Do You? Did She? Keeping a Conversation Going

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Do You? Did She? Keeping a Conversation Going

In this lesson, you can form response questions after present and past simple statements.

Created by , British English teacher.

I’m studying:

Try the activities, then check your answers.

Choose a short recording.

Before you start

Respond to I work on Saturdays with a short interested question.

See one possible response

Do you?

At a community workshop, people share small pieces of news. Use a short response to invite the other person to continue.

What you will practise
  • Form response questions after present and past simple statements.
  • Reuse be, have or a modal with the right person.
  • Extend an exchange and distinguish a response question from a tag.

Try each response before revealing a model. Equivalent grammatical answers are welcome when they preserve the task meaning.

Respond with the matching verb

A short response question is a new turn: I work nearby. Do you? With ordinary present and past verbs, use do, does or did. Match the original subject from the new speaker’s viewpoint.

I collect old maps. Do you?

Nia found the missing key. Did she?

The dark-haired speaker points to a small isolated workplace entrance near them, holding a work pass. The blonde listener responds with interested surprise, keeping the conversation open.
A: I work nearby. B: Do you?The new speaker changes I to you.

Reuse an auxiliary

When the statement already has be, have or a modal, reuse the appropriate form. I’ve finished can receive Have you? A change of speaker may require I to become you.

The room is ready. Is it?

We can borrow the projector. Can we?

Keep the exchange open

Follow a response question with a relevant question or comment. A response question does not itself prove agreement, disbelief or surprise; the words and situation help the listener interpret it. An attached tag is part of the first speaker’s sentence, not this second-speaker response.

I’m taking a pottery class. Are you? What are you making?

They’ve moved the session. Have they? Where is it now?

Reuse are, then ask about the activity

I’m learning to make bread.Are you?What kind of bread are you making?
Are you? starts the new speaker’s turn. The follow-up asks about the bread, keeping the exchange connected to the actual news.
The dark-haired speaker holds a finished folder with closed completed-work pages. The blonde listener asks with engaged mild surprise. The finished work belongs to the speaker, with no imposed shared task.
A: I’ve finished. B: Have you?Have preserves the original perfect pattern.

Guided practice

Say or write your answer first. Then compare the meaning and grammar with the model.

1. Respond to I work at the library with a two-word question.

Compare a model and explanation

Do you?

Present-simple work needs do in the response.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

2. Respond to Tomas sent the invitations.

Compare a model and explanation

Did he?

Sent is a past-simple verb; do not repeat sent in the short question.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

3. Correct the response: I’m free this evening. Do you?

Compare a model and explanation

Are you?

The statement uses am, so the response needs a form of be.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

4. Respond to The guests have arrived.

Compare a model and explanation

Have they?

Have matches have arrived and they refers to the guests.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

5. A friend says We can finish today and includes you. Give a short response question.

Compare a model and explanation

Can we?

The speaker change does not remove you from this shared we.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

6. Compare You live nearby, don’t you? with I live nearby. Do you? Which has a second-speaker response question?

Compare a model and explanation

The second exchange.

In the first, the tag is attached to the original speaker’s statement.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

7. I’ve joined a choir. Have you? Where is your car? Replace the final question with something relevant.

Compare a model and explanation

Have you? When do you rehearse?

The follow-up connects to joining a choir. Other relevant choir questions work.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

8. Your partner says, My brother is moving to a new flat. Respond and ask when.

Compare a model and explanation

Is he? When is he moving?

Is matches the progressive and he refers to the brother.

Accept a grammatical alternative that satisfies the stated prompt and this item’s explanation; the model is not an exhaustive exact-string key.

A short conversation

Listen to the exchange, then take one role. The speaker labels identify roles; do not narrate them.

Open the conversation transcript

Participant: I’ve started a weekend repair group.

Neighbour: Have you? What do you repair?

Participant: Mostly lamps. My sister helps with the wiring.

Neighbour: Does she? That sounds like a useful team.

Listening checks

Listen to each extract, then choose the best answer. These three questions have their own score.

1. What does the second speaker do?
Read the listening transcript

I work in the bookshop now. Do you? Which part of the shop do you work in?

2. Who does they refer to?
Read the listening transcript

The two visitors have already left. Have they? I wanted to ask them about their exhibition.

3. What helps us interpret the response as accepting useful news?
Read the listening transcript

I can lend you my stand. Can you? Thanks. When could I collect it?

Answer key with explanations

  1. What does the second speaker do?

    Invites the first speaker to say more about the job.: The follow-up asks for job information.

    Compare all choices
    • Asks who owns the shop.: No ownership question is asked.
    • Invites the first speaker to say more about the job.: The follow-up asks for job information.
    • States that both speakers work there.: Do you? is a question, not a statement of shared employment.

  2. Who does they refer to?

    The two visitors.: That plural group is the subject of have left.

