Native-like Fluency: Showing interest using echoing and tag questions We use echo questions to show interest or surprise. A: She is visiting relatives in Peru.
A: I found out I got the job.
B: Is she? How interesting!
B: Did you? That’s great!
Tag questions are used to check information. Use a positive statement followed by a negative tag when you expect a YES and the opposite if you expect a NO. A: "You’re American, aren't you?"
A: I didn’t tell you, did I?
B: That’s right! How’d you know?
B: Um no you didn’t!
*Fluency Tip: English has an informal tag. right? Use right with neg. or pos. . A: John’s a vegetarian, right?
A: You’re not going to eat that, right?
Some creative tags: Your boyfriend didn’t call you last night, did the big selfish monkey? Let’s go, shall we? Time to go, don’t you think? Warm Up: Act out with a partner and focus on proper intonation. A
B
I’ve just come back from a very successful business trip.
Have you? Where did you go?
I can speak four languages.
Holy Cow! Can you?
John lost his job.
Oh no. What happened?
You’re not a morning person, right?
Right, not at all.
I dropped my phone in the toilet.
OMG! No way! In the toilet! haha
Activity: Respond to speaker showing interesting using echoing.
I saw Frank yesterday. ________________ I’m thinking about going to the Middle East for my holidays. ________________ As a matter of fact we lost out to a Chinese supplier. ________________ Looks like I’m not getting that promotion. ________________ These politicians are so out of touch. ________________
Activity: Use echo questions while speaking with your partner about something in the news, something happening in your life. Activity: Confirm things you know about your partner using tag questions. Activity: Tag you’re it! One person in the group makes a shocking or interesting statement and the person to the right should respond by showing interest using echoing or adding to the story. A: I heard that Angelina Jolie is going to get a divorce! B: No way. (To next student) You didn’t hear that, did you? C: Yeah I did. She’s also she’s pregnant. D: Pregnant! No way! (To next student) She was dating Bi
before this current guy, right? E: Um.. Yeah I think she was. Handy Chart: Showing attention Echo Questions Echo words Wh- questions Personal Interest response Pleasure
Right. Sure. Yes. Yeah. Uh-huh. Did you? Are they? Was it? He did what? You saw who!? Up 50%?! Six months? Our Market share decreased? So what happened? Why was that, then? How did you feel? Really?
That sounds interesting. How interesting!
Really!
Fantastic! Great!
Agreement
Exactly. Of course. Sure. Right. I see. I know what you mean.
Sympathy
How awful. That’s too bad. That’s a shame. Oh no/dear
Surprise No surprise
No way! My goodness! Good heavens! Holy cow! PARDON!? Hmm… I’m not surprised. (Sarcastic tone) What a surprise!
Vocabulary: hit - have an unpleasant/negative effect on a person or thing Production has been badly hit by the strike. cut - reduction in the number, amount or rate of something a cut in expenditure/interest rates across the board - happening or having an effect on people at every level and in every area The improvement has been across the board, with all divisions either increasing profits or reducing losses. A: It seems that our sales were down 10% last quarter. B: (Show surprise) Actually, I thought…. A: Don’t repeat this, but I think we’re going to have to layoff some people. going to = gonna B: (Show surprise and sympathy) What departments are going to be hardest hit? A: To be honest, there will cuts across the board. B: (Show interest) A: Talk about something new that happened at your company or to you and/or your family. B: Show interest. (focus on using echo questions.) Switch roles if you finish early.