Language and Grammar: Ask and Answer Questions

Play Twenty Questions Imagine you are an animal, place, or thing. Your classmates will ask you questions with Is or Are to guess what you are. Answer only with Yes or No statements. If they can’t guess in twenty questions, tell them the answer.

Is your home in the forest?

No, my home is in the jungle.

Writing and Grammar: Write a Message

Study the Models When you write a message to someone you don’t know well, you can make your writing more interesting by including both statements and questions. Readers are more likely to enjoy and understand what you write if it has variety.

JUST OK

Dear Ankur,

My name is Jay Resnik. What are your hobbies? Where is your favorite place to go on the weekends? Who are your best friends?

Jay

The writer mostly asks questions. The reader thinks: “I wish Jay would tell me something about himself.”

BETTER

Dear Ankur,

My name is Jay Resnik. I am a student in Los Angeles, California. My teacher gave me your name to be my pen pal. What are your hobbies? I swim and play the guitar. Where is your favorite place to go on the weekends? I usually go to the movies with my friends. Who are your best friends?

Now the writer uses questions and statements. This is more interesting for the reader.

Jay

Add Sentences Pretend that you are Jay. Add one statement and one question to the BETTER model above.

Illustration of a pen icon. Write On Your Own Imagine that you have a new pen pal. Write an e-mail message to your pen pal. Include statements and questions.

    Remember

  • • To tell something, make a statement.

  • • To find out something, ask a question.