100+ Conversation Questions with the Verb "to Be" (ESL Speaking Practice for Beginners; Includes Picture Practice!)
- Alex
- Sep 3
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 1
Recommended Level: pre-intermediate (A2)
Go to the English Conversation Questions Hub for more discussion topics you can use for self-study or for the ESL classroom.
This page is intended to be a resource for English learners and teachers. You can practice answering these "be" verb conversation questions by yourself or with a partner. You can also write the answers in a notebook, in a digital document, or in the comments section below. To help learners feel more confident and to develop grammatical accuracy, the warm-up questions have some suggested answer beginnings, which makes them ideal for beginners. For questions without answer beginnings, move on to the "Let's go!" section.
Grammar Reminder: Conjugating the verb "to be"
Subject | Present | Past |
I | am | was |
You | are | were |
He/She/It | is | was |
We | are | were |
They | are | were |
"Be" Verb Conversation Questions
Warm-up - Questions about YOU
How are you?
I'm [great/good/fine/okay/all right/not bad].
What's your name?
My name is...
When's your birthday?
My birthday is [month + ordinal number]. (Example: October twenty-fourth)
It's on [month + ordinal number].
How old are you?
I'm [number] years old. / I'm [cardinal number]. (Example: "I'm thirty-four years old.")
It's a secret!
That's too personal. Next question, please.
What's your background? (also: "Where are you from?" or "What's your nationality?")
I'm [Canadian/Brazilian/Moroccan/Korean/Indian/Chinese/etc.].
I'm from [Canada/Brazil/Morocco/Korea/India/China/etc.]
Are you a student?
Yes, I am.
No, I'm not.
What's your job?
I'm [a/an/the]...
I'm not working right now. / I'm too young to have a job.
Are you tired?
Yes, I am.
No, I'm not.
Are you hungry?
Yes, I am.
No, I'm not.
What's your favourite food?
My favourite food is...
One of my favourite foods is...
Let's Go!
What time is it?
How's the weather today?
Where are you right now?
Describe your hometown. What does it have? Use "There's" and "There are (some/a lot of/a few)."
What is cheap and what is expensive in your hometown?
Are you usually late, early, or on time for things? (school, work, parties, etc.)
What's your favourite place?
Are you ever lazy?
What's your favourite colour?
What colour are your shoes?
Are you...?
Remember: Use "Yes, I am" or "No, I'm not" to answer yes/no questions. (Not all of these are yes/no questions!)
Are you...?
interested in sports
thirsty
feeling okay
good at cooking
able to ride a bike
excited about anything right now
scared of anything
hot, cold, or comfortable right now
extroverted, introverted, or a mix of the two
a good swimmer
Picture Practice 1
Look at the ID cards. Ask and answer the following questions:
What's [his/her] name? --> [His/Her] name is...
When's [his/her] birthday? --> [His/Her] birthday is... / It's...
What's [his/her] [nationality/background]? --> [He's/She's]...
What's [his/her] address? --> [His/Her] address is... / It's...
What's [his/her] phone number? --> [His/Her] phone number is... / It's...
What's [his/her] email address? --> [His/Her] email address is... / It's...
What's [his/her] job? --> [He's/She's] a...
"That's right" or "That's wrong"?
Answer the following sentences with "That's right" or "That's wrong" (or "That's not right"). Correct the wrong sentences.
The past of "go" is "was go."
The capital of Spain is Madrid.
It's a sunny day today.
Egypt is bigger than Brazil.
Michael Jackson is alive.
Canada is in Asia.
Antarctica is the hottest continent in the world.
What's your favourite...?
Answer these questions with "My favourite _____ is..."
What's your favourite...?
kind of food
book, movie, video game, or show
place to eat (It can be a restaurant or someone's home.)
drink
fruit or vegetable
season of the year
day of the week
thing to do on the weekend
kind of music
sport or physical activity
How much is...?
You can use "How much is...?" to ask about the cost of something. Think about your hometown. How much is it for these things?
How much is...?
a cup of coffee
a loaf of bread
an ice cream
a bus ticket
a hotel room for one night
a ticket to the cinema
a plane ticket to New York
a new car
a full tank of gas (for a mid-sized car)
a dental cleaning (at the dentist's office)
How many are there?
Practice using "There are" by answering these questions.
How many letters are there in the word "dictionary"?
How many rooms are there in your home?
How many workers or students are there at your job or school?
How many people are there in your family?
How many apps are there on your phone?
What's that?!
Point at objects around you and ask the question "What's that?" Answer the question with "That's [a/an]" or "It's [a/an]."
Picture Practice 2 - How are they? / How is he? / How is she?
Look at the pictures. How do these people feel? If you are working with a partner, you can ask the question, "How is [he/she]?" or "How does [he/she] feel?" Answer with "He's/She's/They're" plus an appropriate adjective.
Family and Friends Conversation
Think about a friend or family member and answer these questions about them. I have used "they" and "them" in the questions, but you can change them to "he" or "she" depending on the person you are asking about.
What's their name?
What's their job?
Where are they right now?
How old are they?
Are they scared of spiders?
Are they Australian?
What are they passionate about or interested in?
Past Conversation with "Was" and "Were"
How was the weather yesterday? What was the temperature?
Where were you at this time yesterday?
How was your day yesterday?
Who were your favourite artists (musicians, actors, actresses, etc.) when you were younger?
Were you at home all day yesterday?
Was your breakfast good this morning?
Were you a social kid when you were younger?
When was the last time you were sick?
Future Conversation with "Will Be"
Let's talk about the future. Answer the following questions.
Where will you be at this time tomorrow?
What time will you be home tonight?
Will English be important in your future job or jobs?
Who will be the next World Cup Champion?
Will you be busy tonight?
Did you like this resource? To support my work, and to continue improving your English vocabulary and speaking skills, pick up a copy of my book, 300 Practical English Words and Phrases. Thank you, and remember to keep learning and keep practicing!
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