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Short Responses: Why "Yes" Is Never Enough

The One-Word Answer Problem

In Japanese, one-word answers work fine.

In English, they cause confusion.

Short responses need subject-verb agreement too.

These tiny answers need to match the question exactly.

The Basic Response Patterns

English has specific patterns for short answers:

For Be-Verbs:

Question: "Are you hungry?" Correct: "Yes, I am." / "No, I'm not." Not: "Yes." / "No."

For Do/Does/Did:

Question: "Do you like coffee?" Correct: "Yes, I do." / "No, I don't." Not: "Yes, I like." / "No, I don't like."

For Have/Has:

Question: "Have you been to Tokyo?" Correct: "Yes, I have." / "No, I haven't." Not: "Yes, I been." / "Yes, I have been."

For Modal Verbs:

Question: "Can you swim?" Correct: "Yes, I can." / "No, I can't." Not: "Yes, I can swim." / "No."

Why This Matters for Listening

When native speakers ask questions, they expect proper responses.

If they hear just "Yes" or "No," they automatically fill in what they expect.

This can lead to misunderstandings.

The Tag Question Trap

Tag questions create the biggest problems:

Question: "It's cold, isn't it?" Correct English response: "Yes, it is." (= I agree it's cold) "No, it isn't." (= I disagree, it's not cold)

Japanese logic often leads to: "Yes, it isn't." (meaning "Yes, I agree with your negative")

This creates complete confusion for English speakers!

The Tricky "Do You Mind" Question

Here's another common trap:

Question: "Do you mind if I open the window?" Correct response if you don't want the window open: "Yes, I do (mind)." Correct response if you're okay with the window open: "No, I don't (mind)."

Many students answer "Yes" (meaning "Yes, I mind.") when they actually want to say "No, I don't mind."

The result? Windows open when they should stay closed!

Common Mistakes in Short Responses

My students often make these mistakes:

The Have/Do Confusion:

Question: "Do you have a car?" Incorrect: "Yes, I have." Correct: "Yes, I do."

The Fragment Answer:

Question: "Are you going to the party?" Incorrect: "Yes, going." Correct: "Yes, I am."

The Echo Answer:

Question: "Did you watch the movie?" Incorrect: "Yes, I watched." Correct: "Yes, I did."

Listen for the Pattern

Can you hear the correct short responses in these dialogues?

  1. "Are you a student?" "Yes, I am." / "No, I'm not."
  2. "Does she speak Japanese?" "Yes, she does." / "No, she doesn't."
  3. "Have they arrived yet?" "Yes, they have." / "No, they haven't."
  4. "Will you join us tomorrow?" "Yes, I will." / "No, I won't."
  5. "It's beautiful, isn't it?" "Yes, it is." / "No, it isn't."

The Cultural Difference

In Japanese, responses often confirm the questioner's perspective.

In English, responses confirm or deny the reality being discussed.

This fundamental difference leads to crossed signals in conversations.

The "No One-Word Answers" Rule

In my classroom, I enforce a simple rule:

No one-word answers allowed.

Students must include the subject and verb in every response.

At first, it feels redundant to them.

But soon, they develop the habit of proper responses.

This simple rule has prevented countless misunderstandings.

Practice Exercise: The Response Drill

Try this exercise with The Less Said Podcast:

  1. Listen to Episode 12
  2. Pause after each question
  3. Practice giving the proper short response
  4. Continue and check if your response matches what you hear

Remember:

In English short responses:

  • The verb must match the auxiliary verb in the question
  • Subject pronouns are always required
  • Be especially careful with tag questions and "Do you mind" questions
  • One-word answers almost always create confusion

Tomorrow, we'll wrap up our week on subject-verb agreement with practical exercises to master all these tricky patterns!