Task C4 on the exam in English. How are questions structured in English? Task c4 exam English

English tutor m Otradnoye analyzes in detail task C5 of the oral part of the new demo version of the exam in English 2017. With us, you will pass the speaking of the exam well.

1 General remarks

If you ask yourself who, in the first place, the USE in English is designed for in its current form, the answer is obvious: a very average student. This follows from the rigidity of the framework, from the formality of the criteria for evaluating the answer, and from many other features.

What should a weak student do in such a situation? Standardize as much as possible, that is, have most of the answer ready, and almost never change it.

The problem is that a strong student needs to do the same. To paraphrase a well-known saying about the Russian parliament, we can say that the classroom for passing the exam in English is not a place to demonstrate your knowledge of the English language. You must demonstrate understanding of the criteria and compliance with them.

2 Photo selection

The choice of photography, as we all understand, is a critical moment that determines the success rate of 60-70%. Not only do you have to quickly decide what is easier to describe, but the main points of your description must come together with the choice.

As an example, consider the latest demo version of the USE 2017.

My selection is usually based on the following criteria.

2.1 Be sure to take photos with people, but it is desirable that there be 1-2 of them, and not many.

By this criterion, I would immediately exclude photo 2, and would choose from 1 and 3.

2.2 A person or two or three people must do something simple, not allowing double and complex interpretation.

Photo 1 is suitable - running. In second place in this sense is photo 2 - they are watching a movie. But it’s hard to explain right away why there’s no one else in the hall. Photo 3 also satisfies this criterion - the guy works as a waiter. But it's hard to explain exactly where.

Photo 3 is very attractive, but I do not fully understand what is happening there. Whether it is volunteers - and not everyone knows this word, although it is simple. If this is a school practice, then it is not entirely clear what kind of place and what kind of event.

2.3 The photo should be easy to describe.

In this sense, as a rule, nature is lighter than the interior.

In both cases, colors can always be described. But in the case of nature, the set of words is much simpler - trees, mountain, sea, ocean, river, lake, road, house(s) ... Plus, you can always say something about the weather.

My choice would be photo 1 - the most banal of all and the easiest to describe. I definitely will not be at a loss in describing a forest or a park, a summer day, etc.

Our goal is to get 3 points, that is, the maximum, according to the criterion "Solution of a communicative problem." We read the description of what 3 points are given for:

The communicative task was completed in full: the content fully, accurately and extensively reflects all the aspects indicated in the task (12-15 phrases)

We translate from the linguo-clerk into Russian:

1. Say one to three sentences for each item in the plan.
2. Say exactly in the order in which these items follow in the plan.
3. Say 12-15 sentences.

Here is our plan, it is always under the photo in the task:

You will have to start speaking in 1.5 minutes and will speak for not more than 2 minutes (12-15 sentences). In your talk remember to speak about:

Where and when the photo was taken

What/who is in the photo

What is happening

Why do you keep the photo in your album

Why did you decide to show the picture to your friend

You have to talk continuously, starting with: "I"ve chosen photo number ..."

3 Case study

So, we took photo 1. (In brackets after each sentence - the counter of the number of proposals with comments)

Picture 1

I've chosen picture number 1(0 - this phrase is not taken into account by the expert when calculating the total number of phrases) [In square brackets - advanced option]

As you know, I "m a keen photographer, and I take my camera with me wherever I go.(1 - Opening phrase)

I took this photo last summer during my school holidays(2 - where and when the photo was taken)

This photo was taken in the park next to my cousin's house. (3- where and when the photo was taken)

I came to visit my cousin and her family, . In the photo you can see my cousin.(4.5 - what/who is in the photo)

She is good at sports and often takes part in different competitions. In the picture she is having a morning run in the park. In the background you can see some trees. The day is beautiful, and the picture is full of sunlight.(6,7,8,9 - what is happening)

I keep this photo in my album because it brings good memories. I like my cousin very much, and we are good friends. I miss her and when I look at this photo I remember our time together .(10, 11, 12 - why do you keep the photo in your album)

I decided to show this picture to you because I've always wanted you to meet my cousin. Next summer I'm going to her/Smolensk again.(13.14 you decided to show the picture to your friend)

Why don't you join me?(15 - final phrase)

That's all I wanted to tell you.(16 - obligatory final phrase)

Our task is completed - for such an answer we will get the maximum.

