Verbless Anchors and Noun/Adjective Phrases as Questions
In English, verbless anchors and noun/adjective phrases can function as questions, often with the help of question tags or rising intonation. Let’s explore these structures in detail.
Verbless Anchors with Question Tags
When a sentence lacks a verb but describes a state or condition, it can be followed by a question tag using be + 3rd person pronoun. This structure is commonly used in conversational English to seek agreement or confirmation.
✧ Lovely day, isn’t it?
✧ Beautiful ship, isn’t she?
Here, the verbless anchor (Lovely day, Beautiful ship) is paired with a question tag to form a complete thought. The tag ensures the listener engages with the statement.
Noun and Adjective Phrases as Yes-No Questions
Noun and adjective phrases, when spoken with rising intonation, can function as yes-no questions. These are often used in informal contexts to inquire about something briefly and directly.
✧ New hat?
✧ Good flight?
✧ Boring?
✧ Your book?
✧ Any luck, Ron?
✧ Tasty?
✧ Next slide?
✧ False alarm?
These phrases are concise and rely on context and intonation to convey their meaning. For example, New hat? implies Is that a new hat?, while Good flight? means Was your flight good?.
Noun Phrases with Question Tags
In place of standalone noun or adjective phrases, you can use a noun phrase followed by a question tag. This adds clarity and makes the question more explicit.
✧ Too hot, are you?
✧ New hat, is it?
✧ Good flight, was it?
Here, the noun phrase (Too hot, New hat, Good flight) is paired with a question tag to form a complete question. This structure is particularly useful when you want to confirm or clarify something.
Key Notes
- Verbless anchors rely on question tags to complete their meaning.
- Noun and adjective phrases can function as questions when spoken with rising intonation.
- Adding a question tag to a noun phrase makes the question more explicit and conversational.
