Conversation Questions and Activities to Aid in the Learning of English

Conversation Questions and Activities to Aid in the Learning of English 
Arranged according to tense, topic, and levels of difficulty 
By Prof. Mark McDowell, M.A. Mark’s ESL World ~ http://www.marksesl.com 
26 
250.
What do you think you wife / husband / girlfriend / boyfriend is doing right 
now? 
251.
What do you think your favorite movie star is doing right now? 
252.
What do you think the president of the United States is doing right now? 
253.
What do you think Britney Spears is doing right now? 
Past Continuous Tense 
254.
What were you doing five minutes ago? 
“As you know, I was studying English with you.” 
 
255.
What were you doing an hour ago, in detail? 
256.
What do you think your classmate was doing one hour ago? 
Future Continuous Tense 
257.
What would you like to be doing 5 years from now? 
258.
What are you going to be doing at around five this evening? 
259.
What will you be doing tomorrow between 7 and 8 p.m.?
40
“I’m going to be watching television.” 
Present Continuous Tense Used for Future 
260.
Make up similar sentences like the following:
“I am seeing my dentist on 
Wednesday.” “Bill is coming for dinner tomorrow.” “Are you doing 
anything tonight?” “We aren't going on vacation next week.” 
40
Future continuous requires going to + be + verb + ing: ―I am going to be exercising tomorrow at 8 
o’clock.. 

---

Conversation Questions and Activities to Aid in the Learning of English 
Arranged according to tense, topic, and levels of difficulty 
By Prof. Mark McDowell, M.A. Mark’s ESL World ~ http://www.marksesl.com 
27 
 
 
5. The Perfect and Perfect Continuous Tenses 
Present Perfect Questions Requiring Present Perfect Answers
41
Note:
It is difficult to devise questions that must be answered exclusively in 
present perfect, but here are some attempts. Students should try answer using 
present perfect tense only. 
261.
How have you been feeling lately? 
262.
How long have you known the person sitting next to you? 
263.
What have you done today?
42
264.
What are some things that you’ve done this week? 
265.
Have you been 
working out
43
 
lately? 
266.
What have you been doing lately? 
267.
What good restaurants have you eaten at? 
268.
Have you been doing anything exciting lately? 
269.
Have you been saving for anything special? 
270.
What good movies have you seen lately? 
271.
Have you changed anything in your apartment recently? 
41
Present perfect relates a past event to the present. Therefore, it requires a time period that has not ended 
and uses have or has. In many cases you’ll want to first give an answer in present perfect, then change to 
simple past. Example: Have you ever visited Los Angeles? ―Yes I have, I visited it just last year.‖ 
42
Questions relating to time periods that have not ended will allow you to form a longer answer remaining 
in the present perfect. 
43
Exercising. 

---