Slow English for Beginners: Easy Questions About You, an Elevator Story and the Ping-Pong Rule
Friday, eight in the evening. Emily has just moved to a new city, and she steps into the elevator. A woman with a small white dog gets in, smiles, and asks two easy questions: “Are you new here? Where are you from?” Emily understands every word. She says “Yes.” Only “Yes.” Then she looks at the floor until the doors open (01:32).
Paul gives the verdict in five words: “Yes is not a place.” This episode is for A1 and A2 learners who know that empty feeling. You know the answer in your head, and in the real moment it is gone. Paul and Emily speak slowly, stop for pauses, and give you one small rule that fills the silence: answer, add one more thing, and ask back.
Watch the episode: Watch the episode on YouTube
Time: about 32 minutes to listen, and about 15 minutes for the practice below.
Before you listen: think of the question you find hardest to answer in English. It may be “Where are you from?” or “What do you do?”. Keep it in your mind, and see if it comes up.
How to use this page: listen once for Emily’s story. Then play the sections you need, and say each answer out loud in the pause. Read the tables, do the practice at the end, and use the full transcript at the bottom when a line goes too fast.
What You’ll Learn
- The rule of the day: Answer, add one more thing, and ask back
- Why a question is like a ping-pong ball, and what How about you? does
- Answers to questions about your name, home, family, day, home life, food, work or study, and free time
- Short answers with do, does, am, can: Yes, I do. No, he doesn’t. Yes, I can.
- Soft answers for real life: Not really. Yes, a little. I’d rather not say.
- Small words that make a question sound right: What time do you wake up?, How many people do you work with?, What kind of music do you like?
- What do you do? (your job) and What are you doing? (this minute)
- Three help lines: Can you speak slowly, please? Sorry, can you say that again? How do you spell that?
- A role-play: nine questions from a new neighbour in an elevator, and a surprise tenth, with pauses to answer
Key Idea
Answer, add one more thing, and ask back.
Emily’s fix began at her kitchen table, on the night of the elevator. She wrote five answers about herself in a small notebook, and each answer had one more thing in it. Not only “I’m new” but “Yes, I moved in last week”. Three days later, at the mailboxes, the same woman asked again, “So where are you from?”, and Emily said: “I’m from a small town by the sea. It’s my first time here. How about you?” The woman talked to her for five minutes. Her dog’s name was Biscuit (02:42).
Paul turns the story into a picture (03:06). A question is like a ping-pong ball. If you catch it and hold it in your hand, the game stops. If you hit it back, the game goes on. Your answer hits the ball back, one more thing makes the game fun, and “How about you?” sends it to the other side.
| Step | What you do | Emily’s answer at the mailboxes |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Answer | Say the answer to the question you heard | ”I’m from a small town by the sea.” |
| 2. One more thing | Add a place, a time, a name or a feeling | ”It’s my first time here.” |
| 3. Ask back | Send the ball to the other side | ”How about you?” |
Easy Questions, Empty Mind (00:00)
The episode opens with the problem, not the lesson. Paul asks, “Have you ever heard a very easy question in English, and said nothing?” Emily answers, “Someone asks, where are you from, and your mind goes blank.” Their promise for the next half hour is clear: by the end you can answer ten questions about yourself, out loud.
Two things in the opening are worth noticing. The hosts say the hard part is not understanding, it is finding the words (“You know the answer. You just cannot find the words.”). And they ask you to repeat after them, because these answers live in your mouth, not only in your head.
Emily’s Elevator Story (00:53)
The story is easy to retell in your own words, so try it after you listen. It has a time (Friday, eight in the evening), a place (the elevator) and a small mistake. The best part is Emily’s honesty: “In my head, it was perfect. In the elevator, it was gone.” Paul adds the line many learners need to hear: “You knew the answer in your head.”
Look at the vocabulary of the story. Lift and elevator are the same thing (Paul explains it at 01:07). Mailboxes are the boxes where people get letters. And Emily’s red face is a fun way to say she was embarrassed: “Very red.”
The Ping-Pong Rule (03:03)
Emily explains ping-pong for learners (03:10): it is table tennis, the game with the small white ball. Then the rule becomes a short routine you can use on any question.
Paul gives a reason why “How about you?” is more than a polite ending (03:42): “How about you is short, but it is very polite.” Emily explains what it does: it tells the other person, “I want to hear your answer too.” After that, the talk is no longer an interview. It is “a game for two”.
About You: Name, Home and Job (03:59)
The first round is the one you will use most. Emily models the pattern with her name: “My name is Emily. My friends call me Em.” Paul points at the second sentence: “The answer, and then one more thing.”
| The question | A short answer | One more thing |
|---|---|---|
| What’s your name? | ”I’m Paul." | "It’s a short name, easy to remember.” |
| Where are you from? | ”I’m from a small town by the sea.” | (a place, a feeling) |
| Where do you live now? | ”I live in the city now." | "My apartment is near a big park.” |
| What do you do? | ”I’m a teacher." | "I teach children.” |
Listen for two small words (04:37). I’m from is for the place you were born. I live in is for your home today. The episode also gives you a polite way out of a question you do not want to answer. Emily says she does not always answer “How old are you?”, and Paul replies: “You can say, I’d rather not say.” (05:01). The other choice is to smile and say the number.
What do you do? Or what are you doing?
