Comments on: How do you answer a negative question? (Grammatically speaking)

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 08:10:35 +0000

In reply to Wendy.

Hi Wendy,

Yes I’d say those are reasonable responses!

Phil

By: Wendy

Wendy — Tue, 08 Aug 2023 08:05:32 +0000

Hi Phil, My questions is, when people ask ‘ we didn’t have a heat wave, did we?’ shall I answer ‘No, we didn’t’ if I want to say our city is quite cool and we didn’t experience any heat wave and ‘Yes, we did’ if I want to say we experienced a heat wave few weeks ago. Thanks.

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Wed, 24 May 2023 13:43:24 +0000

In reply to Sabina.

Hi Sabina,

I can appreciate you’re point. Yes, you’re right, negatives do often carry a certain weight, suggesting the answer, a bit like tag questions. Like any language tools I think it does have it’s place, and will be used whether we like it or not, so we can’t really resist it, but I do agree that often (as the discussion in this post shows) it may be best to use more direct, clearer questions!

Phil

By: Sabina

Sabina — Mon, 22 May 2023 16:02:03 +0000

Hi Phil. Your explanations of what is grammatically correct are very helpful. I want to ask your thoughts about the usage of negative questions and their impact on communication. Often, when I am asked a question in the negative form, I find I don’t like it. It leaves me with a feeling of being judged or that a presumption has been made which I may now have to rebut. I prefer to be asked a direct positively framed question. For example, “I am sure you have plans for the weekend?” a statement posed as a negative question, versus “Do you have plans for the weekend?”, an actual question positively asked. I am curious to know your thoughts about this.

By: Diona

Diona — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 05:26:02 +0000

In reply to Phil Williams.

Thank you, Phil!

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 08:28:08 +0000

In reply to Diona.

Hi Diona, sorry I missed this; here I’d say the Yes would confirm the statement (somethings there was nothing interesting) while No would deny it (No there were was never nothing interesting, i.e. it was always interesting). It can get a bit confusing with a negative concept because the negative response produces a double negative, but this is still a statement we can either agree or disagree with.

By: Diona

Diona — Mon, 03 Apr 2023 14:25:18 +0000

How shall I answer to “Was there sometimes nothing interesting on TV for Jack?” if I want to say that there was always something interesting on TV for Jack. Shall I say “Yes” or “No”?

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 20:43:39 +0000

In reply to Maliah.

I would go with ‘Yes, I am going to…’ there because you are really affirming what you will do, rather than putting the emphasis on their statement being wrong.

By: Maliah

Maliah — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 20:05:50 +0000

How would you reply if someone said “You aren’t going to do the dishes” when you are going to? Would you say no or would you say yes? To me it makes more sense to say “No, I am going to do the dishes”

By: Phil Williams

Phil Williams — Tue, 07 Feb 2023 08:59:11 +0000

In reply to P.

You could answer that way; questions with “never” are negative sentences that basically create the same considerations as negative questions, so it might not be obvious if yes or no is appropriate, and as you’ve suggested will depend on your meaning, which could essentially be either “Yes, that’s right, I never will.” or “No I never will.” (reinforcing the negative).