    Compare all choices
    • The exhibitions.: The exhibition is mentioned later and is singular.
    • The speaker and listener.: The visitors are a separate group in this exchange.
    • The two visitors.: That plural group is the subject of have left.

  3. What helps us interpret the response as accepting useful news?

    Thanks and the collection question.: Those words support a cooperative interpretation.

    Compare all choices
    • Thanks and the collection question.: Those words support a cooperative interpretation.
    • Can you proves the listener owns the stand.: It asks about the other person’s ability or offer, not ownership by the listener.
    • The question mark alone proves surprise.: Punctuation alone cannot establish the speaker’s attitude.

Mastery quiz

Choose the best answer for each situation. The score is out of eight.

1. Respond to I teach on Saturdays.
2. Respond to Noor finished the poster yesterday.
3. Respond to The hall is empty.
4. Respond to I’ve booked two seats.
5. Your partner includes you in We can start now. Choose the matching response.
6. Which is a separate response question?
7. Someone says I’m studying ceramics. Choose a relevant two-part response.
8. A written transcript contains Did she? without context. What can you safely conclude?
Answer key with explanations

  1. Respond to I teach on Saturdays.

    Do you?: Ordinary present-simple teach uses do.

    Compare all choices
    • Do you?: Ordinary present-simple teach uses do.
    • Did you?: Did changes the response to past time.
    • Are you?: Are does not match the simple verb teach here.

  2. Respond to Noor finished the poster yesterday.

    Did she?: Past-simple finished takes did.

    Compare all choices
    • Does she?: Does is present simple, not the reported past.
    • Did she?: Past-simple finished takes did.
    • Has she?: This does not match the supplied past-simple form.

  3. Respond to The hall is empty.

    Is it?: Reuse is with singular it.

    Compare all choices
    • Are they?: This changes both agreement and reference.
    • Does it?: There is no ordinary main verb requiring does.
    • Is it?: Reuse is with singular it.

  4. Respond to I’ve booked two seats.

    Have you?: Reuse have and shift I to you.

    Compare all choices
    • Have you?: Reuse have and shift I to you.
    • Do you?: Do does not match the present perfect.
    • Have I?: The respondent is asking about the original speaker, not themselves.

  5. Your partner includes you in We can start now. Choose the matching response.

    Can we?: The shared group remains we.

    Compare all choices
    • Can they?: They incorrectly excludes the respondent from the supplied group.
    • Can we?: The shared group remains we.
    • Do we?: Reuse the existing modal can.

  6. Which is a separate response question?

    I’m tired. Are you?: Are you? is the other person’s new turn.

    Compare all choices
    • You’re tired, aren’t you?: This is an attached question tag.
    • Are you tired?: This is a full direct question, not the short response pattern.
    • I’m tired. Are you?: Are you? is the other person’s new turn.

  7. Someone says I’m studying ceramics. Choose a relevant two-part response.

    Are you? What are you making?: Both the auxiliary and follow-up fit.

    Compare all choices
    • Are you? What are you making?: Both the auxiliary and follow-up fit.
    • Are you? So I study ceramics too.: The final claim about yourself is not supported by the news.
    • Do you? What are you making?: The follow-up fits, but do does not match I’m studying.

  8. A written transcript contains Did she? without context. What can you safely conclude?

    It is a short question referring to a female person and past simple information.: The form supports this, but attitude remains unspecified.

    Compare all choices
    • The speaker is certainly angry.: The form alone does not establish anger.
    • It is a short question referring to a female person and past simple information.: The form supports this, but attitude remains unspecified.
    • The speaker agrees that she should do it.: Agreement or obligation is not encoded by Did she?

Use it in your own words

Receive three pieces of news

Imagine a partner says one present-simple fact, one past event and one statement with be. Give a matching response to each.

Reveal a possible response

I volunteer on Sundays. Do you? I joined last year. Did you? I’m free tomorrow. Are you? What would you like to do?

  • My auxiliaries match the supplied forms.
  • I change person appropriately.

Make your own three statements first, then respond as the listener. Different verbs and people are welcome.

Repair an awkward exchange

Someone says their cousin has opened a café. Respond with a matching question, then ask two relevant questions.

Reveal a possible response

Has she? Where is the café? What kind of food does she serve?

  • I use has for has opened.
  • My follow-ups concern the café.

Choose the cousin’s pronoun from your own scenario and keep it consistent.

Put it all together

You meet a new member of a walking group. Create a four-turn exchange containing two different pieces of news and two response questions, each followed by something relevant.

Reveal a possible response

I joined last month. Did you? Which walks have you tried? I’ve done the coastal walk. Have you? Was it difficult?

  • I use two appropriate auxiliaries.
  • I track who each pronoun refers to.
  • The exchange moves forward.

Use a new social setting and details. The model illustrates the turn pattern, not a required script.

Take it with you

A response question keeps a conversation open. Match the auxiliary and person to the previous statement. Tone and context matter; the form alone does not fix an emotion.