Level 10 – Step 08 : Short Responses of Agreement and Disagreement (So do I. Neither did he.)
/Level 10 – Step 08 : Short Responses of Agreement and Disagreement (So do I. Neither did he.)
🚪 Let’s Begin
/🚪 Let’s Begin
🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn short, natural ways to agree or disagree with someone — quick answers like So do I or Neither did he.
/🦉Professor Owl: Today we will learn short, natural ways to agree or disagree with someone — quick answers like So do I or Neither did he.
🐧Igupen: I often hear short replies but they confuse me — when do I say So, Neither, or Me too?
/🐧Igupen: I often hear short replies but they confuse me — when do I say So, Neither, or Me too?
🦉Professor Owl: Short responses depend on the verb, tense, and whether the original sentence is positive or negative.
/🦉Professor Owl: Short responses depend on the verb, tense, and whether the original sentence is positive or negative.
Once you match those, short replies are easy and sound natural.
/Once you match those, short replies are easy and sound natural.
📚 Lesson
/📚 Lesson
What are short responses?
/What are short responses?
Short responses (also called short answers or abbreviated responses) let you agree or disagree without repeating the whole sentence.
/Short responses (also called short answers or abbreviated responses) let you agree or disagree without repeating the whole sentence.
They usually repeat the auxiliary verb (do, did, have, will, can, etc.) or a helper like so/neither + auxiliary + subject.
/They usually repeat the auxiliary verb (do, did, have, will, can, etc.) or a helper like so/neither + auxiliary + subject.
Basic forms and how to use them
/Basic forms and how to use them
Positive agreement with a positive sentence
/Positive agreement with a positive sentence
Use So + auxiliary + subject.
/Use So + auxiliary + subject.
Example: “I like pizza.” — “So do I.”
/Example: “I like pizza.” — “So do I.”
Negative agreement with a negative sentence
/Negative agreement with a negative sentence
Use Neither / Nor + auxiliary + subject OR I + auxiliary-negative contraction.
/Use Neither / Nor + auxiliary + subject OR I + auxiliary-negative contraction.
Example: “He didn’t come.” — “Neither did I.” OR “I didn’t either.”
/Example: “He didn’t come.” — “Neither did I.” OR “I didn’t either.”
Short disagreeing (saying the opposite)
/Short disagreeing (saying the opposite)
Use I + negative short form to disagree: “I play soccer.” — “I don’t.”
/Use I + negative short form to disagree: “I play soccer.” — “I don’t.”
Matching tense and auxiliary
/Matching tense and auxiliary
Find the auxiliary in the original sentence.
/Find the auxiliary in the original sentence.
If there is one, repeat it.
/If there is one, repeat it.
If there is no auxiliary in present simple or past simple, use do/does/did.
/If there is no auxiliary in present simple or past simple, use do/does/did.
Examples: Present simple affirmative → use do/does (She likes cats. — So does he.).
/Examples: Present simple affirmative → use do/does (She likes cats. — So does he.).
Past simple affirmative → use did (I finished. — So did she.).
/Past simple affirmative → use did (I finished. — So did she.).
Present perfect → use have/has (I have been there. — So have I.).
/Present perfect → use have/has (I have been there. — So have I.).
Common auxiliaries and example short replies
/Common auxiliaries and example short replies
do / does (present simple): So do I. / So does she.
/do / does (present simple): So do I. / So does she.
did (past simple): So did I.
/did (past simple): So did I.
have / has (present perfect): So have I.
/have / has (present perfect): So have I.
will (future): So will I.
/will (future): So will I.
can (ability/permission): So can I.
/can (ability/permission): So can I.
must (necessity): So must I.
/must (necessity): So must I.
not forms: Neither/ Nor + auxiliary + subject OR I + auxiliary + not / I + negative contraction.
/not forms: Neither/ Nor + auxiliary + subject OR I + auxiliary + not / I + negative contraction.
🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
/🦉Professor Owl’s one-point tip
Always identify the auxiliary verb and the polarity (positive or negative) of the sentence you’re replying to.
/Always identify the auxiliary verb and the polarity (positive or negative) of the sentence you’re replying to.
Then mirror that auxiliary with So (for positive) or Neither/Nor / I + negative (for negative).
/Then mirror that auxiliary with So (for positive) or Neither/Nor / I + negative (for negative).
Quick checks inside the lesson
/Quick checks inside the lesson
Positive sentence: “I can swim.” → Agreement: “So can I.”
/Positive sentence: “I can swim.” → Agreement: “So can I.”
Negative sentence: “She didn’t see it.” → Agreement with negative: “Neither did I.” or “I didn’t either.”
/Negative sentence: “She didn’t see it.” → Agreement with negative: “Neither did I.” or “I didn’t either.”