4 Criteria for evaluation by experts

Be sure to look at the end of the demo and read the evaluation criteria. We strive for the maximum, so I give only those for which the maximum number of points is put.

4.1 Solving the communicative task

The text of the criterion is given above. The main thing is that we reflected all the points, and said the required 15 phrases. We get 3 points, that is, the maximum.

4.2 Organization of the utterance.

This is the second main criterion.

The statement is logical and has a complete character; there are introductory and concluding phrases corresponding to the theme. The means of logical connection are used correctly.

The first phrase actually repeats the next two. If the means of logical connection are used correctly, then in order for the statement not to be logical, the arguments themselves must be taken from the work of Eugène Ionesco, one of the founders of absurdism.

Let us single out the main thing in this criterion, simultaneously translating from the linguo-clerical:

1. There must be an explicit opening and closing phrase
2. We must not break the order of the points: first where and when, and only then who. And then strictly according to plan. Since the plan says cast iron, it means that there will be cast iron.
3. We certainly have means of logical connection. This is a double use of because. Even weak learners do not make mistakes in using because. In addition, we have a trump card in the form of as you know in the introduction phrase. Should I use something else? Definitely - no. Yes, and in terms of time, our performance is at 1’25 "", if not back to back.

With all their desire, they will not be able to find fault. But I assure you, the experts have little desire to quibble. The most reasonable thing is to consider them neutral. They will not drown, but they will not pull anyone either.

But there is no need to pull us, we pulled ourselves out - 2 points, that is, the maximum.

4.3 Language design of the statement

The used vocabulary, grammatical structures, phonetic design of the statement correspond to the task (no more than two non-rough lexico-grammatical errors AND/OR no more than two non-rough phonetic errors are allowed).

The only thing I did not understand from the already quite extensive communication with experts is how they use AND / OR. Unfortunately, they do it simply - they treat it at the maximum level of rigor, always choosing OR. Thus, we can only make a mistake twice.

We must try not to make mistakes, but in such a way that it does not put pressure psychologically, so that, God forbid, we do not get squeezed. And play it safe: if you're not 100% sure of a word or grammatical structure, don't use it.

There are no grammatical errors in our text, it remains to say it correctly. It is not too complicated, I would even say simple, and it is generally difficult to make a mistake in it. So - 2 points and 7 points in the end, that is, the maximum.

5 How to prepare

The principle is simple - as soon as you have difficulty saying it from a sheet, take paper and write.

The algorithm of actions does not change whether you say or write:

1 Quick selection of a photo according to the criteria of point 2

As a result of the choice, you should have a short chain of main points in your head, such as: cousin - good at sports - running / training in the park - next to her house

2 Maximum standard

- introductory and final phrase, in general, everything that is possible should be standard. At the same time, you should not chatter and give the expert the impression that you know your performance by heart. Even if suddenly you know everything by heart, give the impression that this is not so.

Let's see how much standard is in our answer:

I've chosen picture number…
As you know, I "m a keen photographer, and I take my camera with me wherever I go. I took this photo last summer during my school holidays
The day is beautiful, and the picture is full of sunlight.
I keep this photo in my album because it brings good memories. I like my (….) very much, and we are good friends. I miss her and when I look at this photo I remember our time together
I decided to show this picture to you because I've always wanted you to meet (…..) Next summer I'm going to (…..) again.
Why don't you join me?
That's all I wanted to tell you.

There are 112 words in this passage. Our full text has 177 words if we omit everything in square brackets, and 193 if we use everything in square brackets.

