short answers

[snoopya1984]

If the question is"Are you crying?" and we reply"No, I am not crying" instead of the short answer "No, I am not" ,it it wrong?

[Gillnetter]

If the question is"Are you crying?" and we reply"No, I am not crying" instead of the short answer "No, I am not" ,it it wrong?

No, it's fine. A shorter answer would be, "No".

[TheParser]

If the question is"Are you crying?" and we reply"No, I am not crying" instead of the short answer "No, I am not" ,it it wrong?

NOT A TEACHER


Sometimes speakers use the long answer when they are angered by your question:

Tom: Are you crying?

Joe: No, I am NOT crying! Do you think that I'm a sissy? I just have something in my eyes. That's all. You had better not tell the other guys that I was crying!


***

Mona (interviewing someone for a job): How long have you been in the United States?

Maria: I came here in 1990.

Mona: Do you speak fluent English?

Maria (feeling insulted): Yes, I speak fluent English! ( = Why do you ask that question? Maybe because of my race?)

[snoopya1984]

If she said"Yes, I do speak."Is it acceptable?

[TheParser]

If she said"Yes, I do speak."Is it acceptable?

NOT A TEACHER


(1) I think (repeat: think) that Maria would not say "Yes, I do speak English" if she were angry.

(2) I DO think that she would use "do" (without the "Yes") if she wanted to emphasize something (just as I have done in the second word of this sentece):

Tom: I speak 5 languages.

Maria: Wow! You're smart.

Tom: I know.

Maria: I speak 2 languages.

Tom: What are they?

Maria: Well, I speak our native language, of course.

Tom: Of course. What's the other one?

Maria: Mandarin Chinese.

Tom: No way! You do not speak Chinese.

Maria (almost crying): I DO speak Chinese. You have to believe me. I am not a liar.

***

Tom: No way! You cannot speak Chinese.

Maria: I CAN speak Chinese. Please, please, believe me!

***

Tom: No way! You have never learned Chinese.

Maria: I HAVE learned Chinese. I'm telliing the truth.

ALL THE WORDS IN BOLD HAVE TO BE PRONOUNCED WITH GREAT FORCE.

[Rover_KE]

If she said"Yes, I do speak."Is it acceptable?

No.