Good afternoon, Dear friends. With you Julia Marzan and the blog "School effective sales". Let's continue talking about the questions that are used in sales to get the client's consent to the purchase. Today we will talk about alternative questions.
involve several (usually two) possible options customer response, each of which suits the seller. There are two proposals in such questions, there is no provision for refusal in them.
Alternative questions can be successfully applied to anyone. For example, using alternative questions on a neutral topic, you can “talk” the interlocutor, understand his areas of interest, unobtrusively identify needs, and direct the client’s thoughts to choosing alternatives.
Examples of alternative questions
- “Is it more interesting for you to go to Egypt or to Turkey?”
- “Will you draw up the contract yourself or let our specialists do it?”
- “Is it convenient for you to deliver in the morning or in the evening?”
- “Do you choose a top-loading or front-loading washing machine?”
- “Would it be convenient for you if we set up a meeting on Wednesday or Friday?”
- “Is it convenient for you to pick up the goods yourself or will you use the delivery service?”
By asking alternative questions, the salesperson can focus the customer's attention on two or more options. This simplifies decision making and facilitates the selection process.
When are alternative questions used?
- when summing up intermediate and final results;
- when discussing plans for further work;
- to encourage indecisive clients to make a decision;
- in order to reassure the client and give him a choice best option further action.
When formulating alternative questions, it is very important to offer the client options that are really acceptable to him. Otherwise, a seemingly harmless alternative question may be mistaken for manipulation by the client.
The fact is that with the help of an alternative question, the client is programmed in a certain way for the selection procedure, closes on this process and rarely realizes whether he needs to make a choice at all. Even quite psychologically literate customers are not always aware of the veiled manipulation at the time of the sale.
For example, a girl is trying on a blouse. Seller: "Which blouse do you like better: blue or red?" Client (not yet sure if she even needs a blouse): "Red."
Of course, if the client is not at all interested in your product, no amount of manipulation will help you. And if the client understands the difference between the products offered, then this is not manipulation at all, but only a way to slightly push the client to.
It seems that it is very simple, however, beginners do not always cope with this task. The fact is that it is not enough to understand what you need to ask, you still need to do it correctly from the point of view of grammar. In fact, it is not so difficult if you understand general principles building interrogative sentences.
Classification
AT English language traditionally there are several
- General. The answer to it will be consent or refusal. Reverse word order: Do you work in the office?
- Special. In this case, interrogative wh-words are used. Where do you work?
- Dividing. In this case, the sentence is divided into two parts: statement + question. Sometimes also called "with a ponytail". When translating, the ending is usually conveyed with the turnover "isn't it?": You work in the office, don't you?
- Indirect. This type has a special structure. It has a direct word order, and it is considered a more polite and formal form of communication: I wonder if you work in the office.
- Alternative. Finally, this type involves a choice between two or more, usually mutually exclusive, options: Do you work in the office or at home?
It is the alternative type of question that will be discussed in more detail today. At school, they rarely draw attention to it, but even in such a seemingly simple design, it is not so difficult to make mistakes. And although this does not happen so often, to know some of the subtleties foreign speech interesting and useful - in the future, this increases the level of language proficiency, which allows you to speak it as well as native speakers do.
Alternative Type Features
We often have to make a choice or offer it to others. As is clear from their name, alternative questions in English carry this function. As a rule, they contain two components, that is, two approximately equivalent possibilities are offered to choose from.
Like almost all other issues, this type is inherent reverse order words, that is, the subject comes after the predicate or linking verb. By the way,
sometimes there are designs that combine the features of several types. What do you like: tea or coffee?
Linking in English can be both additions and complex grammatical constructions with predicate: Do you prefer playing the piano or reading books? In any case, the sentence will contain the union or.
An unequivocal answer "yes" or "no" in this case not applicable. This is the difference between this type. The response must be grammatically complete. In colloquial speech, it is possible to simply say "reading books" , although this would not be correct.
With regard to the use of the structure in oral speech, then alternative questions in English have a fairly well-established scheme of intonational coloring. Traditionally before or the voice is raised, sometimes putting emphasis on the union itself and the second part, and at the end of the sentence, and especially on the last stressed syllable, the tone goes down.
Education
As it has already become clear, alternative questions in English are built on the principles of general ones, but connect several options, one of which will serve as a possible answer. As a rule, the second part is incomplete, since it is omitted complex structure with a common predicate.
His scheme is something like this:
Linking verb + subject + predicate + option 1 or option 2?
As an answer, you can apply the proposal according to the following scheme:
Subject + predicate + option 1 (2).
