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Unit 7: Unless
Tips for answering negative questions

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  1. 1Go beyond intermediate with our new video course
  2. 2Reported speech in 90 seconds!
  3. 3If or whether?
  4. 45 ways to use 'would'
  5. 5Let and allow
  6. 6Passive voice
  7. 7Unless
  8. 8Mixed conditionals
  9. 9The zero article - in 90 seconds
  10. 10The indefinite article - in 90 seconds
  11. 11The. That's right - the! Learn all about it in 90 seconds
  12. 12The continuous passive
  13. 13Future perfect
  14. 14Need + verb-ing
  15. 15Have something done
  16. 16Wish
  17. 17Word stress
  18. 18Different ways of saying 'if'
  19. 19Passive reporting structures
  20. 20The subjunctive
  21. 21When and if
  22. 22Inversion
  23. 23Phrasal verbs
  24. 24The future
  25. 25Modals in the past
  26. 26Narrative tenses
  27. 27Phrasal verb myths
  28. 28Conditionals review
  29. 29Used to - review
  30. 30Linking words of contrast

Session 4

Don't you find it easy to answer questions like this? Yes? No? Don't know? Learn how to answer negative questions with Tim.

Wayiitiwwan marii boqonnaa kana keessaa

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    Activity 1
  1. Activity 1

Activity 1

Stop saying ...

Answering negative questions

When a yes/no question is asked with a negative, it can be difficult to know what the correct way to respond is.

Anita from Italy wants to know that if someone asks "Aren't you going out tonight?" what the right answer is. Does the speaker think you are or are not going out?

If you say yes, does this mean that you are not going out? If you say no, does it mean you are going out?

It seems very confusing! Thankfully Tim has the answer and it's very simple.

Vidiyoo daawwadhuuti shaakala kana xumuri

Summary

So, isn't that simple? Yes, yes it is.

Think of a negative question as if it were a positive question and answer it like that!

Aren't you going out tonight? is the same as: Are you going out tonight? For both questions the answer will be the same.

Yes, I am = you are going out tonight.

No, I'm not = you are not going out.

To do

Try the quiz to check that you have understood Tim's advice. 

Yes or no?

5 Questions

For each situation choose the correct answer.

Baga gammadde! Qormaata xumurteetta
Excellent!Great job!Carraa badaa!Qabxii argatte:
x / y

End of Session 4

That's all from this session.

Thanks to the staff and students of Avalon School of English for their help with this programme.

Next

It's time to drop in on the White Elephant, BBC Learning English's comedy restaurant.

 

 

Caasluga kutaa kanaa

  • Top tip

    The answer to a negative question is the same as an answer to a positive question.

    "Aren't you tired?"

    "Yes, I'm exhausted." / "No, I'm wide awake."

     

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Session Vocabulary

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Wiirtuu gadi-buufatan

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