Note-taking skills
When taking notes, you don't need to write everything down. Here's some advice about how to capture the most important information while note-taking.
In this tip, David Flowers a teacher at REW describes the difference between positive and negative questions. This is an area that often confuses many English language students.
In this tip, David Flowers a teacher at REW describes the difference between positive and negative questions. This is an area that often confuses many English language students.
It's important to know the difference in meaning between positive questions, like, do you want a drink? And negative questions, like, don't you want a drink? Knowing the difference in meaning will help you answer them. Some English learners get confused by negative questions and they don't know if they should answer yes or no. Let's start with positive questions.
In English, yes, no, questions are usually positive, as in the following typical conversation.
A: "Do you know what the capital of Brazil is?" B: "Yes, I do. It's Brasilia." That's a positive answer.
Now that's different to, A: "No, I don't. What is it?" Which is a negative answer. However, we can change any yes, no question into a negative question if we want to emphasize the question or to express surprise.
Here's an example dialogue to help you. A: "I'd love to go to Rio de Janeiro, the capital of Brazil."
"That's not right. Don't you know what the capital of Brazil is?" A: "Yes, I do. It's Brasilia. I was joking." That's a positive answer versus A: "No, I don't. I thought it was Rio." That's a negative answer.
The point is to remember that, although the question may be positive or negative, your answer of yes or no still depends on you. Not the question. For example, if a teacher asks, "Do you want more homework?" The answer for most students would probably be no.
If the teacher asked, "Don't you want more homework?" Expressing surprise, because this was two days before an exam, the student could still answer, "No, believe me. I have enough already." Thinking about the auxiliary that follows the word yes or no helps too. Please note, that as in both of those conversations, the auxiliary verb must always be positive. That is, if your answer is yes, and negative that is don't if your answer is no. In other words, yes always means yes and no always means no.
When taking notes, you don't need to write everything down. Here's some advice about how to capture the most important information while note-taking.
Acknowledgement of Country
RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.