Ask suitable questions from the list of direct and indirect questions below. Choose suitable ones for this situation (thinking about how well you know your teacher and/ or your classmates), and make sure you avoid taboo questions. If you someone asks something they shouldn’t, use the “mind your own business” reactions at the top.
Ask about questions you don’t understand, can’t answer or don’t know the suitability of.
Optional: Without looking at the list(s), brainstorm suitable questions into the table below.
Look at the lists with just direct questions. Cross out taboo questions and change ones which are too direct into indirect questions. If the indirect questions are still too personal, you probably need to cross them off. If the indirect questions seem too polite for that topic, they are probably okay without any changes. Then check with the suggested answers.
OR
Look at just the taboo questions and questions which should be direct. Cross off the taboo ones and change the others. Then check with the suggested answers.
Indirect questions presentation
What are the differences between the direct and indirect versions of the questions?
Test each other on the questions by:
- Saying an indirect question below and seeing if your partner can say the direct version
- Saying the direct version of an indirect question below and seeing if your partner can say a suitable indirect version
- Saying an indirect question or a good direct question changed to be indirect, and seeing if your partner can spot if it needs to be indirect or not
- Saying a good direct question or a direct version of an indirect question and seeing if your partner can see if it needs to be changed or not
- Saying a good direct question or the direct version of an indirect question and seeing if your partner can repeat back the correct version (changed or unchanged, depending on what kind of question it is)
- Asking a good direct question, an indirect question or a taboo question and seeing if your partner correctly answers or correctly politely refuses to answer
- Asking an indirect question or an indirect version of a taboo question and seeing if your partner politely refuses to answer the correct questions
- Helping your partner make suitable indirect questions
- Having a whole discussion on this topic without looking below
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With indirect questions version
| Useful phrases for politely refusing to answer questions
I’d rather not say (if you don’t mind). I’m sorry but in my country we don’t talk about… I’m sorry but in my country we don’t ask about… |
- Are there any Xmas and New Year superstitions in your country?
- Are there any Xmas or New Year foods which you don’t like?
- Are you looking forward to Xmas and the New Year?
- Are you planning to have a romantic Xmas and New Year?
- Are you planning to lose weight next year?
- Are you religious?
- Are you Christian?
- Did you have a good time last Xmas?
- Can I check if you celebrate Xmas?
- I’m wondering if you go to church on Xmas Day.
- Do you have a favourite Xmas movie?
- Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?
- Do you have any plans for Xmas and the New Year?
- Do you think Xmas and New Year is a good time to visit your country?
- I’d be interested in hearing if you think Xmas is becoming too commercial.
- Do you usually watch much TV over Xmas and the New Year?
- Can I ask if you’ve put up any Xmas decorations this year?
- How do you feel about Xmas music in shops?
- Do you know how Xmas here is different to other countries?
- How long is your winter vacation?
- Can I ask how much you saved in the last January sales?
- How much did you spend in the last January sales?
- How much did you weigh after your last winter vacation?
- Do you remember how old you were when you stopped believing in Santa?
- Do you know if it’s going to be a white Xmas?
- Do you remember what you had for Xmas dinner last year?
- I’m wondering what you think about American Xmas traditions spreading abroad.
- What do you usually have for Xmas dinner?
- Do you happen to know what things are open on New Year’s Day?
- When is your last day of work this year?
- Do you know where the best New Year fireworks are?
- Do you happen to know where the best Xmas markets are?
- Do you know which shops have the best bargains in the January sales?
- Is it okay to ask who you are going to spend Xmas and New Year with?
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All direct questions version
| Useful phrases for politely refusing to answer questions
I’d rather not say (if you don’t mind). I’m sorry but in my country we don’t talk about… I’m sorry but in my country we don’t ask about… |
- Are there any Xmas and New Year superstitions in your country?
- Are there any Xmas or New Year foods which you don’t like?
- Are you looking forward to Xmas and the New Year?
- Are you planning to have a romantic Xmas and New Year?
- Are you planning to lose weight next year?
- Are you religious?
- Are you Christian?
- Did you have a good time last Xmas?
- Do you celebrate Xmas?
- Do you go to church on Xmas Day?
- Do you have a favourite Xmas movie?
- Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?
- Do you have any plans for Xmas and the New Year?
- Do you think Xmas and New Year is a good time to visit your country?
- Do you think Xmas is becoming too commercialised?
- Do you usually watch much TV over Xmas and the New Year?
- Have you put up any Xmas decorations this year?
