Negative Questions

Negative questions are of two kinds: contracted and uncontracted. They have different word order. Note that uncontracted negative questions are usually formal.

Contracted negative questions

Form: auxiliary verb + n’t + subject

Didn’t she come?
Don’t you understand?
Weren’t you surprised?

Uncontracted negative questions

Auxiliary verb + subject + not

Did she not come?
Do you not understand?
Were you not surprised?

Non-auxiliary have and non-auxiliary be can begin negative questions.

She hasn’t any friends to help her. (negative statement – formal GB)
Hasn’t she any friends to help her? (contracted negative question)
OR Doesn’t she have any friends to help her?

She is not at home. (negative statement)
Is she not at home? (Uncontracted negative question)
Isn’t she at home? (Contracted negative question)

Two meanings

Negative questions can have two different kinds of meaning. For example, a negative question can ask for confirmation of a positive belief. In this case it expects the answer ‘yes’.

Isn’t it true that she is going out with an old man? (I believe that she is going out with an old man. Now I am just asking for confirmation.)

A negative question can also ask for confirmation of a negative belief. In this case it expects the answer ‘no’.

Aren’t they coming? (= Am I right in thinking that they aren’t coming?)

Note that the meaning of a negative question is usually clear from the context and situation.

Negative questions

Structure:

To form negative questions we simply add n’t (not) after the auxiliary

Negative Questions
Aren’t you married?Don’t you know English?	PRESENT SIMPLE
Isn’t Juan working?	PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Wasn’t Felipe sick?Didn’t Mary study for the test?	PAST SIMPLE
Haven’t you sent the email	PRESENT PERFECT
Aren’t you going to the doctor tomorrow?	FUTURE

 USE of negative questions

Compare the following questions

-          Are you sick?

This is a normal information question. I want to know if the person is sick in general.

-          Aren’t you sick?

In this case you have the idea that the person is sick. For example, let’s suppose that Mario arrived late to work and said he was sick. Later that afternoon you see him drinking a cold beer. You say “Hey Mario, aren’t you sick?”

We use the negative questions:  

• To show surprise :
  Didn’t you send the email? Why? That was so important.
• To show doubt; to check information
  -Aren’t you the Carlos? Don’t you teach English on-line? Wow! Nice to meet you.
  - Doesn’t she work for City Bank. I think I know her
• When you expect the listener to agree-Isn’t it a great day. It is so sunny and the sky is blue.
  - Doesn’t this food tase delicious? Yummy Yummy.