CEFR A1

    Yes/No Questions

    Learn to ask and answer simple questions in English. Master how to form questions that can be answered with yes or no.

    Yes/No Questions

    What You Will Learn

    Yes/no questions are the most common type of questions in English. They help you ask about facts, opinions, abilities, and more - and get simple 'yes' or 'no' answers.

    Learn to form questions with do/does, am/is/are, can, will, did
    Master the correct word order for questions
    Learn how to give short and long answers
    Practice asking everyday questions for conversations

    What Are Yes/No Questions?

    Yes/no questions with BE: move the verb to the front. Am/Is/Are + subject + rest?

    Are you a student?Is she at home?Are they Vietnamese?Is it far?

    Short answers

    'Are you hungry?' → 'Yes, I am.' / 'No, I'm not.' Never just 'Yes' or 'No' — that sounds rude in English. Always include the pronoun and auxiliary.

    Yes/no questions are questions that can be answered with yes or no. They are the most common type of questions in everyday conversations and are essential for basic communication in English.

    Basic Examples

    With 'do/does':

    "Do you speak English?"

    (Answer: Yes, I do. / No, I don't.)

    With 'am/is/are':

    "Are you hungry?"

    (Answer: Yes, I am. / No, I'm not.)

    Key Characteristics

    Start with an auxiliary verb (do, does, am, is, are, can, etc.)

    Can be answered with yes or no

    Essential for everyday conversations

    Used to ask about facts, opinions, abilities, and situations

    Simple Rule!

    Start the question with an auxiliary verb, then add the subject, then the main verb.

    ✓ Statement: "You like coffee." → Question: "Do you like coffee?"

    ✓ Statement: "She is happy." → Question: "Is she happy?"

    ✓ Statement: "They can swim." → Question: "Can they swim?"

    A Day at School

    Every morning, Maria's teacher asks the class many yes/no questions.

    "Are you ready for today's lesson?" she asks. Everyone answers, "Yes, we are!"

    "Did you do your homework?" The students look at each other. "Yes, we did!" they say proudly.

    "Can you open your books to page 10?" "Yes, we can!" the class says together.

    Notice how every question starts with an auxiliary verb (Are, Did, Can) and can be answered with yes or no. This is the key to forming yes/no questions!

    Yes/No Questions Chart

    Here are the most important types of yes/no questions for A1 level.

    TypeFormulaExamples
    Present Simple (regular verbs)Do/Does + subject + base verb?
    Do you like tea?
    Does she work here?
    Do they live in London?
    Present Simple (to be)Am/Is/Are + subject?
    Are you happy?
    Is he a teacher?
    Are they at home?
    Past Simple (regular verbs)Did + subject + base verb?
    Did you go to school?
    Did she call you?
    Did they finish work?
    Past Simple (to be)Was/Were + subject?
    Were you at home?
    Was she tired?
    Were they friends?
    Modal VerbsModal + subject + base verb?
    Can you swim?
    Will you help me?
    Should I wait?
    Have/Has (possessions)Do/Does + subject + have?
    Do you have a car?
    Does she have time?
    Do they have children?

    Important Rules

    Word order: Auxiliary verb + subject + main verb + ?

    do/does: Main verb goes back to base form (no 's'): "Does she work here?" (not 'works')

    did: Main verb goes to base form (past form not needed): "Did you go?" (not 'went')

    Contractions: Use in negative answers: "No, I don't." / "No, he isn't."

    Short answers: Usually include the auxiliary verb: "Yes, I do." / "No, she doesn't."

    Quick Practice

    Make yes/no questions from these statements:

    1. You like pizza. → __________ you like pizza?

    2. She is a teacher. → __________ she a teacher?

    3. They can swim. → __________ they swim?

    4. He works here. → __________ he work here?

    💡 Check your answers

    1. Do you like pizza?

    2. Is she a teacher?

    3. Can they swim?

    4. Does he work here?

    How to Answer Yes/No Questions

    Learn different ways to answer yes/no questions correctly.

    Short Answers (Most Common)

    Positive Answers

    Q: Do you like coffee? → Yes, I do.

    Q: Is she happy? → Yes, she is.

    Q: Can you swim? → Yes, I can.

    Q: Did they go? → Yes, they did.

    Negative Answers

    Q: Do you like tea? → No, I don't.

    Q: Is he tired? → No, he isn't.

    Q: Can she drive? → No, she can't.

    Q: Did you finish? → No, I didn't.

    Rule: In short answers, use the same auxiliary verb from the question. "Do you...?" → "Yes, I do." "Is she...?" → "No, she isn't."

    Long Answers (More Polite/Complete)

    Positive Long Answers

    Q: Do you speak English?

    A: Yes, I speak English.

    Q: Are you a student?

    A: Yes, I'm a student.

    Q: Can you help me?

    A: Yes, I can help you.

    Negative Long Answers

    Q: Do you have a car?

    A: No, I don't have a car.

    Q: Is this your book?

    A: No, it isn't my book.

    Q: Did you eat lunch?

    A: No, I didn't eat lunch.

    Tip: Long answers are more polite in formal situations. They repeat information from the question to be clear.

    Very Short Answers (Informal)

    Just 'Yes' or 'No'

    Q: Are you ready? A: Yes. / No.