Thus, in our text 112/177 = 63% of the standard, that is, learned by heart in advance, in a simple version. In the advanced version, we have 112/193=58% of the standard.

The ratio 193/177=1.09 shows the degree of freedom of your creativity in this task. ten%.

6 Conclusion

I wanted to show two things - that task C3 leaves you with very little freedom, and that you should not be afraid of it.

Any average student can get the maximum, or near the maximum, if he strictly follows my recommendations.

Be creative - change my advice specifically for yourself.

While training, record yourself on your smartphone voice recorder and do not forget about the noise problem, which I wrote about in the article How to prepare for the oral part of the Unified State Examination in English 2017.

In the following articles of the cycle, I will consider photos that are inconvenient for describing:

Speaking Unified State Examination 2017 - (С5 -44) - uncomfortable photos II

Description of the presentation on individual slides:

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conditional dialogue-questioning with verbal and visual support the proposed communicative situation makes it authentic and communicative 5 direct questions on the indicated points Task 2 of the basic level

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Indirect questions consist of two parts: main and secondary. I want to know the price of training for three months? Such questions are not accepted. Direct questions: What is the price of training for three months? Direct and indirect questions

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1. Request for information in accordance with the communicative setting knowledge of words, understanding of what needs to be asked 2. Correct grammatical form of a direct question type of question; word order in the question; the form of the verb in the required aspect tense and voice; 3. Language means of formulating a question - a variety of vocabulary corresponding to the proposed situation; intonation corresponding to the selected question type. 4. Time allotted to complete the task 1.5 minutes to prepare 20 seconds to ask a question What is needed to complete the task 2

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Description of the slide:

Criteria for evaluating the task 2 1 0 Questions 1–5 The content of the question corresponds to the task; has the correct grammatical form of a direct question; possible phonetic and lexical errors do not impede perception The question is not asked, or the question asked does not correspond to the task in terms of content AND / OR does not have the correct grammatical form of the direct question AND / OR phonetic and lexical errors hinder communication

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Description of the slide:

Request for information in accordance with the communicative setting. What do the words in the first column mean? Match the two columns. duration of the session a) the outdoor activities which are included academic schedule b) money that you pay for being taught recreational activities c) the amount of time that the session lasts tuition payment d) the subjects which are available to learn 1. if there are discounts A. duration 2. necessity to book in advance B. cost of the ticket 3. payment options C. if pre-booking is essential 4. ticket price D. possibility to pay online 5. length of the show E. availability of price reduction 2. What question word? 1.place/location How many? 2.time How much? 3.number? Where? 4.duration/length Is/Are there? 5.price When? 6. Availability How long? Preparing for task 2

Description of the slide:

Type of question General questions Is it possible to buy tickets online? Do the buses run frequently? Can I buy a ticket online? Special questions What time do tours start? How long does the tour last? When does the tour begin? Tense and Voice What activities are available? (Present Simple) What activities are offered? (Present Simple Passive) What activities will we take part in? (Future Simple) What activities will be offered? (Future Simple Passive) Preparation for task 2. 2. The grammatical form of a direct question

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Description of the slide:

price How much is the ticket? How much does the ticket cost? What is the price of the ticket? discounts for students Do you give/provide/offer a discount for students? Can I get a discount if I am a student? Can I buy a ticket at a reduced price? 3. Language tools for the question Breakfast Is breakfast included I the package? The breakfast is included, isn't it?

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In this task, you need to ask 5 direct questions. To successfully complete this task, we recommend that you follow these guidelines. During the preparation of the task, carefully read the instructions for the task; make sure you understand exactly what you need to ask in each question; decide what type of question (general or specific) to ask in each case; formulate questions, observing the word order characteristic of each type of question; remember that the task preparation time is limited to 1.5 minutes. During the task, formulate questions, paying attention to the word order of the interrogative sentence; pronounce interrogative sentences with the correct intonation; use a variety of vocabulary appropriate to the proposed situation; remember you have 20 seconds to ask each question. Memo: How to complete task 2.

