23.7 Yes-No Questions with the X-not-X Constructions III (Action Verbs)

In Grammar and Vocabulary 18.3, we learned that when we use the X-not-X construction to form a yes-no question with an action verb, the question can perform different functions. For the first function, the question asks whether someone usually does an activity or not.

For the second function, the question asks whether the listener wants to do something. It is like questions beginning with do you want to in English (e.g., Do you want to go?). The question usually serves as an invitation. For this function, we usually end the question with the sentence particle 呀 aa3.

To answer the question, we can give a long answer or a short answer. We give a short answer more often. For negative answers, we usually use the sentence particle 喇 laa3 (See Grammar and Vocabulary 16.5).

We can also respond to the question with the expressions for accepting or rejecting invitations. We do so more often than using the answers above.

If the subject of the question includes the listener and ourselves, the question usually asks whether we should do something. It is like questions beginning with should we in English (e.g., Should we invite Jason as well?). The question usually serves as a suggestion.

We can respond to the question by accepting or rejecting the suggestion.

Note that besides the two functions we have covered, yes-no questions with the X-not-X construction of an action verb can also perform other functions, but we won’t examine them here.