Do you know anything about your rights and freedoms in Canada? We live in a country that provides the same rights to men and women.
For many people who arrive in Canada to live or study here, the freedoms we have may be different from their country of origin, so it is essential to understand our rights.
Vocabulary
Read these sentences to find the correct word.
Activity 1: Vocabulary
Activity 2: Grammar: Direct questions
Activity 3: Capsule & comprehension questions
Activity 4: Reading
Activity 5: Writing or speaking
Activity 6: Vocabulary review
Grammar
Direct questions
Most direct questions are formed the same way in English.
QW A S V o
Question Auxiliary Subject Verb object
Where do you live?
What are they doing this afternoon?
When did he help clean the riverbank?
Who is she?
Why should he ask for his travel visa?
Some question words can be more complex:
How much time do you need to finish your homework?
How many applications did you send before you found a job?
What did you notice?
How much + singular/non-count noun
How many + plural noun
The question “How often” can be followed directly by an auxiliary.
- How often would you see eat pizza if it were free?
Do you know when and how to use auxiliary verbs in your questions?
An auxiliary is a helper verb.
- Remember that to make most direct questions, you need an auxiliary.
- If there is already an auxiliary, use it.
- If there is no auxiliary, look at the verb tense (simple present – do or does, simple past – did)
B = base verb
This information might help you know which auxiliary to use and what to do with the verb.
Tense Auxiliary Subject(s) Verb form
S. pres do I, you, we, they BASE
does he, she, it
*BE* (am, are, is) (depends) No other verb
S. past did ALL BASE
*BE* (was/were) (depends) No other verb
Pres. Pro. am I verbING
are you, we, they
is he, she, it
Modals can, could, etc. ALL BASE
Pres. Perf. have I, you, we, they past participle
has he, she, it
(You may not have studied the present perfect)
Examples:
Where do you live? (simple present)
Where did she live? (simple past)
What are you doing? (present progressive)
What is your name? (present with BE)
Why were you late for the meeting? (past with BE)
How much money can you bring on your vacation? (modal)
How often have you seen your English tutor? (present perfect)
There are other verb tenses. The direct question structure of QWASVO stays the same.
Activity: Choose the correct auxiliary for the question
Watch the capsule
Answer the comprehension questions that follow.
Reading
The capsule discusses rights and privileges that we have in Canada and Quebec. What rights do you consider the most important?
If you are from a different country, can you explain if there are rights here that you do not have in your country?
Read the text and make sure you understand the vocabulary.
Human rights are the basic freedoms and protections that every person should have. These rights can include the right to vote, the right to follow any religion, and the right for men and women to be treated equally. However, human rights are not always the same in every country.
In some countries, women have the same rights as men. They can go to school, choose their job, vote in elections, and become leaders. In other countries, women may not be allowed to vote, drive a car, or work in certain jobs. Sometimes, laws or traditions limit women’s freedoms and may affect how a woman dresses or interacts in public.
Marriage rights vary from one place to another. Canadian citizens have the right to marry the person they want but in other countries, laws prevent marriage equality and even force people to hide their homosexuality.
Voting rights also change from country to country. In many places, all adult citizens can vote for their leaders. In others, voting may only be allowed for men, people of a certain religion, or members of a specific ethnic group. Some countries have free and fair elections, while others have elections that are controlled by the government.
Freedom of religion is another important human right. In some countries, people can freely choose and change their religion or decide not to follow any religion at all. In other countries, there is an official religion, and people can be punished for practicing a different faith.
These differences show that while human rights are important everywhere, they are not always protected and respected equally. International organizations and activists work to make sure that all people—no matter where they live—can enjoy the same basic freedoms.
What rights do you think we are missing?
Vocabulary review