Paul shares a small embarrassment (05:18). When someone asked him “What do you do?”, he answered, “I am drinking coffee.” The question is not about this minute. It is about your job. “What do you do” is about your job, and “what are you doing” is about this minute.
| You hear | It asks about | An answer |
|---|---|---|
| What do you do? | Your job or your study | ”I’m a student. I study English and math.” |
| What are you doing? | This minute | (what you are doing now) |
The Voice at the End of a Question (06:07)
Emily says two questions and Paul points to the voice. With where, what and who the voice usually goes down: “Where are you from?” With a yes or no question it usually goes up: “Are you a student?” You can try it with “Where do you live?” (down) and “Do you live here?” (up).
Three Lines That Save You (06:40)
When you do not understand, do not say “Yes”. Use one of three lines: “Can you speak slowly, please?”, “Sorry, can you say that again?” and “How do you spell that?”. Emily says she needed the second one in the elevator.
Family: Yes, I Do and No, I Don’t (07:24)
Paul’s family is “a little noisy”, and the family section is the best place to practise short answers. When a question starts with do, the short answer is easy: “Yes, I do. Or, no, I don’t.” Then comes one more thing: “I have one brother and one sister.”
Emily’s answer is a good model for no. She says “No, I don’t. I’m the only child.” But she does not stop there: “But I have three cousins. They live next door.” Paul says it clearly: “So the one more thing tells a little story about you.”
Two details about other people (08:54):
- The small s. With he and she the verb gets an s: “He’s a bus driver. He drives the number ten bus.” “She works in a bakery. She gets up at four.” Emily says: “That little s is small, but people notice it.”
- do and does. With you, we and they, the answer uses do: “Do you eat together?” “Yes, we do.” With he and she it uses does: “Does your brother live near you?” “No, he doesn’t.”
Paul also corrects a small thing learners say (10:30). “I love family” is understandable, but it sounds strange. We usually say “I love my family”. Just one small word: my.
Your Day: What Time Do You Wake Up? (11:12)
The day section is full of times. The question has a shape: “What time do you wake up?” Paul says “Not, when do you wake. That sounds short and broken.” Say it with the whole shape.
There are two tips here that cost nothing:
- Use a real time. “Please don’t only say, I wake up early.” Early is not clear. “Five o’clock, or six o’clock.” And Paul says it is your one more thing for free.
- Put one small word before the verb (13:44). Usually means most days. Sometimes means some days, but not many. “I usually go to bed at ten.” And a little later: “I sometimes go to bed at midnight. When there is a good movie.”
Paul’s cat Pepper wakes him up at six thirty (11:35). The section also covers breakfast, getting to work and weekends. Notice the small words again: by bus, on foot, and on weekends. Paul says it plainly: “On weekends. Not, what happens weekends.”
Your Home: There Is and There Are (14:44)
Emily lives in an apartment on the third floor, the same building as the elevator. Biscuit still lives upstairs. Her answer to “Is it big?” is a nice A2 model: “No, it’s small, but it’s cozy.” (Cozy means warm, soft and nice to be in.)
Two patterns are the heart of this section:
| The pattern | Use it for | Example from the episode |
|---|---|---|
| My apartment is small | A short description. Keep the verb is | ”My apartment is small, but it’s cozy.” |
| There is / There are | Show things one by one, as with a finger | ”There is one kitchen. There are two bedrooms.” |
| My favorite room is … | Say your favorite early in the sentence | ”My favorite room is the kitchen. It has a big window.” |
Paul’s warning: don’t say “three rooms exist”; people do not talk like that. Emily adds, “That sounds like a science book.” The better sentence is “There are three rooms. Short and easy.”
At the end of the section the hosts join three sentences into a small picture of a home: “I live in an apartment on the third floor. There are two bedrooms and a small balcony. My favorite room is the kitchen, because it is warm.” Emily says that is the power of one more thing: “People can see it.”
Food: Not Really and Yes, a Little (17:10)
Food time starts with an easy pair: “What food do you like?” and “What’s your favorite food?” Emily’s answer is a good example of one more thing with a feeling inside: “My favorite food is my mum’s fish soup. Nothing is better.” Paul calls it “a strong one more thing”.
The most useful phrase here is a soft no. Emily asks Paul if he likes spicy food, and he says: “Not really. A little spicy is okay.” Emily explains why this works (17:42): “Not really is a soft and friendly way to say no.” Paul agrees that “No, I don’t” can sound a bit hard sometimes.
There is a second soft answer at the cooking question (18:24). Paul says “Well, yes, a little. I can make eggs and soup.” It is true, and it does not promise too much. If you say “Yes, I can cook”, people may ask you to cook dinner. The story that follows is a little funny. Last Sunday Paul tried to cook fish curry for his parents (18:46). It had too much salt, his dad drank three glasses of water, and his mum said, “The rice is very nice.” Now when someone asks, Paul says “Yes, a little” and keeps it honest.
The short answers have a rule behind them (17:58). Look at the first word of the question and use it in the answer:
| The question starts with | The short answer | Example from the episode |
|---|---|---|
| Do you… | Yes, I do. / No, I don’t. | ”Do you like rice? Yes, I do.” |
| Are you… | Yes, I am. / No, I’m not. | ”Are you hungry? Yes, I am. Very.” |
| Can you… | Yes, I can. / No, I can’t. | ”Can you play an instrument? Yes, I can.” |
| Does he/she… | Yes, he does. / No, he doesn’t. | ”Does your brother live near you? No, he doesn’t.” |
One last grammar point is in this section: when you talk about the past, use ate (19:27). “What did you eat today? I ate an apple and some bread. I was in a hurry.”
