Your ex-wife didn't invite you over?

[Topstudent]

A: How did your daughter's birthday go? Did you spend it with her?

B: No.

A: Why not? Your ex-wife didn't invite you over?

Is it perfectly natural to phrase the question like this instead of "Did your ex-wife not invite you over?", especially if A assumes that that is the case?

 

[emsr2d2]

In casual, everyday English, you'll hear native speakers use a statement with a questioning intonation at the end of the sentence to turn it into a question. We don't recommend learners do this until they reach a high level of fluency.

 

[Tarheel]

Here's one possibility other than the given one. (See below.)

Abe: How did your daughter's birthday go? Did you spend it with her?
Bob: No.
Abe: Why not? Didn't your ex-wife invite you over?

 

[jutfrank]

a) Did your ex-wife not invite you over?
b) Your ex-wife didn't invite you over?

I think they could have different uses. Question a) could work well to express a degree of surprise that the listener's ex-wife didn't invite him over whereas b) works to provide a possible explanation as to why the listener didn't spend time with his daughter on her birthday, which is then to confirmed by the listener.

Having said that, b) could equally be a way of expressing surprise. It would depend on how exactly the question is intoned.