Good and Taboo- Present Progressive Questions

Good and taboo Present Continuous questions

Secretly flip a coin. If you get heads, choose a normal question/ good question/ suitable question/ easy-to-answer question from below and ask it to your partner. If you get tails, choose a strange question/ taboo question/ unsuitable question from below and ask that to your partner. Without knowing which kind of question you tried to choose, your partner should answer if they think that it is an ordinary everyday small talk question or politely refuse to answer if they think that it is an odd question that people don’t usually ask (with the polite phrases from the list below). Then show them the coin so they can see what kind of question you were trying to ask them. Discuss how normal or not that question is, then take turns doing the same with other questions.

Polite and rude phrases for refusing to answer questions Are you seriously asking me that? Do you really expect me to answer that? I can’t believe that you asked me that. I don’t really know you well enough to tell you that. I wouldn’t even tell that to my family/ to my best friend/ to... I’d rather not say (if you don’t mind/ if that’s okay). I’m afraid that’s a bit personal. I’m afraid we don’t really talk about what where I’m from. I’m sorry but it’s not polite to ask that where I come from. I’m sorry but that’s a bit personal. Keep your nose out of other people’s business. Mind your own business. Never you mind. Stop being so nosy. That’s a strange question. (Ask me something else). That’s none of your business. There’s no way that I’m going to tell you that.

Circle the politest phrases for refusing to answer questions from above.

Ask about any questions you aren’t sure about, answering or politely refusing to answer those questions once you understand them. 

Without looking below, write and pronounce the -ing form of the verbs below:

cope                                                                           do

enjoy                                                                          get

go                                                                                have

improve                                                                      lie

look                                                                             make

sit                                                                                study

wear

Check below.  

Why do some verbs with -ing take a double letter (but others don’t)?

 

Normal and strange Present Continuous questions to ask each other

• Are you also waiting for the English teacher?
• Are you coping okay with the humidity/ with the bad weather/ with…?
• Are you enjoying the weather?
• Are you feeling better (now)?
• Are you feeling okay? (You look terrible).
• Are you feeling worried about the homework?
• Are you following any TV series?
• Are you following the baseball/ the Premiership/ the playoffs/ the…?
• Are you having a good time?
• Are you looking forward to this weekend?
• Are you making much progress with your English?
• Are you recovering from your cold?
• Are you studying anything (else) at the moment?
• Are you thinking about changing jobs/ changing schools/ changing…?
• Are you thinking about food?
• Are you wearing clean socks/ clean pants/ clean…?
• Are your savings going up? Why/ Why not?
• How are you coping with the heat/ the cold/ the snow/ the humidity/ the…?
• How are you feeling? But how are you really feeling?
• How are you getting on with your English studies?
• How many documents are lying on your desk?
• How many emails are waiting in your in-box?
• How much cash are you carrying?
• How’s (name of person who you both know) getting on?
• How’s it going?/ How are you doing?
• How’s your (baseball/ football/…) team doing?
• I really like the jacket that you are wearing. How much did it cost?
• I really like the shirt that you are wearing. Where did you buy it?
• Is anyone sitting here?
• Is it still raining (outside now)?
• Is it still snowing (in…)?
• Is the sun still shining (outside now/ in…)?
• Is your English improving, do you think?
• It’s really noisy today, isn’t it? Do you know what’s going on?
• What are you carrying in your pockets?
• What are you doing here?/ Why are you here?
• What are you doing?
• What are you thinking about?
• What are you working on at the moment?
• What are your family doing right now?
• What colour pants are you wearing?
• What’s (name) doing?
• Why are you coughing?
• Why are you looking sad/ looking bored/ looking angry/ looking…?
• Why are you sitting like that?