Asking Questions - Unit 6 / "was-were" questions

by Gail M. Van Tatenhove, PA, MS, CCC-SLP

Asking questions is an important pragmatic function; and children using AAC need practice
learning how to ask all kinds of questions. There are many activities you can do to provide the
practice the child needs to develop language and motor automaticity with all kinds of question
forms. Here are some simple ideas that you can use at home, in therapy, or in the classroom in
small group activities to practice asking questions.

The words was and were are stored in most Unity programs as a helper verb phrase (e.g., I
was, were you, I wasnt, you werent) and as a past tense verb. The most efficient way to say
the words was or were is in conjunction with a pronoun in a helper verb phrase. However,
there will be times when the words was or were are not used with a pronoun and the child
needs to know how to say them as individual words.

Birthday Party Story (was & were in helper-verb phrases)

Preparation:
1. Duplicate the worksheet called Birthday Party Story with Fill-in-the-Blanks at the end
of this intervention plan.
2. Using the PASS software with the child's customized vocabulary, create visual support
materials, such as flashcards, for the answers listed at the bottom of the worksheet.

Activity:
1. Complete the worksheet with the student.
2. To make the activity more fun, you can use various party props and recruit people to act
out parts of the story.

Funny Rude Noise Game (was as an individual word)

Preparation:
1. Recruit 3 to 5 peers to play the game with you. Select peers (or other helpers) who will
have fun with the child making rude noises.
2. Using the PASS software with the child's customized vocabulary, create visual support
materials, such as flashcards, for the following:
a. the interrogative was
b. the demonstrative that
c. the pronoun you

Activity:
1. Have each of the peer helpers think of a funny or rude noise that they can make (e.g.,
burp, fart, squeak, raspberry, etc.). Be careful that this doesnt get out of hand, but still
have fun!
2. The AAC using child is the teacher in this activity.

Van Tatenhove, 2011

3. The adult shuts his/her eyes. The child using AAC, as the teacher, finger/fist/eye points
to one of the peer helpers. That peer helper makes one of the funny or rude noises.
4. The adult opens his/her eyes and the child using AAC, as the teacher, asks the question
Was that you? while looking at someone in the group.

Daily Applications
1. Find ways throughout the day to model "was" and were questions both verbally and
with Aided Language Stimulation, (e.g., were you happy, were you sad, why were you
laughing?).
2. List 3 to 5 simple "was or were questions that you would like your child to learn to
ask. Select 1 or 2 questions per week and practice them every day with your child.
3. Read story books together, looking for the word was or were in the story in either a
question or statement form.

Van Tatenhove, 2011

Birthday Party Story with Fill-in-the-Blanks

A boy named Jonathan 1_ _ _ having a birthday
party. He wore a party hat and blew a noise
maker. 2 _ _ _ _ _ happy to have a party.

All the boys and girls 3 _ _ _ _ happy to be
there.

At the party, the parents said we are going to
play games. The kids heard this. 4 _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ excited. 5 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ jumping
up and down and yelling.

But one girl didnt like a game. She thought
the game 6 _ _ _ _ boring. All afternoon, she
sat by herself because 7 _ _ _ _ _ boring to her.

Some of the other children 8 _ _ _ _ mad at her because
they thought 9 _ _ _ _ _ _ a party pooper. But Jonathan
didnt and 10 _ _ _ _ _ just glad 11 _ _ _ _ _ _ there.

After a while, Jonathans dad said that
12 _ _ _ _ _ time for everyone to go home.
13 _ _ _ _ _ very very very tired.

Everyone took off their hats. 14 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ tired
too.
15 _ _ _ _ _ a good party.

Answers:
1.
2.
3.

was
He was
were

4.
5.
6.

Van Tatenhove, 2011

They were
They were
was

7.
8.
9.

it was
were
she was

10. he was
11. she was
12. it was

13. He was
14. They were
15. It was