Asking For Information

Dalam keseharian, tentu kita tak lepas dari yang namanya bertanya. Iya kan? Tak hanya bertanya sekedar basi-basi, bertanya dengan tujuan untuk memperoleh informasi juga sering kita lakukan. Ada yang tahu cara mencari informasi dengan menggunakan bahasa Inggris? Ada yang udah tahu? Di bawah ini ada pembahasan mengenai materi tersebut. Kebetulan, materi ini adalah materi presentasi Bahasa Inggris saya bersama Istiningtyas Nurdzahabiyyah di sekolah pada semester 2 ini. Mungkin penjelasan ini hanya sedikit, tapi saya harap ini dapat berguna bagi para pembaca. So, untuk tahu lebih lengkapnya tinggal baca di bawah ini. Selamat membaca :)

Definition:

Asking for information is one way of communicating the purpose of obtaining or asking for information person unknown.

The use of WH-Question

•       When

•       Where

•       What

•       Why

•       Who

•       How

 Information about company
- What does your company do?
- What is your specialty?
- What do you specialize in?
- What is your main line of business?

Information about products
- Could you give me some (more) information on this?
- What can you tell me about this (product)?
- Tell me about this one/model.

 Information about Price
- What are you asking for this?
- What does this sell for?
- How much is it?
- How much does it run?

Combine with to be
- What is your name?
- When was he born?
- Where are the books?
- Why where they here? 

- Who are thoose people?

- How is Rara?

Combine with auxilary verb or modals
- What do . . .

- When did . . .

- Where shall . . .

- Why does . . .

- Who might . . .

- How colud . . .

Example of Asking For Information

•          Could you tell me…?

•          Do you know…?

•          Do you happen to know…?

•          I’d like to know…

•          Could you find out…?

•          I’m interested in…

•          I’m looking for...

•          Where is Mr. King?

•          When’s lunch?

•          When’s the movie?

These two forms are used for asking for information on the telephone:

•   I’m calling to find out…

•   I’m calling about…

Here are some sample phrases and sentences for asking information in English.

• What is this? This is a table.

• What is that? That is a chair.

• What’s this? It’s a pen.

• What’s that? It’s an apple.

• What are these? These are pencils.

•  What are those? Those are books.

• Where is Mr. King? He is over there.

• Where is Ms. Knight? She’s (right) here.

• Where’s Johnny? He’s in the house.

• When’s the movie? It’s at 9:00.

• When’s lunch? Lunch is at noon.

• How is the food? It’s delicious.

Example:

1.            What is this?                                    This is a table.
2.            What is that?                                    That is a chair.
3.            What's this?                                      It's a pen.
4.            What's that?                                      It's an apple
5.            What are these?                                These are pencils
6.            What are those?                                Those are books
7.            Where is Mr. King?                            He is over there
8.            Where is Ms. Knight?                        She's (right) here
9.            Where's Johnny?                               He's in the house

10           When's the movie?                             It's at 9:00.
11.          When's lunch?                                   Lunch is at noon
12.          How is the food?                                It's delicious

The following are some ways to keep in mind in asking for information:

• Use correct format
• Be specific
• Include contact information
• Be polite
• Proofread

Example dialogue of asking for information:

Disa : Can you tell me announcement this morning?

Rara : Sorry Disa, I also didn’t hear the announcement.