Question Tags

Annotations:

• Question tags : are short questions at the end of statements. They are mainly used in speech when we want to: confirm that something is true or not, or to encourage a reply from the person we are speaking to.

1. 1_Positive/negative
   1. If the main part of the sentence is positive, the question tag is negative.
      1. He’s a doctor, isn’t he? You work in a bank, don’t you?
   2. if the main part of the sentence is negative, the question tag is positive.
      1. You haven’t met him, have you? She isn’t coming, is she?
2. 2_ With auxiliary verbs
   1. The question tag uses the same verb as the main part of the sentence. If this is an auxiliary verb (‘have’, ‘be’) then the question tag is made with the auxiliary verb.
      1. They’ve gone away for a few days, haven’t they ? They weren’t here, were they? He had met him before, hadn’t he? This isn’t working, is it?
3. 3_ Without auxiliary verbs
   1. If the main part of the sentence doesn’t have an auxiliary verb, the question tag uses an appropriate form of ‘do’.
      1. I said that, didn’t I? You don’t recognise me, do you? She eats meat, doesn’t she?
4. 4_With modal verbs
   1. If there is a modal verb in the main part of the sentence the question tag uses the same modal verb
      1. They couldn’t hear me, could they? You won’t tell anyone, will you?
5. 5_ With ‘I am’
   1. Be careful with question tags with sentences that start ‘I am’. The question tag for ‘I am’ is ‘aren’t I?’
      1. I’m the fastest, aren’t I?
6. 6_ Intonation
   1. If the question tag is a real question we use rising intonation. Our tone of voice rises.
   2. If we already know the answer we use falling intonation. Our tone of voice falls.