classroom questions 24

• What is your favorite kind of ethnic food?. o What kind of Japanese food do you like?. • Do you like to eat at fast food restaurants?. • What is your favorite fast food restaurant?. •

Conversation Questions Fads and Trends

A Part of Conversation Questions for the ESL Classroom

• What is a fad?

• Do you pay attention to fads?

• What were some fads when you were in high school?

• What were some fads when you were in college?

• What are some fads now?

• Are fads the same as popular culture?

• What are some of the fads in your home country? Are they the same as where you are living now?

• Why do you think people pay attention to fads?

• What fad influence your life the most?

• What portion of the general population do you think creates or follows fads?

• How do fads start and who starts them? Today? In the past?

• What media influences how fads evolve?

• If you wanted to start a trend, how would you go about it?

Conversation Questions

Family

A Part of Conversation Questions for the ESL Classroom

• Are friends more important than family? What do you think?

• Are chores assigned to children in your family?

• Are you married?

• Are you pressured by your family to act in a certain way?

• Are you the oldest among your brothers and sisters?

• Are your parents strict?

• Did you ever meet any of your great grandparents?

• Do you get along well with your family?

o Do you get along well with your brothers and sisters?

o Do you get along well with your in-laws?

• Do you have any brothers or sisters? If so, how old are they?

• Do you have any children? If yes, what are their names and ages?

• Do you have to clean your own room?

o Does your mother make you clean your room?

• Do you like your family? Why or why not?

• Do you live with any of your grandparents?

• Do you live with your parents?

• Do you look more like your mother or your father?

• Do you often argue with your mother or father? What about?

• Do you often visit your grandparents?

• Do you think people should adopt children from other countries?

• Do you usually have any influence on family matters?

• Do your parents let you stay out late?

o What time do you have to be home?

o Do you have a curfew?

• How did you get your name?

o For whom are you named?

o Who are you named after?

• How big is your family?

• How many (first) cousins do you have?

• How many aunts and uncles do you have?

• How many brothers and sisters do you have?

• How many children do you have?

• How many members do you have in your family altogether?

• How many people are in your (immediate) family?

• How many people are in your family?

• How often do you see your cousins?

• How often do you see your grandparents?

• How often is your entire family together?

• How old are your brothers and sisters?

• How old are your children?

• How old are your grandparents?

• How old are your parents?

• Is spanking a good way to discipline children?

• Should people follow the religion of their parents, or should they have the liberty to choose another?

• What are some of your fondest memories of childhood?

• What are your parents like?

• What do you and your family like to do together?

• What do you think of married couples who decide not to have any child?

• What do your mother and father look like? How about your grandparents?

• What do your parents do in their free time?

• What are the occupations of your family members?

o What does your father do? What's his job?

o What does your mother do?

• What is the best memory you have of your family doing something together?

• What kind of things do you do with your family?

• What will you teach your children? (what values, beliefs, hobbies, skills, etc.)

• What would you change about your childhood?

• Where do your grandparents live?

• Where does your father's father live?

• Where does your mother's mother live?

• Who do you get along better with, your mother or your father?

• Who is the black sheep (odd ball) in your family?

• Would you get involved in your in-laws' family problems?

• Would you live with your parents after you get married?

• Should children help with the housework?

o How much or how often should they help?

o What kinds of housework is not appropriate for children to do?

• Do you live in a nuclear family or an extended family?

o What are the advantages and disadvantages of these types of family?

• What impact has divorce and/or modern day living had on the family?

• Is the nanny and/or the day-care centre the third parent?

• Where is the best place to raise a family?

o Where do you think the best place to raise a family is? Why?

• What can make you happy in the long term/ short term? Consider the following: job satisfaction, a loving family, good health, plenty of money, strong religious believes,

• Do you think your parents understand you? Why or why not?

• Who does the household work, your father or your mother or both of them?

• Have you ever seen your mother (or father) cry? When was that and why?

• What do you think of your mother and your father?

• Which do you think is more important: following the dreams your parents want for you or following your own dreams?

• What's the hardest thing you ever had to do?

• What was the most important thing your parents taught you?

• What's the best thing about your mom?

• If you could have a different number of siblings, what would it be?

• Who should take care of old people?

• What is the perfect number of children to have?

• What's the best thing about your grandparents?

• Should parents give their children an allowance?

• How often does your family eat dinner together?

• How should parents discipline their children?

• After you're married, should your parents make decisions for you?

• What's the best thing about your dad?

• Who is the breadwinner in your family?

• How is nudity regarded in your family?

• Describe the perfect family

• Do your parents get along with each other?

