Polar Questions – JSS1 English Lesson Note (Third Term)

A polar question is a question that begins with an auxiliary verb or modal verb and is answered with yes or no. The answer usually repeats the same auxiliary or modal verb, for example, Do you like chocolate? Yes, I do. A bare yes or no can sound abrupt, so students should add the verb.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• state what a polar question is;
• give polar questions that begin with an auxiliary verb or modal verb;
• answer polar questions by repeating the auxiliary or modal verb;
• say how a tag question differs from a polar question.

What is a polar question?

Polar questions begin with an auxiliary verb or modal verb. They are usually, but not always, answered using the same auxiliary or modal verb.

Auxiliary and modal verbs that begin polar questions

• Auxiliary verbs: do, does, did, am, is, are, was, were, have, has.
• Modal verbs: can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, must.

Examples

1. Do you like chocolate? Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.
2. Does she speak English? Yes, she does. / No, she doesn’t.
3. Are you ready? Yes, I am. / No, I’m not.
4. Can Musa swim? Yes, he can. / No, he can’t.

How should students answer polar questions?

Include the auxiliary or modal verb after “yes” or “no”

Students should learn to add the auxiliary or modal verb after “yes” or “no”. A bare “yes” or “no” can sound abrupt or uninterested, and the conversation may end quickly. The short answer with the verb sounds polite and complete.

The speaker can leave out the “I do” part if he or she goes on to say something else immediately afterwards:

Does she speak English? No, but she’s started taking lessons.

Repeat the auxiliary or modal verb, not the main verb

In this lesson, students practise repeating the auxiliary or modal verb and not the main verb. The short answer to “Do you like chocolate?” is “Yes, I do.” The answer “Yes, I like it” is also correct English, but the short answer with the auxiliary is the form we are learning to use.

Getting fuller answers

Not all questions beginning with Did, Are you and so on lead to a simple yes or no answer. One way of getting students to respond more fully is to ask “either/or” questions, for instance, “Did you walk to school, or did you take a bus?”

What is the difference between a tag question and a polar question?

Tag questions are mainly used to emphasise a statement made by the speaker and to ask the listener to confirm it. A polar question asks for a yes or no answer.

Evaluation

Complete each short answer with the correct auxiliary or modal verb.

1. Do you like rice? Yes, I ____.
2. Is Ada your sister? Yes, she ____.
3. Can Musa swim? No, he ____.
4. Does Tunde speak Hausa? No, he ____.
5. Which of these is a polar question?
   1. Where do you live?
   2. Do you live in Kano?
   3. You live in Kano, don’t you?

Answer key for teachers

1. do
2. is
3. can’t (or cannot)
4. doesn’t (or does not)
5. b

Assignment

Write three polar questions, one beginning with “Do”, one with “Does” and one with “Are”. Write a full answer to each, repeating the auxiliary verb after “yes” or “no”.

Model answer for teachers: Do you play football? Yes, I do. Does Bisi sing well? No, she doesn’t. Are they at home? Yes, they are.