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Negative questions

Structure: Doesn’t she understand? / Does she not understand?​

Contracted and uncontracted negative questions have different word order. (Uncontracted negative questions are usually formal.)

Grammar

auxiliary verb + n’t + subject …

  • Doesn’t she understand?
  • Why haven’t you reserved your flight yet?
Grammar

auxiliary verb + subject + not …

  • Does she not understand?
  • Why have you not reserved the flight yet?

Non-auxiliary have (in British English) and be go in the same position as auxiliary verbs.

  • Hasn’t she any friends to help her?
  • Have they not at least a room to stay in?
  • Aren’t you ready?
  • Is Mrs Allen not at home?

Two meanings​

Negative questions can have two different kinds of meaning. It is usually clear from the situation and context which kind of question is being asked.

‘It’s true that …, isn’t it?’​

A negative question can ask for confirmation of a positive belief. In this case the question expects the answer Yes, and means ‘It’s true that …, isn’t it?’

  • Didn’t you go and see Ella yesterday? How is she? (= I believe you went and saw Ella yesterday …)

Expressions of opinion and suggestions can be made less definite by expressing them as negative questions (so that they ask for agreement).

  • Wouldn’t it be better to switch the lights on?

Negative questions of this kind are common in exclamations (see here) and rhetorical questions (see here).

  • Isn’t it a lovely day!
  • ‘She’s growing up to be a lovely person.’ ‘Yes, isn’t she!’
  • Isn’t the answer obvious? (= Of course the answer is obvious.)

‘Is it true that … not …?’​

A negative question can also ask for confirmation of a negative belief. In this case the question expects the answer No, and means ‘Is it true that … not …?’

  • Don’t you feel well? (= Am I right in thinking you don’t feel well?)
  • Oh, dear. Can’t they come this evening?

This kind of negative question can show that the speaker is surprised that something has not happened or is not happening.

  • Hasn’t the mail come yet?
  • Didn’t the alarm go off? I wonder what’s wrong with it.

Polite requests, invitations, offers, complaints and criticisms​

Pressing invitations and offers often begin Won’t you …?, Wouldn’t you …? or Why don’t you …?

  • Won’t you come in for a few minutes?
  • Wouldn’t you like something to drink?
  • Why don’t you come and spend the weekend with us?

Why don’t you …? can also introduce aggressive suggestions.

  • Why don’t you shut up?

But in other cases we do not usually use negative questions to ask people to do things. This is done with ordinary questions, or with negative statement + question tag (especially British English).

  • Excuse me, can you help me for a moment? (ordinary question, used as a request)
  • You can’t help me for a moment, can you? (negative statement + question tag, common in informal requests)
  • but not Can’t you help me for a moment?

Negative questions may be understood as complaints or criticisms.

  • Can’t you lend me your pen for a minute? (= something like ‘Are you too selfish to lend me …?’)
  • Don’t you ever listen to what I say?

yes and no​

In a reply to a negative question, Yes suggests an affirmative verb, and No suggests a negative verb. Compare:

  • ‘Haven’t you written to Emily?’ ‘Yes.’ (= I have written to her.)
    ‘Haven’t you told her about us?’ ‘No.’ (= I haven’t told her about us.)
  • ‘Didn’t Dan call this morning?’ ‘Yes, he did.’
    ‘Didn’t he give you a message for me?’ ‘No, he didn’t.’