ITS TIME

TO
TALK!
101 Pages of Questions
For
Communication and Fluency
Canadian Edition

Elisa Doyle

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com

Copyright Notice
Copyright 2000 ESL Resources All rights reserved

Important Copyright and Photocopy Permission Information

There seems to be more demand for ESL services and less money for books! Its not easy to be an ESL
teacher without photocopying books. ESL Resources recognizes this and provides ESL teachers with a
relatively cheap source of legally reproducible books. For $25 - $50 purchasing teachers get an ESL book
with permission to photocopy. The cost of the book is often less than 50 cents per reproducible page. Each
book represents hundreds sometimes thousands of hours of preparation time. Teachers, how much is your
time worth? ESL Resources has the books - now keep us in business by purchasing our books.

Purchasing Teacher (One Teacher Permission)

A purchasing teacher is granted permission to photocopy this book for use by his/her students. You can be
an itinerant teacher at several sites or based at one site. Photocopies are not for resale.

Purchasing School (One School/Site Permission)

If you need photocopy permission for your entire school it can be arranged for an additional fee. Please
contact me at thane@eslresources.com for further information. Photocopies are not for resale.

FAQ
Q: Can I make a copy for a teacher so she can photocopy from the photocopy for her students?
A: Photocopying from a photocopy of this book is known as a pirate copy and is illegal. Isnt it better just
to purchase the book with permission to photocopy for less than $50?
Q: Can I borrow this book from a resource center or library then photocopy it?
A: No, that would be copyright violation. You only get a photocopy license if you purchase the book or
your school has purchased a site license.

Printed in Canada
ESL Resources
15 Ravina Crescent Toronto Ontario Canada M4J 3L9
Toll free 1-866-833-9485 fax 416-466-4383
www.eslresources.com
e-mail thane@eslresources.com

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com

Introduction For The Teacher

This book is about talking. Your class should enjoy the activities and not take them too seriously. The point is not to agree or disagree with the other students, but to respect each
others answers in a friendly, accepting manner. You should tell your students that they can
even make up their answers.
Dont pressure your students to perform or to be grammatically correct. Emphasize fluency
rather than accuracy. Often students will ask how the questions should be answered. With
your guidance they can practice accuracy. Just remember to keep the students focused on fluency.
The students dont have to be locked into the questions on the page. When students get to
know each other, they often get side-tracked into longer discussions on other topics. This is
what were looking for. They are communicating in a natural conversation.
This next part is very important. Each person has the right to refuse to answer any question
that makes them feel uncomfortable. Here are some phrases students could use when they do
not wish to answer. Ask them to practice beforehand.
I cant say.
Id prefer not to answer that.
Thats too personal.
Id rather not say.
Lets move on to the next question.
Thats a secret.

Objectives
Language Objectives for Individual Students
* practice in speaking and everyday conversation;
* stronger communication skills;
* interviewing skills;
* confidence in speaking and communicating;
* increased fluency.
Classroom Objectives
* build classroom friendships;
* build group cohesiveness and harmony in the classroom;
* create a relaxed, fun and lively environment for language learning.
Its Time to Talk 2000
www.eslresources.com

Anti-Racism Objectives
* foster cross - cultural knowledge of other countries, geography, religion, politics;
* facilitate students of diverse backgrounds to understand each other on a personal level;
* understanding of our own and others values, self-concepts, beliefs, attitudes and opinions;
* promote the concept that people of diverse backgrounds have more in common as human beings than they have differences.

How To Use These Exercises

These exercises are flexible and you can modify them in any way that is suitable for your
class.
Lets Talk exercises are best used at the beginning of the course. Each student should interview as many other students as possible.
Encourage students to go beyond one word answers like yes, no or maybe. Have them express what they know, think and feel. The shy, quiet types will need more teacher support.
These exercises were created primarily to practice speaking. Of course if students need practice writing, you could also encourage them to write the answers.

