Specific Skills and Strategies for Short-answer

Questions
In the previous topic, you watched your course trainer Philip explaining how to answer short-answer questions and he also provided
some common before and while listening strategies for this question type.

Below are some more skills and strategies specific for short-answer questions.

Recognising question words

Short-answer questions often use questions words such as what, who, when, where, how much, how many. Each of these question words
asks for something specific so it is important that you understand this.

Activity

Match the following question words with the type of information they would provide.
Activity

Now that you have reviewed the function of the question words, let’s practise this a bit further. You will listen to seven short recordings
providing specific information.
 Look at the set of questions below and the question word used in each. Select the best question for the answer you hear.

Listening for synonyms

The listening passage will not always have the same wording found in the questions. This is why you should think of synonyms of the
key words in the questions so that you are better prepared when you listen to the recording.

Activity

Consider the following sample short-answer questions based on a short talk on recreation and service facilities at a university.

Questions 1 – 5

Answer the questions. Write NO MORE THAN FOUR WORDS in each gap.

What does the Student Group manage at the University?

1 _______________

What two services is the Student Group in charge of supervising?

2 _______________
3 _______________

What does the Board consist of?

 ten students
 4 _______________
 and one Student Group staff representative.

What type of employees are most of the employees at the Student Group?
5 _______________