Sample Direct English Questions
superlatives
Adjectives of one syllable or two syllables ending in Y.
Remember: we make a comparative by adding the letters - er to adjective.
We make a superlative with the and by adding the letters - est to an adjective.
the + adjective - est
adjective - London is big.
comparative - London is bigger than Paris.
superlative - London is the biggest city in Europe.
adjective - My grandmother is old.
comparative - My grandmother is older than me.
superlative - My grandmother is the oldest person in my family.
Q. What is the biggest city in your country?
Q. Is it the capital?
Q. Who is the tallest person in your family?
Q. Which house is the nearest station to :
a. your house? b. this school?
n. the world n. continent
There are six continents in the world.
Asia Europe North America
South America Africa Australasia
Q. How many continents are there in the world?
Q. Which continent are you from?
Q. What is the biggest country in the world?
Q. What is the longest river:
a. in your country? b. in the world?
Q. What is the highest mountain:
a. in your country? b. in the world?
Here are some more irregular verb forms.
present past past participle
give gave given
run ran run
bring brought brought
take took taken
n. gerund (1)
The gerund is a verb + ing
eg. doing, having, asking, using, eating, drinking, being
We sometimes use the gerund after verbs.
v. to like + gerund v. to prefer + gerund
We use the gerund after the verb ‘to like’ and the verb ‘to prefer’.
eg. I like drinking wine but I prefer drinking beer.
I don’t like watching television in the morning. I prefer listening to the radio.
!! These sentences are NOT present continuous but they are present simple + gerund.
Q. Do you like reading letters from your friends?
Q. Do you prefer reading or writing letters?
Q. Do you read magazines a lot?
Q. What magazines do you like reading?
Q. Do you prefer studying or watching television?
Q. Do you like going to the cinema with your friends?
Q. What do you like doing on Sundays?
Q. Does he/she like studying English? – Ask.
v. to sing v. to dance (to music)
n. a song
Q. Do you like dancing?
Q. What kind of music do you like dancing to?
Q. Do you like singing?
Q. Do you ever sing in the bath?
Q. What is your favourite song at the moment?
Q. Do you ever dance in the evening?
adv. often
eg. I often go to the cinema.
I usually go to the cinema on Saturday afternoons.
Q. Do you often go to the cinema?
Q. Do you often go to the pub after school?
Q. What so you usually drink?
v. to sit v. to stand
Q. Are you sitting or standing?
Q. Am I sitting or standing?
Q. Where are you sitting?
Q. Who is sitting between (student name) and (student name)?
present simple and present continuous
The present simple and the present continuous are different.
We use the present simple for an action we do generally.
eg. I drink tea in the morning.
We use the present continuous for an action we are doing now.
eg. I am sitting on the chair.
I am not using a computer now, but I use a computer at home.
I am not watching television now, but I usually watch television in the evening.
Q. Are you listening to the radio?
Q. Do you ever listen to the radio?
Q. Are you watching TV?
Q. Do you ever watch TV in the evenings?
Q. Are you drinking coffee?
Q. Do you drink coffee for breakfast?
Q. Is he using a computer?
Q. What does he use in the classroom?
Q. Are you speaking (student’s language)?
Q. Do you speak (student’s language)?
Q. Listen to these sentences – are they ‘simple’ or ‘continuous’:
I am speaking to you.
I speak English.
I watch television in the evening.
They are listening to me.
I am eating bread.
I eat breakfast in the morning.
Q. When do we use the present simple?
A. We use the present simple for an action we do generally.
Q. Say a sentence in the present simple.
Q. When so we use the present continuous?
A. We use the present continuous for an action we are doing now?
Q. Say a sentence in the present continuous.
* * *
Q. Did I use the board yesterday?
Q. Did you play sport at school?
negative answers in the past
To make a negative answer in the past we use did not …
eg. Q. Did you watch television last night?
NB. The contraction of did not is didn’t.
Q. Did you play cricket at school?
Q. Did you work last Sunday?
Q. Did you use a computer yesterday?
Q. Did you study Spanish last week?
Q. Make a question using the past simple.
exercise
Write the past tense of these verbs.
present: this week this month this year
past: last week last month last year
last week = the week before this week.