Work and Study (20:16)
Paul works in an office for a small travel company. They plan holidays for people. Every day he answers emails and phone calls and makes plans, and on Fridays there is a team meeting. Notice how his answers grow: the company, the job, and one detail about Fridays. The hosts also stop on a question that learners often break: “How many people do you work with?” (20:44). Some learners say “How many coworkers have you”, and Emily says it is old and strange. Today we use do: “How many people do you work with? Or, how many coworkers do you have?” And when you are not sure of a number, say about: “About twenty.”
Three small words follow work, and the hosts say you should not worry about them today. Just copy the sentences: I work in an office (the place), I work for a travel company (the company), I work at a school (a place like a school or a hospital).
Emily shares a mistake of her own, and she is the teacher (21:58). “Last month I said, I am agree. My student fixed it.” Her answer was kind: “Thank you, you are right. I agree.” Paul likes the way the student taught the teacher.
Free Time: What Kind Of (23:00)
Here the story comes back. Emily reads books and takes long walks in the park, and sometimes she walks with Biscuit: “Her owner lets me walk her now.” Paul says: “Five answers in a notebook, and now you walk her dog.” Emily says that one small answer opened a door, and that conversation changed her whole first year. A neighbour became a friend, from one question in an elevator.
For your own answers, the useful pattern is What kind of …? (23:43). It works for music, food, books and movies: “What kind of music do you like?”, “What kind of movies do you like, Paul?”, “What kind of books do you read?” Answers in the episode are short and real: old pop songs from the nineties, funny movies, mystery stories “one chapter before bed”.
You also meet how often (24:39). Paul plays football with friends “once a month”, and he says you can also say once a week, twice a week or every day. His guitar answer is a good model of honesty: “Yes, I can. I play the guitar, but not very well.”
Your Turn: The Elevator Role-Play (25:31)
Now the game. Paul is the new neighbour and Emily is new in the building. Paul asks, there is a short pause, and then Emily gives a sample answer. The rule is the same for every question: “Answer, add one more thing, and ask back.” The questions go in this order:
- Are you new here?
- Where are you from?
- What do you do?
- Tell me about your family.
- What time do you go to work in the morning?
- What’s your favorite food?
- What do you do on weekends?
- How many rooms are there in your apartment?
- What kind of music do you like?
And then, at Paul’s floor, there is a tenth: “Wait, do you like dogs?” (27:56). It was not on the list, and that is the point: “Real life always has a surprise question.” Emily’s advice is to answer it anyway. Her sample answer is “Yes, I do. I had a dog at home. How about you?”
Paul adds a warning that many beginners will recognise (28:47). Many learners answer the first question very well, then they get nervous and the answers get shorter and shorter. “Yes, I am. Yes. Okay. Yes.” The ball comes back slower each time. The fix is small: take a breath first, then add one small thing, only one. “A time or a place is enough.”
Quiz with Pauses (29:18)
The quiz has four questions, and you answer in the pause. Question one asks what Emily said first in the elevator (the answer: only “Yes”). Question two is a choice between “three rooms exist” and “there are three rooms”. Question three asks for a soft no to spicy food (“Not really”), and question four asks for the three short words that send the ball back (“How about you?”). Emily says that four out of four is great, and two is a good start.
Recap and Your Challenge (30:28)
The task for today is small and a little silly (30:32): stand in front of a mirror for two minutes and answer five questions about yourself, out loud. Name, where you live, your job, your family, your free time. For each one add one more thing (a time, a place, a name or a feeling), and end with “how about you”, even to the mirror. Emily says she did the same at her kitchen table, and felt silly too.
The recap has three points (31:20): a question is a ping-pong ball, so hit it back; use short answers like “Yes, I do”, “No, I’m not” and “Not really”; and when you are lost, say “Sorry, can you say that again?” The comment question is “Where are you from, and what is one more thing about you?” Emily’s example: “I’m from Hue. I love rainy days.” In the next episode (32:08), the hosts go shopping and ask for directions.
Useful Language from the Episode
| Phrase | Meaning | Example from the episode |
|---|---|---|
| Are you new here? (01:17) | A friendly question to someone who has just arrived | ”Are you new here? Where are you from?” |
| Answer, add one more thing, and ask back (02:48) | The rule for every personal question | ”Yes, I am. I moved in last week. How about you?” |
| How about you? (03:42) | Send the question to the other person | ”I’m from a small town by the sea. It’s my first time here. How about you?” |
| My friends call me … | Tell the short name you use | ”My name is Emily. My friends call me Em.” |
| I’d rather not say (05:01) | A polite way not to answer | ”I’d rather not say. It is polite and friendly.” |
| Yes, I do. / No, I don’t. | Short answers to do questions | ”Do you have any brothers or sisters? Yes, I do.” |
| I’m the only child | You have no brothers or sisters | ”No, I don’t. I’m the only child.” |
| I usually … / I sometimes … (13:44) | Say how often, before the verb | ”I usually go to bed at ten.” |
| By bus / on foot | How you travel | ”I go to work by bus. I go to school on foot.” |
| It’s small, but it’s cozy | A short description with a good feeling | ”My apartment is small, but it’s cozy.” |
| There is … / There are … | Show things in a room, one by one | ”There is a small balcony. There are three plants on it.” |
| Not really (17:42) | A soft, friendly no | ”Do you like spicy food? Not really.” |
| Yes, a little (18:24) | An honest, small yes | ”Can you cook?” “Well, yes, a little.” |
| About twenty (20:44) | A number you are not sure of | ”How many people do you work with? About twenty.” |
| What kind of …? (23:43) | Ask about a type of thing | ”What kind of music do you like?” |
| Once a month / twice a week | How often | ”I play football with friends once a month.” |
| Can you speak slowly, please? (06:40) | Ask for a slower speaker | ”Can you speak slowly, please?” |
| Sorry, can you say that again? (06:43) | Ask for a repeat | ”In the elevator, I needed the second one.” |
| How do you spell that? | Ask for letters | ”How do you spell that?” |
Mistake and Repair
These mistakes come from the episode. The hosts say each one out loud and give the repair in a short line.
