Guess what?

When would you say ...

1 What brings you here?

a. when you want to know why someone has come to a particular place

b. when you want to apologise to someone for being late

2 Guess what?

a. when you expect the person you are talking to will be surprised at what you are going to say

b. when you want to know what someone has been doing

3 What's eating you?

a. when you want to know what someone has had for dinner

b. when you want to know why someone is in a bad mood

4 What's the big idea?

a. when you want to know why someone has done something that makes you unhappy

b. when you want to congratulate someone

5 So what?

a. when someone has made a statement that you want to question

b. when a person is very upset

Finish the dialogue

Complete these snippets of dialogue with a question from the previous exercise.

1 Why have you been telling dad things I told you in confidence? ____________________?

2 Yes, I knew our new boss had been fired from his last job. ____________________

3 You've been in a bad mood all week. ____________________

4 ____________________ I've passed my Grade Six piano exam!

5 Hello. I haven't seen you for over a year! ____________________ tonight?

Magic questions

When would you ask these questions? Match the questions with the correct situation below.

1 What's the magic word?

2 What more do you want?

3 What's the damage?

4 What have you got to lose?

5 What's the score?

a. when you want to know how far a situation has progressed

b. when you are reminding a child to say 'please'

c. when you want to know how much a bill comes to for a meal, service etc

d. when you are encouraging someone to do something they are doubtful about

e. when you are a bit annoyed that someone isn't satisfied with what they have been given

Which question?

Complete these snippets of dialogue with a question from the previous exercise.

1 I think you should take that new job. You've been out of work for two months now. ____________________?

2 Let me pay for dinner, it's my treat. Let me see the bill - ____________________?

3 I'm not going to pass you the ketchup until you ask nicely. ____________________?

4 How are you and Joe getting on? You haven't mentioned him for ages. ____________________?

5 You've got As in maths, science, geography and English. A B grade in art is fine. ____________________?

Exclamations

When would you use these statements? Match the statements with the correct situation below.

1 That's just what the doctor ordered!

2 What a to-do!

3 What you see is what you get!

4 I didn't know what hit me!

5 What will be, will be!

a. when you say things are exactly as they appear, and there are no hidden extras

b. when you tell someone that what they have given you is exactly what you needed

c. when you want to say that fate will decide the outcome of an event, even if you try to do things to change it

d. when something happened that was unnecessarily disorganised or troublesome

e. when you've had a shock

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