    Q: Do you want coffee? A: Yeah. / Nah. (informal)

    Q: Can you hear me? A: Yep. / Nope. (informal)

    Other Informal Answers

    Q: Do you like it? A: Sure! / Of course!

    Q: Are you coming? A: Definitely! / Absolutely!

    Q: Is it difficult? A: Not really. / Sort of.

    Note: Very short answers are acceptable in casual conversations with friends and family, but use full answers in formal situations.

    Want to try a Yes/No Questions quiz?

    Practice with multiple choice questions

    Everyday Conversation Questions

    Practice common yes/no questions you'll use in daily conversations.

    Getting to Know Someone

    Personal Information

    "Do you live in this city?"

    "Are you a student?"

    "Do you have any brothers or sisters?"

    "Are you married?"

    Interests & Hobbies

    "Do you like sports?"

    "Can you play a musical instrument?"

    "Do you enjoy cooking?"

    "Are you interested in movies?"

    When meeting someone new, you can ask: 'Do you live nearby?' 'Are you from here?' 'Do you work or study?' These questions help start a conversation.

    Daily Life & Routine

    Morning & Evening

    "Do you drink coffee in the morning?"

    "Are you a morning person?"

    "Do you watch TV in the evening?"

    "Do you usually cook dinner?"

    Work & School

    "Do you work full-time?"

    "Are you busy at work?"

    "Do you like your job?"

    "Did you go to school today?"

    In daily conversations, people often ask: 'Did you sleep well?' 'Are you hungry?' 'Do you have plans for the weekend?' These questions are common and friendly.

    Plans & Preferences

    Future Plans

    "Will you be here tomorrow?"

    "Are you going to the party?"

    "Do you want to see a movie?"

    "Can you meet me later?"

    Likes & Dislikes

    "Do you like Italian food?"

    "Are you afraid of dogs?"

    "Do you enjoy traveling?"

    "Can you eat spicy food?"

    When making plans, use questions like: 'Are you free on Saturday?' 'Do you want to come with us?' 'Can you help me with this?'

    Ready to test your Yes/No Questions knowledge?

    Challenge yourself with fill-in-the-blank exercises

    Common Mistakes

    ❌ You like coffee?

    ✓ Do you like coffee?

    Missing auxiliary verb 'do' at the beginning

    ❌ Does she works here?

    ✓ Does she work here?

    After 'does', main verb goes to base form (no 's')

    ❌ You are happy?

    ✓ Are you happy?

    Wrong word order - 'are' should come first

    ❌ Did you went to school?

    ✓ Did you go to school?

    After 'did', main verb goes to base form (not past tense)

    ❌ Yes, I like.

    ✓ Yes, I do. / Yes, I like coffee.

    Short answers need auxiliary verb, or give full answer

    ❌ No, she not.

    ✓ No, she isn't. / No, she's not.

    Need contraction or full form with auxiliary verb

    Master Yes/No Questions sentence building!

    Drag and drop words to form correct sentences

    Forming Questions from Statements

    Learn the step-by-step process to change statements into yes/no questions.

    Step-by-Step Process

    Step 1: Identify the verb

    Statement: "You like coffee."

    Verb: "like" (regular verb in present simple)

    Step 2: Choose the right auxiliary

    For present simple regular verbs: use do/does

    Subject is "you" → use do

    Step 3: Change word order

    Put auxiliary first: Do

    Add subject: Do you

    Add main verb (base form): Do you like

    Add the rest: Do you like coffee?

    Practice Examples

    With "to be"

    Statement: "She is happy."

    Verb: "is" (to be)

    Question: "Is she happy?" (put 'is' first)

    With modal verbs

    Statement: "They can swim."

    Verb: "can swim" (modal + main verb)

    Question: "Can they swim?" (put 'can' first)

    With past simple

    Statement: "You went to school."

    Verb: "went" (past simple)

    Question: "Did you go to school?" (use 'did' + base verb)

    Practice Questions

    Change statements to questions

    1. He works in an office. → __________ he work in an office?

    2. We are ready. → __________ we ready?

    3. I can speak French. → __________ you speak French?

    4. She has a car. → __________ she have a car?

    💡 Check your answers

    1. Does he work in an office?

    2. Are we ready?

    3. Can you speak French?

    4. Does she have a car?

    Practice Tips

    Auxiliary verb comes first (Do/Does, Am/Is/Are, Can, Will, Did)
    With do/does/did, main verb goes to base form (no 's', no past form)
    Practice with common daily questions first: "Are you hungry?" "Do you like...?" "Can you...?"
    In answers, use the same auxiliary verb from the question: "Do you...?" → "Yes, I do."
    Start with short answers, then practice longer ones: "Yes, I do." → "Yes, I like coffee."

    Speaking Practice

    To practice your pronunciation, listen to the native speaker audio first. Then 'Record' yourself repeating what you heard, then use the 'Playback' button to compare your pronunciation with the native speaker. If you want to record yourself again, simply click 'Delete'!

    Do you like coffee?

    Are you hungry?

    Can you swim?

    Does she work here?

    Is this your book?

    Did you finish your homework?

    Will you help me?

    Are they coming to the party?

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