Hi guys!
First a little test for my Polish readers (sorry rest of the world :) ).
Write down these questions in English:
1) Skąd jesteś?
2) Kiedy tu przyjechałeś?
3) Jak często jadasz ryby?
Now, let's see if you were correct. :) This might seem odd to you but suprisingly many even very high level students make silly mistakes when asking questions in English. That is why whenever I start a new group, or start lessons with an individual student, I go over the basic rules of asking questions.
There are basically three ways of asking questions.
1. using the QUASI method
2. using inversion (e.g. to be)
3. asking about the subject.
This post will deal with the QUASI method. What is this magnificient acronym?
QU - the question word,
A - the auxiliary verb, which I like to call the helper verb as they determine the tense (whether past or present) in the sentence,
S - the subject - the main "person" or "thing" in the sentence,
I - infinitive - a verb in its basic form, without any endings. I also call it Verb 1 (if we consider the irregular verb list in three forms)
Now, 90% of verbs in English follow the rule of QUASI if we ask a question in the present or the past. So all we need to do is look at the table and follow the format!
e.g.
I love cats. -> What do you love? (QU=What, A=do, S=you, I= love)
I spent my holiday in Rome. -> Where did you spend your holiday?*
(*notice that it is a question about the past. but where is the "information" about it? In the helper verb (did) that is why there is no need to make the verb spend in the past.
Easy, isn't it?
So, my dear Polish students: let's check if you wrote your questions correctly....
1) Skąd jesteś? - > Where do you come from?
2) Kiedy tu przyjechałeś? - > When did you arrive?
3) Jak często jadasz ryby? -> How often do you eat fish?
Were you correct? Did you emember about the "helper verb"?
Let me know in the comments!!!
TIME TO PRACTICE!!
Let's make it a game, I'll start....
I write a sentence with a number next to a word:
Yesterday, I passed my (0) exams.
You need to ask about the word next to the number:
(0) What did you pass yesterday? Answer: my exams.
Now you need to write your sentence (with number (1) next to the word...)
You can play all you want! (believe me, it's good practice...)
I will moderate and correct if necessary....
So...
I need a (1) back massage.
.
.
.
First a little test for my Polish readers (sorry rest of the world :) ).
Write down these questions in English:
1) Skąd jesteś?
2) Kiedy tu przyjechałeś?
3) Jak często jadasz ryby?
Now, let's see if you were correct. :) This might seem odd to you but suprisingly many even very high level students make silly mistakes when asking questions in English. That is why whenever I start a new group, or start lessons with an individual student, I go over the basic rules of asking questions.
There are basically three ways of asking questions.
1. using the QUASI method
2. using inversion (e.g. to be)
3. asking about the subject.
This post will deal with the QUASI method. What is this magnificient acronym?
QU - the question word,
A - the auxiliary verb, which I like to call the helper verb as they determine the tense (whether past or present) in the sentence,
S - the subject - the main "person" or "thing" in the sentence,
I - infinitive - a verb in its basic form, without any endings. I also call it Verb 1 (if we consider the irregular verb list in three forms)
Now, 90% of verbs in English follow the rule of QUASI if we ask a question in the present or the past. So all we need to do is look at the table and follow the format!
e.g.
I love cats. -> What do you love? (QU=What, A=do, S=you, I= love)
I spent my holiday in Rome. -> Where did you spend your holiday?*
(*notice that it is a question about the past. but where is the "information" about it? In the helper verb (did) that is why there is no need to make the verb spend in the past.
Easy, isn't it?
So, my dear Polish students: let's check if you wrote your questions correctly....
1) Skąd jesteś? - > Where do you come from?
2) Kiedy tu przyjechałeś? - > When did you arrive?
3) Jak często jadasz ryby? -> How often do you eat fish?
Were you correct? Did you emember about the "helper verb"?
Let me know in the comments!!!
TIME TO PRACTICE!!
Let's make it a game, I'll start....
I write a sentence with a number next to a word:
Yesterday, I passed my (0) exams.
You need to ask about the word next to the number:
(0) What did you pass yesterday? Answer: my exams.
Now you need to write your sentence (with number (1) next to the word...)
You can play all you want! (believe me, it's good practice...)
I will moderate and correct if necessary....
So...
I need a (1) back massage.
.
.
.
