Question Tags

Question Tags

by ALICIA

Tag questions​

​We can add question tags like isn't it?, can you? or didn't they? to a statement to make it into a question. Question tags are more common in speaking than writing.

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​We often use question tags when we expect the listener to agree with our statement. In this case, when the statement is positive, we use a negative question tag.

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​She's a doctor, isn't she?

Yesterday was so much fun, wasn't it?

​If the statement is negative, we use a positive question tag. 

​1. He isn't here, is he?

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2.The trains are never on time, are they?

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3. Nobody has called for me, have they?

​If we are sure or almost sure that the listener will confirm that our statement is correct, we say the question tag with a falling intonation.

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If we are a bit less sure, we say the question tag with a rising intonation.

​Formation: If there is an auxiliary verb in the statement, we use it to form the question tag.

• ​I don't need to finish this today, do I?

• James is working on that, isn't he?

• Your parents have retired, haven't they?

• The phone didn't ring, did it?

• It was raining that day, wasn't it?

• Your mum hadn't met him before, had she?

​Sometimes there is no auxiliary verb already in the statement. For example, when:

​... the verb in the statement is present simple or past simple and is positive. Here we use don't, doesn't or didn't:

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Jenni eats cheese, doesn't she?

I said that already, didn't I? 

​... the verb in the statement is to be in the present simple or past simple. In this case we use to be to make the question tag:

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The bus stop's over there, isn't it?

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None of those customers were happy, were they?

​... the verb in the statement is a modal verb. Here we use the modal verb to make the question tag:

​They could hear me, couldn't they?

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You won't tell anyone, will you?

​If the main verb or auxiliary verb in the statement is am, the positive question tag is am I? but the negative question tag is usually aren't I?:

​I'm never on time, am I?

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I'm going to get an email with the details, aren't I?