reply vs. echo questions

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worcester

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Sep 15, 2013
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Russian
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Hi everyone,
I was looking at some reply and echo questions today and do not completely understand their use. Can reply questions always be replaced by echo questions and vice versa or not?For example can I use both reply and echo questions in this dialogue? If not, could you please explain why?


In this example I am using reply questions.
A I'm broke.
B Are you? How come?
A Because I just had a phone bill for £500.
B Did you? Why so much?
A Because I have a girlfriend in Korea.
B Do you? How interesting!

How about the same but with echo questions?
A I'm broke.
B You're broke? How come?
A Because I just had a phone bill for £500.
B Five hundred pounds? Why so much?
A Because I have a girlfriend in Korea.
B You have a girlfriend in Korea? How interesting!

Thank you.
 
Both your dialogues are acceptable.
 
In the first set, I'd reverse the order each time.
You are?
You did?
You do?

(I wouldn't say what you have is wrong or unacceptable. But they are not as natural in my dialect.)
 
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