Approaches
The learning level(s) of each class will determine how the exercises are used. Remember to
encourage the class to talk as much as possible. The same exercises can be used over and
over. The questions may be the same, but the answers will always be different from person
to person.
Lower Levels
If the students are at a low level, you should go over the questions, explaining unknown vocabulary and expressions.
The same exercise can be repeated with different partners several times. With the repetition
of listening to their partner asking the same question and answering that question, the students become more confident. It becomes a little easier each time.
All Levels
Give the students time to read the questions and refer to a dictionary. You could explain
unknown vocabulary and expressions or ask a student to.

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com

You ask the first few questions. This will encourage the students to talk and discuss them.
Pairs and Small Groups
Divide the class into pairs. If one student in a pair is at a lower level, have her ask all the
questions first. In this way, the student at the lower level can become familiar with the questions before she has to answer them.
You could also divide the class into small groups. In each small group, one student asks the
others several questions. Then the other students have a turn asking questions.
You could remain apart from the groups and be available as a resource person. Or you could
join the different groups and ask and answer questions to model language for the students.
This also gives the students a chance to get to know you better.
Enjoy yourself and have fun. Just remember, Its Time to Talk!

Elisa Doyle
This book is dedicated to my four wonderful children Ranissah, Shahridan Shahzali and Manissah.
Thank you for the untold riches and blessings youve brought to my life.

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com

Contents
Comparing Countries Begins
Geography and Weather

People and Politics

Money

Transportation #1

Transportation #2

Health

Education #1

Education #2

Recreation #1

Recreation #2

10

Housing

11

Holidays

12

Body Language and Communication

13

Gestures etc.

16

Dating, Engagement, Marriage and Weddings

20

Family and Home

23

Greeting and Meeting People

25

Personal Appearance

27

Visiting At Home

29

Work

31

End of Comparing Countries

Are You . . . ? #1

33

Are You . . . ? #2

34

Asking For Opinions #1

35
Its Time to Talk 2000
www.eslresources.com

Asking For Opinions #2

36

Asking For Opinions #3

37

Asking For Opinions #4

38

Calendar - Days #1

39

Calendar - Days #2

40

Calendar - Months and Years

41

Calendar - Months and Years

42

Can You . . . ? #1

43

Can You . . . ? #2

44

Can You . . . ? #3

45

Sentence Completion #1

46

Sentence Completion #2

47

Describe

48

Do you . . . ? #1

50

Do you . . . ? #2

52

Family - Do you have . . . ?

54

Do you have . . . ? #1

55

Do you have . . . ? #2

56

Do you have . . . ? #3

57

Do you have . . . ? #4

58

Do you like . . . ? #1

60

Do you like . . . ? #2

62

Do you like . . . ? #3

64

Do you prefer . . . ?

66

Did you . . . ? #1

68

Did you . . . ? #2

70

Did you ever . . . ?

72

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com

Entertainment

74

Men and Women #1

76

Men and Women #2

78

Feelings

80

Find Someone Who

82

Food

84

Health

86

Friendship

88

Sports

90

Exercise

91

Summer Olympics

92

Winter Olympics

93

Luck

94

Your Home - Kitchen

95

Your Home - Appliances

96

Outside Your Home

97

Your Neighbourhood

98

Photography

99

Books

100

This Country

101

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com

Comparing Countries - Geography & Weather

1. What is the name of your country?
2. Where is your country?
3. What countries are next to your country?
4. What is the capital city of your country? Spell it for me.
5. Name two more cities in your country.
6. Are there mountains in your country?
7. Are there oceans near your country?
8. Are there deserts in your country?
9. Are there jungles in your country?
10. Are there rivers in your country?
11. Does it rain a lot in your country?
12. Does it snow in your country?
13. Does it get really hot in your country?
14. Does it get really cold in your country?
15. Are there big lakes in your country?
16. Are there forests in your country?
17. Are there farms in your country?
18. Are there tornados in your country?