If both of the proposed options are not suitable, then the reaction will be as follows:
None of it + subject + predicate + option 3.
You can also build in English to the subject. This option sounds a little strange, but remains grammatically correct:
Link + subject 1 + predicate + or + predicate 2?
Do you drive the car or does your husband?
Is Ann here or is Jenny?
The main thing in this case is not to forget about the auxiliary verb before the second subject. The answer to the question of such a construction can be short:
My husband does.
The study of theory can be extremely exciting, but learning a language is impossible without constant and varied practice. The same applies to the development of the topic "alternative questions". English offers a large number of options for the transmission of a particular thought, but what about the Russian? Translators are primarily interested in adequacy and semantic equality. So what is the best way to replicate this type of question without losing the meaning?
Transmission in Russian
Usually this is not a problem. Despite the fact that alternative questions in English, unlike Russian, use the reverse word order in their construction, translation rarely causes difficulties. Union or successfully replaces "or":
Do you work in an office or at home?
What do you like: tea or coffee?
Do you prefer playing the piano or reading books?
Do you drive or your husband?
Is Ann or Jenny there?
It is obvious that the constructions of such questions are similar both in Russian and in English, except for the absence of linking verbs in the latter in such an explicit form. By the way, here they are of the same type - they are also called alternative. So the idea that all languages are somehow related may not be without meaning.
In such an interrogative sentence, the word order is direct (unchanged), and in the sentence itself, everything remains in its place. We just remove the subject and use the appropriate instead. question word: Who? What? (who what). Neither in the present nor in the past tense does this type of question in English need the use of auxiliary verbs. Auxiliary verbs shall / will may appear in the future, but they are an indicator of precisely the time and, in principle, have nothing to do with the question.
There is only one caveat - in the present tense we use the verb in the third person and singular.
Examples: What happened to us? - What happened to us? What makes you feel upset? - What makes you sad? Who invite guests for the party? Who invites guests to the party
2. General question.
This interrogative sentence in English means posing a question to the entire sentence. The answer to this question is the words Yes and no. Therefore, this type of question in English is also called yes/no question. AT this issue reverse word order and in the first place an auxiliary (do, does, is, etc.) or modal verb.
Examples: Does she like knitting? Does she like to knit? Do you play computer games? - Do you play computer games? Is this his book? - This is his book? Just do not forget that the verb to be in the present and simple past does not require any auxiliary verbs: Are you at home? - Are you at home? Or Was he at the cinema yesterday? Was he at the theater yesterday?
3. Special question (special question)
This type of question in English is different in that it can be asked to any member of the sentence. The word order is also reversed, and a number of question words are used to obtain the necessary information: What? - what?; When? - when?; Where? - where?; Why? - why?; Which? - which? other.
Examples: Where are you going to move? – Where are you going to move?What would you like to read? -What would you wanted read? When did you leave the house? -When you gone from Houses?
4. Alternative question (alternative question)
We ask to any member of the sentence, however, a feature of this interrogative sentence is the choice between two objects, persons, qualities, actions, etc. In such a question, there will necessarily be a union or - or. Examples: They finished writing the article at 5 p.m. -They are finished write article in 5 evenings. Did they finish writing the article in the morning or at night? -They are finished write article in the morning or in the evening? Did they finish writing or reading the article? -They are finished write or read article?
5. Disjunctive question (tag-question / disjunctive question).
When posing such an interrogative sentence in English, a person tries to express doubt, surprise, confirmation of what was said. The analogue of this question in Russian is the turnover isn't it?, isn't it?. Such a question consists of two parts: the first is the whole sentence itself, with the word order unchanged, and without those parts of speech to which the question is actually asked; the second is a short question in which an auxiliary or modal verb will appear that is present in the predicate of the first part.
There are two ways to form such a question in English: the sentence is affirmative, the short question is negative; the sentence is negative, the short question is positive.
Examples: My mother prefers meat to fish, doesn't she? "My mother prefers meat to fish, doesn't she?" I am a pessimist, ain't/aren't I? I am a pessimist, am I not? You can cook this dish, can't you? You can cook this dish, can't you? She doesn't go to the church, does she? She doesn't go to church, does she?
Here are all types of questions in English. Having studied the ways of constructing them, you can easily formulate any interrogative sentences in English for any statement.
An alternative question (Alternative Question) is one of the five that exist in the English language. Alternative questions resemble the construction of general and special questions, therefore, before studying the former, it is recommended to repeat the course of the latter if they (general and special questions) have already been studied. Consider an alternative question in English, examples of which will make it easier to understand the rule of its formation , construction building, important nuances and subtleties of use.