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Study the advertisement You are considering visiting the city and now you "d like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out the following: 1) dates for departures 2) hotel facilities 3) if breakfast is included 4) number of city tours 5) discounts You have 20 seconds to ask each question.

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1)When does the trip start? 2) What facilities does the hotel provide/have? 3) Is breakfast included in the package? 4) How many city tours are available? 5)Do you suggest any discounts? You could ask the following questions:

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Study the advertisement. You are considering staying one week at the resort and you"d like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out the following: 1) discounts for regular customers 2) special offers 3) entertainment program 4 ) multilingual staff 5) if you can pay with a credit card You have 20 seconds to ask each question.

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Description of the slide:

You are considering visiting the tattoo shop and you"d like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out the following: 1) location of the shop 2) if they have discount cards 3) working hours 4) house call service 5) most popular tattoos among clients You have 20 seconds to ask each question.

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Description of the slide:

You are considering buying a laptop and you "d like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out the following: 1) if you can get a discount card 2) full characteristics of the device 3) warranty period 4) advantages of the device 5) if they take credit cards You have 20 seconds to ask each question.

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Description of the slide:

Questions must be grammatically correct. Avoid unnecessary pauses in speech. Place the accents correctly. Use intonation correctly. Do not violate the rules of pronunciation of words. Remember, you have 20 seconds to ask each question. Remember!

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One of the tasks of the exam in English involves the ability to ask direct questions based on key words and phrases. Here are ready-made sample questions based on the open database of tasks of the Federal Institute for Pedagogical Measurements (Fipi).

In this type of task, you are presented with a situation (you are about to enroll in a dance school or a language course; you are going to travel abroad; you intend to purchase some product, etc.). In this situation, you would like to clarify a few questions for yourself and get additional information. And so you allegedly call the company you are interested in and ask them questions.

In the task, you are offered five key words or phrases, on the basis of which you must ask questions. If, for example, you see the word price, then the question should be about the price of a product or service. If you come across the word location, then you should ask a question about the location of the company.

Practice asking direct questions

Task 1 for direct questions

Task Answer

You are going to study abroad for three months and want to find a swimming pool you could attend. You'd like to get more information about this swimming pool. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five questions to find out the following:

1) location of the swimming pool
2) opening hours
3) sauna availability
4) price for 3 months
5) discounts for students

Task 2 for direct questions

Task Answer

You are going to visit Japan this summer and you’d like to have more information about the flights to Japan. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five questions to find out the following:

1) departure dates
2) travel time
3) return ticket price
4) discounts for students
5) buying the ticket online

Task Answer

You are considering starting breakdance lessons and now you'd like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out about the following:

1) training fee
2) course location
3) duration of the course
4) special clothes
5) evening classes

Task 4 for direct questions

Task Answer

You are considering buying the book and now you'd like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out about the following:

1) if it's a paperback edition
2) number of illustrations
3) vegetarian dishes
4) price
5) audio version of the book

Task 5 for direct questions

Task Answer

You are considering going on this sightseeing tour and now you'd like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out the following:

1) duration of the tour
2) starting point
3) number of bridges you'll visit
4) the price for a group of 10
5) discounts for students

Task 6 for direct questions

Task Answer

You are considering buying the appliance and now you'd like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out about the following:

1) price
2) if one can buy it online
3) number of functions
4) guarantee period
5) recipe book to go with the unit

Task 7 for direct questions

Task Answer

You are considering visiting the fitness club and now you'd like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out about the following:

1) location
2) opening hours
3) price of the season ticket
4) if individual sessions are possible
5) swimming pool

Task 8 for direct questions

Task Answer

You are considering buying some flowers and now you'd like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out about the following:

1) location
2) opening hours
3) kinds of flowers in stock
4) if they sell pot plants
5) discounts for big orders

Task 9 for direct questions

Task Answer

You are considering going on a Hot Air Balloon Ride in Russia, in the suburbs of St. Petersburg, and now you'd like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out about the following:

1) age restriction
2) range of destinations
3) working hours
4) duration of the ride
5) cost of an individual ride

1) Is there a minimum or a maximum age restriction for this tour/ride/flight? how old
must I be to take a hot air balloon ride?
2) Where can I go? / What destinations are available?
3) What are the working hours?
4) How long is the ride/flight? / How long does the ride/fl ight last? / What is the
minimum/maximum duration of the ride/fl ight?
5) How much does the individual tour/ride cost? / How much should I pay for the individual tour/ride?

