Contracciones del verbo "to be" en preguntas

Mastering English contractions is a fundamental skill for communicating naturally and fluently. Short answers with contractions are an essential part of everyday English, especially when answering simple "yes" or "no" questions. Let's find out how to use them correctly.

How to answer questions using contractions in English?

Short answers in English follow a specific pattern that is important to master. In affirmative answers, no contractions are used, while in negative answers we have three different options.

What is the structure for affirmative answers?

- For affirmative answers, we always use the full form: "Yes, you/he/she/it/we/they are"- You should never contract in positive answers: "Yes, she's" ❌ is incorrect - Correct examples:

• "Is she tall?" - "Yes, she is"
• "Are they happy?" - "Yes, they are"
• "Is it a car?" - "Yes, it is"

What are the options for negative responses?

In negative responses, we can choose from three forms, all with the same meaning:

1. Full form: "No, you are not".
2. First contraction: "No, you're not".
3. Second contraction: "No, you aren't"

Some practical examples:

• "Is he Jess?" - "No, he is not/he's not/he isn't".
• "Are we friends?" - "No, we are not/we're not/we aren't"
• "Are they tired?" - "No, they are not/they're not/they aren't"

What peculiarities should we remember?

How does the pronoun "you" work?

The pronoun "you" is special in English because:

• It is used for both singular and plural
• The response structure is the same in both cases.
• Examples:
  • Singular: "Are you a student?" - "Yes, I am"/"No, I'm not".
  • Plural: "Are you students?" - "Yes, we are"/"No, we're not".

How to practice with everyday examples?

It is helpful to practice with common situations and objects:

- Describing moods:

• "Is she angry?" - "Yes, she is"
• "Is he sad?" - "No, he isn't"

- Describing characteristics:

• "Is it big?" - "Yes, it is"
• "Are they old?" - "No, they aren't"

Constant practice is the key to mastering Englishcontractions. We invite you to share your examples and answers in the comments section to continue improving together.