MyLeoNes™

Asking what something is — Foreign languages, 4–6 years

Learn to ask about an unfamiliar object and answer with its name. Foreign languages, 4–6 years.

Idea: “What’s this?”

When we see something we do not know, we can ask its name. In English, “What’s this?” means “What is this?” A helpful answer is “It’s a ball” or “It’s a cup”; the little word “it’s” points to the thing we can see.

Why ask?

A new word is easy to forget if we only hear it once. Asking lets us connect the sound with the real object, so we can use the word again. People have always needed this when meeting new objects, places and languages; the question makes a shared name possible.

Worked example

A teacher holds up a red ball. First, look at the object and ask: “What’s this?” Next, listen for the answer: “It’s a ball.” Finally, point to the ball and say “ball” yourself. The object gives the word a clear meaning.

A common mix-up

You may say “What this?” because the important words seem to be “what” and “this”. That is a sensible first try: children often leave out small words while building a new sentence. In English, keep “is” in the middle: “What’s this?”

Where it helps

This question helps when you visit a place where people speak another language. You can point to a menu picture, a toy or a sign and ask, “What’s this?” At home, it also helps you learn the names of new things while playing with someone who speaks English.

Keep exploring

Other languages

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