How Americans Answer Negative Questions
ALL-LEVELSCOMMUNICATION QUESTIONSSPEAKING
**A Four-Star Hotel**
11/07/2022
A negative answer to a negative question:
Emma: This is a four-star hotel.
Ji-Eun: Really? Isn't it a five-star hotel?
Emma: *No. It's a four-star hotel.
Ji-Eun: I think you mean, 'Yes! It's a four-star hotel!'
Emma: I mean, 'No! It's NOT a 5-star hotel. It's a 4-star hotel.'
Ji-Eun: That answer seems strange.
*Even though the conversation may be inaccurate, many native English speakers do not typically answer positively if the answer is negative.
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A negative answer to a positive statement:
Emma: This is a four star-hotel.
Ji-Eun: Really? I thought it was a five-star hotel.
Emma: *No. It's a four-star hotel.
*Typically, Americans will use the same answer for both positive and negative questions.
**Yes, it's confusing. This is what makes English so difficult to master!
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Isn't it Thursday?
10/31/2022
A negative answer to a negative question:
Han: Isn't it Thursday?
Dan: *No. It's Friday.
Han: I think you mean 'Yes. — It's Friday.'
Dan: I mean, 'No! It's Friday!'
Han: That answer seems strange.
*Even though the conversation may be inaccurate, many native English speakers do not typically answer positively if the answer is negative.
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A negative answer to a positive question:
Han: Is it Thursday?
Dan: *No. It's Friday.
Han: Oh! Thanks for letting me know.
*Typically, Americans will use the same answer for both positive and negative questions.
**Yes, it's confusing. This is what makes English so difficult to master!
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