Freedom Writers: Indirect Questions

Being a teacher, I must recommend this brilliant movie about teaching. It is one of my all time favorites. A must see. I took advantage of this scene to practice the use of indirect and direct questions in an amusing manner.

I. Work in pairs. Interview each other by asking the following questions:


1. Do you have the Snoop Dogg's new album?

2. Have you seen "Boyz in the Hood"?

3. Who lives in the Projects?

4. Do you know anyone who is in Juvenile Hall?

5. Have you been in Juvenile Hall for any length of time?

6. Do you know where to get drugs right now?

7. Do you know anyone in a gang?

8. Are you a gang member?

9. Have you lost a friend to gang violence?

10. Have you lost more than one friend?


II. Now rewrite the sentences above using indirect questions. Follow the model.


1. I want to know how many of you have Snoop Dogg's new album.

2. How many of you ...

3. How many of you ...

4. How many of you ...

5. How many of you...

6. How many of you ...

7. How many of you ...

8. How many of you ...

9. Stand in the line if you ...

10. Stand in the line if you ...



III. Now watch the movie segment from the movie Freedom Writers and check your answers.

IV. Play the game the teacher and students in the segment did. Each student writes down 3 yes/no questions about what he/she'd like to learn about his/her classmates on a piece of paper and give it to your teacher.


V. The teacher draws a line on the floor and asks the students questions saying how many of you... and asks one student to say the same questions using direct speech.



Ex: Teacher: How many of you are suffering from a broken heart now?

The sts who are suffering of a broken heart stand on the line.

Teacher says: Student 1!

Student 1: Are you suffering from a broken heart now?

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Lady in the Water: Included Questions

I must admit that this is the weakest Shyamalan's movie, in my opinion, but this scene is just perfect to practice included / embedded questions.





Read the following questions and decide who asked them
in the segment you will watch. Write ( S ) if Story asked
it, and ( C ) if Cleveland did it.

1) ( ) Did you pull me out?

2) ( ) Where are you from?

3) ( ) Is that an apartment?

4)( ) Do you feel an awakening?

5)( ) Why am I not stuttering?

6)( ) Where did you learn that?

7)( ) Why are you scared?

8)( ) Are you okay?


Now rewrite the sentences above, asking the same questions politely by saying Do you know… ? or Can you tell me… ?

EX: 1) Can you tell me if you pulled me out?

2) Can you tell me where you are from?


Answer Key:


A.
1. S 2 C 3 C 4S 5C 6C 7C 8C 9C


B. Answers may vary:


3. do you know if it is an apartment
4. Can you tell me if you feel an awakening?
5. I'd like to know why I'm not stuttering
6. Can you tell me where you learned that?
7. Do you mind telling me why you are scared?
8. Can you tell me if you are okay?



How to prepare your own video activity:




• Select a scene in which several questions are asked

• Choose questions whose verb tenses suit your class

• Ask the students to identify the characters who said them in the segment.

• Ask the students to rewrite the questions politely, using indirect questions.



Watch the movie segment here:



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