| Often said | Better | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Yes. (to “Where are you from?”) | I’m from a small town by the sea. | ”Yes is not a place.” Answer the question you heard (01:32). |
| I am drinking coffee. (to “What do you do?”) | I’m a teacher. I teach children. | What do you do? asks about your job (05:18). |
| When do you wake? | What time do you wake up? | The full question sounds natural (11:26). |
| I wake up early. | I wake up at six o’clock. | A real time is clearer (11:26). |
| My apartment small. | My apartment is small. | Keep the verb is (15:08). |
| Three rooms exist. | There are three rooms. | People do not talk like a science book (15:56). |
| Kitchen is favorite. | My favorite room is the kitchen. | Put favorite near the start (16:04). |
| I love family. | I love my family. | Add the small word my (10:30). |
| How many coworkers have you? | How many people do you work with? | We use do today (20:44). |
| I am agree. | I agree. | Agree is a verb, so there is no am (21:58). |
Practice with the Episode
1. Listen for details
Listen again to Emily’s story and the first half and answer. The answers follow.
- What did Emily say first in the elevator?
- What is the name of the neighbour’s dog?
- How many answers did Emily write in her notebook?
- What wakes Paul up at six thirty?
- What does Paul say when he is asked about spicy food?
Answers
- Only “Yes”. Then she looked at the floor.
- Biscuit.
- Five answers about her.
- His cat, Pepper.
- “Not really. A little spicy is okay.”
2. Say it out loud: three answers with one more thing
Use the pause in the role-play at 25:33. After each question, say your own answer, then add one more thing, and end with “How about you?”. Start with these three: Where are you from?, What do you do? and What time do you go to work in the morning? If you need an idea, use Emily’s sample at the same time stamp.
3. Pick the short answer
Choose the best short answer. These examples were written for this page; the answers follow.
- “Do you have any brothers or sisters?” You have one sister.
- “Does your brother live near you?” He lives in another city.
- “Are you hungry?” You want lunch.
- “Can you swim?” You can, but not well.
Answers
- Yes, I do. I have one sister.
- No, he doesn’t. He lives in another city.
- Yes, I am. Very.
- Yes, I can, but not very well.
Other answers can also work. If your sentence is true and the listener understands it, it works.
4. The mirror task (30:32)
This is the task from the episode. Stand in front of a mirror for two minutes, answer five questions about you (name, where you live, your job, your family, your free time), add one more thing to each, and end with “how about you”. Say it out loud, even if it feels silly.
Your small action
Write one comment under the video: “Where are you from, and what is one more thing about you?” Then, tomorrow, play the elevator role-play again and answer at least one question more than today.
Keep Practicing
Want these ideas on a page you can use without the episode? Read How to Answer Questions About Yourself in English: Answer, Add One More Thing, Ask Back. It follows the same rule through eight topics, with answers you can borrow, the voice at the end of a question, and a two-minute practice.
For what comes after the answer, see How to Ask Good Follow-Up Questions in English. If you need a longer introduction for a group, try How to Introduce Yourself in English When It Is Suddenly Your Turn. For the difference between What do you do? and What are you doing?, see Present Simple or Present Continuous: Routine vs Right Now.
Chapters
- 00:00 Easy Questions, Empty Mind
- 00:53 Emily’s Elevator Story
- 03:03 The Ping-Pong Rule
- 03:59 About You: Name, Home and Job
- 07:24 Family: Yes, I Do and No, I Don’t
- 11:12 Your Day: What Time Do You Wake Up?
- 14:44 Your Home: There Is and There Are
- 17:10 Food: Not Really and Yes, a Little
- 20:16 Work and Study
- 23:00 Free Time: What Kind Of
- 25:31 Your Turn: The Elevator Role-Play
- 29:18 Quiz with Pauses
- 30:28 Recap and Your Challenge
Full Transcript
Paul: Have you ever heard a very easy question in English, and said nothing?
Emily: Someone asks, where are you from, and your mind goes blank.
Paul: You know the answer. You just cannot find the words.
Emily: That happened to me. I will tell you in a minute.
Paul: Welcome to English Practice Daily. I’m Paul.
Emily: And I’m Emily. This slow English podcast is for A1 and A2 learners.
Paul: Today we answer simple questions about your life.
Emily: Your name, your family, your day, your home, your food, your work, and your free time.
Paul: We speak slowly, and you can repeat after us.
Emily: By the end, you can answer ten questions about yourself, out loud.
Paul: Okay, Emily. Tell us your story first.
Emily: Sure. It was my first year of English.
Emily: I moved to a new apartment in a new city.
Emily: One Friday, at eight in the evening, I got into the lift.
Paul: The lift. You mean the elevator.
Emily: Yes, the elevator. A woman got in with a small white dog.
Emily: She lived on the fifth floor. She smiled at me.
Emily: Then she said, are you new here? Where are you from?
Paul: Two easy questions. I want to know what you said.
Emily: I said, yes. Only yes. Then I looked at the floor.
Paul: Oh no. Yes is not a place.
Emily: I know! I understood her. But my mouth was empty.
