In this unit you will learn how to

Negative Questions

Isn’t it a lovely place!

Wouldn’t it be nice to come here more often?

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  Negative questions are formed with not but there is a difference in the word order between the full form and the short form.
  

Full form: auxiliary+subject+not+verb

e.g. Do you not like their new house?

Short form: auxiliary+not+subject+verb

e.g. Don’t you like their new house?

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  We use negative questions in speech
  

a) to ask for confirmation e.g. Didn’t Kim come back yesterday? and b) to express:

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  surprise. e.g. Don’t you know how to boil an egg?
  
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  admiration. e.g. Isn’t he a great cook!
  
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  annoyance. e.g. Can’t you be quiet for one minute!
  

Exercise 6. Write the short form of the following negative questions.
1 Can they not decide where to go on holiday?

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2 Did Claire not invite you to her party?

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3 Do you not enjoy watching horror films?

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4 Have you not finished your homework yet?

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5 Can she not go to town on her own?

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6 Does he not know where we live?

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7 Has Sue not done the shopping for you?

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8 Did he not give you any details?

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Fear

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Writing skill