Task 10 for direct questions

Task Answer

You are considering having a holiday in Dover and now you'd like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out about the following:

1) transference
2) accomodation
3) price for a week for one
4) group discounts
5) excursions

Task 11 for direct questions

Task Answer

You have to buy online a book by one of the following writers (left to the right): Mark Twain, Edgar Allan Poe, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway and you’d like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out about the following:

1) availability of books
2) price of a book
3) delivery time
4) cost of delivery
5) payment options

1) What books are available?
2) How much is one book?
3) What is the delivery time?
4) How much does the delivery cost?
5) What payment options do you provide?

Task 12 for direct questions

Task Answer

You are considering taking up an English course in order to improve your language skills and you found an advertisement on the internet and now you’d like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out about the following:

1) location
2) duration of an intermediate course
3) number of students in a group
4) training fee
5) Discounts

Task 13 for direct questions

Task Answer

In the shop window of a clothes shop you saw an advertisement for a vacancy and now you'd like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out about the following:

1) vacancies for teens
2) experience
3) probation period
4) working hours
5) salary

Task 14 for direct questions

Task Answer

You have are considering to visit a new shopping center and you'd like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out about the following:

1) opening hours
2) location
3) loyalty cards
4) parking options
5) toy shops

Task 15 for direct questions

Task Answer

You are considering planting a tree in order to help to save the environment and now you'd like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out about the following:

1) location
2) things to bring
3) timing
4) price for participating
5) Discounts

Task 16 for direct questions

Task Answer

You are considering taking part in a volunteer program abroad and now you’d like to get more information. In 1.5 minutes you are to ask five direct questions to find out about the following:

1) age restriction
2) types of programs available
3) range of destinations
4) duration of placements
5) cost of a two-week course

The fourth and last task from the oral part of the exam in English is considered the most difficult - in it you need to compare two pictures, talking about each of them and noting their similarities / differences, after which you need to say which one you like more and why. You can get 7 points for it.

Theory for task No. 44 USE in English

Let's take a look at the job evaluation criteria:

Solving a communicative problem

3 points are given if the content of the answer includes all the aspects displayed in the task, and the answer contains from 12 to 15 phrases. If one of the aspects is not disclosed at all, or one or two are disclosed, but not entirely, and the answer contains 9-11 phrases, you can count on 2 points. In the event that two aspects are not disclosed, or all aspects are disclosed only partially, and the answer includes from 6 to 8 sentences - 1 point. 0 is set if three or more aspects are not disclosed, and the answer contains 5 or less phrases. If a student receives a 0 on the first assessment criterion, they are given a 0 for the entire fourth oral task.

Organization of the utterance

The maximum score - 2 - can be obtained if the statement is organized logically, it has an introductory and final sentence. 1 point is given if there is no introductory or final phrase, and the means of logical connection are not used enough. If the answer is constructed illogically and it does not contain introductory / final phrases, no points will be given at all.

Language design of the statement

2 points are received for such an answer, in which no more than two non-rough lexical or grammatical errors and no more than two phonetic defects are made. If no more than 4 lexical and grammatical errors are made, two of which are not gross, and no more than phonetic ones with the same condition, you can count on 1 point. If more than 2 blunders are made, or more than 5 lexical-grammatical / phonetic flaws, no points can be obtained by this criterion.

Lexical errors are understood as violations in the use of words in the context - for example, in a phrase, the incorrect use of a preposition. Gross errors are those that change the meaning of the statement.

