Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[worksmart]

In English, when answering questions, does yes always go with, I do, and no, with I don't?

How about negative questions?
Such as "don't you have class today?"
Is the correct answer "No, I don't."?

Or can you say "Yes, (to acknowlege the person is right), I don't."?

Thanks!

[Mister Micawber]

.
The yes/no matches the rest of the response, not the question:

Do you have class? -- Yes, I do / No, I don't.
Don't you have class?-- Yes, I do / No, I don't.
You have class, do you? -- Yes, I do / No, I don't.
You have class, don't you? -- Yes, I do / No, I don't.
.
_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
...............
Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's