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Usenet Posted 19 years ago
Usage
How do I answer
I check my email regularly. So if my boss asks, "Do you check your email?" I answer, "yes".
If my boss asks me, "Don't you check your email?" should I answer with a no since I DO check my email?
"Did you check your email?" Yes, because I did.
"Didn't you check your email?" No, because I did.
"Have you checked your email?" Yes, because I did. "Haven't you checked your email?" No, because I did.
Is the answer to the inquiry "have you" inverted when it's phrased "have not you" with the contraction "haven't"?
There are several examples of questions that are phrased by adding the n't to it, does that have an impact on how I respond?
I notice most people ignore the n't when it is added and answer as if the question was worded without the n't.
Which is proper?
Bart
If my boss asks me, "Don't you check your email?" should I answer with a no since I DO check my email?
"Did you check your email?" Yes, because I did.
"Didn't you check your email?" No, because I did.
"Have you checked your email?" Yes, because I did. "Haven't you checked your email?" No, because I did.
Is the answer to the inquiry "have you" inverted when it's phrased "have not you" with the contraction "haven't"?
There are several examples of questions that are phrased by adding the n't to it, does that have an impact on how I respond?
I notice most people ignore the n't when it is added and answer as if the question was worded without the n't.
Which is proper?
Bart
Top answer
[nq:1]I check my email regularly. "I answer, "yes". If my boss ...
- [nq:1]I check my email regularly.
- "I answer, "yes".
- If my boss ...
- n't when it is added and answer as if the question was worded without the n't.
- Which is proper?
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22 Answers
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[nq:1]I check my email regularly. So if my boss asks, "Do you check your email?"I answer, "yes". If my boss ... n't when it is added and answer as if the question was worded without the n't. Which is proper? Bart[/nq]
Stick with yes, bosses hate wise-*** employees.
Stick with yes, bosses hate wise-*** employees.
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Hhmmm.. belittlement, name calling, conformity to peers (*** kissing).. were you my boss at Wal-Mart? Oh, sorry.. weren't you my boss at Wal-Mart?
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[nq:2]I no not Stick with yes, bosses hate wise-*** employees.[/nq]
[nq:1]Hhmmm.. belittlement, name calling, conformity to peers (*** kissing).. were you my boss at Wal-Mart? Oh, sorry.. weren't you my boss at Wal-Mart?[/nq]
Unless you have another paycheck lined up it's best to kiss ***, it's just a job.
[nq:1]Hhmmm.. belittlement, name calling, conformity to peers (*** kissing).. were you my boss at Wal-Mart? Oh, sorry.. weren't you my boss at Wal-Mart?[/nq]
Unless you have another paycheck lined up it's best to kiss ***, it's just a job.
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[nq:1]I check my email regularly. So if my boss asks, "Do you check your email?" I answer, "yes". If my ... n't when it is added and answer as if the question was worded without the n't. Which is proper? Bart[/nq]
Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed
Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed
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[nq:1]I check my email regularly. So if my boss asks, "Do you check your email?"I answer, "yes". If my boss asks me, "Don't you check your email?" should I answer with ano since I DO check my email?[/nq]
No. You answer "yes".
In English, if the question/statement is true, you echo it in your answer. If the question/statement is false, you don't echo it in your answer.
question...t
No. You answer "yes".
In English, if the question/statement is true, you echo it in your answer. If the question/statement is false, you don't echo it in your answer.
question...t
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[nq:2]I check my email regularly. So if my boss asks, ... question was worded without the n't. Which is proper? Bart[/nq]
[nq:1]Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, ... we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? Your boss is in some pretty good company.[/nq]
My *** ... Bart hath Shakespeare for a bo
[nq:1]Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, ... we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? Your boss is in some pretty good company.[/nq]
My *** ... Bart hath Shakespeare for a bo
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[nq:1]Which is proper?[/nq]
My favorite advice from this newsgroup is, "When in doubt, rephrase".
Although others here have let you know that "yes" is the correct answer to your boss' question, you might feel more comfortable saying, "I just checked it ten minutes ago" or "I check it every half-hour" or whatever is true for you.
The "mypacks.net" address from which this messa
My favorite advice from this newsgroup is, "When in doubt, rephrase".
Although others here have let you know that "yes" is the correct answer to your boss' question, you might feel more comfortable saying, "I just checked it ten minutes ago" or "I check it every half-hour" or whatever is true for you.
The "mypacks.net" address from which this messa
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[nq:1]I check my email regularly. So if my boss asks, "Do you check your email?" I answer, "yes". If my ... n't when it is added and answer as if the question was worded without the n't. Which is proper? Bart[/nq]
The proper reply would be neither 'yes' nor 'no' as the additional 'not', unqualified, renders the question imprecise. The 'proper' question would follow French convention: is it (th
The proper reply would be neither 'yes' nor 'no' as the additional 'not', unqualified, renders the question imprecise. The 'proper' question would follow French convention: is it (th
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Thanks to everyone who replied, including Stan's "shoot from the hip" rejoinder, to which I don't respond well but certainly respect. I've been self-employed for years and used "the boss" scenario as an example. My work is highly technical and when I have a hurried exchange of information with an engineer I find my brain goes through extra steps to respond to a question beginning with a contractio
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[nq:1]Thanks to everyone who replied, including Stan's "shoot from the hip" rejoinder, to which I don't respond well but certainly ... email" seems like a simple and pure inquiry. "Didn't you check your email" seems accusatory. Guess it's just me, Bart[/nq]
Unfortunately, there is no sentence in the English language whose construction is accusatory. That is most likely a question for the etiqu
Unfortunately, there is no sentence in the English language whose construction is accusatory. That is most likely a question for the etiqu
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