This is how we say it – we use question tags, don’t we?

Another common element of spoken English is that of the question tag. This is often a challenge to learners of English because although to native anglophones it is an everyday part of our language and as such is a natural ‘reflex’, for students of English it can be quite a challenge to use the correct word order to turn a statement into a question, either ‘real’ or ‘confirmatory’. Whereas in French it is possible to add the tag ‘n’est-ce pas ?’ in most situations to ask for confirmation of a statement, regardless of its structure, in English it is more complicated because the speaker needs the question tag to be in the negative form of the previous statement and to use the same verb, tense and person.

Question tags are the short questions that we put on the end of sentences – particularly in spoken English. There are lots of different question tags but the rules are not difficult to learn.

Positive/negative

If the main part of the sentence is positive, the question tag is negative ….

• He’s a doctor, isn’t he?
• You work in a bank, don’t you?

… and if the main part of the sentence is negative, the question tag is positive.

• You haven’t met him, have you?
• She isn’t coming, is she?

With auxiliary verbs

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.

• 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?

Without auxiliary verbs

If the main part of the sentence doesn’t have an auxiliary verb, the question tag uses an appropriate form of ‘do’.

• I said that, didn’t I?
• You don’t recognise me, do you?
• She eats meat, doesn’t she?

With modal verbs

If there is a modal verb in the main part of the sentence the question tag uses the same modal verb.

• They couldn’t hear me, could they?
• You won’t tell anyone, will you?

With ‘I am’

Be careful with question tags with sentences that start ‘I am’. The question tag for ‘I am’ is ‘aren’t I?’

• I’m the fastest, aren’t I?

Intonation

Question tags can either be ‘real’ questions where you want to know the answer or simply asking for agreement when we already know the answer.

If the question tag is a real question, we use rising intonation. Our tone of voice rises.
If we already know the answer, we use falling intonation. Our tone of voice falls.

 

If you would like to know more about question tags or another aspect of English grammar, or if you’re interested in receiving regular lessons, please don’t hesitate to contact me via this page or my website.