Questions · ESL

ESL conversation questions your students can actually answer

Questions for English learners that use everyday words and ask about real life: the daily routine, a small story from the past, an opinion with a reason. Sorted so a class can climb from one-sentence answers to a short discussion.

  • 18 questions
  • EN + TL on every card
  • Free in the app
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Kumustahan is a bilingual conversation card app: 1,200 questions in English and Filipino across 7 decks, with a short reflection on the back of every card.

Icebreakers№ 44

Recall the last time you tried something new just because you were curious.

Ikuwento ang huling beses na sumubok ka ng bago dahil curious ka lang.

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A note

Would you try it again, or was once enough?

Susubukan mo ba ulit, o sapat na ang minsan?

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The questions

18 ESL conversation questions

Each group stretches a different skill. Start at the top with a new class and move down as students get comfortable.

Warm-ups: one sentence is enough

6 questions

Present simple, everyday nouns, no wrong answers. Good for the first five minutes.

  1. Which part of the day usually feels easiest for you?

    Anong part ng araw usually pinaka-madali para sa'yo?

    Back of the card

    Some people come alive in the morning, some at night, and some during one quiet pocket in between.

    May taong buhay na buhay sa umaga, may gabi ang favorite, at may isang tahimik na part lang sa gitna na hinihintay.

  2. Before leaving the house, what do you always check?

    Bago umalis ng bahay, ano yung lagi mong chine-check?

    Back of the card

    Small checks are tiny protection from future hassle. Everyone has one thing they refuse to leave up to memory.

    Maliit lang yung check, pero nakakaiwas sa future hassle. Lahat tayo may isang bagay na hindi pwedeng memory lang.

  3. When you get home, what’s the first thing you usually do?

    Pag-uwi mo, ano yung unang bagay na usually mong ginagawa?

    Back of the card

    That first move can be funny, tired, quiet, or automatic. It can say something about how you settle in.

    Yung first move na iyon pwedeng nakakatawa, pagod, tahimik, o automatic. May sinasabi rin siya kung paano ka nagse-settle.

  4. Pick your ideal weather: a warm rainy afternoon or a cool sunny morning.

    Pumili ng gusto mong panahon: maulan pero mainit na hapon o maaraw pero malamig na umaga.

    Back of the card

    Choose a sound to go with your weather.

    Pumili ng tunog na bagay sa pinili mong panahon.

  5. Name one item you always seem to lose, like keys, earphones, a pen, a charger, or your wallet.

    Magbanggit ng isang item na parang lagi mong nawawala, like susi, earphones, pen, charger, o wallet.

    Back of the card

    Some items have a talent for vanishing at the worst time. At some point, it starts to feel like a relationship issue.

    May items na ang galing mawala sa worst time. Dumadating sa point na parang relationship issue na siya.

  6. If your afternoon suddenly became free, how would you spend it?

    Kung biglang naging free ang hapon mo, paano mo ito gagamitin?

    Back of the card

    Free time shows what you reach for when nobody is asking for anything. It can be rest, fun, errands, or nothing at all.

    Makikita sa free time kung saan ka kusang pupunta kapag walang kailangan sa'yo. Puwedeng pahinga, saya, errands, o wala lang.

Tell me about a time…

5 questions

Short stories in the past tense. Ask a follow-up before moving on.

  1. Recall the last time you tried something new just because you were curious.

    Ikuwento ang huling beses na sumubok ka ng bago dahil curious ka lang.

    Back of the card

    Would you try it again, or was once enough?

    Susubukan mo ba ulit, o sapat na ang minsan?

  2. What useful skill did someone patiently teach you?

    Anong kasanayan ang matiyagang itinuro sa'yo ng isang tao?

    Back of the card

    Imagine you are teaching the skill now. What would you show a beginner first?

    Isipin na ikaw naman ang nagtuturo nito. Ano ang una mong ipapakita sa baguhan?

  3. Tell us about a small childhood memory you still remember clearly.

    Kuwento mo yung maliit na childhood memory na malinaw pa rin sa'yo.

    Back of the card

    The memories that stay are not always the biggest ones. Sometimes one small scene keeps its color for years.

    Hindi laging pinakamalaki ang memories na naiiwan. Minsan isang maliit na scene ang malinaw pa rin kahit ang tagal na.

  4. What is a recent act of kindness that caught you by surprise?

    Anong magandang ginawa sa'yo lately ang hindi mo inaasahan?

    Back of the card

    Keep names private if you like. Picture the instant you realized what they had done for you.

    Puwedeng itago ang mga pangalan. Balikan ang sandaling naisip mo kung ano ang ginawa nila para sa'yo.

  5. What meal with a friend became memorable for something besides the food?

    Anong kainan ninyo ng friend ang tumatak dahil sa nangyari, hindi lang dahil sa pagkain?

    Back of the card

    If this meal's story had a title, what would it be?

    Kung may pamagat ang kuwento ng kainan na ito, ano iyon?

Your opinion, plus one reason

7 questions

Choices and preferences that need a “because”. Good for pairs who disagree.

  1. When you try a place to eat, what makes it feel worth visiting again?

    Kapag may tinry kang kainan, ano yung nagpapaisip sa'yo na worth balikan ito?

    Back of the card

    It could be taste, comfort, price, people, or memory. Places become favorites for different reasons.

