00:00
00:00
§ I took classes for three years.
§ I did an intensive course.
§ I’ve been studying on my own.
You can also say “studying by myself.”
§ I picked it up from movies and songs.
In this context, “picked it up” means “learned it casually.”
§ My girlfriend taught me.
5. What do you do in your free time?
00:00
00:00
§ I don’t have any free time!
§ I usually hang out with friends.
“Hang out” means to spend time in an informal way.
§ I go running a lot.
§ I do volunteer work.
§ I like reading and relaxing at home.
6. What’s the weather like? / How’s the
weather?
00:00
00:00
§ Hot and humid.
“Humid” means there is a lot of water vapor in the air.
§ It’s pouring – take an umbrella.
“Pouring” means raining very heavily.
§ A little chilly – you might wanna bring a
jacket.
“Chilly” means a little bit cold.
§ Gorgeous – a perfect summer day!
§ It’s quite cold – make sure to bundle up.
“Bundle up” means to wear warm clothing for protection against the cold.
7. What time is it? / Do you have the time?
00:00
00:00
§ It’s ten o’clock.
§ It’s half past four.
This means “4:30”
§ It’s a quarter to twelve.
“A quarter” is 15 minutes – so this means “11:45”
§ Let me check my phone.
§ Sorry, I don’t know.
Shopping & Social Questions
8. Can I help you? / Do you need any help?
This is a question that you might hear from an employee or
salesperson in a store.
00:00
00:00
§ No thanks, I’m just browsing.
“Browsing” means looking casually at the items.
§ Yes – do you have this in a larger size?
§ Yes – where are the try-on rooms?
“Try-on rooms” means the place where you can put on the clothes to see if they are the right size and if you like them.
§ Yeah, can you tell me how much this is?
§ Yeah, I’m looking for something under $30.
9. How’s it going?
00:00
00:00
§ Great! Couldn’t be better!
This means that everything is excellent.
§ Fine. How are things with you?
§ Not bad.
This means that things are OK.
§ I can’t complain.
§ Do you really wanna know?
Normally when people ask “how’s it going?” they expect a positive response like “fine” or “good.” If you say “Do you really wanna know?” it means that things are going badly, but you are not sure if the other person wants to listen to your problems or not.
10. How are you feeling?
00:00
00:00
§ Great! Never better.
§ I’m all right.
§ Like I need a vacation.
§ A little depressed.
§ Really awful.
You can say you’re feeling “awful” for both physical and emotional pain.
11. How was your day?
00:00
00:00
§ Really good!
§ Pretty uneventful.
This means that nothing particularly special or interesting happened during the day.
§ Very productive.
§ Super busy.
§ A total nightmare.
A “nightmare” is a terrible, scary dream. Describing an experience as a “nightmare” means it was horrible.
12. Did you like the movie?
00:00
00:00
§ It was fantastic.
§ It was terrible.
§ It wasn’t bad.
§ It’s one of the best I’ve ever seen.
§ No, I didn’t think it lived up to the hype.
This means the movie was not as good as its publicity presented.
13. How was the party?
00:00
00:00
§ Crazy – it was absolutely packed.
“Packed” means it was crowded; there were very many people there.
§ It was a good time.
§ Small, but fun.
§ There was hardly anybody there.
§ Boring – I couldn’t wait to get outta there.
14. Can you give me a hand?
This means “can you help me?” – often with a physical task like
moving furniture or carrying a box.
00:00
00:00
§ Of course!
§ I’d be glad to.
§ Will it take long?
§ Sure – just a sec.
This means “just a second” – you need the other person to wait one moment before you can help them.
§ Sorry – I’m a bit busy at the moment.
15. What have you been up to lately?
This question means “What have you been doing recently?” – you
can answer it in the present perfect continuous.
00:00
00:00
§ I’ve been working a lot.
§ Mostly studying.
§ I’ve been taking it easy.
This means “relaxing, not doing anything intense or stressful.”
§ Planning my summer vacation.
§ Nothing much.
16. What’s the matter?
This means “What’s the problem?” – you can ask it to someone who
appears sad or upset.
00:00
00:00
§ Oh, I’m just having a rough day.