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com

Comparing Countries - People & Politics

1. What is the population of your country?
2. What languages do people speak in your country?
Spell the names for me.
3. What languages are taught in school?
4. What languages do you speak?
5. Is your country multi-cultural? What races of people live there?
6. What religions are there in your country?
7. What are the politics like?
8. Do you have a president?
9. Do you have a prime minister?
10. Do you have a king?
11. Do you have a queen?
12. How often are elections held?
13. How old must a person be to vote?
14. Can men and women vote?
15. Can anyone run for election?
16. Do cities have mayors and councillors?
17. Who is the leader of your country now?

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com

Comparing Countries - Money

1. Do you have dollars in your country?
2. What is the currency in your country?
3. What are the names of the coins?
4. What are the pictures on the coins?
5. What are the pictures on the bills?
6. Are there credit cards in your country?
7. What are the names of the credit cards?
8. Is it hard to get a credit card?
9. What are the names of the big banks in your country?
10. Is it hard to get a loan?
11. Can women get a loan?
12. What are the interest rates for borrowing money in your country?
13. Are there long line-ups at the banks?
14. Are there bank machines in your country?
15. How do you pay taxes?
16. When do you pay taxes?
17. Are there a lot of poor people? Middle class people? Rich people?
18. Are there lotteries in your country?

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com

Comparing Countries -Transportation #1

1. Is there a good system of transportation in your country?
2. What kinds of cars and trucks do you have?
3. What side of the road do you drive on?
4. How old must a person be to get a drivers license?
5. How much does it cost to get a drivers license?
6. Do most people have a car?
7. Are there trains in your country?
8. What is the name of your countrys airline?
9. Are there subways in your country?
10. Are there city buses in your country?
11. Is it easy to get a bus?
12. How do you catch a bus?
13. How much does it cost?
14. Are the buses crowded?
15. Do many people ride bicycles?
16. Do many people ride electric bicycles? Electric scooters?
17. Do many people ride motorcycles?
18. Are there any other means of transportation in your country?

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com

Comparing Countries - Transportation #2

1. Do many people take taxis?
2. Is it easy to get a taxi?
3. Is it expensive to take a taxi?
4. How does the driver decide on the price?
5. Are the roads good in your country?
6. Is there a lot of construction on the roads?
7. What is the speed limit on the highways?
8. What is the speed limit on city streets?
9. Do the police give speeding tickets?
10. Are there parking lots?
11. Are they expensive?
12. Do the police give parking tickets?
13. Are there tow trucks that will tow your car if it is parked in the wrong place?
14. Is gas expensive? How much does it cost per litre/gallon?
15. Are there a lot of gas stations?
16. Is it easy to find a garage to get your car fixed? Are mechanics well paid?
17. Are there a lot of traffic jams?

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com

Comparing Countries - Health

1. Do people receive free medical care in your country?
2. Do you have to pay for medicine?
3. Is medicine expensive?
4. Where do you get medicine - from the doctors office or the drug store?
5. Is it difficult to see a doctor?
6. Do you have to wait a long time in the doctors office?
7. Will a doctor come to someones house to see a patient?
8. Do people use herbs for medical reasons?
9. Do people use acupuncture?
10. Do a lot of people smoke?
11. Are there a lot of hospitals in your country?
12. How do you get eye glasses in your country?
13. Do schools have nurses?
14. Do people get paid if they are sick?
15. Do people get sick often?
16. Do people have a family doctor?
17. Do people in your country get free dental care?

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com

Comparing Countries - Education #1

1. Is education free in your country?
2. Can everyone get an equally good education?
3. Do boys and girls go to school together?
4. Are there private schools? Who goes to them?
5. How old are children when they start school?
6. Are teachers respected in your country?
7. Is teaching a good job in your country? Does it pay well?
8. Do children wear school uniforms?
9. At what age do children finish school in your country?
10. At what time of the day does school begin and end?
11. What time is lunch? What do students usually eat for lunch?
12. Do many schools have a cafeteria?
13. Do some students go home for lunch?
14. Are schools near or far from home?
15. Are students quiet in school?
16. Do they ask lots of questions?
17. Do they disagree with their teacher?
18. Do they stand up when the teacher walks into the classroom?

