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Short follow-up questions that show interest in speech.
The rule
Echo questions are short follow-up questions that repeat the auxiliary verb, modal verb, or form of be from the previous sentence. They are used to show interest, surprise, or to check information: I can help. Can you? / She has arrived. Has she? / It is late. Is it? In written English, use the correct question form rather than a statement with rising intonation.
The trap
A: I got the job. B: Why did you get the job? That's great news.
A: I got the job. B: You did? That's great news.
An echo question repeats the auxiliary or modal to show interest. "Did you?" is not the wrong form here; the mistake is making the follow-up a full wh-question when you only want surprise or interest.
A: She can speak French. B: She can speak French? I didn't know that.
A: She can speak French. B: Can she? I didn't know that.
An echo question mirrors the auxiliary and subject. Using a statement instead of the short question does not work as an echo question.
A: They have moved to Canada. B: They moved to Canada? I hope they are happy there.
A: They have moved to Canada. B: Have they? I hope they are happy there.
With the present perfect, the echo question repeats "have" before the subject. A statement with rising intonation is not a true echo question pattern in written English.
A: He is coming tomorrow. B: He is coming tomorrow? I thought he was busy.
A: He is coming tomorrow. B: Is he? I thought he was busy.
For the present simple of be, the echo question uses the same form of be before the subject. Repeating the full statement as a question is not the correct echo form.
Prove it
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