To ask an appropriate question, pick the one fact you still need, choose the matching question word, and keep a polite register. À quelle heure commence l’atelier ? is a good question. L’atelier, c’est quand ? is understandable, but weaker in a formal exchange.
This skill appears in role plays and in writing tasks where you contact an organiser. It belongs to study, work and future interests, and it builds on the facts you selected in summarising a notice.
Which question words cover most activities?
| Need | Question | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Time | À quelle heure ? Quand ? | À quelle heure commence le cours ? |
| Place | Où ? | Où a lieu le stage ? |
| Cost | Combien ? | Combien coûte l’inscription ? |
| Method | Comment ? | Comment peut-on s’inscrire ? |
| Yes or no | Est-ce que … ? | Est-ce qu’il faut apporter un ordinateur ? |
| Request | Pouvez-vous … ? | Pouvez-vous m’expliquer le programme ? |
How do I build a question I can trust?
- Decide what is missing. Check what the notice or prompt already tells you.
- Choose the question word from the table.
- Choose one safe form. Est-ce que plus a normal sentence is the simplest.
- Choose tu or vous and keep it throughout.
- Check the ending. Written questions need a question mark, and spoken ones need a rising voice.
Worked example
Situation: you read a notice for a fictional sports camp. It gives the dates and says it is for ages 14 to 16.
You phone the organiser, an adult you have not met. You need to find out the price and what to bring.
Question 1: Bonjour, pourriez-vous me dire combien coûte le stage, s’il vous plaît ?
Question 2: Est-ce qu’il faut apporter son propre équipement ?
Step 1, what is missing: price and equipment, not dates or age, which are already given.
Step 2, question words: combien for cost, and est-ce que for a yes-or-no point.
Step 3, register: pourriez-vous, s’il vous plaît and vous suit an adult stranger.
Step 4, form: both questions have a subject and a verb in a normal order after the question phrase.
Step 5, check: nothing repeats information that was already given.
What mistake should I watch for?
The usual slips are the wrong register and a time question that loses its preposition.
Mistaken answer: Tu peux me dire quelle heure commence le cours ?
Tu is too familiar with an organiser, and quelle heure is missing à.
The correction is Pouvez-vous me dire à quelle heure commence le cours ? The preposition à belongs to the time expression, and vous fits the situation.
Check yourself
Try these on paper, then open each answer.
1. Turn this statement into a question with est-ce que: Le stage est ouvert aux débutants.
Show answer
Put est-ce que in front and keep the order: Est-ce que le stage est ouvert aux débutants ? Before il, elle or on, it becomes est-ce qu’.
2. The notice gives the place and the date but not the price. Write a polite question to an adult organiser.
Show answer
Model: Pourriez-vous me dire combien coûte l’activité, s’il vous plaît ? It asks about the missing fact, it uses vous and it stays polite.
3. Correct: Combien coûte-il le stage ?
Show answer
Do not combine a noun subject with a pronoun like this. Use Combien coûte le stage ? or Combien est-ce que le stage coûte ?
Where does this lead next?
With questions secure, move on to explaining a future study or work interest, where you speak about your own plans. The integrated practice for this module mixes all four skills.
Some students know the question words and still hesitate in a live exchange. Our teachers rehearse these exchanges in online one-to-one French tuition.