Echo Questions in English: Definition, Examples, and Exercises

Echo questions are a great way to respond in English when you want to show surprise, confirm something, or simply gain more information. They’re commonly used in casual conversation, and mastering them can help you sound more natural when speaking English. This guide covers what echo questions are, provides plenty of echo questions examples, and includes echo questions exercises to practice!

What Are Echo Questions?

An echo question is a short question that “echoes” part of a statement someone just made. They’re often used to express surprise, ask for confirmation, or request more detail. Instead of repeating the entire statement, an echo question repeats only the subject and auxiliary verb or verb form, making it brief and natural.

How to Form Echo Questions

1. Identify the main verb or auxiliary verb in the statement.
2. Use a question format that repeats the subject and verb, often omitting other details.
3. Match the tense of the original statement.

Common Structures:

• For statements with auxiliary verbs like am, is, are, do, does, have, has, will, echo the auxiliary.
• For statements without auxiliary verbs (present or past simple), use do or did.

Echo Questions Examples

Here are examples using different verb forms and tenses.

Present Simple

• Statement: “I like pizza.”
• Echo Question: “You do?”
• Statement: “She speaks three languages.”
• Echo Question: “She does?”

Present Continuous

• Statement: “They are leaving now.”
• Echo Question: “They are?”
• Statement: “He’s working late.”
• Echo Question: “He is?”

Past Simple

• Statement: “I went to the beach.”
• Echo Question: “You did?”
• Statement: “They bought a new car.”
• Echo Question: “They did?”

Present Perfect

• Statement: “She has finished her homework.”
• Echo Question: “She has?”
• Statement: “They’ve been to Italy.”
• Echo Question: “They have?”

Future Simple

• Statement: “He will call you later.”
• Echo Question: “He will?”
• Statement: “They’ll arrive soon.”
• Echo Question: “They will?”

Modals

• Statement: “She can dance really well.”
• Echo Question: “She can?”
• Statement: “We should leave now.”
• Echo Question: “We should?”

Common Uses of Echo Questions

1. Expressing Surprise:
   • Statement: “John got a new job.”
   • Echo Question: “He did?”
2. Requesting Confirmation:
   • Statement: “They are moving to Japan.”
   • Echo Question: “They are?”
3. Seeking More Information:
   • Statement: “She finished the project early.”
   • Echo Question: “She did?”

Echo Questions Exercises

Try creating echo questions for the following statements. Check your answers at the end!

1. “I love hiking on weekends.”
2. “They have finished dinner already.”
3. “We’re going to the concert tonight.”
4. “He didn’t like the movie.”
5. “She’ll visit us next month.”
6. “I forgot my keys.”

Answers to Practice Exercises

1. “You do?”
2. “They have?”
3. “We are?”
4. “He didn’t?”
5. “She will?”
6. “You did?”

Echo Questions in English: Definition, Examples, and Exercises | Summary

Echo questions are a useful way to confirm, show surprise, or seek more information in conversation. By echoing a part of the statement, you can keep the conversation flowing smoothly while engaging with the speaker. Practice with different tenses to become more comfortable with echo questions!