QUESTION TAG

Question tags

Question tags are short questions at the end of statements. They are mainly used in speech when we want to:

a)       Confirm that something is true or not, or

b)       To encourage a reply from the person we are speaking to.

1.    Question tags are formed with the auxiliary or modal verb from the statement and the appropriate subject.

A positive statement is followed by a negative question tag.

• Jack is from Spain, isn't he?
• Mary can speak English, can't she?

A negative statement is followed by a positive question tag.

• They aren't funny, are they?
• He shouldn't say things like that, should he?

2.    When the verb in the main sentence is in the present simple we form the question tag with do / does.

• You play the guitar, don't you?
• Alison likes tennis, doesn't she?

3.    If the verb is in the past simple we use did.

• They went to the cinema, didn't they?
• She studied in New Zealand, didn't she?

4.    When the statement contains a word with a negative meaning, the question tag needs to be positive

• He hardly ever speaks, does he?
• They rarely eat in restaurants, do they?

5.     Exceptions

Some verbs / expressions have different question tags. For example:

I am - I am attractive, aren't I?

Positive imperative - Stop daydreaming, will / won't you?

Negative imperative - Don't stop singing, will you?

Let's - Let's go to the beach, shall we?

• Let's have a cup of coffee, shall we?

 There isn't an ATM here, is there?

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