120 this or that questions, and how to answer them in English
“This or that” questions give two choices, like “tea or coffee?”, and you pick one. They are a quick icebreaker for friends, classes and team meetings, and great English speaking practice if you say why. Here are 120 questions in eight groups, from easy to hard, a random question with a 30-second timer, and the phrases to answer in full sentences.
By The YoFluent teamUpdated 8 min read
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Random this or that question (with a 30-second timer)
Press start for a random question. You get 5 seconds to choose and 30 seconds to explain your choice out loud. Allow the microphone and it records you, so you can listen back.
This or that?
Tea or coffee?
Runs in your browser. Your recording stays on your device and is never uploaded.
How to answer in English (not just one word)
A one-word answer ends the game in a second. A three-part answer turns it into speaking practice and gives the other person something to reply to.
| Step | What to say | Example: “Beach or mountains?” |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Pick | Choose clearly. | “Mountains, for sure.” |
| 2. Reason | Say why, with because or since. | “Because I hate lying in the sun all day, and I love walking.” |
| 3. Example | Add a real detail or memory. | “Last year we hiked for three days and it was the best trip I’ve had.” |
| 4. Ask back | Keep the conversation going. | “What about you? Are you a beach person?” |
Phrases for giving your preference
| You want to… | Say |
|---|---|
| Choose | “I’d go for…” · “I’d pick…” · “Definitely…” · “… every time.” |
| Compare | “I prefer A to B.” · “I’d rather have A than B.” · “A is much better than B for me.” |
| Give a reason | “because…” · “The main reason is…” · “For me, it’s all about…” |
| Find it hard | “That’s a tough one!” · “It depends on…” · “If I really have to choose…” |
| Agree or disagree | “Same here!” · “Me too.” · “Really? I’m the opposite.” · “I can see why, but…” |
“I’d rather” is followed by the base verb or a noun: “I’d rather stay home”, “I’d rather have tea”. “I prefer” takes “to”: “I prefer tea to coffee.”
120 this or that questions
Easy (good for beginners)
- Tea or coffee?
- Cats or dogs?
- Summer or winter?
- Morning or night?
- Pizza or burger?
- Sweet or salty?
- Rain or sun?
- Books or films?
- Beach or mountains?
- Call or text?
- Bus or train?
- Chocolate or vanilla?
- City or countryside?
- Breakfast or dinner?
- Shoes or sandals?
Food and drink
- Cook at home or eat out?
- Spicy or mild?
- Rice or bread?
- Fruit or cake for dessert?
- Street food or a nice restaurant?
- Juice or soda?
- Pancakes or waffles?
- Hot soup or cold salad?
- Fast food or home-cooked food?
- Breakfast in bed or breakfast in a café?
- Ice cream or cake?
- Try new food or order your favourite?
- Big lunch or big dinner?
- Chopsticks or a fork?
- Popcorn or chips at the cinema?
Lifestyle
- Early bird or night owl?
- Big party or small dinner with friends?
- Gym or outdoor sport?
- Plan everything or go with the flow?
- Save money or spend it on experiences?
- Messy desk or tidy desk?
- Shower in the morning or at night?
- Live alone or with friends?
- Walk or cycle?
- Shopping online or in a shop?
- Busy weekend or lazy weekend?
- Phone on silent or ring loud?
- Dress up or dress comfortably?
- Wake up with an alarm or naturally?
- Old house or new flat?
Travel
- Plane or train?
- Window seat or aisle seat?
- Hotel or camping?
- Travel alone or with friends?
- Beach holiday or city break?
- Pack light or pack everything?
- Museum or market?
- Hot country or cold country?
- Road trip or cruise?
- Plan the trip or decide every day?
- Famous places or hidden places?
- Souvenirs or photos?
- Short trip often or long trip once a year?
- Local food or familiar food abroad?
- Visit the same place again or somewhere new?
Entertainment
- Netflix or YouTube?
- Comedy or horror?
- Music or podcasts?
- Concert or cinema?
- Read the book or watch the film?
- Video games or board games?
- Instagram or TikTok?
- Sing or dance?
- Watch sport or play sport?
- Old songs or new songs?
- Series or films?
- Subtitles on or off?
- Cartoons or live action?
- Football or cricket?
- Superheroes or detectives?
Work and school
- Work from home or in the office?
- Team project or work alone?
- Exams or projects?
- Big company or small start-up?
- Higher salary or more free time?
- Email or a phone call?
- Morning meetings or afternoon meetings?
- Maths or languages?
- Online class or classroom?
- Be the boss or be in a team?
- Notebook or laptop?
- Study with music or in silence?
- Short break often or one long break?
- Learn by reading or by doing?
- A job you love or a job that pays well?
Hard choices (for good discussions)
- Be famous or be rich?
- Know the future or change the past?
- Lots of friends or one best friend?
- Be very smart or very happy?
- Live without music or without films?
- Speak every language or play every instrument?
- Never use social media again or never watch TV again?
- Live in the past or in the future?
- Have more time or more money?
- Always say what you think or never speak again?
- Be a great speaker or a great writer?
- Travel the world or buy a house?
- Be loved or be respected?
- Work you enjoy for less money or work you hate for more?
- Live by the sea or in the mountains for ever?
For kids and classes
- Dinosaurs or dragons?
- Superman or Spider-Man?
- Draw or paint?
- Zoo or water park?
- Robot or pet?
- Fly or be invisible?
- Lego or puzzles?
- Swings or slides?
- Birthday cake or birthday presents?
- Snow day or beach day?
- Read a comic or a story book?
- Teacher for a day or principal for a day?
- Football or basketball?
- Lion or elephant?
- Space or the ocean?
Ways to use it: class, work and friends
- In class: read a question, students move to the left or right side of the room, then one student from each side explains in a full sentence. Use the easy or kids’ groups for young learners.
- In team meetings: one question at the start of a call, 30 seconds each. The work and lifestyle groups are safe for colleagues.
- With friends: take turns asking, and after each answer the other person must ask one follow-up question.
- Alone: use the random question above, record your answer, and listen for “umm” and one-word answers.
Go further
Once two-choice questions feel easy, try open questions: our get to know you questions and English conversation topics. To speak for a full minute on a topic, use the JAM topics timer, and to keep any chat alive, read how to keep a conversation going.
Frequently asked questions
What are this or that questions?
They are questions with two choices, such as “tea or coffee?” or “beach or mountains?”. You choose one. They are used as icebreakers with friends, in classes and in team meetings.
What is the difference between this or that and would you rather?
This or that questions are usually short pairs (“cats or dogs?”). Would you rather questions are full sentences about imagined situations, often with two hard or strange options (“Would you rather never use your phone again or never watch TV again?”).
How do you answer a this or that question in English?
Pick one, give a reason and add an example: “Tea, because coffee keeps me awake. I have a cup every evening.” Then ask “What about you?” to keep the conversation going.
What are good this or that questions for kids?
Simple, fun pairs work best: dinosaurs or dragons, zoo or water park, robot or pet, fly or be invisible, snow day or beach day. This page has 15 in its kids and classes group.
Are this or that questions good for learning English?
Yes, if you answer in full sentences. Choosing is easy, so learners relax, and explaining the choice practises because, comparatives (better, more interesting) and preference phrases such as “I’d rather”.
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