Negative Yes/No Questions

Didn’t the Professor mention I was going to be

your teacher today?

Jossette TaverasENG 220 Section1February 17, 2011

Expectations/Assumptions

• The teacher assumes that the Professor told the students. Maybe the students are surprised with their new teacher, so she asks the negative question to find out if her assumption is correct.

Annoyance/Disappointment

• Can’t you ever be on time?o Implication: I would like you to be

on time, but it seems you can’t.

• Haven’t you called your mother?o Implication: I hope you did call her,

although it seems you haven’t.

Positive Polarity

• Didn’t somebody call me this afternoon?

• Hasn’t he already done that?

• These questions are posed when the asker expects a positive answer.

Negative Yes/No Questions

• A negative answer to either a positive or negative yes/no question in English has the same meaning.

o Will you come to my party?o Won’t you come to my party?

Reviewing Negative Yes/No Questions

• Generally asked to confirm assumption or expectation.

• They express annoyance or disappointment because a previous expectation has not been met.

Reviewing Negative Yes/No Questions

• Positive polarity-these questions are posed when the asker expects a positive answer.

• A negative answer to either a positive or negative yes/no question in English has the same meaning.

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