Unit 5

Present of Be: Yes/No Questions; Questions with Who and What

JOBS

OUTCOMES

  • Ask and answer simple present yes/no questions with the verb be
  • Ask and answer simple present questions with who and what and the verb be
  • Complete sentences about a reading
  • Answer questions about a conversation
  • Talk about people and their jobs
  • Write interview questions for a classmate

Step 1 - Grammar in Context

Before You Read

Study the vocabulary. Then work with a partner. Tell your partner about the jobs of people you know.

EXAMPLE A: My father is a bus driver. And my sister is a nurse.

EXAMPLE B: Really? My father is a teacher. My cousin Barbara is a server.

A bus driver

A bus driver

A server

A server

A writer

A writer

A doctor and a nurse

A nurse

READ

Read these conversations at Amanda and Josh’s wedding.

Who’s That Woman with Amanda?

STEVE: Mark?

MARK: Steve! Are you here for the wedding?

STEVE: Yes, I am. Amanda is my cousin.

MARK: What about you?

STEVE: Josh and I are friends from school. This is a great wedding!

MARK: Yes, it is.

KATHY: Wow, there are a lot of guests here... Who’s that man with Steve?

AMANDA: His name is Mark. He and Josh are friends.

KATHY: Hmm. Is he single?

AMANDA: Yes, he is.

KATHY: What does he do? Is he a teacher, like Steve?

AMANDA: No, he isn’t. He’s a writer.

KATHY: What kind of writer?

AMANDA: He writes novels.

MARK: Who’s that woman with Amanda?

STEVE: Her name is Kathy. She’s Amanda’s friend from work.

MARK: Oh, yeah? Is she a nurse, like Amanda?

STEVE: No, she’s not. She’s a doctor.

MARK: Is she married?

STEVE: No, she isn’t. She’s single... just like you!

AFTER YOU READ

COMPREHENSION Look at the conversations again. Complete the sentences.
Select the correct answers.

  1. Steve and Amanda are ____.

  2. Mark and Josh are ____.

  3. ____ is single.

  4. ____ is a writer.

  5. ____ is a doctor.

Step 2: Grammar Presentation

Present of Be: Yes/No Questions

Yes/No Questions
Singular
Am I right?
Are you a writer?
Is he a bus driver?
Is she single?
Is your car new?
Plural
Are we late?
Are you happy?
Are they brothers?

Short Answers
Affirmative Negative
Yes, you are. No, you're not. or No, you aren't.
Yes, I am. No, I'm not.
Yes, he is. No, he's not. or No, he isn't.
Yes, she is. No, she's not. or No, she isn't.
Yes, it is. No, it's not. or No, it isn't.
Affirmative Negative
Yes, we are. No, we're not. or No, we aren't.
Yes, you are. No, you're not. or No, you aren't.
Yes, they are. No, they're not. or No, they aren't.

Present of Be: Questions with Who and What

Questions with Who/What
Who is that woman?
What's her name?

Short Answers
Kathy.
Kathy.

Long Answers
That's Kathy.
It's Kathy.

Grammar Notes

1. Yes/No Questions with Be

In a yes/no question with be, put am, is, or are before the subject.

(Statement): He is at a wedding.

(Question): Is he at a wedding?

2. Short Answers

Negative short answers have two forms. We often use contractions in negative short answers.

A: Is she married?
B: No, she’s not. or No, she isn't.

A: Are they brothers?
B: No, they're not. or No, they aren't.

3. Questions with Be: Who and What

We use who and what to ask about the subject of a sentence.

Use who to ask about people and what to ask about things or ideas.

A: Who is that woman with Amanda?
B: What is her name?

We often use the contractions who's and what's in speaking and in informal writing.

A: Who's that woman?
B: What's her name?

Answers to these questions can be long or short.

A: Who is that man?
B: That's Mark. or Mark.

Step 3 - Focused Practice

Exercise 1: Discover the Grammar

Grammar Notes 1-3: Underline the yes/no questions. Circle the wh- questions. Then match the questions and answers.

  1. Is Jenny your sister?
  2. Are Jaime and Helen students?
  3. Am I right?
  4. What’s her name?
  5. Who’s a bus driver?
  6. Are you and Ed from Chicago?
  7. What does Anna do?
  8. Is Mark married?
  • a. No, he isn’t.
  • b. Yes, you are.
  • c. Ted is.
  • d. No, they aren’t. They’re teachers.
  • e. No, we’re from New York.
  • f. Her name is Kate.
  • g. She’s a doctor.
  • h. No, she isn’t. She’s my cousin.

Exercise 2: Who and What

Grammar Note 3: Complete the conversations with who or what.

