Definition and Examples of the Yes-No Question

https://www.thoughtco.com/inflection-grammar-term-1691168Also known as a  polar interrogative, a  polar question, and a  bipolar question,  a yes-no question is an interrogative construction  (such as, Are you ready?) that expects an answer of either yes or no.  Wh- questions,  on the other hand, can have a number of answers, and potentially more than one correct answer.  In  yes-no  questions, an  auxiliary verb  typically appears  in front of  the  subject—a formation called  subject-auxiliary inversion (SAI).   Three Varieties of Yes-No Questions There are three types of yes-no questions: the inverted question, the inversion with an alternative (which may require more than a simple yes or no  answer),  and the tag question. Are you going? (inversion)Are you staying or going? (inversion with an alternative)Youre going, arent you? (tag) In an inverted question, the subject and the first verb of the verb phrase  are inverted when that verb is either a modal or an auxiliary verb or with the verb be and sometimes have.   She is leaving on Wednesday. (statement)Is she leaving on Wednesday? (question) The question itself may be positive or negative. A positive question appears to be neutral with regard to the expected response—yes or no. A negative question seems to hold out the distinct possibility of a negative response, however, inflection is also a factor that can influence a yes/no response. Are you going? (Yes/No)Arent you going? (No) The Use of Yes-No Questions in Polls and Surveys Yes-no question are often used in surveys to gauge peoples attitudes with regard to specific ideas or beliefs. When enough data is gathered, those conducting the survey will have a measure based on a percentage of the population of how acceptable or unacceptable a proposition is. Here are some typical examples of survey questions: Are you in favor of premarital sex? ___ Yes ___ NoDo you support gun control?  ___ Yes ___ NoShould people be required  to spay/neuter their pets?  ___ Yes ___ NoDo you believe global warming is a hoax?___ Yes ___ NoDo you plan to vote in the next election?___ Yes ___ No Another way to pose yes-no survey questions is in the form of a statement. Women and men can just be friends.  ___ Yes ___ NoGuests are always welcome here.  ___ Yes ___ NoMy mom is the best cook in the world.  ___ Yes ___ NoIve read at least 50 books from the library.  ___ Yes ___ NoI will never eat pizza with pineapple on it.  ___ Yes ___ No Typically, pollsters ask questions that will elicit yes or no answers. Is it necessary to point out that such answers do not give a robust meaning to the phrase public opinion? Were you, for example, to answer No to the question Do you think the drug problem can be reduced by government programs? one would hardly know much of interest or value about your opinion. But allowing you to speak or write at length on the matter would, of course, rule out using statistics.—From Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology by Neil Postman Examples  of Yes-No Questions Homer: Are you an angel?Moe:  Yes, Homer. All us angels wear Farrah slacks.—The Simpsons Directing a movie is a very overrated job, we all know it. You just have to say yes or no. What else do you do? Nothing. Maestro, should this be red? Yes. Green? No. More extras? Yes. More lipstick? No. Yes. No. Yes. No. Thats directing.—Judi Dench as Liliane La Fleur in Nine Principal McGee: Are you just going to stand there all day?Sonny: No maam. I mean, yes maam. I mean, no maam.Principal McGee: Well, which is it?Sonny: Um, no maam.—Eve Arden and Michael Tucci in Grease Sources​ Wardhaugh, Ronald.Understanding English Grammar: A Linguistic  Approach. Wiley-Blackwell, 2003Evans,  Annabel Ness;  Rooney,  Bryan J.  Methods in Psychological Research, Second Edition. Sage, 2011Postman, Neil. Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology. Alfred A. Knopf, 1992