    Puwedeng lasa, comfort, presyo, tao, o memory. Iba-iba yung dahilan kung bakit may places tayong binabalikan.

  2. Would you rather have one long vacation or several short ones?

    Mas gusto mo ba ng isang mahabang bakasyon o ilang maiikli?

    Back of the card

    Give your break a title, as if it were a movie.

    Bigyan ng pamagat ang break mo, na parang movie.

  3. Would you rather always arrive twenty minutes early or exactly on time?

    Mas gusto mo bang laging dumating nang twenty minutes early o laging sakto sa oras?

    Back of the card

    Finish if you like: "While everyone else is getting ready, I..."

    Kung gusto mo, ituloy: "Habang naghahanda pa ang iba, ako..."

  4. Two choices: unlimited snacks or perfect sleep for one week. Defend your pick.

    Dalawa lang: unlimited snacks o perfect sleep for one week. I-defend ang pick mo.

    Back of the card

    Low-stakes choices still reveal priorities. Snack joy and good sleep are both valid campaign platforms.

    Kahit low-stakes, may priorities pa rin. Snack joy at good sleep, parehong valid campaign platform.

  5. When did you last change your mind after hearing a good reason?

    Kailan ka huling nagbago ng isip dahil may narinig kang magandang reason?

    Back of the card

    Try an optional before-and-after: "I thought..., but now..."

    Kung gusto mo: "Dati, akala ko..., pero ngayon..."

  6. What makes a game with friends fun even when no one wins?

    Ano ang nagpapasaya sa laro kasama ang friends kahit walang nananalo?

    Back of the card

    What would be a funny prize just for joining?

    Anong nakakatawang premyo ang puwedeng ibigay sa lahat ng sumali?

  7. When plans change, how do you decide what to keep, drop, or adjust?

    Kapag nagbago ang plans, paano mo dini-decide kung ano ang itutuloy, bibitawan, o ia-adjust?

    Back of the card

    Changed plans show priorities quickly. Sometimes the real answer is comfort, people, responsibility, peace, or simply energy.

    Kapag nagbago ang plans, mabilis lumabas ang priorities. Minsan comfort, tao, responsibility, peace, o energy lang talaga.

How to use them

Before you ask

Good ESL conversation questions are short, use words students already know, and ask about the learner’s own life, so the hard part is speaking, not understanding the question. A student who can’t follow the prompt never gets to practice the answer.

Most question lists for English class fail in one of two ways. Some are too abstract (“What is happiness?”) and leave intermediate students hunting for vocabulary they don’t have. Others are yes/no questions that end the conversation in one word. The cards here sit in between: concrete topics like the walk home, a meal, a skill someone taught you, each one open enough to need a full sentence.

Use them in pairs. Give each pair three or four cards, set a timer for four minutes, and ask the listener to respond with one follow-up question before they swap roles. Then ask two or three students to report what their partner said, which practices the third person and reported speech without a worksheet.

Good for

  • Pair work in adult and teen ESL classes
  • Five-minute warm-ups at the start of a lesson
  • Speaking practice in one-to-one tutoring
  • English conversation clubs
  • Self-study: answer a card out loud each day

Tips

  1. Pre-teach one or two words per card before pairs start, not the whole list.
  2. Ask for “one sentence more” instead of correcting mid-answer; note mistakes and review them at the end.
  3. Keep the timer visible. Short, timed rounds feel safer than open-ended talk.
  4. Let students pass on any card. A comfortable speaker says more than a cornered one.
  5. Mix pairs by first language when you can, so English is the only shared language.

Decks for this

A 20-minute speaking activity

A simple structure that works with almost any level from pre-intermediate up:

  • Model it (2 minutes). Read one card aloud and answer it yourself in two or three sentences. Students copy the length you show them.
  • Pair talk (8 minutes). Partner A asks, partner B answers, A asks one follow-up. Swap every card.
  • Change partners (5 minutes). New pairs ask the same cards. Answers get faster and more fluent the second time.
  • Report back (5 minutes). A few students share a partner’s answer: “She said that…”, “He usually…”.

Sentence starters to put on the board

Weaker students speak more when they have a way in. These frames fit almost every card above:

  • For routines: “Most days I… / Usually, the first thing I do is…”
  • For stories: “One time, I… and then… In the end…”
  • For opinions: “I’d rather… because… / For me, the most important thing is…”
  • For follow-ups: “Why do you think…? / What happened next? / How did you feel?”

ESL conversation questions

Frequently asked questions

What are good ESL conversation questions?

Questions about everyday life that use simple words but need a full-sentence answer: a daily routine, a small memory, a choice with a reason. They should be easy to understand so students can focus on speaking.

How do I get quiet ESL students to talk?

Use pairs instead of whole-class questions, show a sample answer first, and give sentence starters on the board. A timer and the option to pass also lower the pressure.

Are these questions good for adults or for kids?

This set suits teens and adults. For younger learners, see the ESL questions for kids, which use simpler, more playful choices.

Can students use these on their phones?

Yes. The questions are cards in Kumustahan, a free conversation card app that works offline. Each card also has a Filipino translation, which some classes in the Philippines use for checking meaning.

Bring a better question to the table.

Free on iPhone and Android. 420 cards free, no account, works offline.

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