  1. A: ’s that woman with Mark?
    B: That’s my mother.
  2. A: ’s her name?
    B: Mary.
  3. A: ’s his job?
    B: He’s a bus driver.
  4. A: ’s that man with Judy?
    B: That's Mark.
  5. A: ’s teacher for this class?
    B: Professor Beck. Steve Beck.
  6. A: ’s a nurse?
    B: Amanda is.

Exercise 3: Questions and Answers

Grammar Notes 1-3: Complete the conversation between Ben and Annie and their uncle Steve.

Conversation:


Ben: Uncle Steve, (who/be) a doctor, Kathy or Amanda?


Steve: Kathy (be) a doctor.


Annie: What about Amanda? (what/be) her job?


Steve: (She/be) a nurse.


Ben: What about Mark? (he/be) a teacher like you?


Steve: No, Ben, (he/not/be) a teacher. (he/be) a writer.


Annie: (that/be) interesting.



Exercise 4: More Questions and Answers

Grammar Notes 1-3: Put the words in the correct order. Make conversations.

  1. A: (Steve / Portland? / Is / from)
    B: (not. / No, / he's)
  2. A: (a server? / she / Is)
    B: (Yes, / is. / she)
  3. A: (nurses? / Are / they)
    B: (they're / No, / doctors.)
  4. A: (man? / that / Who / is)
    B: (my / teacher. / He's)
  5. A: (Mark and Kathy / married? / Are)
    B: (aren't. / No, / they)
  1. A:
    B:
  2. A:
    B:
  3. A:
    B:
  4. A:
    B:
  5. A:
    B:


Exercise 5: Editing

Grammar Notes 1-3: Identify the mistakes. Say the correct version out loud. There are six mistakes in the conversations.


Conversation:


  • A: Is you a doctor?
  • B: Yes, I’m.
  • A: Is she single?
  • B: No, she not.
  • A: They chefs?
  • B: No, they aren't.
  • A: Is he a bus driver?
  • B: No, he's.
  • A: Is he married?
  • B: No, he's not. He single.

Step 4 - Communication Practice

Exercise 6: Look and Answer

Part A: Look at the pictures below. Then answer the questions.

  1. Is he is a dentist?
  2. Is the clerk on break?
  3. Is the police officer writing a ticket?
  4. Is the mechanic fixing a bus?
  5. Is the cashier talking on the phone?
Exercise 7: What Do You Do?

Conversation: Practice the conversation with the jobs in the pictures below:

Exercise 8: Who Am I?

Game: Work in a group. Write the name of a famous living person on a piece of paper. Choose a classmate and put the piece of paper on his or her back. Your classmate asks yes/no questions to guess the name of the person.

Example:

A: Is it a man?

B: No, it isn’t.

A: Is she beautiful?

C: Yes, she is.

A: Is she an actor?

D: Yes, she is.

A: Is she Angelina Jolie?

E: Yes, she is!

From Grammar to Writing

Before You Write

Read the interview. Underline who, what, and yes/no questions. Then work with a partner. Interview them and complete the chart.


Click in the center of each box to type.



Anna: What’s your name?

Rosa: My name is Rosa Gutierrez.

Anna: Are you from the United States?

Rosa: No, I’m not. I’m from Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

Anna: What do you do?

Rosa: I’m a clerk, and I’m a student.

Anna: Are you married?

Rosa: No, I’m not.

Anna: Are you happy?

Rosa: Yes, I am. I’m very happy.

Your Questions Your Partner's Answers
Write

Write your interview questions and your partner’s answers. Use yes/no, who, and what questions.

Check Your Work

Read your interview. Underline yes/no, who, and what questions. Use the Editing Checklist to check your work.

Editing Checklist
  • Did you use am, is, are in yes/no questions?
  • Did you use who with people and what with things?
  • Did you check your spelling?

Unit 5 Review

Match the Questions and Answers

Test yourself on the grammar of the unit.

  1. Are you actors?
  2. Am I late?
  3. Is John married?
  4. Are your parents teachers?
  5. Is your sister a dentist?
  • a. No, they aren’t.
  • b. No, she isn’t.
  • c. Yes, you are.
  • d. Yes, we are.
  • e. No, he isn’t.


Complete the Conversation with Who or What

Conversation:

  1. A: That’s a great photo. ’s that woman on the right?
    B: That’s my cousin.
  2. A: Oh, really? ’s her name?
    B: Amalia.
  3. A: And ’s that man on her left?
    B: That’s her husband, Carlos.
  4. A: I see. does he do?
    B: He’s a police officer.
  5. A: And ’s that in the middle? Is that their son?
    B: No, that’s their daughter!


Correct the Conversations

There are five mistakes. Correct them.

  1. A: What his job? Is he a dentist?
    B: No, he’s not. He’s a doctor.
  2. A: Is your sister single?
    B: No, not.
  3. A: Is your mother a nurse?
    B: No, she isn’t. She a cashier.
  4. A: Is you from Kenya?
    B: Yes, .