There are often circumstances in life when you need to make a choice or offer it to others. This function is performed precisely by alternative questions. If you make a definition, then an alternative question in English means questions that suggest making a choice from two or more actions, qualities, objects, etc.
Important! The construction of the question necessarily implies the use of the union or ("or"), the function of which is to connect the proposed options. Also note that the answer to the question is present in the question itself. All the responder has to do is simply choose one of the options. The answer is ready.
Reference: answers ‘’yes’’/’’no’’, which are unambiguous, in this situation are invalid in meaning.
Usage examples:
A few examples to better understand the rule when you need to ask an alternative question:
- Will you propose me coffee or tea? => Will you offer me coffee or tea?
- Are you going to Africa or Brazil? => Are you going to Africa or Brazil?
- Is he wearing his or mine trousers? => Is he wearing his pants or mine?
As you can see from the examples, all you need to answer is just choose one of the options already offered.
As for intonation, it should be given considerable attention. You can not pronounce alternative questions in one continuous intonation. The first part of the question, before the particle or, is pronounced in a slightly high tone, the second - understated. It can be concluded that the first option is more preferred than the second, but this is not always the case. It all depends on the situation and on the preferences of the respondent.
- Do you prefer pineapples or peaches? => Do you prefer pineapples or peaches?
- Do you like listening to music or watching TV? => Do you like listening to music or watching TV?
- Is he handsome or just pretty? => Is he handsome or just cute?
As you can see, the answer in favor of a particular quality/thing/object depends on personal taste preferences and individual wishes. For example, for one, peaches will be tastier, for another, pineapples. It cannot be said that one is better and the other is worse. The same can be said about music. Someone likes to relax with their favorite songs, for someone watching a movie is the best entertainment. And as for sympathy, it is purely individual preferences.
Features of the formation of the construction of alternative questions
To build a construction, it is common to use inversion, that is, a change in the order of words in a sentence. The presence of inversion is observed in all types of questions, except for a special one (to its definition and subject). How is the proposal constructed in such cases? In the first place we put (one to choose from):
- modal verb;
- auxiliary;
- question word.
One option is selected. It depends on the nature of the offer. What is important is the presence of the union or, with the help of which a choice of several proposed options is provided. To better understand the structure of the construction, we will clearly demonstrate how an alternative question is formed according to the principle of general questions.
Usage examples:
We take two general questions and connect them with the union or:
- Are they knitting or are they sewing? => Do they knit or sew?
- Is she going to school or is she going to cinema? => Does she go to school or to the movies?
- Does he solve a problem or does he watch TV? =>
Now, to form a correct alternative question, we remove the second part of the question, which is repeated, and leave only its alternative. This results in the following suggestions:
- Are they knitting or sewing? => Do they knit or sew?
- Is she going to school or to cinema? => Does she go to school or to the movies?
- Does he solve a problem or watch TV? => Is he solving a problem or watching TV?
Conclusion: an alternative question in English is formed on the basis of general questions, which serve as a kind of foundation for the formation of alternative ones. The main task is to connect several alternatives, among which one is a possible answer.
On a note! The second part of the alternative question in some cases can be replaced by negative particle not. Here are some examples:
- Will she be so kind to repeat or not? => Will she be so kind to repeat or not?
- Is he waiting for me or not? => Is he waiting for me or not?
- Do you like my cookies or not? => Did you like my cookies or not?
- Did they trust us or not? => Did they trust us or not?
Important! An alternative question should be answered only with a full sentence.
Alternative question in English: examples with subject
It is important to remember that in the case when an alternative question must be asked to the subject, then the second part of the question must also have a modal or auxiliary verb, which must precede the second subject. And it is worth remembering that the answers to such questions most often have a short form.
If the alternative question consists of a special question (special questions have their own educational specifics), followed by homogeneous members sentences, you need to use a question word. It is placed at the beginning of such a sentence.
Examples:
Summing up
The subject of an alternative question is one of the simplest in the English language. In order to better understand the issue, compose the right technique for study. By regularly visiting our site and studying the topics in the proposed sequence, you will acquire a systematic and learn how to correctly express your thoughts.
Homework: Write 10 general questions and make alternative questions out of them. If it's hard to come up with a lot, start with 5 questions. Remember: quality over quantity. But! Starting with a few examples, constantly raise the bar and increase the number. Variety of words is good for vocabulary enrichment.
A few words in conclusion
And one more thing: do not rush to cover everything, start with primitive topics and move towards more complex ones. Good luck and patience interesting discoveries in the world of grammar, stylistics and lexicology.
