Yes, I still have 2 more boxes to open. Oh, weren’t you writing it Jay? Instead of saying ‘will’, he said ‘won’t’. Good. Does his wife set the table? Both answers are possible with that meaning. Hi. Good morning Mr Hale. Please take a look at our Business English course, where we can fully equip you with the right skills to master your next Job Interview. Yes, I found it a week ago. ([No,] I don’t play the guitar.) But Kathy gave you the figures, Jay. How do you feel about working in a team environment? Aren’t you dressed yet? are + not = are not / aren’t 1. A positive question appears to be neutral with regard to the expected response—yes or no. Why Are You Interested in This Internship/Company/Industry, and What Skills or Experiences Do You … )(No,) Ella no los debe estudiar. His wife doesn’t set the table. We don’t love flying kites. Oh stop nagging. And also be careful when you ask negative questions because you might sound like you’re complaining. Why don’t you tidy these papers and wash those glasses up? We use negative questions in two ways. Sometimes answers to negative questions confuse English speakers. Oh yeah. If I say “Yes,” does that mean we do not have carrots? Don’t spend too long talking about the weakness. You know the weakness question is probably going to come, so take an inventory of your personal and professional strengths and weaknesses. Yes/No questions are questions which we answer with Yes or No. Learn how your comment data is processed. Negative questions might throw you off, because you will have to talk about yourself in a negative way. But you should look at them as an opportunity to show how you have grown and what you have learned. 1. is asked as an open question (we do not know the answer) 2. is asked in the negative form because the speaker has reason to believe the answer will be negative (it is late so going to the cinema is unlikely). We also use negative questions to offer an opinion, polite requests and offers. Hi. Oh Jay. Example A: A: I didn’t eat lunch earlier this afternoon. For unexpected questions and no prepared response, just remember to be honest and keep the language and emotion professional. )(No,) No toco la guitarra. I’m afraid it’s not ready. Let’s look at what you should focus on when answering these negative questions, with some examples on how to approach answering them. How to Answer. Oh thank you. ‘They do not accept dogs’ is a statement rather than a question, so both yes and no both seem like inappropriate responses. Won’t you sit down? Won’t you have something to drink “They do not accept dogs for spay/neuter.” Whether you answer “yes” or “no”, the best way to avoid a misunderstanding is to always give more information and use full sentences when you answer. A popular question in an interview. Oh. Err yes. I’m going to wear it tonight. A: No, I didn’t. A negative question can have two different kinds of meanings. The coffee shop is not yet open for another batch of service crew. If I say ‘no’, does it mean I won’t sit down or I will sit down? to the party? I just dropped by to return your umbrella. Great! Or if I say “No,” does that mean we do not have carrots? It could also include what you would have done differently, looking back. Are you ready for some more grammar videos? A sloppy mistake that survey designers make is including overlapping answer options. Carla does not know Spanish. It is wrong and ungrammatical to begin your answer to a tag question with ‘yes’ and then add negation or begin your answer with ‘no’ and then add a … This way there will be no confusion with the person who asked you the question. There is no question of frequency of use; when the speaker wants to express an amount of certainty for the answer, a negative question will be used. Do we love flying kites? But the question wasn’t ‘will you’. is + not = is not / isn’t 1. Didn’t you have enough time? These are called Behaviours and can be positive and negative. Required fields are marked *. First of all, avoid using a strength masked as a weakness, like “I am a perfectionist” or “I work too hard.” These do not show you are truly aware of your faults and have been over-used in interviews. B: Why not? In most cases, it doesn’t matter if you start with yes or no. I couldn’t find the figures I needed. Where’s the Boston report? Aren’t you going to wear your new tie? Aren’t you going to put that in the bin? I wish to show you How to Answer Tag Questions with Examples. Don’t you ever fill it up? Obviously, in a job interview you want to show off your skills and strengths. Was it this thumb drive? I’d like that. Sometimes they already know the answer or they expect a specific response. Oh, weren’t you writing it Jay? A negative question is one that calls the respondent to answer no to an affirmative answer and a yes for a negative answer. In other words, we might know something about a fact and we simply want to know if it is true or not. In many developed countries, life expectancy is rising while birthrates are falling. Should you answer the question yes or no? Oh yeah. Won’t you come in? The key is to show that you are aware of your weakness and are committed to improving yourself. Good morning Mr Hale. You won't succeed in the interview if you haven't prepared. 2. Many users of English of get it wrong when it comes to answering tag question. I love it. English teacher, author and video enthusiast. Yes or No. ([No,] She shouldn’t study them.) OK, now are you ready for part two? No. This interview question is a fairly straightforward one to handle – you … Negative questions can be confusing in English. I can but the horse can’t. Oh, thank you. 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