Question Words ESL Activities, Games and Worksheets
This free question words activity can be used to help students practice question words and personal information questions. Working alone, students use question words in a box to complete a set of 12 personal information questions. Students then take it in turns to ask the questions to a partner. Students note down their partner's answers and ask Wh follow-up questions to gain more information. When everyone has finished, students give feedback to the class on what they found out about their partner.
This productive question words worksheet helps elementary students learn and practice how to use question words. Students begin by matching answers with questions. Next, students think about which question word can be used for the words and phrases shown. Students then sort the words and phrases accordingly. Students then move on to match the question words with the things they are used to ask about. After that, students use the question words to complete questions. Finally, students write questions that would elicit given answers.
In this insightful question words activity, students complete questions with question words and then ask and answer the questions with a partner. First, students look at incomplete questions and read through the example short answers. Students then complete the questions with question words using the short answers to help them. Next, in pairs, students take it in turns to ask each other the questions, writing down their partner's answers on the worksheet. Students also ask follow-up questions to gain more information where possible. Afterwards, students report back to the class on the things they found out about their partner.
In this engaging question words activity, students write questions using different question words and phrases for other students to answer. This activity can also be used as an icebreaker on the first day of class. First, students write their name on the worksheet and give it to the person sitting on their right. This person thinks of a question that they would like to ask the student whose name is on the worksheet. Students write their question on the worksheet by completing one of the unfinished questions or by using the empty spaces at the bottom of the worksheet to write their own question. When students have written a question, they write their name next to it. Students then give the worksheet to the person on their right and repeat the process. The activity continues until the students receive back their own worksheet. Students then find the person who wrote each question and answer it.
In this fun question words game, students play bingo by racing to make questions from question words. Students take it in turns to pick up a topic card and read the topic to the group, e.g. hobbies and free time. The other group members then race to make a question relating to the topic using one of the question words on their bingo card. The first student to ask a suitable question to the student holding the card wins, e.g. 'What is your favourite hobby?' The student holding the card then answers the question and the other student crosses off the question word from their bingo card. The first student to cross off all the question words on their bingo card wins the game and shouts 'bingo'.
Here is a creative question words activity to help students practice forming questions with specific question words. This activity can also be used to help students get to know each other. Students begin by completing 12 sentences with true information about themselves, e.g. 'I usually wake up at seven o'clock'. When the students have finished, they write a question for each sentence using 12 question words at the top of the worksheet, e.g. 'What time do you usually wake up?' Students then move around the classroom asking the questions. When a student finds someone whose answer is the same as what they have written, the student writes down their name and asks Wh follow-up questions to gain more information. Finally, students give feedback to the rest of the class on what they found out.
Here is a free questions race game that helps students practice asking questions with a variety of question words. In the game, students have ten minutes to ask questions to their partner to elicit as many words as possible from their worksheet. Set a ten-minute time limit. Student A then asks questions to their partner to elicit as many words from their worksheet as possible. When Student B says a word from the worksheet, Student A puts a tick next to the word. If Student B cannot guess the word after a few questions, Student A puts a cross. After ten minutes, students swap roles. The pair with the highest combined score wins the game.
In this entertaining How question words activity, students take part in a quiz and create, ask and answer questions beginning with How...? Explain that the students are going to take part in a quiz, but first they are going to create quiz questions beginning with How...? In two groups, students look at the answers on their worksheet and create a How...? question for each one. Next, students pair up with someone from the other group. Students then ask the questions and read the multiple-choice answers to their partner to see how many they can answer correctly. After the quiz, students work with their partner to create four more multiple-choice quiz questions of their own starting with How..? When the students have finished, they each find a new partner and ask them the questions.
In this useful How much and How many activity, students take part in a quiz where they create, ask and answer How much and How many questions. In two groups, students read answers on their worksheet and write a How much or How many question for each one. Working alone, students then guess the answer to each question and write the missing number in each sentence. Next, students pair up with someone from the other group and take it in turns to ask their questions to their partner. Their partner replies to each question using the answer key at the bottom of their worksheet. For each correct guess, students score a point. The student with the most points at the end of the activity is the winner.
In this imaginative question words game, students match question words to endings and ask the questions to other students. Students take it in turns to pick up a question word card and try to put it together with one of their ending cards to make a meaningful question. If the student is able to do this, they lay the two cards on the table and ask the question to the other students in the group. After the question has been discussed, the two cards are removed from the game. If a meaningful question cannot be made, the question word card is placed at the bottom of the pile and the next student takes their turn. The first student to get rid of all their ending cards wins the game.
This comprehensive question words worksheet helps students practice or review question words and Wh questions. Students start by matching each question word with its usage. Next, students complete a dialogue with the question words from Exercise A and then role-play the conversation with a partner. After that, students use prompts to make questions and then match each question to the correct answer. In the last exercise, students write questions that elicit a set of answers.
