Yes / No questions

Yes or no questions are those questions that do not use the WH question words (e.g. what, when, where, why etc.). These questions are mainly used to ask for confirmation and check facts.

Here are some examples.

• Are you coming with us?
• Do you speak English?
• Is she your girlfriend?
• Can we trust them?
• Will she come?

These questions are usually answered with an yes or no. Note that in answers we do not usually repeat information that is already given in the question. However, short answers do include an auxiliary verb.

• Are you coming with us? Yes, I am.
• Do you speak English? Yes, I do.
• Is she your girlfriend? Yes, she is.
• Can we trust them? Yes, we can.
• Will she come? Yes, she will.
• Have you ever visited Vienna? Yes, I have.

In negative replies, we add ‘not’ to the auxiliary verb.

• Can you help me? No, I can’t.
• Are they your colleagues? No, they aren’t.
• Do you have meetings on Mondays? No, we don’t.
• Have you ever visited Paris? – Yes, I have.
• Will you help me? – Yes, I will.

Here is an overview of Yes / No questions in a wide variety of tenses:

Simple present

Do / does + subject + verb

• Do you like flowers? Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.

Present continuous

Is / are / am + subject + -ing form

• Are you coming? Yes, I’m. / No, I am not.

Present perfect

Has / have + subject + past participle form of the verb

• Have they finished the report? Yes, they have. / No, they haven’t.

Simple past

Did + subject + verb

• Did you understand? Yes, I did. / No, I didn’t.

Past continuous

Was / were + subject + -ing form of the verb

• Was she crying? Yes, she was. / No, she wasn’t.

Past perfect

• Had she replied? Yes, she had. / No, she hadn’t.

Simple future

Will + subject + verb

• Will she come? Yes, she will. / No, she won’t.