第七章 問句(Questions)
7§1答案只是〝Yes〞或〝No〞的問題
有些問題，答案只有〝Yes〞或〝No〞，以下是一些例子。
原來句子 問句
I am a boy. Am I a boy?
He has a car. Does he have a car?
I gave him three books. Did I give him three books?
He cannot work. Can he work?
He has not seen me. Has he seen me?
They like your novel. Do They like your novel?
The sun sets in the west. Does the sunset in the west?
They are good teachers. Are they good teachers?
He will not go to a concert tonight. Will he go to a concert tonight?
He is going to swim. Is he going to swim?
They must eat vegetables. Must they eat vegetables?
They have to go. Do they have to go?
I walked two kilometers yesterday. Did I walk two kilometers yesterday?
It is raining now. Is it raining now?
根據以上的例子，我們可以歸納乘以下的規則：
(1) 凡動詞是verb to be的，變成問句時，動詞移到主詞前面去。
例子：
原來句子 問句
You are a girl. Are you a girl?
He was a teacher. Was he a teacher?
They were all old. Were they all old?
This song is beautiful. Is this song beautiful?
Peter is a good student. Is Peter a good student?
(2) 動詞不是verb to be，也沒有助動詞，改成問句時，必須加助動詞do或他的變形，這個助動詞必須在主詞的前面。
例子：
原來句子 問句
I like music. Do I like music?
He likes sports. Does he like sports?
Peter went to America. Did Peter go to America?
He ate three apples last night. Did he eat three apples last night?
Her mother calls her every week. Does her mother call her every week?
(3) 句子中間如已有助動詞，改成問句時，只要將助動詞移到主動詞前面即可。
例子：
原來句子 問句
He did not eat. Did he eat?
He has gone to America. Has he gone to America?
She can dance. Can she dance?
I will see you tonight. Will I see you tonight?
They are going to Washington. Are they going to Washington?
我們的問句中，當然也可已有否定的意義，比方說，我們可以問：
你不喜歡音樂嗎?
他不是你的弟弟嗎?
你從未見過他?
英文句子也可以如此，例如：
Don’t you like music?
Doesn’t he play piano?
Aren’t you his brother?
Isn’t he a good student?
Didn’t he go to school?
Hasn’t he lived here?
Won’t he leave tomorrow?
注意，這時not通常和動詞連在一起了。
有一件事，是我們中國人必須注意的，假如有人問你：
你不喜歡音樂嗎?
而你本人的確也不喜歡音樂，你會回答說：
是，我不喜歡音樂。
也就是說，我們中國人的回答是順著問句的。問句說你不喜歡，我們同意他的說法，所以前面加一個〝是〞。假設我喜歡音樂，我會回答說：
不，我喜歡音樂。
可是，英文正好相反，英文的yes和no，與問句的問法無關，而對應了回答的事實。舉例來說，我們的問句也許是：
Don’t you like music?
你如不喜歡音樂就回答說：
No, I don’t like music.
你如喜歡音樂，就回答說：
Yes, I like music.
再舉一例，有人問：
Isn’t he Chinese?
他是中國人就回答：
Yes, he is.
他如不是，就回答：
No, he isn’t.
反正，英文的yes和no，都和答案的事實對應，而與如何問無關。