- How do you feel about Xmas music in shops?
- How is Xmas here different to other countries?
- How long is your winter vacation?
- How much did you save in the last January sales?
- How much did you spend in the last January sales?
- How much did you weigh after your last winter vacation?
- How old were you when you stopped believing in Santa?
- Is it going to be a white Xmas?
- What did you have for Xmas dinner last year?
- What do you think about American Xmas traditions spreading abroad?
- What do you usually have for Xmas dinner?
- What things are open on New Year’s Day?
- When is your last day of work this year?
- Where are the best New Year fireworks?
- Where are the best Xmas markets?
- Which shops have the best bargains in the January sales?
- Who are you going to spend Xmas and New Year with?
———————–
Just taboo and should be indirect questions version
Cross off questions which you shouldn’t ask and make the other questions indirect. If you aren’t sure, try making a question indirect and see if it then okay.
- Are you planning to have a romantic Xmas and New Year?
- Are you planning to lose weight next year?
- Are you religious?
- Are you Christian?
- Do you celebrate Xmas?
- Do you go to church on Xmas Day?
- Do you think Xmas is becoming too commercialised?
- Have you put up any Xmas decorations this year?
- How is Xmas here different to other countries?
- How much did you save in the last January sales?
- How much did you spend in the last January sales?
- How much did you weigh after your last winter vacation?
- How old were you when you stopped believing in Santa?
- Is it going to be a white Xmas?
- What did you have for Xmas dinner last year?
- What do you think about American Xmas traditions spreading abroad?
- What things are open on New Year’s Day?
- Where are the best New Year fireworks?
- Where are the best Xmas markets?
- Which shops have the best bargains in the January sales?
- Who are you going to spend Xmas and New Year with?
————————
First of all without looking at the lists, write as many questions as you can in each column below. Many questions not above are also possible.
| Questions which are good/ okay in most situations | Questions which are okay but should be indirect questions (not just starting directly with “Wh…?”) | Bad questions/ Taboo questions |
|
|
Look at the first and/ or second list above for ideas, then brainstorm more.
Check with the suggested answers below.
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Suggested answers
Underlined questions are normally taboo. Questions with two versions are (and probably need to be) indirect. The other questions are usually fine (depending on the situation).
- Are there any Xmas and New Year superstitions in your country?
- Are there any Xmas or New Year foods which you don’t like?
- Are you looking forward to Xmas and the New Year?
- Are you planning to have a romantic Xmas and New Year?
- Are you planning to lose weight next year?
- Are you religious?/ Are you Christian?
- Did you have a good time last Xmas?
- Do you celebrate Xmas? – Can I check if you celebrate Xmas?
- Do you go to church on Xmas Day? – I’m wondering if you go to church on Xmas Day.
- Do you have a favourite Xmas movie?
- Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?
- Do you have any plans for Xmas and the New Year?
- Do you think Xmas and New Year is a good time to visit your country?
- Do you think Xmas is becoming too commercialised? – I’d be interested in hearing if you think Xmas is becoming too commercial.
- Do you usually watch much TV over Xmas and the New Year?
- Have you put up any Xmas decorations this year? – Can I ask if you’ve put up any Xmas decorations this year?
- How do you feel about Xmas music in shops?
- How is Xmas here different to other countries? – Do you know how Xmas here is different to other countries?
- How long is your winter vacation?
- How much did you save in the last January sales? – Can I ask how much you saved in the last January sales?
- How much did you spend in the last January sales?
- How much did you weigh after your last winter vacation?
- How old were you when you stopped believing in Santa? – Do your remember how old you were when you stopped believing in Santa?
- Is it going to be a white Xmas? – Do you know if it’s going to be a white Xmas?
- What did you have for Xmas dinner last year? – Do you remember what you had for Xmas dinner last year?
- What do you think about American Xmas traditions spreading abroad? – I’m wondering what you think about American Xmas traditions spreading abroad.
- What do you usually have for Xmas dinner?
- What things are open on New Year’s Day? – Do you happen to know what things are open on New Year’s Day?
- When is your last day of work this year?
- Where are the best New Year fireworks? – Do you know where the best New Year fireworks are?
- Where are the best Xmas markets? – Do you happen to know where the best Xmas markets are?
- Which shops have the best bargains in the January sales? – Do you know which shops have the best bargains in the January sales?
- Who are you going to spend Xmas and New Year with? – Is it okay to ask who you are going to spend Xmas and New Year with?
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PDF for easy saving and printing: Direct, indirect and taboo Christmas questions
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