Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

Negative interrogatives

435b

Negative interrogatives typically function as questions seeking agreement or

confirmation. They have a contracted n’t negative. The word order is:

modal/auxiliary verb + n’t + subject + lexical verb. If copular be is used, the word

order is be + n’t + subject:

Shouldn’t the government do more to increase productivity? 

(speaker thinks the government should do more and seeks agreement)

Haven’t you got a knife and fork?

(speaker sees that the listener apparently has no knife and fork and seeks

confirmation)

Isn’t this coat yours?

Uncontracted negative questions have the word order: modal/auxiliary verb +

subject + not + lexical verb. If copular be is used, the order is be + subject + not.

Such questions sound very formal:

Might we not consider those less fortunate than ourselves?

Did you not feel offended by her comment?

Is she not an acquaintance of yours?