All answers, regardless of what is shown in the presented photos, are built according to one plan, which is indicated in the task. First you need some kind of introductory phrase - for example,

I want to start with the idea that…

(for example, if the pictures are about sports - you can say that sports are very important for health, if people are busy studying in the pictures - that learning is a very important part of our lives).

Then - briefly describe the photos in turn -

In the first photo we can see, There is a … in the second photo.

After that, you need to move on to comparison, first mentioning the common features of the pictures −

These pictures are similar because they both… or What both pictures have in common is… or Both photos are connected with…

But it is not enough to mention only one similarity - two or three must be mentioned. Then, according to the same scheme, we talk about the differences -

The main difference between these two pictures is that… or There are also some differences between these two photos.

Linking words must be used. Firstly, Secondly, but moreover… At the end, be sure to say about your preference - As for me… Personally I would prefer… After that, the final phrase is said - it can be said by analogy with the first, something common on this topic - Anyway, that’s nice to do … All in all, that’s great If you like to…

Analysis of a typical version of task No. 44 USE in English

Study the two photographs. In 1.5 minutes be ready to compare and contrast the photographs:

• give a brief description of the photos (action, location)
• say what the pictures have in common
• say in what way the pictures are different
• say which of the activities presented in the pictures you'd prefer
• explain why

You will speak for not more than 2 minutes (12–15 sentences). You have to talk continuously.

Good implementation example:

I want to start with the idea that reading is a very nice activity. On the first photo there is a woman who is reading an electronic book sitting on the sofa. And there is a woman who is reading a paper book near the window on the second photo.

These pictures are quite common. Firstly, they are both connected with reading. Secondly, in these photos we can see young women. However, there are also some differences between these pictures. The main difference is that the first photo was taken at home, while the second one was made at public transport. girl from the first photo is holding an electronic device, moreover, while in the second photo girl has a paper book.

Personally I would prefer a way of reading from the first photo. That's much more comfortable and better for eyesight to read at home. Also I like to read from the electronic device because it's cheaper than always buy new paper books. Anyway, that's nice if you're fond of reading.

Let us repeat how direct questions are formed. What is a direct question? In direct questions, the word order is the same as in a regular sentence, but you need to put an auxiliary verb before the subject. There are five types of questions in English: general, to the subject, special, alternative and divisive.

1. General question

It is built to the whole sentence and requires a yes or no answer. The question structure is as follows:

For example: Do you live in Russia? – Yes, I do. / No, I don't

2. Question to the subject

In a question to the subject, instead of the subject, the interrogative word “who” is put - WHO, if we are talking about living people and “what” - WHAT, if we are talking about inanimate objects. The structure of such a question:

Remember that in a question, the subject cannot be put do, does and did.

For example:

Who are are you talking to?

What can help you?

3. Special question.

This type of question requires a precise answer. Question words such as
When - when; where - where, where, from where; why - why; how - how; what color - what color; how much, how many - how much; how far - how far; how long - how long, etc.

The scheme for constructing a question is as follows: (we denote all question words by Wh)

For example:

When does museum open?

What color is your car?

How long have you known your friend?

4. An alternative question is a question of choice.

It is constructed in the same way as a general question, but a choice can be added to any member of the sentence using the conjunction “or”.

Question scheme: (on the example of an alternative to the subject)

For example:

Do your parents or your friends always help you?

Similarly, you can build an alternative question to any member of the sentence. For example, to supplement:

Does he speak English or Spanish?

5. Dividing question (isn't it)

It is built like this:

For example,

Mary drives her car to work doesn't she?

Remember! The question should sound not only grammatically correct, but also reasonable.

The easiest questions to write are those that begin with if. This means asking a general question. Do not forget about intonation in questions. It should rise in the general question and fall in the special one.

Here is a table listing the most frequently asked questions:

Questions in task C4 can be asked different. It depends on the situation that is given. The most common questions are general and specific. Less often dividing, to the subject and alternative.