A “rough day” means a difficult, bad day.
§ I’m not feeling so good.
§ I just found out my mother’s in the
hospital.
The phrasal verb “found out” means “discovered or heard some new information.”
§ I’d rather not talk about it.
This means “I’d prefer not to talk about it.”
§ Nothing, I’m fine.
Restaurant Questions
17. What would you like to drink?
00:00
00:00
§ Iced tea, please.
§ Just water for me.
§ What do you have?
§ Could we see the wine list?
§ Nothing for me, thanks.
18. Are you ready to order?
To “order” means to ask the waiter/waitress for the food you want
to eat.
00:00
00:00
§ Not quite – I think we need a little more
time.
§ What are the specials today?
“Specials” are featured dishes that might also have a discount.
§ Yes, I’ll have a Caesar salad and then the
baked chicken with potatoes.
The most common way to order food is to say “I’ll have…”
§ Uh-huh. To start off, we’ll split an order
of nachos.
“To start off” means you are ordering an appetizer (small amount of food eaten before the main meal). “Split” means that two or more people will share/divide one order of food.
§ Almost – I just have a couple of questions.
19. Is everything OK?
While you are eating, the waiter/waitress will often come to your
table and ask this question to check if you need anything.
00:00
00:00
§ Yes, everything’s fine, thanks.
§ It’s all delicious!
§ Could we have some more water, please?
“Could we have…” is a polite way to ask for something.
§ Actually, I’m still waiting for my side
dish.
A “side dish” is a small portion of food that accompanies the main meal.
§ To be honest, my food is kinda cold. Could
you heat it up?
“To be honest…” is a diplomatic way to introduce a complaint or negative comment.
20. Can I get you anything else?
The waiter/waitress will probably ask you this after you have
finished eating.
00:00
00:00
§ Two decaf coffees, please.
“Decaf coffee” is coffee with no caffeine.
§ Just the check, please.
The “check” is the list of items and the total price to pay.
§ Could I have a look at the dessert menu?
§ I’ll have a slice of apple pie.
A “slice” is a single piece of a pie, cake, or pizza.
§ No thanks – I think we’re just about done
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Here are ten questions to help you start speaking English. Each of these
questions help to begin or continue a conversation. The questions are in two
categories: Basic Facts and Hobbies / Free Time. There are also a number of
questions that can help you continue the conversation after the first question. Five Basic Facts These five questions will help you get to know people. They are simple questions with simple answers and provide information so you can ask more questions. What is your name? Where do you live? What do you do? Are you married? Where are you from? More questions for ... These questions help to continue the conversation after your first question. "What is your name?" It's a pleasure to meet you. Where are you from? That's an interesting name. Is it Chinese / French / Indian, etc.? Does your name have a special meaning? "Where do you live?" How long have you lived there? Do you like that neighborhood? Do you live in an apartment or house? Do you have a garden at your home? Do you live alone or with your family? "What do you do?" Which company do you work for? How long have you had that job? Do you like your job? What's the best / worst thing about your job? What do you like best / least about your job? Would you like to change jobs? How long have been married? Where did you get married? What does your husband / wife do? Do you have any children? How old are your children? "Where are you from?" Where is ....? How long did you live there? What is XYZ like? Do you like living here? How is your country different than here? Do the people in your country speak English / French / German, etc.? These questions will help you continue conversations and find out more about people's likes and dislikes. What do you like doing in your free time? Can you play tennis / golf / soccer / etc.? What kind of films / food / vacations do you enjoy? What do you do on weekends / Saturdays? More questions for ... These questions will help you ask for more detail. "What do you like doing in your free time?" How often do you (listen to music, eat out in restaurants, etc.)? Where do you (listen to music, eat out in restaurants, etc.) in this town? Why do you like (listening to music, eating out in restaurants, etc.) so much? Do you enjoy playing tennis /golf /soccer /etc.? How long have you played tennis /golf /soccer /etc.? Who do you play tennis /golf /soccer /etc. with? "What kind of films / food / vacations do you enjoy?" What's the best place to see /eat / go on vacations? What's the best type of film /food / vacation, etc. in your opinion? How often do you watch films / eat out / go on vacation? "What do you do on weekends / Saturdays?" Where do you go to ...? Could you recommend a good place to (go shopping / take my children swimming / etc.)? How long have you done that?
