Master Negative Questions & Question Tags - Improve Your Grammar!

Summary

This lesson explains the difference between positive and negative questions in English, with a focus on how negative questions and question tags are used when you expect the answer to be 'yes.' The instructor illustrates with various examples how negative helping verbs like 'doesn't,' 'can't,' and 'haven't' are used to confirm assumptions. The video also covers how question tags like 'doesn't she?' and 'isn't it?' can invite agreement and conversation. Lastly, the lesson offers practical tips for practicing these question forms and promotes a comprehensive English learning program.

Takeaways

• 😀 Positive questions (e.g., 'Does she have a car?') are neutral and used when you want to know the answer without any assumptions.
• 😀 Negative questions (e.g., 'Doesn't she have a car?') are used when you assume or expect the answer to be 'yes' and are asking to confirm or check.
• 😀 Negative questions can be formed with various helping verbs like does, isn't, haven't, can't, shouldn't, etc., across all tenses.
• 😀 Question tags are short questions added to statements to confirm information, e.g., 'She has a car, doesn't she?'.
• 😀 The question tag always matches the tense of the main sentence but inverts the positive/negative form.
• 😀 Positive statement → negative tag; Negative statement → positive tag.
• 😀 Examples of question tags span all tenses, including present, past, future, perfect, continuous, and modal verbs.
• 😀 Intonation affects meaning: rising intonation indicates a real question seeking confirmation, while falling intonation indicates a statement expecting agreement.
• 😀 Question tags with falling intonation are often used to invite conversation or agreement rather than to ask a real question.
• 😀 Writing your own negative questions and question tags in different tenses helps reinforce understanding and fluency.

Q & A

What is the main difference between a positive and a negative question?

A positive question is neutral and does not assume the answer; it simply asks for information. A negative question assumes or expects the answer to be yes and is used to confirm or check if the assumption is correct.

When should you use a negative question like 'Doesn't she have a car?'?

You should use a negative question when you assume the answer is yes but want to check or confirm that assumption, or when you are surprised that the situation is different from what you expected.

Can you give an example of a neutral positive question and a negative question with the same meaning?

Neutral positive question: 'Does she have a car?' Negative question: 'Doesn't she have a car?' The negative form assumes the answer is yes, whereas the neutral form does not make any assumptions.

What types of helping verbs can be used to form negative questions?

Negative questions can be formed with any negative helping verb, including 'doesn't', 'isn't', 'haven't', 'aren't', 'didn't', 'weren't', 'hadn't', 'won't', and others, depending on the tense.

What is a question tag and how is it formed?

A question tag is a short question added to the end of a statement to confirm information. It is formed using a helping verb in the same tense as the main statement but with opposite polarity: positive statement → negative tag, negative statement → positive tag.

Can you provide an example of a positive statement with a negative question tag?

Example: 'She has a car, doesn’t she?' The statement is positive, and the tag is negative to confirm the expected answer.

What is the difference in meaning when intonation is rising or falling in question tags?

Rising intonation indicates a true question seeking confirmation, while falling intonation is used to make a statement that expects agreement or invites conversation rather than asking a real question.

How can you form a question tag for a negative statement?

For a negative statement, use a positive question tag. Example: 'He isn’t coming to the party, is he?' The main statement is negative ('isn’t'), so the tag is positive ('is he').

Can negative questions be used in all verb tenses?

Yes, negative questions can be formed in all verb tenses, including present, past, future, perfect, continuous, perfect continuous, and modal verbs, depending on the context.

What is a simple shortcut for asking for confirmation without forming a full question tag?

A simple shortcut is to add 'right' at the end of a statement. Example: 'She works full-time, right?' This can be used in any verb tense and functions as a way to confirm information.

Why might someone choose a negative question over a neutral question?

Someone might choose a negative question when they expect a certain answer and want to check it, express surprise, or highlight a situation that differs from their assumption.

How does using question tags with falling intonation help in conversations?

Using question tags with falling intonation helps keep the conversation going by making statements that invite agreement, allowing the other person to respond and continue the dialogue naturally.