Speaking: Fluency and Coherence A1 - Lesson 3: Answering "Yes/No" and Simple Wh- Questions

Speaking: Fluency and Coherence A1 - Lesson 3

Answering "Yes/No" and Simple Wh- Questions

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to give fluent, natural answers to both simple "Yes/No" questions and common "Wh-" questions.

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The Big Idea: Give the Right Kind of Answer

In English, there are two main types of simple questions. Each type needs a different kind of answer to sound fluent.

Question Type	Example Question	Good Answer	Better, More Fluent Answer
Yes/No Question1	Do you live4 in Siem Reap?	Yes.	Yes, I do.
Wh- Question2	Where do you live?	Siem Reap.	I live in Siem Reap.

For Yes/No questions, a short answer³ is more fluent than just "yes". For Wh- questions, a full phrase is more fluent than just one word.

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Vocabulary Glossary

1. Yes/No Question (Noun) | សំណួរ បាទ/ចាស-ទេ | A question you can answer with "yes" or "no". It starts with a verb like 'Do', 'Are', or 'Is'. ↩
2. Wh- Question (Noun) | សំណួរ Wh | A question that asks for information. It starts with a word like 'What', 'Where', 'When', or 'Who'. ↩
3. Short Answer (Noun) | ចម្លើយខ្លី | A short, polite phrase used to answer Yes/No questions (e.g., "Yes, I do." or "No, I can't."). ↩
4. live (Verb) | រស់នៅ | To have your home in a place. ↩
5. work (Verb) | ធ្វើការ | To do a job to earn money. ↩
6. study (Verb) | រៀន | To learn about a subject, usually at a school. ↩

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record_voice_over The Music of Answers

Intonation (the music of your voice) is important in your answers.

• For Short Answers: Your voice goes down after "Yes" or "No". It sounds final. Listen: "Yes, ↘ I do. ↘" ... "No, ↘ I'm not. ↘"
• For Wh- Question Answers: Your voice goes down at the end of the phrase. This shows you have finished your thought. Listen: "I live in Siem Reap. ↘"

lightbulb Answer Patterns

Pattern 1: Forming Short Answers for "Yes/No"

Don't just say "Yes" or "No". Repeat the verb from the question. It's easy!

• Q: Do you like noodles? -> A: Yes, I do. / No, I don't.
• Q: Are you a student? -> A: Yes, I am. / No, I'm not.
• Q: Is she your sister? -> A: Yes, she is. / No, she isn't.
• Q: Can you swim? -> A: Yes, I can. / No, I can't.

Pattern 2: Forming Full Phrases for "Wh-"

The question word tells you what kind of information to give.

• Where do you work⁵? -> (Needs a place) -> "I work at a hotel."
• What do you study⁶? -> (Needs a thing/subject) -> "I study English."
• When do you study? -> (Needs a time) -> "I study in the evening."

sports_esports Practice Your Answers

Activity 1: Choose the Best Answer

Read the question and choose the most fluent, natural-sounding answer.

1. Question: Are you tired?
   Answers: a) Yes. b) Yes, I am. c) Yes, I do.
   (Correct answer is b)
2. Question: What time is it?
   Answers: a) Three o'clock. b) Yes, it is. c) It's three o'clock.
   (Correct answer is c)

Activity 2: Answer About You!

Answer these questions about yourself. Try to use the correct pattern (short answer or full phrase).

• Do you live in Siem Reap?
• Are you a student?
• Where do you work or study?
• What is your favorite Khmer food?
• Can you speak French?

task Your Speaking Mission

This week in Siem Reap, your mission is to listen for questions and give good answers.

1. Listen for a "Yes/No" question and answer with a short answer (e.g., "Yes, I do.").
2. Listen for a "Wh-" question and answer with a full, fluent phrase (e.g., "I work at...").

You can practice with friends, family, or your teacher!