🎓 Prepared by students from Boğaziçi University

What are Yes/No Questions?

Yes/no questions are questions that expect a response of either 'yes' or 'no', unlike wh-questions which ask for specific information. They begin with an auxiliary verb like do, does, did, is, are, or have.

Short answer

Yes/no questions are closed questions answered with 'yes' or 'no', formed by placing an auxiliary verb before the subject: 'Do you like pizza?' = Yes, I do.

Yes/No Question Word Order

1
Step 1
Start with auxiliary verb (do/does/did/is/are)
↓
2
Step 2
Add subject (you/he/she/it/they)
↓
3
Step 3
Add main verb and objects
↓
4
Step 4
End with question mark

Step-by-step worked examples

Form a yes/no question: 'You are happy.'

Original: You are happy
Move 'are' to front: Are you happy?
Answer expected: Yes, I am / No, I'm not

Form a yes/no question: 'She plays tennis.'

Original: She plays tennis
Add auxiliary 'does': Does she play tennis?
Answer: Yes, she does / No, she doesn't

Form a yes/no question: 'They went to the party.'

Original: They went to the party
Add auxiliary 'did': Did they go to the party?
Answer: Yes, they did / No, they didn't

Flashcards

Quick quiz

Q1.Which is a yes/no question?

Correct answer: B. 'Do you like music?' is a yes/no question.

Q2.Form a yes/no question from 'You speak English.'

Correct answer: B. Auxiliary 'do' must come first.

Q3.Short answer to 'Does she work here?'

Correct answer: C. Full short answer: 'Yes, she does.' or 'No, she doesn't.'

Q4.Yes/no questions are answered with…

Correct answer: B. Yes/no questions expect only 'yes' or 'no' answers.

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Common mistakes

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Forgetting the auxiliary verb: 'You like pizza?' — Correct: Use auxiliary: 'Do you like pizza?'

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Wrong auxiliary for the tense: 'Does he went?' — Correct: Past: 'Did he go?' not 'Does he went?'

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Not inverting: 'You do like pizza?' — Correct: Invert the auxiliary: 'Do you like pizza?'

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Using double verb: 'Do you go going?' — Correct: After 'do/does/did', use base verb: 'Do you go?'

FAQ

What are yes/no questions?

Yes/no questions are closed questions answered with 'yes' or 'no', formed by moving an auxiliary verb to the front of the sentence.

Difference between yes/no and wh-questions?

Yes/no questions get yes/no answers; wh-questions ('what', 'where', etc.) ask for specific information.

Do you need an auxiliary verb always?

Yes, unless 'am/is/are/was/were' is already in the sentence. Then just move it: 'Is he here?'

How to answer a yes/no question?

With 'yes' or 'no', plus a short answer: 'Yes, I do' or 'No, they don't.'