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com

Comparing Countries - Education #2

1. What do students call their teacher?
2. Do they do homework every night?
3. Do parents go to meet the teachers? When?
4. Do they have art, music and sports in school?
5. Do males and females get an equal education?
6. How many students are there in the classroom?
7. Do students learn about keyboarding and computers?
8. Are there singing classes in school?
9. Do they teach sex education?
10. If students are away sick, do they bring a note from their parent or doctor?
11. What happens if youre late for school?
12. Do you have to pay for books, paper, pens, pencils etc.?
13. Are there report cards?
14. What happens if a student fails?
15. Are there many colleges in your country?
16. Who goes to college?
17. Who pays for it?
18. Can a student get a loan to pay for college?

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com

Comparing Countries - Recreation #1

1. What do people do for fun?
2. Do most people have a TV?
3. How many channels do you get on TV?
4. Can you get cable?
5. Are there shows on TV 24 hours a day?
6. Do most people have a VCR?
7. Are there many video stores?
8. How much does it cost to rent a video?
9. How many days can you borrow a video?
10. Do most people have computers?
11. Can you get Internet service?
12. How many newspapers are there?
13. What is the name of the most popular newspaper?
14. In what languages are the newspapers?
15. In what languages are magazines?
16. Do people go bowling in your country?
17. What time does the TV news come on?
18. Do people play pool or billiards in your country?

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com

Comparing Countries - Recreation #2

1. Do you have outdoor restaurants and cafes?
2. Are the streets clean?
3. Do people litter a lot?
4. What kind of music do you have?
5. What kind of dancing do you have?
6. Do men and women dance together?
7. What kind of clothes do people wear to go out in your country?
8. Do you have professional sports teams in your country? What kind?
9. Are the team members paid well?
10. Are there museums? What kind?
11. Are there art galleries?
12. Are the art galleries free or do you have to pay?
13. Are there street musicians in your country?
14. Is it expensive to eat in a restaurant?
15. Are there fast food restaurants? What kinds?
16. Do people go to movies?
17. Do people go to concerts?
18. Are there concerts in parks?

10

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com

Comparing Countries - Housing

1. Do most people own their own house in your country?
2. How many bedrooms does the average house have?
3. How many bathrooms?
4. Is it expensive to buy a house in your country?
5. How much does the average house cost?
6. Do most houses have a basement?
7. Do most houses have a yard or a garden?
8. Do most houses have a garage or a place to park a car?
9. Do many houses have a swimming pool?
10. Do a lot of people rent?
11. Do a lot of people live in apartments?
12. Do a lot of adults live with their parents?
13. Do a lot of people move from the country to the city?
14. Do most people live in the city or the country?
15. Do a lot of people move from house to house?
16. Do a lot of people move from city to city?
17. Are there many homeless people?
18. Do most people lock their doors?

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com

11

Comparing Countries - Holidays

1. Whats the most important holiday in your country?
2. What holiday is the most fun?
3. On which holidays do you use fireworks?
4. For how many days do celebrations last?
5. Are there parades on some holidays?
6. Do people get presents on some holidays?
7. Do some holidays have a feast?
8. What special foods do you eat?
9. Is there a holiday to honour mothers?
10. Is there a holiday to honour and remember the dead?
11. Do you celebrate birthdays?
12. Do you have special memories about holidays?
13. Do you wear special clothes on some holidays?
14. Is there special music on some holidays?
15. Is there special dancing on some holidays?
16. Are some holidays special times for families?
17. Are there street parties on some holidays?

12

Its Time to Talk 2000

www.eslresources.com