Present simple positive with no auxiliary: “They play chess.” → Agreement: “So do I.”
/Present simple positive with no auxiliary: “They play chess.” → Agreement: “So do I.”
🌼 Sample Sentences
/🌼 Sample Sentences
No.01 A: I love chocolate. B: So do I.
/No.01 A: I love chocolate. B: So do I.
No.02 A: He didn’t call yesterday. B: Neither did she.
/No.02 A: He didn’t call yesterday. B: Neither did she.
No.03 A: I have finished my homework. B: So have I.
/No.03 A: I have finished my homework. B: So have I.
No.04 A: We will go tomorrow. B: So will I.
/No.04 A: We will go tomorrow. B: So will I.
No.05 A: She can’t drive yet. B: Neither can I.
/No.05 A: She can’t drive yet. B: Neither can I.
No.06 A: I don’t like spicy food. B: I don’t either.
/No.06 A: I don’t like spicy food. B: I don’t either.
No.07 A: They must study hard. B: So must they.
/No.07 A: They must study hard. B: So must they.
No.08 A: I was surprised by the test. B: So was I.
/No.08 A: I was surprised by the test. B: So was I.
No.09 A: He had not seen the movie. B: Neither had I.
/No.09 A: He had not seen the movie. B: Neither had I.
No.10 A: I used to swim every day. B: So did I.
/No.10 A: I used to swim every day. B: So did I.
🎓 Practice exercises
/🎓 Practice exercises
Note: Read each short dialogue and choose the correct short response.
/Note: Read each short dialogue and choose the correct short response.
Q1: A: I like baseball. B: _______ (positive agreement present simple)
/Q1: A: I like baseball. B: _______ (positive agreement present simple)
Q2: A: She didn’t understand the question. B: _______ (agree with negative, past simple)
/Q2: A: She didn’t understand the question. B: _______ (agree with negative, past simple)
Q3: A: I have been to Tokyo. B: _______ (positive agreement, present perfect)
/Q3: A: I have been to Tokyo. B: _______ (positive agreement, present perfect)
Q4: A: We will finish by noon. B: _______ (positive agreement, future)
/Q4: A: We will finish by noon. B: _______ (positive agreement, future)
Q5: A: He can’t play the piano. B: _______ (agree with negative, ability)
/Q5: A: He can’t play the piano. B: _______ (agree with negative, ability)
Q6: A: I didn’t see the message. B: _______ (agree with negative; use “I” form)
/Q6: A: I didn’t see the message. B: _______ (agree with negative; use “I” form)
Q7: A: She must attend the meeting. B: _______ (positive agreement, necessity)
/Q7: A: She must attend the meeting. B: _______ (positive agreement, necessity)
Q8: A: I was late yesterday. B: _______ (positive agreement, past continuous/simple past context)
/Q8: A: I was late yesterday. B: _______ (positive agreement, past continuous/simple past context)
Q9: A: They hadn’t met before. B: _______ (agree with negative, past perfect)
/Q9: A: They hadn’t met before. B: _______ (agree with negative, past perfect)
Q10: A: He used to play guitar. B: _______ (agree with past habit)
/Q10: A: He used to play guitar. B: _______ (agree with past habit)
◆ Answers
/◆ Answers
A1: So do I.
/A1: So do I.
A2: Neither did I.
/A2: Neither did I.
A3: So have I.
/A3: So have I.
A4: So will I.
/A4: So will I.
A5: Neither can I.
/A5: Neither can I.
A6: I didn’t either.
/A6: I didn’t either.
A7: So must I.
/A7: So must I.
A8: So was I.
/A8: So was I.
A9: Neither had I.
/A9: Neither had I.
A10: So did I.
/A10: So did I.
🦉 Closing
/🦉 Closing
🦉Professor Owl: Nice work!
/🦉Professor Owl: Nice work!
Mirroring the auxiliary and matching positive or negative makes short replies easy and natural.
/Mirroring the auxiliary and matching positive or negative makes short replies easy and natural.
🐧Igupen: I’ll practice by listening for the auxiliary and deciding So or Neither (or a negative short form).
/🐧Igupen: I’ll practice by listening for the auxiliary and deciding So or Neither (or a negative short form).
🦉Professor Owl: Excellent.
/🦉Professor Owl: Excellent.
Try making ten short replies from real conversations you hear this week — start by identifying the auxiliary and the polarity, and you will get faster and more confident.
/Try making ten short replies from real conversations you hear this week — start by identifying the auxiliary and the polarity, and you will get faster and more confident.
Keep practicing; short responses bring a natural sound to your English.
/Keep practicing; short responses bring a natural sound to your English.
