What do friends do?

[CSHY]

I think sentences as follows are natural.
---- What are your/my/her/their friends doing? ----
---- What do friends do?
---- They help each other.

Recently, there has been a heated discussion on the Internet among people learning and teaching English in China.

This sentence appears in a newly published textbook for kids:

"What do friends do?" (see the picture please.)

Some people believe the sentence is incorrect or unnatural.

I wonder if it might be natural in a way when people speak to kids.

 

[teechar]

a newly published textbook for kids:

Please cite the source properly.

 

[CSHY]

Please cite the source properly.

I presented a picture.

 

[teechar]

Tell us the:
1- Title.
2- Author.
3- Publisher.
4- Edition (if any).
5- Year of publication.

 

[CSHY]

Tell us the:
1- Title.
2- Author.
3- Publisher.
4- Edition (if any).
5- Year of publication.

I've shown a picture, which might be enough for readers to know the context.
I know little about the information you required, and is that too much for a post to learn and teach English with? We are not doing archeology or bibliology, with all due respect.

 

[5jj]

with all due respect.

We ask members to respect the rules of the forum.

You must tell us where you found that page (tiles/website) and who wrote it. This is a legal requirement on the forum due to copyright laws.

 

[probus]

"What do friends do?" (see the picture please.)

Some people believe the sentence is incorrect or unnatural.

The people who believe that are wrong. It is both natural and correct.

 

[CSHY]

We ask members to respect the rules of the forum.

You must tell us where you found that page (tiles/website) and who wrote it. This is a legal requirement on the forum due to copyright laws.

I found that page in a short video, https://b23.tv/EFN5gWf (if you like), but I'm afraid a link to video is not allowed again. There is too much "you cannot". Sorry and sincere.

 

[jutfrank]

It would be interesting to know why those people who think it's wrong think it's wrong.

 

[CSHY]

It would be interesting to know why those people who think it's wrong think it's wrong.

1. what are friends(?) doing?
2. what are friends'(?) jobs?

 

[tedmc]

1. what are friends(?) doing?
2. what are friends'(?) jobs?

Jutfrank is not asking you to rephrase the sentence. He wants to know why people there think it's wrong.
It's a simple, general statement to me. To be more specific and relevant to the context, you can ask - "What do your friends do?".

I think the preceding sentence, "What do you do with your friends?" ("friends" being an object), should have been written - "What do you and your friends do?" (presumably asking about your common interests).

 

[jutfrank]

1. what are friends(?) doing?

That's wrong. You can't use a continuous tense, as it's a very general question about what it means to be a friend. It has to be present simple. It's about how friends behave in general.

2. what are friends'(?) jobs?

Jobs? That's not the right word.

 

[Matthew Wai]

Recently, there has been a heated discussion on the Internet among people learning and teaching English in China.

Can you post a link to the discussion. I am also in China.

Some people believe the sentence is incorrect or unnatural.

Are they Chinese people?