Yes/no questions

What you'll learn

A yes/no question asks for an answer such as yes or no.

In English, the helper verb usually comes before the subject.

Start with these examples

• Are you ready?
• Do you like coffee?
• Has she got a car?
• Can they swim?

Four useful patterns

Questions with be

am/is/are + subject + information?

• Are you tired?
• Is she your sister?
• Are they at home?

Questions in the present simple

do/does + subject + base verb?

• Do you like pizza?
• Does he work here?

Questions with have got

have/has + subject + got + noun?

• Have you got a pen?
• Has she got a bike?

Questions with can

can + subject + base verb?

• Can you swim?
• Can I sit here?

Short answers

Use the same helper verb.

• Are you ready? — Yes, I am. / No, I'm not.
• Do they live here? — Yes, they do. / No, they don't.
• Has he got a car? — Yes, he has. / No, he hasn't.
• Can she drive? — Yes, she can. / No, she can't.

Common mistakes

• You like pizza? → Do you like pizza?
• Do you are Spanish? → Are you Spanish?
• Does she likes music? → Does she like music?
• Can he swims? → Can he swim?

Quick check

• Are you busy? / Do you busy?
• Does he work here? / Is he work here?
• Can they come today? / Can they comes today?

Next step

Use adverbs of frequency to say how often something happens.