How Questions Game- Good and Bad

A LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS

Good and bad small talk questions with how review.

By: Alex Case

Level: All Levels

Theme: General

Study Area: Questions

Download Lesson Plan (PDF) 289 KB

Page: /

Lesson Plan Content:

Good and bad how questions game

In groups of two or three, have real conversations using “How…?” questions and responses like those below, avoiding unsuitable conversations by thinking carefully about:

When you are speaking
Your relationship (and so how personal you can be)
What you already know about your partner
What questions and responses are rarely suitable or never suitable

You can’t repeat questions that you or other people have used (or use just “How about you?”/ “And you?” to do that), but try to make the next question or topic similar if you can to make the conversation go smoothly. You can also ask extra follow-up questions like “Why…?” if you like.

Ask about any questions or responses below which you don’t know how to use and/ or don’t know how to respond to.

Underline questions and responses which are rarely suitable/ which you should be careful about using.

Compare with the ones in bold below. Other answers are possible, so check if you highlighted different things.

Find questions and responses which have (basically) the same meanings.

Compare with the suggested answers below. All others probably have different meanings, so check that you understand the differences.

Possible small talk questions with how (including probably unsuitable questions)

How are things?
How are you coping with…?/ How are you dealing with…?
How are you doing?
How are you feeling?
How are you getting on with…?
How are you?
(But) how are you really?
How did… go?/ How did you get on with…?/ How did… react to…?
How has your day been (so far)?
How has your trip/ visit/ stay been (so far)?
How has your week been (so far)?
How have you been (since we last met)?
How is working in/ for (name of a company/ division/ department/ section/ team/…)?
How is working under (name of a boss)?
How is working with (name of a colleague)?
How was (name of place)?
How was the party (last night)?
How was the traffic (coming from…/ this morning/ on… road)?
How was your bank holiday/ public holiday?
How was your date?
How was your day off?
How was your evening?
How was your flight?
How was your (summer/ Xmas/ New Year/ Easter) break/ holiday/ vacation?
How was your journey?
How was your lunch/ dinner/ meal?
How was your trip?
How was your week?
How was your weekend?
How was…?
How’s (name)?
How’s business?
How’s it going?
How’s life?/ How’s life treating you?
How’s married life?
How’s the weather now/ outside now/ in…/ where you are/ over there?
How’s work?
How’s your boyfriend/ girlfriend/ husband/ wife/ partner/…?
How’s your cold?
How’s your daughter/ son getting on at university?/ How’s… getting on with/ at/ in…?
How’s your diet going?
How’s your family?/ How are your family?
How’s your hangover?
How’s your hotel?
How’s your leg (recovering)?/ How’s your… (recovering)?
How’s your love life?
How’s your new office/ desk/ job/ position/ flat/…?
How’s your project going?/ How’s…. going?
How’s your (football) team doing?/ How’s your team getting on?
I heard that you… How was it?/ How was the weather?/ How did you get on?/ How…?
You said that you were going to… How was it?

Possible responses (including probably unsuitable responses)

A nightmare/ An absolute nightmare

Absolutely hectic

Absolutely terrible

Absolutely wonderful

Actually, I can’t remember

Alright

Amazing/ Superb

Awful

Can’t complain/ I can’t complain

Don’t ask!

Excellent

Fairly busy

Fabulous/ Fantastic

Hmmm okay I guess

I don’t want to talk about it

I’d rather not say, if you don’t mind

I’d rather not say

I’m perfect

Mind your own business

Mustn’t grumble

Never you mind

(That’s) none of your business

Not bad

Not so busy

Not so good

Not so great

Nothing special

Okay

Really good

Really busy

Really great

Really relaxing

Same ole same ole

So stressful

So-so

Very productive

You don’t want to know!

I……………

(How about you?)

(What about you?)

(And you?)

…….…?