Emily: The doors opened, and I almost ran to my door.
Paul: I can see your red face from here.
Emily: Very red. That night, I sat at my kitchen table.
Emily: I was angry with myself, because I knew those words.
Paul: That is the strange part. You knew the answer in your head.
Emily: Yes. In my head, it was perfect. In the elevator, it was gone.
Emily: I wrote five answers about me in a small notebook.
Emily: And each answer had one more thing in it.
Paul: One more thing. I’m not sure what you mean.
Emily: Not only, I’m new. But, yes, I moved in last week.
Emily: Three days later, I saw her again, at the mailboxes.
Emily: She asked me again, so where are you from?
Emily: And I said, I’m from a small town by the sea. It’s my first time here. How about you?
Paul: Wow. That is a real answer. And a question back.
Emily: She talked to me for five minutes. Her dog’s name was Biscuit.
Paul: Great name. So this is the rule for today.
Emily: Answer, add one more thing, and ask back.
Paul: Answer, add one more thing, and ask back. Say it with us.
Emily: Answer, add one more thing, and ask back.
Paul: Good. Now, I want to show you a picture for this rule.
Paul: A question is like a ping-pong ball.
Emily: Ping-pong is table tennis, the game with the small white ball.
Paul: Right. The other person hits the ball to you, and you have a choice.
Paul: If you catch it and hold it in your hand, the game stops.
Emily: That is me in the elevator. I held the ball.
Paul: Yes. But if you hit it back, the game goes on.
Paul: Your answer hits it back. One more thing makes it fun.
Emily: And, how about you, sends the ball to the other side.
Paul: How about you is short, but it is very polite.
Emily: It tells the other person, I want to hear your answer too.
Emily: And then the talk is not an interview anymore. It is a game for two.
Paul: Exactly. Let’s play, and we start with you and who you are.
Emily: Paul, ask me the first one. Slowly, please.
Paul: What’s your name?
Emily: My name is Emily. My friends call me Em.
Paul: Nice. The answer, and then one more thing. Your friends call you Em.
Emily: Now you. What’s your name?
Paul: I’m Paul. It’s a short name, easy to remember.
Emily: Good. Next one.
Paul: Where are you from?
Emily: I’m from a small town by the sea.
Paul: And where do you live now?
Emily: I live in the city now. My apartment is near a big park.
Paul: Listen to the small words. I’m from, for the place you were born. I live in, for your home today.
Emily: I’m from. I live in. Repeat with us.
Paul: I’m from a small town.
Emily: I live in a big city.
Paul: Now, a careful one. How old are you?
Emily: Hmm. Honestly, I don’t always answer this one.
Paul: That’s fine. You can say, I’d rather not say.
Emily: I’d rather not say. It is polite and friendly.
Paul: Or you can smile and say your age. I’m thirty-two. It’s a good age.
Emily: Ha. Now, the next question surprised me when I was new.
Emily: What do you do?
Paul: I remember my first answer to that question.
Paul: I said, I am drinking coffee.
Emily: Oh no, Paul.
Paul: I know. But, what do you do, does not mean right now.
Paul: It means your job. Your work.
Emily: So the answer is, I’m a teacher. I teach children.
Paul: Or, I’m a student. I study English and math.
Emily: Or, I work in a shop. I sell shoes.
Paul: Right now is a different question. What are you doing?
Emily: What do you do is about your job, and what are you doing is about this minute.
Paul: Let’s hear one more thing about the voice.
Paul: Listen to the end of these two questions.
Emily: Where are you from?
Paul: Her voice goes down at the end. Where are you from.
Emily: Now this one. Are you a student?
Paul: Her voice goes up at the end. Are you a student.
Emily: Questions with where, what, and who usually go down at the end.
Paul: Questions with a yes or no answer usually go up. Try it with us.
Emily: Where do you live? Down.
Paul: Do you live here? Up.
Emily: Good. Now, three small lines that save you in any talk.
Paul: Can you speak slowly, please?
Emily: Sorry, can you say that again?
Paul: How do you spell that?
Emily: In the elevator, I needed the second one. Sorry, can you say that again.
Paul: Your turn now. I ask, you answer. Answer, add one more thing.
Paul: Tell me where you are from.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: For example, I’m from Vietnam. I live in Da Nang now.
Paul: Tell me what you do.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: For example, I’m a nurse. I work at night.
Paul: Very nice. Let’s go to the people at home. Family.
Emily: Paul, I want to ask about your family.
Paul: Go ahead. My family is a little noisy.
Emily: Do you have any brothers or sisters?
Paul: Yes, I do. I have one brother and one sister.
Paul: My brother is older. My sister is the youngest.
Emily: Listen to that short answer. Yes, I do.
Paul: When a question starts with do, the short answer is easy.
Paul: Yes, I do. Or, no, I don’t.
Emily: Yes, I do. No, I don’t. Say it with us.
Paul: Yes, I do.
Emily: No, I don’t.
Paul: And then, one more thing. I have one brother and one sister.
Emily: My answer is different. No, I don’t. I’m the only child.
Paul: The only child. So no brothers and no sisters.
Emily: Right. But I have three cousins. They live next door.
Emily: When I was a child, they were like my brothers and sisters.
Paul: So the one more thing tells a little story about you.
Paul: That is a nice one more thing. Now I ask you.
Paul: What does your father do?
Emily: He’s a bus driver. He drives the number ten bus.
Paul: And tell me about your mother.
Emily: She works in a bakery. She gets up at four.
Paul: Four in the morning. Wow. Fresh bread every day.
