Teaching English by the BBC: Tag Questions & Intonation

Details

Activity Description

This site has printable resources and materials for communicative exercises for students to practice using tag questions with rising intonation, when they are not sure that their ideas are correct to confirm that they are. Worksheets are included.

Preparation

1. Print and photocopy Worksheet A [pdf] (which consist of "getting to know you" questions with tags) and Worksheet B [pdf] (which are the same questions without the tags).
2. Review tag questions and how to politely confirm or deny the accuracy of a statement that contains a tag question.

How-To

1. Students prepare a series of statements about a classmate. (Beginning students use worksheet A; Intermediate students use Worksheet B)
2. Teacher will model intonation patterns to make sure students get it.
3. Students use rising intonation to confirm their answers with their classmate.
4. The classmate politely confirms or denies the accuracy of each statement.

More Ways

• You can also encourage learners to use the falling form of intonation if they are absolutely sure of the information they have about their classmate.
• If you have a microphone available, students could record their statements using a free program like Audacity . Then students could listen to their own intonation to see if it matches what the teacher has done.

Program Areas

• ESL: English as a Second Language

Levels

• Beginning High
• Intermediate Low
• Intermediate High

Tags