The Weekend Interview
I can ask about a weekend using be questions and action questions.
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Try the activities, then check your answers.
Choose a short recording.
Your situation
Interviewer: “Where were you on Saturday?” Guest: “At a small music event.” Interviewer: “Was it busy?” Guest: “Yes, it was.” Interviewer: “Did you stay late?” Guest: “No, I didn’t. I left at nine.” Interviewer: “Were your friends there too?”
Read the situation transcript
“Where were you on Saturday?” “At a small music event.” “Was it busy?” “Yes, it was.” “Did you stay late?” “No, I didn’t. I left at nine.” “Were your friends there too?”
Which question asks about an action rather than a state or place?
Compare your idea
Did you stay late? asks about the action of staying.
How it works
Use was/were to ask about a place or description: Where were you? Was it noisy? Use did plus a base verb for an action: Did you dance?
Short answers match the question: Was it busy? Yes, it was. Did you stay? No, I didn’t. A good interview changes the question type when the information needed changes.
Was/Were + subject…? Did + subject + base verb…?
Notice this
Where were you on Saturday?
This asks about a past location.
Compare this
Was it busy?
This asks for a description.
Hear the examples
Where were you on Saturday?
This asks about a past location.
Was it busy?
This asks for a description.
Did you stay late?
This asks about an action.
No, I didn’t.
This answers the did question.
One mistake worth avoiding
Instead of: Was you at the event?
Say: Were you at the event?
Use were with you.
You say
Hear the prompt, answer aloud, then deliberately reveal or hear one possible model. Check it and retry with a changed detail.
Your turn 1
Ask about someone’s weekend location.
Compare a possible model
Reveal the model text
Where were you on Sunday?
Check yourself: Use were with you.
Retry with one detail of your own. Other wording is welcome when it meets this check.
Your turn 2
Ask about one activity.
Compare a possible model
Reveal the model text
Did you meet any friends?
Check yourself: Use did plus meet.
Retry with one detail of your own. Other wording is welcome when it meets this check.
Your turn 3
Answer one be question and one did question.
Compare a possible model
Reveal the model text
Was it fun? Yes, it was. Did you dance? No, I didn’t.
Check yourself: Match the auxiliary in each short answer.
Retry with one detail of your own. Other wording is welcome when it meets this check.
Two guided self-checks
Say or write your answer before opening a model.
Self-check 1
Ask whether the event was quiet.
Compare a model and explanation
Was the event quiet?
A singular event takes was.
Self-check 2
Ask whether two friends arrived early.
Compare a model and explanation
Did your friends arrive early?
Arrive is an action verb after did.
Check your understanding
Choose one answer to each question, then check your answers. One of the ten questions is listening.
Automatic scoring needs JavaScript. Use the answer key after attempting all ten questions.
Answer key with explanations
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Where ___ you on Sunday?
were: Use were with you to ask about location.
-
___ the event interesting?
Was: An event is singular; interesting is used with be.
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Did you ___ late?
stay: Use a base verb after did.
-
Choose the correct short answer to “Were they there?”
Yes, they were.: Repeat were with they.
-
Choose the correct short answer to “Did you dance?”
No, I didn’t.: Repeat did in the negative short answer.
-
Correct “Did it was noisy?”
Was it noisy?: Noisy describes the event with be; did is unnecessary.
-
Which question asks about a past activity?
Did you take any photos?: Take photos is an action, so it uses did.
-
Did the speaker stay until midnight?
No: Leaving at ten means the speaker did not stay until midnight.
-
Complete: My friends ___ there, but my sister wasn’t.
were: Friends is plural, so use were.
-
How do you choose the short-answer verb?
Match the question’s be or did form.: The question determines which auxiliary is repeated.
Take it with you
I can ask about a weekend using be questions and action questions.