• Do your parents trust you?

• If you were offered an excellent job opportunity abroad, would you consider leaving your family for an indefinite period of time?

• Describe a typical family unit and the importance of family in your country

Conversation Questions

Favorites

A Part of Conversation Questions for the ESL Classroom

• What is your favorite animal?

• What is your favorite city in the United States?

• What is your favorite color?

• What is your favorite country? And why?

• What is your favorite day of the week? Why?

• What is your favorite drink in the summer?

• What is your favorite food?

o What is your favorite kind of food?

• What is your favorite holiday? Why?

• What is your favorite kind of book?

• What is your favorite kind of ethnic food?

• What is your favorite kind of movie?

• What is your favorite kind of music?

• What is your favorite magazine?

• What is your favorite memory of childhood?

• What is your favorite movie?

• What is your favorite radio station?

• What is your favorite season? Why?

• What is your favorite sport?

• What is your favorite time of day?

• What is your favorite TV program?

• What is your favorite Web site?

• What is your favorite vegetable? Why

o fruit, meat, salad dressing, etc.)

• What's your favorite smell?

• What's your favorite word in English? Why do you like it?

• Who is your favorite actor?

• Who is your favorite actress?

• Who is your favorite athlete?

o Who is your favorite baseball player?

o Who is your favorite soccer player?

• Who is your favorite character from literature?

• Who is your favorite musician?

• Who is your favorite singer?

• Who is your favorite super-hero? Explain why

• What is your best friend's name?

• Who was your favorite teacher? Why?

o in high school?

o in junior high school?

o in elementary school?

• What was your favorite subject in school?

o in high school?

o in junior high school?

o in elementary school?

• Who was your favorite singer when you were younger? How about now?

o In place of singer: actor, actress, baseball player, athlete,

• Note: Many of the above questions can be changed from "What is" to "What was."

Conversation Questions

Fears

A Part of Conversation Questions for the ESL Classroom

• Are there any parts of the city where you live which you are afraid to visit after dark? Where? Why?

• Are there certain weather conditions that scare people? What are they? Why do people become scared?

• Are you afraid of flying?

o (Are you afraid to fly in an airplane?)

• Are you afraid of ghosts?

• Are you afraid of giving a speech in public?

o (Does it scare you to speak in public?)

• Are you afraid of going to the dentist?

• Are you afraid of heights?

• Are you afraid of scary movies?

• Are you afraid of the dark?

• Are you afraid to die? Why?

• Are you afraid of getting old? Why?

• Are there any numbers that people are afraid of in your culture?

• Do you fear certain insects/animals? Why?

• Do you know anyone with a phobia?

• Do you like horror movies?

• Do you think young children should be allowed to watch horror movies?

• How do you react when you see something frightening?

• Is there any person you are afraid of?

• Were you afraid of the dark as a child?

• Were you afraid on your first day of school here in the United States? How do you feel now?

• What animal do you think is the most scary?

o (What animal scares you the most?)

• What are some things which many people are afraid of? Why are they afraid of them?

• What is the scariest movie you have ever seen?

• What is your biggest fear in life? Are you afraid that it might come true?

• What kinds of things make you nervous?

• What was the most frightening experience you've had?

• When you were a child, what things were you afraid of?

• Do you ever have nightmares (bad dreams)?

o What are they about?

o How often do you have nightmares?

• Have you ever seen any TV shows where people face their fears for money? e.g Fear Factor etc.?

o Would you ever face one of your fears for money?

o Do you find this kind of show interesting to watch?

• What is your biggest fear?

• Have you overcome any of your fears?

• Are you afraid of being ill? What disease are you most afraid of? Why?

• Do you believe people can be cured of phobias by hypnosis?

Conversation Questions

Feelings

A Part of Conversation Questions for the ESL Classroom

• Are you annoyed when your partner/husband/wife flirts with someone else ?

• Do bad mannered people upset you?

• Do you get angry when politicians make promises they can't keep?

• Do you get angry when you watch the news on TV and see all the terrible things happening

in the world?

• Does it annoy you when shop assistants try to sell you things you don't need?

• Does it annoy you when someone interrupts you when you are speaking?

• Does it annoy you when someone knows everything better than you and says so?

• Does it annoy you when you are waiting in a long queue and someone pushes in front of you?

• Does it annoy you when your teacher speaks too quickly?

• Does it drive you crazy to always see the same faces and read about the same celebrities in the gossip columns?

• Does it drive you crazy when waiters ignore you?

• Does it drive you crazy when you have invited people to dinner and they come late and the meal is spoiled?

