Questions that need either ayesor anoanswer are calledyes-noquestions:
Do you like vanilla ice cream?(answer:yesorno)
Have you ever seen a ghost?(answer:yesorno)
Formingyes-noquestions
With an auxiliary verb
We formyes-noquestions with an auxiliary verb (be, doorhave) + subject + main verb or with a modal verb + subject + main verb:
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Where there is no auxiliary verbbe,haveor modal verb already present in the statement, we use the auxiliarydo, does, did:
Statement form (no auxiliary) | Question form |
You usually walk to work. | Doyou usually walk to work?
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You liked disco music in the 70s. | Didyou like disco music in the 70s?
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We don’t use an auxiliary verb when we usebeas a main verb:
Is sheyour sister?
Not:Does she be your sister?
When there is more than one auxiliary verb or a modal verb plus auxiliary verb(s), we only put the first auxiliary or the modal verb before the subject and the others after the subject:
Auxiliary + subject + auxiliary + verb
Isthis phone callbeingrecorded?
Not:Is being this phone call recorded?orIs being recorded this phone call?
Auxiliary + subject + auxiliary + verb
Hasthe gardenbeenlooked after while you were away?
Not:Has been the garden looked after while you were away?orHas been looked after the garden while you were away?
Modal + subject + auxiliary + auxiliary + verb
Shouldwehavebeen writing this down?
Not:Should have we been writing this down?
We only put auxiliary and modal verbs, not main verbs, before the subject:
Wheredidyou find the keys?
Not:Where did find you the keys?
See also:
Be
Have
Without an auxiliary verb
When we askyes-noquestions using the main verbbe, we don’t use an auxiliary verb. The word order is:be+ subject:
Is the weathernice in Turkey in the winter?
Was sheangry when you told her about the accident?
When we askyes-noquestions with the main verbhave, we can also use the word order verb + subject, but it sounds rather formal. We usehave gotanddoas more neutral or informal alternatives:
Haveyou an identity card?(formal)
Doyouhavean identity card?(neutral)
Haveyougotan identity card?(informal)
When we ask questions with the main verbhavein the past to refer to possession, we usedid … haverather thanhad … got:
Didyouhaveyour glasses with you when you left the car?
Hadyougotyour glasses with you when you left the car?(less common)
Responding toyes-noquestions
Other ways of sayingyesandnoincludeyeah, yep, mm, okay, andnah, nope. These are informal:
A:Would you like to play tennis with me later?
B:Okay. (meaningyes)
A:Have you seen Greg?
B:Nope. (meaningno)
We can also give more than just ayesornoanswer. We sometimes add more information:
A:Can I grow potatoes in a pot?
B:Yeah. They grow really well in pots.
A:Will you be going to Ryan’s party?
B:No. I’m actually going to be away on Friday night.
Sometimes we don’t useyesornoas a reply but the answer that we give meansyesorno:
A:Do you know Tina Gomez?
B:We’ve known each other for years. We went to the same school. (meaningyes)
A:Do you have the Thrills latest album?
B:I’m afraid we’ve just sold the last one!(meaningno)
We sometimes respond using the auxiliary verb from the question instead ofyesandno:
A:Hey Tim, did you go fishing today?
B:Idid.I went with the boys.
A:Has Jason had breakfast?
B:Hehasn’t.He’s still in bed.
Negativeyes-noquestions
We usually use negativeyes-noquestions to check or confirm something we believe or expect to be the case, or when we consider that something is the best thing to do:
Isn’tthat Pauline’s car?(I’m pretty sure that this is correct. I’m asking for confirmation.)
Shouldn’twe be leaving?(I think that we should leave now.)
We form negativeyes-noquestions withnot. We usually use the contractionn’t. If we usenotin its full form, the question sounds very formal:
Isn’tthat the oldest building on this street?
When using the full formnot, the order auxiliary + subject (s) +notis more common than auxiliary +not+ subject:
[AUX][s]Is that[not]notthe oldest building in this street?(formal) (preferred to [the very formal]Isnotthatthe oldest building on this street?)
We can use negativeyes-noquestions to make invitations, offers and complaints stronger:
Won’tyou stay for dinner?(invitation; stronger thanWill you stay for dinner?)
Wouldn’tyou like another coffee?(offer; stronger thanWould you like another coffee?)
Can’tthe manager do something about the noise?(complaint; stronger thanCan the manager do something about the noise?)
See also:
Requests
Invitations
Offers
Imperatives as offers and invitations
Invitations
Politeness
Hedges (just)
Intonation andyes-noquestions
The intonationofyes-noquestions is normally either rising [ri↗sing arrow] or fall-rising [dow↘n u↗p arrow] intonation depending on the meaning. If we do not know the answer, we use rising intonation. If we more or less know the answer and are looking for confirmation, we use fall-rising intonation:
Are you w↗arm enough?
Did you once li↘ve in Ir↗eland?(I think the answer isyes.)
We often use fall-rising intonation withyes-noquestions when asking a number of questions together:
A:You’re living i↘n B↗ayswater?[Question 1]
B:Yeah. That’s right.
A:Are you rentin↘g you↗r house?[Question 2]
B:Yeah, we are.
A:Is it exp↘ensi↗ve?[Question 3]
B:It’s not very expensive for somewhere so near the city centre.
See also:
Intonation