Echo questions

Introduction

"I asked Joyce to marry me." "You asked her to marry you?!"

These are responses, in the form of questions, to being asked or told something.

There are two main forms:

Repetition

Subject + verb + question word

A: "I just heard that Sam got the manager's job."

B: "He got the manager's job?"

A: "Carol's gone to Paris to see a client."

B: "She's gone where?"

[alternative to "Where has she gone?"]

Use

Examples

To show surprise, shock or disbelief

Note that we stress the question word and often a key word when repeating a phrase.

"Did you know it's raining?"

"It's raining?! Not again!"

"Your visitors will be here in 10 minutes."

"They'll be here when?! But I'm not ready yet."

"Did you know Simon's back from his trip?"

"He's back? I thought he was going for longer."

"Jamie went skiing and broke an arm and a leg."

"He broke an arm and a leg?!"

To ask for confirmation if we didn't hear or understand something

"This is Nicky's pen. Can you give it back to her?"

"It's whose?"

"Myles has finished the report. It's taken ages."

"He's finished it?"

"I saw Hannah and she's getting married next week." "Anna's getting married?" "No, not Anna - Hannah!"

"I gave the file to Keith." "You gave it to who?"

"They've already got four children and now they're expecting twins." "Twins?!"

"We visited a remote village in the desert to see an ancient monument. The only way to get there was on camels.""You got there how?!"