• Does it make you angry when motorists drive too closely behind you?

• Does it make you angry when people make nasty comments about you ?

• Does it make you angry when you have made an appointment to see the doctor at a certain time and he/she keeps you waiting for ages ?

• Does it upset or annoy you when a beggar asks you for money?

• Does it upset you when have to say "No" when someone asks you for help?

• Does it upset you when you see homeless people?

• Does it upset you when you see people hitting children or dogs?

• Does it upset you when you see pictures of famines in India, Africa etc.?

Conversation Questions Food & Eating

A Part of Conversation Questions for the ESL Classroom There is a related set of questions at http://iteslj.org/questions/restaurants.html

Related: Restaurants, Fruits and Vegetables

• About how many different color foods did you eat for dinner last night?

o Do you think about color when you are preparing a meal?

• Are there any foods that you wouldn't eat as a child that you eat now?

• Are you a good cook?

• Are you a vegetarian?

• Are you concerned about your daily calorie intake when choosing something to eat?

• At what times do you usually eat your meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)?

• Can you cook well?

• Did you drink coffee this morning?

• Did you eat lunch today?

• Do you always eat dinner with your family?

• Do you always eat vegetables?

• Do you cook? If yes, what food do you cook the most often?

• Do you drink milk every day?

• Do you drink tea every day?

• Do you eat beef?

• Do you eat bread every day?

• Do you eat breakfast every day?

• Do you eat fruit every day?

• Do you eat lunch at school every day?

o How much does lunch usually cost at school?

• Do you eat rice every day?

• Do you ever skip breakfast? If so, how often and why?

• Do you have a favorite bar or cafe? If so, where is it? Why do you like it?

• Do you have coffee for breakfast?

• Do you know someone who struggles with an eating disorder?

• Do you like British food?

• Do you like Chinese food? Why or why not?

• Do you like deep-fried food?

• Do you like food from other countries? If yes, which do you like the most?

• Do you like Japanese food?

o What kind of Japanese food do you like?

• Do you like peas and carrots? How about spinach?

• Do you like to cook? Why or why not?

• Do you like to eat a lot of food every day?

• Do you like to eat American foods?

• Do you like to eat at fast food restaurants?

• Do you like to eat cakes?

• Do you like to eat junk food?

• Do you like to eat some desserts after dinner?

• Do you like to eat? Why or why not?

• Do you like to have breakfast each morning? Why or why not?

• Do you like to try new food and drinks?

• Do you often eat out?

• Do you prefer fish or meat?

• Do you prefer to eat at a restaurant or at home?

• Do you prefer your own country's food or other kinds of food?

• Do you read the nutritional information on the foods you buy?

• Do you take vitamin pills?

• Do you think a vegetarian diet is better than a diet that includes meat?

• Do you think fast food, soda and sweets should be sold in school cafeterias?

• Do you usually want to eat dessert after dinner?

• Have you ever been a diet? If so, how long did you stayed on it?

• Have you ever eaten dog meat?

• Have you ever eaten Mozambican food?

o French food?

o Chinese food?

o Italian food?

• How long do you take to eat lunch?

• How many calories do most people need every day?

• How many meals do you usually eat every day?

• How much do you eat when you are sad or happy?

• How much does it cost to eat dinner at a hotel in your country?

• How much rice do you eat?

• How often do you eat at a fast-food restaurant?

• How often do you eat bread?

• How often do you eat fresh fruit?

• How often do you eat in a restaurant? (How often do you eat out?)

o Where do you usually go?

o Who do you usually go with?

o About how much do you spend?

o Do you ever go to an Indian restaurant?

• How often do you eat steak?

• How often do you go drinking? What's your favorite drink?

• How often do you go shopping for food?

• If you are living abroad, what is the food that you miss most from home?

• Is there any food that you really dislike to eat?

• What are some foods that are considered unhealthy?

• What are some foods that you know are healthy for your body?

• What country's food do you like the most?

• What did you eat for lunch yesterday?

• What did you eat the last time you ate at a restaurant?

• What did you have for breakfast this morning?

• What did you have for supper last night?

• What do you eat for breakfast every day?

• What do you eat when you feel sad?

• What do you like to drink?

• What do you like to eat for your dinner?

• What do you think of Thai food? Chinese food? English food?

• What do you usually eat for lunch?

• What do you usually like to drink when you go out?

• What food can you cook the best?

• What food do you hate? Why do you hate it?

• What foods do you hate?

• What foods do you love?

• What foods have you tasted which you will never forget for the rest of your life?

• What fruit do you eat the most often?

