Modul 5: Language functions: III. ASKING FOR INFORMATION

What do you say in these situations?

1. You stop a man in the street. You want to know the time.

Can you tell me what the time is? It is 16:15.
Sorry to bother you, but do you know the time? Yes, it’s 1 p.m.

2. You are in the shop. Ask the shop assistant where the bikinis are.

Where can I go for the bikinis? They are at the back of the shop.
Can you show me to the bikinis, please? Sure, come with me.

3. You are in a museum. Ask someone about the nearest exit.

Do you know where the nearest exit is? I don’t, sorry.
Where can I go to get out? Over there, on the left.

4. You are in a restaurant. Ask the waiter when they close.

I’d like to know when you close. 11 p.m.
Can you tell me what time you close? We close at 10 p.m.

5. You are in a class. Ask the teacher where to open the book.

Can you tell me what page to turn to? Turn to page 394.
Where can I find this in the textbook? Chapter 4.

6. You are in an important meeting. Ask about the costs of the project.

What do you know about the costs of this project? Ask Louise from Accounting.
Can you explain the financial coverage, please? Sure. I will review the budget.

7. You are going to a friend’s house but are lost. Ask someone for directions.

Sorry to bother you, but do you know where Keynes Close is?
Yes. At the end of this road, turn left and then left again.

Where can I go to get to Farnaby Street? This is Farnaby Street.

8. You are at a tourist information kiosk. Ask about tours to Bath.

What do you know about touring to Bath?
We have brochures here which can explain everything you need to know.

I’d like to know if you do tours to Bath?
We do. We have a couple of tours this month. Here is our schedule.

9. You are in a bookshop. Ask the shop worker where you can find a particular book.

Can you show me where King Lear is, please? Of course. We have a Shakespeare section, this way.
Where can I go for Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets? That’s in Children’s Fiction.

10. One of the headlights on your car isn’t working. Ring your friend and ask him where the nearest garage is.

Can you tell me where the nearest garage is? I don’t know. Google it.
Where can I get my car headlight fixed? Go to Nicolas Motors on Church Road.

11. You want to write an article on crime levels in your area. Ask your colleague about reliable sources.

Do you know where I can find reliable sources for my crime article? I would look at BBC News.
They tend to be honest and factual in their articles.

Where can I get reliable information about the crime statistics in the local community?
Try going to a police station, I’m sure they have crime statistics there.

12. You want some information on good places to eat out. Ask the taxi driver.

What do you know about eating out around here?
There are a lot of fast food restaurants, but if you want a fancy dinner then you are better off going to the new town over there.

Do you know any good places for food around here?
Yes. My favourite Mexican restaurant is right over there.

13. You are chatting to a stewardess on a plane. Find out about duty-free goods.

Can you show me your duty-free goods?
Here is a magazine with all of our products. Just let me know which one you would like.

Can you explain the price difference between the duty-free good and regular shops?
With duty-free goods, the sales taxes aren’t added onto the price, so it is cheaper than a retail price.

14. You want some information about the education system of your friend’s home country.

What do you know about the education system of Spain? You can find the Spanish Curriculum online.

Can you explain the difference in education between here and Turkey?
I think that Turkey is much stricter with discipline.