Emily: Every single day. Our house always smells nice.
Paul: Notice the small s in these answers about other people.
Paul: With he and she, the verb gets an s. He drives. She works.
Emily: That little s is small, but people notice it.
Paul: Next. Is your family big or small?
Emily: It’s small. Just three of us. And you?
Paul: Mine is big. Five people, and one very old cat.
Emily: A cat! Tell me her name.
Paul: Pepper. She is the oldest in the family. Fifteen years old.
Emily: Ha. So, the oldest is the cat.
Paul: Who cooks at home? My mum cooks dinner. My dad washes the dishes.
Emily: Wait, you asked and answered. That was a ping-pong game with yourself.
Paul: Fair. You ask me something, then.
Emily: Do you eat together?
Paul: Yes, we do. Every Sunday, we have a big lunch together.
Emily: Yes, we do. Because the question is about the whole family.
Paul: Good point. You, we, they, the answer is with do.
Paul: He, she, the answer is with does. Yes, he does.
Emily: Does your brother live near you?
Paul: No, he doesn’t. He lives in another city.
Emily: Yes, he does. No, he doesn’t. Repeat after us.
Paul: Yes, he does.
Emily: No, he doesn’t.
Paul: Here is a small thing for learners.
Paul: Some people say, I love family.
Emily: The meaning is clear. But it sounds a little strange.
Paul: We usually say, I love my family.
Emily: My. Just one small word. I love my family.
Paul: Your turn. Tell me about your family. Big or small?
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: For example, my family is small. I have one sister. She is a student.
Paul: Tell me one thing about your mother or father.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: For example, my father is a farmer. He grows rice.
Paul: Beautiful. Now let’s talk about one normal day.
Emily: My favorite. Because every day has times in it.
Paul: Times. Six o’clock, seven thirty, that kind of thing.
Emily: Paul, what time do you wake up?
Paul: I wake up at six thirty. My cat wakes me up.
Emily: Of course. Pepper again.
Paul: Listen to the question. What time do you wake up?
Paul: Not, when do you wake. That sounds short and broken.
Emily: What time do you wake up. Say it with us.
Paul: What time do you wake up?
Emily: I wake up at seven. I’m not a morning person.
Paul: Please don’t only say, I wake up early.
Emily: But it’s true for some people.
Paul: It is true, but early is not clear. Five o’clock, or six o’clock.
Emily: I see. A real time is clearer for the other person.
Paul: And it is your one more thing for free.
Emily: Okay. What do you have for breakfast?
Paul: I have toast and an egg. And a big cup of tea.
Emily: I guess tea is your morning drink.
Paul: Yes, tea in the morning. Coffee after lunch.
Emily: I’m the opposite. Coffee first. Always coffee first.
Paul: How do you get to work?
Emily: By bus. It takes twenty minutes.
Paul: By bus, by train, by bike. Or on foot. I walk.
Emily: By bus. On foot. Repeat with us.
Paul: I go to work by bus.
Emily: I go to school on foot.
Paul: Now the evening. What time do you go to bed?
Emily: I go to bed at eleven. Sometimes later, with a good book.
Paul: I go to bed at ten. I’m a little boring.
Emily: You are not boring. You are a morning person.
Paul: Thank you. And the weekend. What do you do on weekends?
Emily: On weekends, I relax at home. I clean, I cook, and I call my mum.
Paul: On weekends. Not, what happens weekends. What do you do on weekends.
Emily: On weekends. Two small words, but they make it right.
Paul: Here is an easy upgrade for your answers about time.
Paul: Put one small word before the verb. Usually, or sometimes.
Emily: I usually wake up at seven. I sometimes wake up at nine on Sunday.
Paul: Usually means most days. Sometimes means some days, but not many.
Emily: It makes your answer more true, and more natural.
Paul: I usually go to bed at ten. Repeat after us.
Emily: I usually go to bed at ten.
Paul: I sometimes go to bed at midnight. When there is a good movie.
Paul: Your turn. I’ll ask, and you answer with a time.
Paul: Tell me what time you wake up.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: For example, I wake up at six fifteen.
Paul: And how you get to work or school.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: For example, I go by motorbike. It takes ten minutes.
Paul: Very good. You hit the ball back with a time. Now, home.
Emily: Where you live. Your house, your rooms.
Paul: Emily, do you live in a house or an apartment?
Emily: An apartment. On the third floor.
Paul: The apartment with the elevator.
Emily: The very same. Biscuit the dog still lives upstairs.
Paul: Is it big?
Emily: No, it’s small, but it’s cozy.
Paul: Cozy. Warm, soft, and nice to be in.
Emily: Listen. It’s small. With is. Not, my apartment small.
Paul: Right. My apartment is small. The is must stay.
Emily: My apartment is small, but it’s cozy. Repeat after us.
Paul: My apartment is small, but it’s cozy.
Emily: Now a new pattern. How many rooms are there?
Paul: Here, I want you to imagine a finger.
Paul: You point at things in a room, one by one.
Emily: There is one kitchen. There are two bedrooms.
Paul: We say there is for one thing, and there are for two or more.
Emily: There is a small balcony. There are three plants on it.
Paul: And don’t say, three rooms exist. People don’t talk like that.
Emily: No. That sounds like a science book.
Paul: There are three rooms. Short and easy.
Emily: Paul, what’s your favorite room?
Paul: My favorite room is the kitchen. It has a big window.
Emily: My favorite room is the kitchen. Start with, my favorite room is.
Paul: Not, kitchen is favorite. Put favorite near the start.
Emily: My favorite room is my bedroom. It’s quiet.
