Negative questions use "not" (or a contraction) in the question. They are used to express surprise, seek confirmation, make suggestions, or express that you expected a different answer. The word order and meaning can be tricky for learners.
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Forming Negative Questions
Negative questions are formed with an auxiliary verb + "not" (contracted or full). Contracted form (more common in speech): "Isn't she coming?", "Didn't you know?" Full form (more formal): "Is she not coming?", "Did you not know?" With contracted forms, "not" attaches to the auxiliary: isn't, haven't, wasn't, didn't, can't, won't.
What Negative Questions Communicate
Negative questions often imply the speaker expected a "yes" answer. "Didn't you get my message?" implies: I sent a message; I expected you to get it. They are also used for suggestions (especially with "Why don't…"): "Why don't we take a break?" And to confirm what you believe to be true: "Isn't that the same restaurant we visited last time?"
Answering Negative Questions
Negative questions can confuse learners because the answer "yes" or "no" responds to the fact, not the form. "Didn't you eat?" — "Yes, I did." (= Yes, I ate.) "No, I didn't." (= No, I didn't eat.) This is the opposite of some languages where "yes" would mean "you're right, I didn't." In English, "yes" always confirms the positive, regardless of the question's form.