Grammar
Yes no questions: form and intonation
You are waiting outside a room and need to know if anyone is inside. Ask, "Is anyone in there?" The answer can begin with yes or no.
Form a yes-no question by putting the right auxiliary before the subject and using the main verb in the correct form.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
Do you need the receipt? /duː juː niːd ðə rɪˈsiːt/
The short answer
Put an auxiliary before the subject. Move be, have, or a modal verb to the front. With an ordinary present or past verb, use do, does, or did. A short answer repeats the auxiliary: "Does Amir live nearby?" "Yes, he does."
Were the lights on this morning?
Why it works: The statement uses were, so were moves before the subject the lights. A short answer can be "Yes, they were" or "No, they weren't."
5 more examples
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Is the printer working now?
The statement is The printer is working now. Move is before the subject.
Not this:
The printer isworking now. What changes: This is a statement because the subject comes before is. -
Do your friends speak Spanish?
Speak is an ordinary present-tense verb, so the question begins with do.
Not this:
Are your friends speakSpanish? What changes: Do not use are before an ordinary verb such as speak. -
Does the museum open on Mondays?
The museum is singular, so use does. Open stays in the base form.
Not this:Does the museum
openson Mondays? What changes: Does already marks the present form, so do not add -s to open. -
Have you packed your passport?
Have is the auxiliary in this present perfect question, so it comes first.
Not this:
Do you have packedyour passport? What changes: Do does not form a present perfect question. Use have before the subject. -
Should we book a table?
Should is a modal verb. It comes before we, and book stays in the base form.
Not this:
Do we shouldbook a table? What changes: Do not add do before should.
Read the full guide
Look for the word that carries the tense or meaning of possibility. If the statement has be, have, can, should, or will, move that word before the subject. If it has an ordinary verb such as need, travel, or cook, add do, does, or did. After do, does, and did, use the base form of the main verb.
Start with be
When a statement uses am, is, are, was, or were, move that form of be before the subject. The main information stays after the subject. You do not need do or does.
Are the documents on your desk?
The statement is ‘The documents are on your desk.’ Are moves to the front to make the question.
How do you ask about the statement ‘The children were tired’ ?
Ask ‘Were the children tired?’
Add do, does, or did to ordinary verbs
Ordinary verbs do not move to the front alone. Use do for I, you, we, and they in the present. Use does for he, she, it, and one person or thing. Use did for a past event.
Did you finish the form yesterday?
Did carries the past meaning. Finish stays in the base form, so do not say ‘Did you finished?’
Which word begins a question about the statement ‘Nora checks the schedule’ ?
Use does: ‘Does Nora check the schedule?’
Move have and modal verbs
Have and has form questions in the present perfect. Modal verbs such as can, could, should, will, and must also begin the question. These verbs already do the auxiliary job, so do and does are not needed.
Can the guests leave their coats here?
Can comes before the subject the guests. Leave stays in the base form.
How do you ask about the statement ‘She has sent the payment’ ?
Ask ‘Has she sent the payment?’
Give a short answer with the same auxiliary
A short answer repeats the auxiliary from the question and uses a pronoun for the subject. This tells the listener which part of the question your answer refers to.
Are your neighbors at home? No, they aren't.
The question uses are and the subject is your neighbors. The answer uses they aren't.
What is a positive short answer to ‘Did Omar call?’
Say ‘Yes, he did.’
Use a rising voice when you need information
A neutral yes-no question often rises near its final important word. The rise helps the listener hear that you need an answer. It is a speaking pattern, so practice saying the whole question aloud.
Will the café be open later?
Let your voice rise slightly on later when you are checking the closing time.
Where does the voice often rise in a neutral yes-no question?
It often rises near the final important word.
Check the main verb after do, does, and did
After do, does, and did, use the base form of the main verb. This is especially important with does and did because they already show the present or past meaning.
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Not this:
Does he drives to work?Say: Does he drive to work?
Does carries the third-person present form.
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Not this:
Did they arrived on time?Say: Did they arrive on time?
Did carries the past meaning.
What is wrong with ‘Did the train stopped here?’
Use the base form stop: ‘Did the train stop here?’
Before you go
Remember this
Start a yes-no question with the auxiliary. Move be, have, or a modal verb to the front when it is already in the statement. Use do, does, or did with ordinary verbs, and keep the main verb in its base form after them. Let your voice rise near the end when you are asking a neutral question.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Yes no questions: form and intonation"
What is a yes-no question?
A yes-no question asks whether something is true, possible, wanted, or allowed. It usually begins with an auxiliary verb such as be, do, have, can, or will. The answer can begin with yes or no.
Is the printer working now?
When should I use do or does in a question?
Use do or does with an ordinary present-tense verb. Use does with he, she, it, or one person or thing. After do or does, use the base form of the main verb.
The printer is working now.
Why does the main verb stay in the base form after did?
Did already shows that the question is about the past. The main verb therefore stays in its base form. Use the same pattern after does, which already marks the third-person present form.
Do your friends speak Spanish?
How do I make a short answer?
Repeat the auxiliary from the question and use a pronoun for the subject. For example, a question with are can have a short answer with are or aren't. Match the positive or negative form to the meaning.
Are your friends speak Spanish?
Do yes-no questions always have rising intonation?
A neutral yes-no question often rises near the end because the speaker expects a reply. The voice can sound different when a speaker repeats a question, shows surprise, or expects agreement.
Does the museum open on Mondays?