Every day you make a choice between several options. “Will you have tea or coffee? Are we going to the cinema or a restaurant? Will they fly by plane or will they go by train?”
In English, questions that give us the right to choose are called alternative. It is very easy to build them.
I have prepared a guide for you that will teach you how to ask and answer such questions.
From the article you will learn:
- How to ask an alternative question:
What are alternative questions
True to their name, these questions involve the right to choose, that is, an alternative. By asking it, we give the interlocutor two options to choose from.
Do you like cats or dogs?
Let's learn how to ask such questions in English.
How to ask an alternative question?
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When we talk about choice, in Russian we use the word "or". In English we use the word or.
To build an alternative question, you need to add the word to the end of the general question or and one more option to get a choice.
Common question:
"Do you drink tea?"
Alternative question:
"Do you drink tea or coffee?»
If you don't know how to build general question, I recommend that you start with this article.
Let's take a closer look at how alternative questions are asked with auxiliary verb, the verb to be and the modal verb.
Alternative question with auxiliary verbs in English
Auxiliary verbs- these are words that are not translated, but only serve as pointers. They help us determine:
- time of what is happening (present, future, past);
- number of actors (many or one).
Read more about auxiliary verbs in this article.
Each tense in English has its own auxiliary verb (do/does, have/has, did, had, will). Let's look at the auxiliary verbs of the three most used tenses.
1. Present simple tense (Present simple tense):
- does, when we talk about someone in the singular (he, she, it);
- do, for all other cases (me, you, we, them).
2. Past simple tense ( past simple Tense: did.
3. Future simple tense ( Future Simple Tense: will.
How to ask an alternative question with auxiliary verbs?
To form a question, you need to make a general question, and at the end of the sentence with the help of or add another option.
Scheme for constructing an alternative question:
Auxiliary verb + actor+ ___ or ___?
Let's look at examples.
| General question | Alternative question |
|
Does he go to workby subway? |
Does he go to work by subway or by car? |
|
Do they like apples? |
Do they like apples or pears? |
|
Will he watch TV? |
Will he watch TV or read a book? |
|
Did they play football? |
Did they play football or tennis? |
More on Forming Questions in Tenses Simple groups you can find out here:
Alternative questions with the verb to be in English
Also in English there is special kind verb - the verb to be. We use it when we say that someone:
- is somewhere (he is in the park);
- is someone (she is a nurse);
- is some kind of (gray cat).
Depending on the time in which we use this verb, it changes its form.
- In the present tense - am, are, is.
- In the past tense - was, were.
- In the future tense - will be.
If the sentence contains the verb to be, then the alternative question is built according to the following scheme.
Verb to be + character + ____ or ____?
Let's look at example sentences.
| General question | Alternative question |
|
Is your cat grey? |
Is your cat gray or black? |
|
Were they at school? |
Were they at school or at home? |
|
Was he a doctor? |
Was he a doctor or a teacher? |
|
Will it be hot? |
Will it be hot or cold? |
There are verbs in English that do not indicate an action (go, read, study), but show an attitude towards these actions (I must go, I can read, I should study):
- can / could - I can;
- must - must;
- may/might - I can;
- should - follows, etc.
Sentences containing such words do not require an auxiliary verb (do/does, did, will, etc.).
The scheme for the formation of an alternative question will be as follows.
Modal verb + character + ____ or ____?
Let's look at examples.
| General question | Alternative question |
|
Should he stay here? |
Should he stay here or leave? |
|
May I take your pen? |
May I take your pen or your pencil? |
|
Can you open a window? |
Can you open a window or a door? |
Details about modal verbs you can read in this article.
How to answer an alternative question in English
In response to an alternative question, you must choose one of the options provided. Therefore, we cannot answer “yes” or “no”.
The answer is built in the same time as the question.
Do you like chocolate or ice-cream? I like ice-cream.
Do you like chocolate or ice cream? I like ice cream.
Will he work or have a rest on this weekend? He will have a rest on this weekend.
Will he work or rest this weekend? He will rest this weekend.
Are they American or british? They are American?
Are they American or British? They are Americans.
Should she stay at home or go to the party? She should go to the party.
Should she stay at home or go to a party? She should go to the party.
We have studied the theory, and now let's move on to practice. Write the completed task in the comments, and I will check.
Reinforcement task
Translate the following sentences into English.
1. Can you bring me cookies or chocolate?
2. Do you like oranges or bananas?
3. Do you want tea or coffee?
4. Is your dog small or big?
5. Is she at work or in the store?
6. You bought White dress or red dress?
7. Will she go to the cinema with Tom or Peter?
Leave your answers in the comments below the article.
