Hi! I am Studyfin, your ASL tutor. Today we will learn how to ask questions using your face!
In American Sign Language (ASL), your face does the work of a question mark. We call these facial movements non-manual signals. They let the other person know you are asking a question.
For questions that can be answered with a simple 'yes' or 'no', you must raise your eyebrows. You also tilt your head forward slightly while making the sign.
For questions that need an explanation, like 'who', 'what', or 'where', you do the opposite. You furrow, or wrinkle, your eyebrows downward and tilt your head.
✏️ Worked example
Imagine you want to ask a new classmate two questions in ASL: 'Are you a student?' and 'Where is the library?'. How do you use your face for each question?
Analyze the first question: 'Are you a student?' This is a Yes/No question because the person can answer with a simple yes or no.
Apply the Yes/No rule: Raise your eyebrows up high and tilt your head forward slightly as you sign.
Analyze the second question: 'Where is the library?' This is a Wh-question because it asks for information (where).
Apply the Wh-question rule: Furrow your eyebrows downward and tilt your head as you sign.
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