Negative Questions

Question

How would I answer negative questions in the correct way?

For example: Are you not going with us?

No = Meaning I'm not going with them?
Yes= I am going with them?

Is this Correct?
P.S - Can you explain it all the way for me? I'm asking because many use yes for no and no for yes. By the way, thank you!^^

Answer 1

"NOT" would be essentially unnecessary in a question such as "Are you not going with us?"

Simply say, or write, "Are you going with us?" because it's more direct and much less confusing.

Answer 2

English answers "no" to contradict a negative question's assumption and "yes" to confirm it. What I mean by assumption is this. When someone asks you a question like, "Are you not going with us?", that question form means that they already assume your answer will be that you are going. This kind of question assumes that your answer will be "yes", that your answer will be positive. Remember, a NEGATIVE question assumes a POSITIVE answer. So if you ARE going, your answer should be "yes", just as they expect it will be. If you are NOT going, you have to contradict their assumption that you ARE going by using the negative "no". So:

 

Are you not going with us?

 

If you ARE: "Yes" or "Yes, I am going."

If you are NOT: "No" or "No, I'm not."

 

Meaning that you were correct! Good job!

Answer 3

Usually, in conversational English, a person might phrase the question in this way: "Aren't you going with us?" (using a contraction, "aren't"). The response of "yes" or "no" is not a problem here and no one is confused.

 

• But, if we break up the contraction, the question and answer can become confusing (i.e., "Are you not going with us?").
• The most effective and clear way to answer this sort of question is to say something like this: "I am going with you," or "I am not going with you." Omit the "yes" or "no." This will help to keep your response clear and to-the-point.

Answer 4

Think of this way.

If someone asked you: "Are you going with us?" and you answered "no." Then the obvious answer would be no, you're not going with them. So if they ask you "Are you not going with us?" and you answer "no", then the not-so-obvious answer is yes, you're going with them.

So if you answer yes- that means, no, you are not going with them.