Q. Did you use a pen last week?
Q. Did you enjoy your last holiday?
Q. Did you play any games last week?
Q. Did you work last Sunday?
Q. Did you watch television last night?
* * *
n. temptation v. to tempt
Q. Which of these do you find the most tempting?
Q. If somebody left their wallet next to you, would you be tempted to take it?
Q. Would you actually take it?
Q. Have you ever been tempted into doing something that you regretted later?
Q. In a restaurant, are you often tempted to try new dishes, or do you stick to what you know?
Q. What are the temptations for young people in a big city?
v. to resist phr v. to give in (to something)
adj. irresistible
If you resist temptation, you are able to stop yourself doing what you are tempted to do.
Q. What kind of temptations do you find difficult to resist?
Q. Have you ever given in to temptation to buy something you knew you couldn’t really afford?*
Q. If someone kept asking you out on a date, would you eventually give in?
Q. Is it wrong for governments to give in to terrorists?
Q. What food do you find irrestible?
To resist can also mean to endure something without being damaged or harmed by it.
adj. resistant n. resistance
eg. Many buildings are designed to resist earthquakes.
This new material is flame-resistant.
Q. What kind of plants can resist the extreme conditions of the desert?
Q. In which countries are buildings designed to resist earthquakes?
Q. What common illnesses are resistant to treatment?
Q. What is ‘stainless-steel’ resistant to?
Q. Do you have a watch?
Q. Is it water-resistant?
* * *
Q. Use the map below to answer the following questions:
Q. Give me directions from the school to the British Museum.
Q. Now give me directions from the British Museum to Soho Square.
Q. Give me directions from Leicester Square to Avalon School.
Q. Give me directions to your house from the nearest station.
Phrasal verbs with turn
phr v. turn up = arrive
eg. He turned up late for the interview.
Q. Do you apologise if you turn up late for a lesson?
phr v. turn down = reject
eg. He turned down the job offer.
Q. Have you ever turned down a dinner invitation?
phr v. turn out = how well or badly a situation finishes
eg. It was cloudy in the morning, but turned out to be a nice day.
Q. Did anyone you know at school turn out to be famous?
Q. Have you ever organised a party?
Q. How many people turned up? How did it turn out?
phr v. turn into = change from one thing to another
eg. When the princess kissed the frog, it turned into a handsome prince.
Q. If you could turn into an animal, which would you choose?
Q. What does a caterpillar turn into?
* * *
n. point expr. What’s the point of something /doing something?
The point of something is the reason why it is useful or worth doing.
The question ‘What’s the point of … ?’ is often asked when we don’t think something is worth doing, or we don’t understand the reason why we are doing it.
eg. What’s the point of taking all that luggage? We are only going away for the weekend.
Q. What do you think is the point of recycling paper?
Q. What’s the point of revision?
Q. Do you think there is any point taking French lessons for a weekend in Paris?
Q. Do you think there is any point being a vegetarian?
expr. make a / your point = to give an opinion
expr. prove a / your point = to prove that you are right by showing somebody evidence
Q. Is it sometimes difficult to make your point in a foreign language?
Q. How do you feel when someone won’t let you make your point in an argument?
Q. Do you think that shouting helps you prove your point?
Q. Can you think of a better way?
expr. on the point of doing something = about to do something
expr. get to the point
expr. boiling point / freezing point
Q. How can you keep self-control when you are on the point of losing you temper?
Q. Have you ever been on the point of buying something really expensive and then changed your mind?
Q. What is the boiling point of water?
Q. What is freezing point?
Q. What kind of people often talk for hours without getting to the point?
Q. When would you tell someone to get to the point?
point of view
Your point of view on a subject is you opinion.
Q. What is your point of view on the subject of capital punishment?
Q. If you were running a business, would you listen to your employees’ point of view?
v. to express = to show a feeling, an opinion or a point of view with words, looks or actions.
Q. Is it easier for you to express your point of view in English or your own language?
Q. How do people express:
a. happiness? b. anger? c. pain?