• What have you eaten so far today?

• What is a typical meal from your country?

• What is one of your favorite foods?

• What is the cheapest place to eat that you know?

o About how much is a meal?

o Where is it?

o How often do you go there?

• What is the food you like about your country

• What is the last meal you cooked for someone else?

• What is the most expensive meal you have ever eaten?

• What is the most expensive restaurant that you have ever been to?

o What did you eat there?

o When did you go?

o Who did you go with?

• What is the most unusual thing you've ever eaten Did it taste good or bad?

• What is the strangest thing you have ever eaten?

• What is your favorite food?

o Please describe your favorite food

• What is your favorite Chinese food?

o French food?

o etc

• What is your favorite dessert?

• What is your favorite fast food restaurant?

• What is your opinion of Chinese food? American food? British food?

• What kind of beverages do you usually drink?

• What kind of desserts do you like to eat?

• What kind of food do like to eat when you are angry?

• What kind of food do you eat between meals?

• What kind of food do you like the most?

• What kind of food do you like to eat?

o What kind of food do you like?

• What kind of food does your mother make?

• What kind of food that you think is the least healthy?

• What kind of food that you think is the most healthy?

• What kind of food you usually eat?

• What kind of fruit do you like the best?

• What kind of restaurants you like?

• What kind of vegetables do you like?

• What kinds of food do you usually eat for lunch?

• What Korean food do you like?

o Chinese, French, Italian, etc

• What restaurant in this city do you recommend?

o Why is it a good place?

o About how much does a meal cost?

• What special foods do you eat on holidays? (Christmas, New Year's Day, etc.)

• What time do you usually eat breakfast? How about lunch and supper?

• What vegetable do you like best?

• What's the best restaurant you've ever been to?

• What's the best restaurant you've ever been to? Why did you like it?

• What's the strangest food you've ever eaten?

• What's your favorite dessert?

• What's your favorite drink in the summer?

• What's your favorite fish?

• What's your favorite food?

• What's your favorite fruit?

• What's your favorite junk food?

• What's your favorite kind of ethnic food?

• What's your favorite kind of food?

• What's your favorite kind of meat?

• What's your favorite restaurant? Why do you like it?

• What's your favorite snack?

• When was the last time you ate at a restaurant?

• When was the last time you ate dinner with your mother?

• Where do you usually eat dinner? ( lunch, breakfast)

• Which country's food do you like the most?

• Which do you eat more often, rice or bread?

• Which fast food restaurants do like?

• Which fast food restaurants do you eat at the most often?

• Who do you usually eat dinner with?

• Why are diets usually short?

• Why can't people stop eating?

• Why do you think obesity is becoming such a problem in the United States and throughout the world?

• What do Chinese people eat for lunch?

o (Substitute the nationality of your students.)

• Do you know the nutritional value of the things you eat every day?

• Do you believe that "we are what we eat?"

• How many meals a day do you think should be eaten?

• Do you usually eat at home or eat at a restaurant?

• Can you name a spice or flavoring that is good for your health?

• If you were on death row, what would you request for your last meal?

• Do you pray before each meal?

• Have you ever eaten something that made you ill?

• How many calories are in one hamburger?

o If you don't know, can you make a guess? Is it more or less than an ice-cream cone?

• Have you ever had pot-luck?

• Have you ever tasted African food?

• Does your family have any special recipes that are passed down from generation to

generation?

• What would you bring to a pot-luck lunch?

• Do you like brunch?

• How much should you tip the server in a restaurant?

• What type of restaurants would you not tip in?

• Have you ever found something disgusting in your food?

• Have you ever sent food back in a restaurant?

• Have you ever left a restaurant without paying ("dined and dashed")?

• Do you like trying new foods?

• What new foods have you tried this month?

• What is the strangest food you have ever tried?

• Do you have any food allergies?

• Which food from this country do you like the least?

• What do you think about super-sizing?

• Should fast food restaurants serve healthier food?

• Are food portions too big for our health?

• What food would you like to see in a restaurant in this country?

• Do you think it is good to count calories when you are eating?

• Which food is overpriced?

• What differences do you notice in the preparation of American/British/Australian and Chinese/Japanese/Korean foods?

• Do the utensils we use to eat affect the kind or way we prepare the foods we eat?

• Do you think that food defines a culture? If so, how?

• Do you notice any differences in the way food is served at the table when you travel?

• Do you enjoy eating intestines? (Substitute in other foods that students are not likely to enjoy.)

• How does the etiquette of eating together in your country differ from other countries?

• Are there any foods that bring back special memories for you? What are they?

• Pizza