Free English Grammar Course

MODULE 01 · LESSON 6 OF 11

Yes/no questions and short answers

Your goal: Ask questions that have a yes or no answer, and reply with a short answer.

Level: FoundationAbout 10 to 15 minutes6 questions

Grammar words in this lesson

yes/no question: a question you can answer with yes or no, such as “Are you ready?”
pronoun: a short word that stands for a noun: I, you, he, she, it, we, they

Put a helper before the subject

A yes/no question starts with a helping verb. Then comes the subject, then the main verb. If the statement already has be or a helper such as can or have, move it before the subject. In questions and short answers, be works like a helper, even when it is the main verb.

Statement	Question
She is ready.	Is she ready?
They can swim.	Can they swim?
You have finished.	Have you finished?

Can is a helper too. After can, use the base form: She can swim, not She can swims.

No helper? Use do, does or did

An ordinary verb in the present or past has no helper, so add one. Use do or does for the present and did for the past. The main verb goes back to the base form.

Statement	Question
You live here.	Do you live here?
The class starts at nine.	Does the class start at nine?
They went home.	Did they go home?

Give a short answer

A short answer uses a pronoun and the same helper as the question: Does it fit? Yes, it does. Have you eaten? No, I haven’t. Can she come? Yes, she can.

Do not repeat the main verb, and do not use a short form in a positive answer. Say Yes, she is, not Yes, she’s.

The word Yes or No alone can sound too short. A short answer is more polite.

Common mistakes

Not this	Say this
Like you coffee?	Do you like coffee?
Does she lives here?	Does she live here?
Did you went to the meeting?	Did you go to the meeting?
Do you like tea? Yes, I like.	Do you like tea? Yes, I do.

Practice: answer first, then check

Say or write your answer before you open it. Your answers are not sent or saved.

Choose: (Do / Does) your parents live near you?
Show the answer and the reason
Answer: Do
Why: Your parents is plural (they), so the helper is do. Use does only with he, she, it or one person or thing.
Choose the short answer: Is the shop open? (Yes, it is. / Yes, it does.)
Show the answer and the reason
Answer: Yes, it is.
Why: A short answer repeats be or the helper from the question. The question uses is, so the answer uses is too.
Make a question: The lesson starts at nine.
Show the answer and the reason
Answer: Does the lesson start at nine?
Why: Starts is an ordinary present verb, so add does before the subject. The -s moves to does, and the main verb becomes start.
Complete the short answer: Can Ben join us? Yes, ___.
Show the answer and the reason
Answer: he can
Why: Use a pronoun for the subject (he for Ben) and repeat the helper can. Do not repeat join.
Make a question: They finished the report yesterday.
Show the answer and the reason
Answer: Did they finish the report yesterday?
Why: A past verb with no helper needs did. After did, use the base form finish, not finished.
Correct the mistake: Do she work on Saturdays?
Show the answer and the reason
Answer: Does she work on Saturdays?
Why: With he, she or it, the present helper is does, not do. The main verb work stays in the base form.

Make it yours

Write five yes/no questions you could ask a new colleague or classmate. Write a short answer for each one.

More practice

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