How to answer questions like a native English speaker | English Time Ask Elo

Answered by @ Elo Kasia

Elo Kasia is the English Mentor for  ” English Grammar and Speaking Academy” ,  Join now.

How to answer questions like a native English speaker | English Time Ask Elo

? Question Time: How to answer questions like a native English speaker | English Time Ask Elo

? @ Chamila Perera, Thank you for your question.

? As usual, I will try to explain the difference using simple language and plenty of examples.

We have practised asking questions in different tenses this week. But how do we answer questions properly? Many English learners make mistakes when answering YES/NO questions.

For example:

• Do you like action films? Yes, I like.
• Did you have a nice break at the weekend? Yes, I had. Have you ever tried avocados? No, I never.

Also, native speakers don’t just say “Yes” or “No”. For short answers, we use “helping verbs”. Remember, the clue is always at the start of a question, so listen for “do”, “did”, “have”,”are“, ”were” and so on and answer with that “helping verb.”

Let’s look at the most common tenses (tenses express the present, past or future).

Present Simple – “do” or “does”/ “don’t” or “doesn’t”

• Do you speak English? Yes, I do. or No, I don’t.
• Does he work here? Yes, he does. or No, he doesn’t.

Past Simple – “did”/ “didn’t”

• Did you meet your friends yesterday? Yes, I did. Or No, I didn’t.
• Did they visit their parents last weekend? Yes, they did. Or No, they didn’t.

Present Continuous – “am”, “is”, are”/ “I’m not”, “isn’t” or “aren’t”

• Are you studying for your test? Yes, I am. Or No, I’m not.
• Is he living with his sister now? Yes, he is. Or No, he isn’t.

Past Continuous – “was” or “were”/ “wasn’t” or “weren’t”

• Were you talking on the phone to your mum when I arrived? Yes, I was. Or No, I wasn’t.
• Were they shopping when you met them in town last night? Yes, they were. Or No, they weren’t.

Future Simple – “will”/ “won’t”

• Will you come to my party? Yes, I will. Or No, I won’t.
• Will you help me? Yes, I will. Or No, I won’t.

you have answered your question, it is common to give more details, so, for example:

• Have you ever been abroad? Yes, I have. I have been to many countries.
  Or No, I haven’t. I cannot afford to go abroad.
• Are you doing anything exciting this weekend? Yes, (in fact) I am. I’m going to see a play.
  No, I’m not. I’m stuck in the house.

Practise these short answers to questions in the most commonly used tenses and you will sound like a native in no time!

Make sure you do our *TT exercises to practise asking questions in English.

Check my other articles here: All English Time Ask Elo – Learning Articles

Elo Kasia is the Community Mentor for ” English Grammar and Speaking Academy”  and Director at Eloquent Learning Online School www.eloquentlearning.com.