Speak Now 4

Negative Questions for Giving

Opinions
Grammar Negative questions for giving opinions
• Negative questions give an opinion and invite a
reaction.
• Negative questions commonly use the forms:
• Don’t you…
• Shouldn’t you…
• Wouldn’t it…
• Isn’t it…
• Agreement from the listener is often expected.
Examples Negative questions for giving opinions

Wasn’t that a great movie?

Shouldn’t you stop watching celebrity gossip shows?

Wouldn’t it be nice if we got married?

Don’t you think that shirt is too old?

Shouldn’t we be going?
Practice Negative questions for giving opinions
Put the following questions into negative question form.

Should we eat
now? Shouldn’t we eat
now?
Do you think
it’s trendy? Don’t you think
it’s trendy?
Is it surprising?
Isn’t it surprising?
Grammar Negative questions for giving opinions

• To avoid ambiguity don’t answer a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no.’

• Use short answers:
• Yes, I should.
• No, I shouldn’t.
Examples Negative questions for giving opinions
Don’t you think you should buy cooler clothes?
No, I don’t.
Yes, I do.

Shouldn’t we go shopping together?

No, we shouldn’t.
Yes, we should.

Don’t you think you should be more romantic?

No, I don’t.
Yes, I do.
Practice Negative questions for giving opinions
Answer the following negative questions.
Don’t you think it’s out of style?
• Yes, I do.
• No, I don’t.

Shouldn’t we get married?

• Yes, we should.
• No, we shouldn’t.

Don’t you think he’s a trend-setter?

• Yes, I do.
• No, I don’t.