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Have you ever tried to make conversation in English but found it difficult?
If you answered 'yes', then you feel the same as many others! This page
focuses on questions and strategies you can use when making conversation in
English. You'll find suggestions and dialogues to practice and then try out
on your own. Follow these tips and you will begin to have longer and more
interesting conversations in English. What Type of Question Gets a Good Answer? The most important part of making conversation in English - or any language - is asking the right question. What's the right question? I'm glad you asked! The best type of question to help further conversation is an information question.Information questions ask for more details and will help draw out your partner in conversation. Yes / no questions, on the other hand, tend to lead to very short results. Here are few examples to explain: Yes / No Questions - Boring! Notice how the following questions lead to short answers with little detail. Yes / no questions don't ask for details, rather they only ask whether something is true or untrue, whether someone agrees or disagrees, etc. Do you like playing Tennis? Yes, I do. Are you interested in art? Yes, I am. Information Questions - Interesting! Information questions ask for more detail. When people provide more detail, you can ask further questions. Where did you grow up? I grew up in Illinois. Which part of Illinois? I grew up in a small town called Abingdon. What was it like growing up in a small town? etc. Combining The Two Question Types I'm sure you can understand the reason why information questions are more interesting than yes / no questions. In fact, I'm sure making conversation is the same in your language. You can combine the two questions types to make conversation in English by beginning with a yes / no question, and then following up with information questions. Getting Started Here are some questions that will help get the conversation started. They are yes / no questions and information questions, but will open the door for further conversations. Have you ever ...? Questions beginning with 'have you ever...' ask about experience.
The question 'have you ever ...' is in the present perfect tense. However, once you start asking for
details the conversation will switch to the past simple once
you begin asking for details. It's fine to use the present perfect as long as
you are asking about general experience, but details are often tied to
specific events in the past. Be ready to switch back and forth between
tenses. Here's an example conversation.
John: Have you ever
been abroad?Mary: Yes, I have. I've been to Europe and South America. John: Oh, that's interesting. Which countries have you visited in South America. Mary: I've been to Argentina, Brazil and Chile. John: When did you go to Brazil? Mary: I went there in 2002. It was great. John: Why did you go? Were you there on business or pleasure? Mary: I went as a tourist for three weeks. John: Which cities did you visit? Mary: We went to Rio de Janeiro, of course. We also visited Brasilia and Recife. What's your opinion on ...? / What do you think about ...? Asking for an opinion can lead to interesting conversations. Be ready to use more complicated forms such as theconditional, as well as agreeing and disagreeing with the opinion. John: What do you think about the new class? Mary: I like it, but we'll see how it goes. John: How much time does it take for your homework? Mary: That's the problem! I'll have to do a lot of homework. John: Who will you go to if you need some help? Mary: I'll ask my father if I need some help. He's good at math. John: You're lucky. I don't have anyone to help me. Do you like ...? Asking about likes and dislikes can lead a conversation anywhere. Be sure to ask about why someone likes something if you'd like to extend the conversation. John: Do you like Portland? Mary: Yes, it's a great city. John: Why do you think it's a great city? Mary: There are a lot of interesting people, shops, and I love the parks. John: Oh really. Which parks do you go to? Mary: I like going to Washington Park and Forest Park to take hikes. John: I didn't know you could take hikes. Where is Forest Park located? Mary: Let me get a map ... What's / Who's your favorite ...? Finally, asking about a person's favorite band, author, artist, athlete, etc. will ensure that a conversation stays lively. People love to talk about their favorite things. Make sure to use the comparative and superlative forms in order to continue the conversation by comparing things and people. John: What's your favorite type of music? Mary: I love jazz. John: Hmmm, I prefer pop music to jazz. Why do you like jazz so much? Mary: Well, I think jazz is more interesting than other types of music. Pop music seems so trendy. John: That's true, but I don't understand jazz. Mary: Just listen to how they change the melody throughout the song. John: OK, I'll try to listen to more jazz.
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