English Learning for Beginners: Yes/No Questions
Dialogue
Alice: Bob, are you okay? You look like you just saw a ghost… or maybe a really big spider!
Bob: Alice! Oh, hi. Am I okay? Uh, yes, I am. Did you see that bird? It tried to steal my croissant!
Alice: A bird tried to steal your croissant? Is it a very hungry bird?
Bob: Yes, I think so! Is your croissant safe?
Alice: My croissant? Oh, yes, it is. Did you finish yours?
Bob: No, I didn’t! The bird took a bite! Do you have another one?
Alice: No, I don’t, sorry. Are you still hungry?
Bob: Yes, I am! Is there a bakery nearby?
Alice: Hmm, yes, there is! Do you want to go now?
Bob: Yes, please! Can we run? I’m starving!
Alice: Run? Are you serious?
Bob: Yes! Are you fast?
Alice: Am I fast? Maybe for cake, not for birds! Do you like apple pie?
Bob: Yes! Is it delicious at that bakery?
Alice: Oh, yes, it is! Are you ready for some pie *and* a new croissant?
Bob: Yes! Let’s go before another bird attacks!
Current Situation
In English, “Yes/No Questions” are very common! They are questions that you can answer with a simple “Yes” or “No.” You can’t give a long explanation, because the question is asking for a direct confirmation or denial. They are super useful for quick information and often start with a “helping verb” like ‘is,’ ‘are,’ ‘do,’ ‘does,’ ‘did,’ ‘can,’ or ‘will.’
Notice how Alice and Bob use many Yes/No questions to quickly understand each other’s situation, especially about the hungry bird and the search for food!
Key Phrases
Here are some common ways to start Yes/No questions, along with an example sentence for each:
- Are you…? Are you ready for lunch?
- Is it…? Is it cold outside?
- Do you…? Do you want to drink tea?
- Did you…? Did you finish your homework?
- Can we…? Can we meet tomorrow?
- Do they…? Do they live nearby?
- Is there…? Is there a park here?
Grammar Points
1. Basic Structure
For Yes/No questions, we usually flip the order of the subject and the helping verb (or the main verb ‘to be’).
Statement: You are happy.
Question: Are you happy?
Statement: He can swim.
Question: Can he swim?
2. Using Different Verbs
a. ‘To be’ verbs (am, is, are)
When the main verb is ‘to be’, you just move it to the beginning of the sentence.
- Am I…? Am I late?
- Is he/she/it…? Is she from Japan?
- Are you/we/they…? Are they students?
b. ‘Do’ verbs (do, does, did)
For most other verbs in the Present Simple and Past Simple tenses, we use ‘do’, ‘does’ (for he/she/it), or ‘did’ (for past tense) at the beginning of the sentence. The main verb then goes back to its base form (no -s, -ed, or -ing).
- Do you/we/they…? Do you like coffee?
- Does he/she/it…? Does he play soccer?
- Did I/you/he/she/it/we/they…? Did you go to the party?
c. Modal verbs (can, will, should, must, etc.)
Modal verbs are easy! Just move the modal verb to the beginning of the sentence.
- Can I/you/he…? Can you help me?
- Will they…? Will they come tomorrow?
- Should we…? Should we leave now?
3. Short Answers
We usually don’t just say “Yes” or “No.” We use “short answers” which include the helping verb again.
- Positive: Yes, [pronoun] + [helping verb].
Example: “Are you hungry?” “Yes, I am.”
Example: “Does she work here?” “Yes, she does.”
Example: “Can they swim?” “Yes, they can.” - Negative: No, [pronoun] + [helping verb] + not (or contraction like ‘n’t’).
Example: “Is it cold?” “No, it is not.” (or “No, it isn’t.”)
Example: “Did you study?” “No, I did not.” (or “No, I didn’t.”)
Example: “Are we late?” “No, we are not.” (or “No, we aren’t.”)
4. Intonation
When you ask a Yes/No question, your voice usually goes UP at the end. Try practicing this!
Practice Exercises
Exercise 1: Choose the correct helping verb (Do/Does/Is/Are/Can/Did).
- 1. (Do/Are) you happy?
Answer: Are
- 2. (Is/Does) she like chocolate?
Answer: Does
- 3. (Can/Are) he swim?
Answer: Can
- 4. (Did/Do) you go to the party yesterday?
Answer: Did
- 5. (Is/Does) it raining now?
Answer: Is
Exercise 2: Turn these statements into Yes/No questions.
- 1. You are tired.
Answer: Are you tired?
- 2. He has a cat.
Answer: Does he have a cat?
- 3. They can speak French.
Answer: Can they speak French?
- 4. She lives in New York.
Answer: Does she live in New York?
- 5. You went to the shop.
Answer: Did you go to the shop?
Exercise 3: Answer the questions with a short answer (e.g., Yes, I am. / No, I don’t.).
- 1. Are you a student? (Answer with ‘Yes’)
Answer: Yes, I am.
- 2. Does your friend like sports? (Answer with ‘No’)
Answer: No, he/she doesn’t.
- 3. Can you play the guitar? (Answer with ‘Yes’)
Answer: Yes, I can.
- 4. Is it sunny today? (Answer with ‘No’)
Answer: No, it isn’t.
- 5. Did you watch TV last night? (Answer with ‘Yes’)
Answer: Yes, I did.
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