Good and Bad- Subject Questions Speaking Game

Good and bad subject questions speaking game

In small groups, take turns asking and answering suitable questions from below, being careful to avoid the many questions which are taboo, which are too personal, which are too deep or serious, which are strange, etc.

Good and taboo subject questions list

• How many emails arrive for you every day?
• How many ex-classmates have contacted you?
• How many people called you on the phone yesterday?
• How many people emailed you last week?
• How much money would be enough for you?
• What attracted you to your company/ job?
• What attracted you to your partner?
• What food most disgust you?
• What calms you down?
• What gets you going in the morning?
• What gives you a headache?
• What has really scared you?
• What helps you relax?
• What irritates you most about this town?
• What is in front of your home?
• What kinds of books interest you?
• What last made you vomit?
• What makes you angry?
• What matters most to you?
• What motivates you?
• What package last arrived at your home?
• What situations make you spend too much money?
• What songs get stuck inside your head?
• What stresses you out?
• What things distract you?/ What makes it difficult for you to concentrate?
• What things in other countries have most impressed you?
• What wakes you up at night?
• What worries you most about modern life?
• Which bus routes run near your house?
• Which colour suits you better, blue or black?
• Which family member looks most like you?
• Which genres don’t interest you?
• Which shopping areas are nearest where you live?
• Which station is nearest to your house?
• Who and what influences your shopping decisions?
• Who annoys you most?
• Who asked the other person out, you or your other half?
• Who buys most presents in your family?
• Who called you on the phone last week?
• Who came to your last party?
• Who chose you for your present job?
• Who chose your name?
• Who complimented your last haircut?
• Who cooked your dinner last night?
• Who cut your hair?
• Who did your level check when you first came to this school?
• Who disagrees with you most often?
• Who does most housework in your family?
• Who first taught you English?
• Who follows you on social media?
• Who gave you presents last Xmas?
• Who gave you Valentine’s cards when you were younger?
• Who has inspired you?
• Who has the most money in your family?
• Who or what helped you choose what to study?
• Who or what inspires you?
• Who or what motivates you?
• Who inspired you to study what you did?
• Who interviewed you for your present job?
• Who is a better parent, your father or your mother?
• Who last asked you out on a date?
• Who last borrowed money from you?
• Who last shouted at you?
• Who listens to you when you need to vent?
• Who lives next door to you?
• Who looked after you when you were a child?
• Who looks after your children when you aren’t there?
• Who paid for your education?
• Who pays when you go out for dinner with your family?
• Who played with you most when you were very young?
• Who recommended this school to you?
• Who sang most the last time that you went to karaoke?
• Who would be a better prime minister than the present one?”
• Whose is the most handsome face in the world?

As a class, choose a few suitable questions and a few totally unsuitable ones.

What do all the questions have in common? How are they all different from more common small talk questions like “How’s it going?” and “What do you do?”?

What are the grammatical subjects of “How’s it going?” and “What do you do?”? What are the grammatical subjects of all questions above?

What are the most common question words starting the kinds of questions above?

Try to write more unsuitable and (especially) suitable subject questions to add to the list.