Paul: And your street. Is it quiet or noisy?
Emily: It’s quiet at night. But in the morning, there are many cars.
Paul: So, let’s put it all together in three sentences.
Emily: I live in an apartment on the third floor. There are two bedrooms and a small balcony. My favorite room is the kitchen, because it is warm.
Paul: Three sentences, and I can see your home now.
Emily: That is the power of one more thing. People can see it.
Paul: Your turn. Tell me about your home.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: For example, I live in a house. There are four rooms. My favorite room is the living room.
Paul: Nice work. Let’s eat something. Food time.
Emily: Finally. I’m hungry.
Paul: What food do you like?
Emily: I like noodles. Noodle soup, on a cold day.
Paul: What’s your favorite food?
Emily: My favorite food is my mum’s fish soup. Nothing is better.
Paul: That’s a strong one more thing. Your mum’s soup.
Emily: Paul, do you like spicy food?
Paul: Not really. A little spicy is okay.
Emily: Not really is a soft and friendly way to say no.
Paul: Right. No, I don’t, can sound a bit hard sometimes.
Paul: Not really, is softer. It is friendly.
Emily: Not really. Say it with us.
Paul: Not really.
Emily: Are you a vegetarian?
Paul: No, I’m not. I eat meat, but I love vegetables too.
Emily: Listen. Are you, so the short answer is, yes, I am, or, no, I’m not.
Paul: Do you, the answer has do. Are you, the answer has am.
Emily: Do you like rice? Yes, I do.
Paul: Are you hungry? Yes, I am. Very.
Emily: Can you cook?
Paul: Well, yes, a little. I can make eggs and soup.
Emily: Yes, a little. Another soft answer. Very useful.
Paul: It is true, and it does not promise too much.
Emily: If you say, yes, I can cook, people may ask you to cook dinner.
Paul: I remember last Sunday. I tried to cook a fish curry for my parents.
Emily: Oh no. I want to hear how it went.
Paul: Too much salt. Much too much. My dad drank three glasses of water.
Emily: Oh, Paul.
Paul: My mum said, the rice is very nice.
Emily: Ha. That is a kind mum. She found one good thing.
Paul: So now, when someone asks, can you cook, I say, yes, a little.
Emily: An honest answer, and one more thing. A funny one.
Paul: What did you eat today?
Emily: I ate an apple and some bread. I was in a hurry.
Paul: Notice the word ate, because we are talking about the past.
Emily: What did you eat. I ate. Repeat with us.
Paul: I ate rice and chicken.
Emily: Do you like something sweet after dinner?
Paul: Yes, I do. Chocolate ice cream. Always.
Emily: Your turn. Tell me your favorite food.
Emily: One… two… three…
Paul: For example, my favorite food is pho. I eat it on Sunday mornings.
Emily: And tell me if you like spicy food.
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: For example, yes, I do. Very spicy. Or, not really.
Emily: Lovely. Now let’s go to work.
Paul: Or school. Some of you are students.
Emily: Paul, are you a student?
Paul: No, I’m not. I work in an office.
Emily: Where do you work?
Paul: I work for a small travel company. We plan holidays for people.
Emily: What do you do at work?
Paul: I answer emails and phone calls. And I make plans.
Emily: So every day is the same for you.
Paul: Mostly. On Fridays, we have a team meeting.
Emily: How many people do you work with?
Paul: About twenty. Most of them are very kind.
Emily: Let’s stop on that question. How many people do you work with.
Paul: Some learners say, how many coworkers have you.
Emily: It is old and strange. Today, we use do.
Paul: How many people do you work with? Or, how many coworkers do you have?
Emily: Repeat after us. How many people do you work with?
Paul: About twenty. Say, about, when you are not sure.
Emily: About twenty. About ten. It’s easy and safe.
Emily: And listen to the small words after work.
Emily: I work in an office. In, for the place.
Paul: I work for a travel company. For, for the company.
Emily: I work at a school. At, for a place like a school or a hospital.
Paul: Don’t worry about this too much today. Just copy our sentences.
Paul: Now, my turn to ask. Emily, do you like your job?
Emily: Yes, I do. I teach English to adults in the evening.
Paul: Do you use English at work?
Emily: Every day. And sometimes I still make mistakes.
Paul: Even the teacher.
Emily: Even the teacher. Last month I said, I am agree. My student fixed it.
Paul: Your student taught you. That is nice.
Emily: It was. I said, thank you, you are right. I agree.
Paul: One question we hear a lot is about holidays.
Paul: When is your next holiday?
Emily: In December. I want to visit my parents by the sea.
Paul: For students, it is, what do you study.
Emily: I study English and history. I like history best.
Paul: Your turn. Tell me where you work or study.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: For example, I work in a hospital. I’m a nurse.
Paul: And how many people you work with.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: For example, about fifteen. They are friendly.
Paul: Great job. Now, my favorite part. Free time.
Emily: Hobbies. The fun things.
Paul: What do you do in your free time?
Emily: I read books, and I take long walks in the park.
Paul: I bet Biscuit the dog comes too.
Emily: Sometimes! Her owner lets me walk her now.
Paul: Look at that. Five answers in a notebook, and now you walk her dog.
Emily: It’s true. One small answer opened a door.
Emily: I mean it. That small conversation changed my whole first year.
Paul: Because a neighbor became a friend. From one question in an elevator.
Paul: Okay, my turn. Ask me something.
Emily: What kind of music do you like?
Paul: I like old pop songs. From the nineties.
Emily: What kind of is a very useful start for questions about hobbies.
