In English, certain questions and responses follow specific grammatical rules. One common question is ‘Is this your father?’ and the typical response to it is ‘Yes, it is.’ But is this response grammatically correct? Let’s break down this exchange and clarify the rules of forming responses in English.
1. Understanding the Question ‘Is this your father?’
When someone asks ‘Is this your father?’, they are inquiring whether the person in question is the speaker’s father. The structure of the question is correct and follows the typical form for yes/no questions in English: Is + subject + complement?
2. How ‘Yes, it is’ Functions as a Response
The response ‘Yes, it is’ is grammatically correct. It consists of a simple affirmation (‘Yes’) followed by a pronoun (‘it’) and a verb (‘is’). ‘It’ refers to the subject of the question, which in this case is ‘father’. The verb ‘is’ is the correct form to follow after ‘it’ as it matches the structure of the question.
3. Why ‘Yes, it is’ Works Here
The reason ‘Yes, it is’ is appropriate is because of the way English responds to yes/no questions. When asked a yes/no question, the answer generally confirms the subject and verb of the question. Since ‘father’ is a singular noun, ‘it’ is used to refer to the person in question, and ‘is’ is the appropriate verb to use for singular subjects in the present tense.
4. Possible Variations of the Response
Although ‘Yes, it is’ is the most common and grammatically correct response, there are other ways to phrase a response depending on the context:
- ‘Yes, he is’ – If the speaker wants to emphasize the gender of the father or if the father is clearly male in context.
- ‘Yes, that’s my father’ – A slightly more explicit confirmation.
- ‘Yes, it is my father’ – Another clear and correct response.
Each of these responses is also correct, though ‘Yes, it is’ is by far the most concise and universally acceptable in everyday conversation.
5. Conclusion
In conclusion, ‘Yes, it is’ is a grammatically correct and appropriate response to the question ‘Is this your father?’ The structure adheres to the rules of English grammar for yes/no questions and is commonly used in both spoken and written forms. Understanding how to correctly answer questions in English is key to fluency, and this example highlights the importance of subject-verb agreement in responses.
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