Korean Job Discussion Forums

[waseige1]

I want to do a lesson with my students on making questions. I can't seem to find the grammar formulas for doing this. I know the "reverse the subject and verb", I know putting "do" with "w" words, but when do we use what?

Is she swimming?
Did she swim?
Where did she swim?

Any help would be appreciated. My kids are lousy at this and apparently I am not strong enough in my grammar to know the rules. I have done some internet searching with little luck.

Thanks,

[edwardcatflap]

You need to start by deciding on which structures you want to teach and what functions they have. Get a good grammar book that tells you this then decide on one aspect to teach at each lesson. E.g. If you decide to concentrate on the present continuous, 'is she swimming?' to talk about things that are happening right now, prepare some materials with lots of pictures or videos you can stop and ask 'what's he doing?' to present and practise the language.

Think about how the students can then use the structure themselves to personalise the language. E.g. 'What are you doing now, 'we are learning English, 'what is your father doing now?, he's working' etc..Most sections on the present continuous in books have something that involves the students miming to each other, e.g. 'what am I doing?', you are drinking etc....If the students are failry high level you can then contrast two different structures in one class. E.g. 'What do you do at the weekend? v 'What are you doing now?' Repeat the above process for the other structures and functions.

[waseige1]

[edwardcatflap]

Not sure exactly what you mean by a 'formula'. Do you mean something like this?

Present simple

(question word) + auxiliary do,does + subject + verb stem

Present continuous

(question word) + verb 'to be' + subject + 'ing' form of verb

Each tense or aspect has a different structure and therefore a different 'formula'. It's unlikely you will need to teach every single tense in English however, unless your students are very advanced.

[ddeubel]

I have a question making chart / schematic that makes it simple for students to make questions.

Find it through Lessons in a Can scroll down and check the Question Making lessons and look for "question making template". Also lots of other resources to get students practicing how to make questions.

Also cool question making spinners and dice to prompt students on our Teacher's toolbox

good luck,

DD
http://eflclassroom.com

[waseige1]

[Fishead soup]