Paul: What kind of music, what kind of food, what kind of books.
Emily: What kind of movies do you like, Paul?
Paul: Funny movies. I watch a comedy every Friday night.
Emily: Can you play an instrument?
Paul: Yes, I can. I play the guitar, but not very well.
Emily: Can you, the short answer is, yes, I can, or, no, I can’t.
Paul: Yes, I can. No, I can’t. Say it with us.
Emily: Yes, I can.
Paul: No, I can’t.
Emily: And you added, but not very well. I like that.
Paul: It’s honest. My neighbors know it’s true.
Emily: Do you play any sports?
Paul: Not really. I play football with friends once a month.
Emily: Once a month. That’s a nice one more thing. How often.
Paul: You can also say once a week, twice a week, or every day.
Emily: How do you relax after work?
Paul: I cook. Badly. Then I listen to music.
Emily: The fish curry again.
Paul: No more fish curry. Only eggs now.
Emily: Now ask me one question with what kind of.
Paul: What kind of books do you read?
Emily: Mystery stories. I read one chapter before bed.
Paul: Your turn, listener. Tell me what you do in your free time.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: For example, I play badminton. I play twice a week with my brother.
Paul: Very good. Now, a bigger game. Let’s play the elevator.
Emily: Oh, I love this.
Paul: I am your new neighbor. You are new in the building.
Paul: We meet in the elevator. I will ask questions.
Emily: And after each question, there is a short pause.
Emily: In the pause, you answer. Out loud, if you can.
Paul: Answer, add one more thing, and ask back.
Emily: Then I will say a sample answer. Ready?
Paul: Hi there. Are you new here?
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: Yes, I am. I moved in last week. How about you?
Paul: I’ve been here for two years. Where are you from?
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: I’m from a small town by the sea. It’s very quiet there.
Paul: Nice to meet you. What do you do?
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: I’m a student. I study English at a language school.
Paul: Tell me about your family.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: My family is small. My parents live in my hometown.
Paul: What time do you go to work in the morning?
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: I leave at seven thirty. I go by bus.
Paul: I usually go by bike. What’s your favorite food?
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: My favorite food is noodle soup. I eat it on cold days.
Paul: Me too. What do you do on weekends?
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: I usually relax at home. Sometimes I meet my friends in the park.
Paul: How many rooms are there in your apartment?
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: There are two rooms. It’s small, but it’s cozy.
Paul: Nice. What kind of music do you like?
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: I like quiet music. I listen to it before bed. How about you?
Paul: Oh, here is my floor. Wait, do you like dogs?
Emily: Ha. This question was not on the list.
Paul: Real life always has a surprise question.
Emily: That is the point. Answer it anyway. One… two… three…
Emily: Yes, I do. I had a dog at home. How about you?
Paul: Great. Then I hope you meet my dog soon.
Emily: And the doors open. You did it.
Paul: Nine questions, and one surprise. I hope you hit them all back.
Emily: If you only said yes to one, that’s okay. Play it again tomorrow.
Paul: Let me tell you a common problem in this game.
Paul: Many learners answer the first question very well.
Paul: Then they get nervous, and the answers get shorter and shorter.
Emily: Yes, I am. Yes. Okay. Yes.
Paul: Exactly that. The ball comes back slower each time.
Emily: So for the last questions, take a breath first.
Emily: Then add one small thing. Only one. A time or a place is enough.
Paul: You don’t need long answers. You need answers that keep the game going.
Paul: Now a short quiz. Four questions. Answer in the pause.
Emily: Question one. In my story, what did I say first in the elevator?
Paul: One… two… three…
Emily: Only, yes. And the ball stopped.
Paul: Question two. Which is right? Three rooms exist, or, there are three rooms?
Emily: One… two… three…
Paul: There are three rooms.
Emily: Question three. Someone asks, do you like spicy food. Give a soft no.
Paul: One… two… three…
Emily: Not really. Or, not really, a little is okay.
Paul: Question four. Three short words to send the ball back.
Emily: One… two… three…
Paul: How about you?
Emily: Four out of four is great. Two is a good start.
Paul: Here is one small job for today.
Emily: Stand in front of a mirror for two minutes.
Paul: Answer five questions about you, out loud.
Emily: Your name, where you live, your job, your family, and your free time.
Paul: For each one, add one more thing. A time, a place, a name, or a feeling.
Emily: And end with, how about you. Even to the mirror.
Paul: It feels silly at first.
Emily: It does. I did it at my kitchen table, and I felt silly too.
Paul: But three days later, you were ready at the mailboxes.
Emily: Answer, add one more thing, and ask back.
Paul: Answer, add one more thing, and ask back.
Emily: Let’s look back at today. Three things.
Paul: One. A question is a ping-pong ball. Hit it back.
Emily: Two. Short answers. Yes, I do. No, I’m not. Not really.
Paul: Three. When you are lost, say, sorry, can you say that again?
Emily: And we fixed some broken questions too.
Paul: What time do you wake up. How many people do you work with.
Emily: Now a question for you. Write it in the comments.
Paul: Where are you from, and what is one more thing about you?
Emily: For example, I’m from Hue. I love rainy days.
Paul: We read the comments, and we will answer with one more thing too.
Emily: And please answer other learners in the comments, too. Hit their ball back.
Emily: In the next episode, we go shopping and ask for directions.
Paul: If this lesson helped you, please subscribe to English Practice Daily.
Emily: Thank you for playing ping-pong with us today.
Paul: See you next time. Bye for now.
Emily: Bye, everyone.