🎯 Short Answers in English 🗣️
Improve your communication skills with concise responses!
📘 Introduction
Short answers are essential for effective communication in English. They’re used in conversations, exams, interviews, and daily interactions. Mastering short answers will make you sound more fluent and confident.
We typically use short answers in response to yes-no questions. While “Yes” or “No” alone can work, complete short answers add emphasis and clarity.
📚 How to Form Short Answers
The Verb “To Be”
- A: Is he at home?
- B: Yes, he is / No, he isn’t.
Present Simple & Modal Verbs
- A: Does she like her new car?
- B: Yes, she does / No, she doesn’t.
- A: Can they see the castle?
- B: Yes, they can / No, they can’t.
Present Continuous & Past Tenses
- A: Are they running in the park?
- B: Yes, they are / No, they aren’t.
- A: Did he leave early for work?
- B: Yes, he did / No, he didn’t.
Present Perfect & Future Tenses
- A: Has she seen the film before?
- B: Yes, she has / No, she hasn’t.
- A: Will they like the present?
- B: Yes, they will / No, they won’t.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- Wrong Auxiliary Verb: “Yes, I am” instead of “Yes, I do” for ‘do’ questions.
- Missing Auxiliary: Just saying “Yes” instead of “Yes, she did”.
- Wrong Pronoun: “Yes, she is” when referring to “John”.
- Rude Negatives: “No, you can’t” without explanation.
- Tense Confusion: “Yes, I do” instead of “Yes, I did” for past questions.
- Overly Long Answers: “Yes, I am tired” instead of “Yes, I am”.
📝 Practice Exercises
Answer the questions with affirmative and negative short answers.
| Question | Affirmative Answer | Negative Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Is Pete at the office? | Yes, he is. | No, he isn’t. |
| 2. Is there any food in the fridge? | Yes, there is. | No, there isn’t. |
| 3. Are there any tables to work on? | Yes, there are. | No, there aren’t. |
| 4. Does Mike like the present? | Yes, he does. | No, he doesn’t. |
| 5. Can they hear what I’m saying? | Yes, they can. | No, they can’t. |
| 6. Are they playing volleyball? | Yes, they are. | No, they aren’t. |
| 7. Were they on holiday last week? | Yes, they were. | No, they weren’t. |
| 8. Did Jessica tell them the answer? | Yes, she did. | No, she didn’t. |
| 9. Did they speak to Pete? | Yes, they did. | No, they didn’t. |
| 10. Were they listening to the music? | Yes, they were. | No, they weren’t. |
| 11. Has Jack eaten here before? | Yes, he has. | No, he hasn’t. |
| 12. Have they fixed the problem? | Yes, they have. | No, they haven’t. |
| 13. Has he been painting the house? | Yes, he has. | No, he hasn’t. |
| 14. Was she listening to some music? | Yes, she was. | No, she wasn’t. |
| 15. Had they already been to this museum before? | Yes, they had. | No, they hadn’t. |
| 16. Will they come with us to the conference? | Yes, they will. | No, they won’t. |
| 17. Are they going to stay here tonight? | Yes, they are. | No, they aren’t. |
| 18. Is she going to work this afternoon? | Yes, she is. | No, she isn’t. |
