Declarative questions
In English - unlike Spanish or Greek, for example - yes-no questions usually have a special interrogative grammatical form, involving the inversion of the subject and the verb. We discuss their intonation in
2.13
. However, we do also sometimes use declarative questions, which are grammatically like statements. They can be identified as questions only by their intonation, or by the pragmatics of the situation where they are used. They are usually said with a rise: a yes-no rise.
You ▸think I'm ⤴crazy (= Do you think I'm crazy?)
〉 I had an a▸mazing ex⤵perience
》 You ⤴did? (= I hear what you say.)
〉 I had an a▸mazing ex⤵perience
》 You ⤴did? (= I hear what you say.)
Sometimes they are said with a fall-rise:
You mean he ▸didn't turn ⤵up?
It can be difficult for the hearer to know whether a question or a statement is intended, particularly when a falling tone is used: