Paul Kaye, British Council, Syria

This is a communicative exercise to practise using question tags with rising intonation when you are not sure that your ideas are right. It would be suitable for freer practice once the area has been introduced and practised in a more controlled form.

Learners prepare a series of statements about another person in the class. They then confirm their ideas by asking this person using tag questions. There are 2 versions

• Worksheet A which just focusses on the pronunciation aspect
• Worksheet B which also asks learners to add the tag questions

You can also encourage learners to use the falling form of intonation if they are absolutely sure of the information they have about each other.

Preparation
Before the class, prepare enough photocopies of the worksheet for each learner to have a copy.

Procedure

• Ask a learner 'You have a cat, don't you?', using a rising intonation. Ask another learner 'You name is ....., isn't it?', using a falling intonation.
• Ask learners what the difference is.
• Hand out the worksheet and tell the students to complete the questions about the person sitting next to / opposite them.
• When learners have finished completing the sentences ask them to sit with their and ask the questions. Give them time and encourage discussion, but monitor closely for correct intonation. If necessary, stop the activity and model the rising / falling intonation patterns.
• Elicit any interesting answers open-class to finish the exercise and perhaps drill the intonation pattern one more time. You could even get the students to ask you the questions.

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