8 2.6
Do his methods bring success? 2.7
Does he like Dickens? 2.8
Did the bus arrive late? Quirk et al, 1972, pp. 387-388
The eight questions above are the examples of yesno questions which are
used to clarify the unclear information. Questions numbers 2.1 until 2.5 consist of
operator +subject + predication and the speaker only needs yes or no as the
answer. Besides, questions number 2.6 until 2.8 helped by do because the
sentences do not use to be. The second function of yesno question is asking permission or obligation Quirk et all, 1972, p. 393.
2.9 Can I leave now?
2.10 May I leave now?
2.11 Must I leave now?
2.12 Do I have to leave now?
2.13 Does no one understand me?
2.14 Isn‟t you computer working?
2.15 Didn‟t someone come last week?
Quirk et all, 1972, p. 393
Yesno questions have also negative orientation. The negative orientation
often express disappointment or annoyance Quirk et al, 1972, p. 389. Quirk et al also state that the negative questions could order as the full or enclitic negative
particle p. 390.
c. Tag Questions
Tag question is a question which added to a statement and it takes positive
or negative orientation Quirk et al, 1972, p. 390. Quirk et all 1972 also state
that tag questions consist of operator + subject, the operator and the subject are
the same as the operator of the preceding statement if the statement without
operator, it helped by dodoesdid pp. 390-391. If the statement is positive, the
9
tag is negative, and vice versa . This question has a function to make sure that the
information is correct or to get agreement. Tag questions could be spoken with
rising or falling intonation. Rising intonation is used if the speaker was sure that the information is correct and falling intonation is used if the speaker did not sure
that heshe will get agreement from the information Azar and Hagen, 2009, p. 446. According to Azar and Hagen 2009 and Quirk et al 1972, the examples
of tag questions are:
3.1 That is your book, isn‟t it?
3.2 Jack can come, can‟t he?
3.3 I am supposed to be here, am I not?
3.4 I am supposed to be here, aren‟t I?
3.5 Nothing is wrong, is it?
3.6 Your car is outside, is it?
Azar and Hagen, 2009, p. 446 Quirk et al, 1972, p. 392 Question number 3.1 until 3.4 have a positive statement and negative tag
question. The different is the question number 3.3 is the formal English and the question number 3.4 is more common in spoken English Azar and Hagen, 2009,
p. 446. Besides, the question number 3.5 has a positive tag because the statement
has a negative word, such as nothing. The question number 3.6 is the less
common question which is both statement and the tag question are positive Quirk et al, 1972, p. 392.
d. Declarative Questions
Question is not only interrogative sentence Curme, 1966, p. 97. The third
type is declarative questions. It is a question which has a statement form. The
sentence is a statement, but it uses question mark at the end of the sentence. It also uses rising intonation. Curme 1966 states that the question is asked in a tone of
10 surprise p. 97. The function of declarative question is almost same with yesno
question. Declarative questions ask for yesno answer, besides it also asks for a
repetition of a statement that the speaker does not understand yet Curme, 1966, p. 97 and Downing and Locke, 2002, p. 185. The examples are:
STATEMENT QUESTION
4.1 I am going to bed now.
You are going to bed now? 4.2
I cut my hair. You cut your hair?
4.3 He went there.
He went where? 4.4
They are eating pizza. They are eating pizza?
e. Alternative Questions
