Question tags are short questions added to the end of statements to confirm information or invite agreement. They make conversations more interactive and help clarify doubts. In this post, we’ll explore the rules and usage of question tags for different types of sentences.
What Are Question Tags?
A question tag is a mini-question added at the end of a sentence, separated by a comma. It usually consists of an auxiliary or modal verb followed by a pronoun. For example:
It’s cold, isn’t it?
You’ve done your homework, haven’t you?
Basic Rules for Forming Question Tags
Positive Sentence, Negative Tag: When the main clause is positive, the tag is negative.
She is a teacher, isn’t she?
They live here, don’t they?
Negative Sentence, Positive Tag: When the main clause is negative, the tag is positive.
She isn’t coming, is she?
They don’t like spicy food, do they?
Auxiliary and Modal Verbs: Use the same auxiliary or modal verb from the sentence in the tag.
They’ve finished, haven’t they?
He can swim, can’t he?
No Auxiliary Verb: Use do/does/did for present and past simple tenses.
You know him, don’t you?
She played football, didn’t she?
‘I am’ Exception: For sentences starting with "I am," the tag is aren’t I?
I’m your friend, aren’t I?
Question Tags for Imperatives
Imperatives (commands or requests) often use will you?, but variations like won’t you?, could you?, or would you? are also common, depending on the tone:
Open the door, will you?
Take a seat, won’t you?
Help me with this, could you?
For negative imperatives, only will you? is used:
Don’t forget to lock the door, will you?
Question Tags for Suggestions with 'Let’s'
Use shall we? after suggestions starting with "Let’s":
Let’s go for a walk, shall we?
Special Cases
With Negative Adverbs: Words like never, rarely, scarcely, hardly imply a negative meaning. Use positive tags:
She never calls, does she?
He hardly works, does he?
With Indefinite Pronouns: Treat indefinite pronouns as singular:
Nobody came, did they?
Someone is at the door, aren’t they?
With Modal Verbs: Tags repeat the modal verb:
You should study, shouldn’t you?
They won’t mind, will they?
With 'There': Use tags that match the auxiliary verb:
There’s a problem, isn’t there?
There weren’t any issues, were there?
Someone is at the door, aren’t they?
Examples for Practice
You’re coming to the party, aren’t you?
He hasn’t called yet, has he?
Let’s finish this project, shall we?
She barely speaks to him, does she?
Don’t interrupt the meeting, will you?
Tips for Politeness and Tone
Choose tags based on the level of politeness:
Would you? and could you? are polite.
Can’t you? can sound impatient.
Your tone matters! The same tag can sound polite or rude depending on how you say it.
Practice Exercise
Add question tags to the following sentences:
She loves dancing, _______?
You haven’t seen this movie, _______?
It’s a beautiful day, _______?
Let’s start the meeting, _______?
You used to live here, _______?
She loves dancing, _______?
Answers:
doesn’t she?
have you?
isn’t it?
shall we?
didn’t you?
Conclusion
Mastering question tags can elevate your English fluency, making your speech engaging and precise. Practice these rules and examples regularly to integrate question tags effortlessly into your conversations.
Practice Exercise
Add question tags to the following sentences:
She loves dancing, _______?
You haven’t seen this movie, _______?
It’s a beautiful day, _______?
Let’s start the meeting, _______?
You used to live here, _______?
They will arrive soon, _______?
We should finish the project by tomorrow, _______?
She doesn’t eat meat, _______?
He has completed his work, _______?
I am late, _______?
The train isn’t coming, _______?
They can help us, _______?
Let’s go to the park, _______?
She isn’t sleeping, _______?
Nobody understands the problem, _______?
We were not informed, _______?
He was at the party, _______?
She barely talks to anyone, _______?
You must be tired, _______?
Let’s invite them over, _______?
You don’t mind, _______?
There is nothing to worry about, _______?
He won’t forget, _______?
This is your book, _______?
We aren’t lost, _______?
I should apologize, _______?
She never agrees with him, _______?
He’s working hard, _______?
You’ll call me later, _______?
Let’s stay here for a while, _______?
It’s raining heavily, _______?
They haven’t met us before, _______?
He’d finished before we arrived, _______?
The kids are playing outside, _______?
There wasn’t any mistake, _______?
She could come tomorrow, _______?
Let’s have a break, _______?
You weren’t watching, _______?
He doesn’t know the answer, _______?
This isn’t the way, _______?
Answers:
doesn’t she?
have you?
isn’t it?
shall we?
didn’t you?
won’t they?
shouldn’t we?
does she?
hasn’t he?
aren’t I?
is it?
can’t they?
shall we?
is she?
do they?
were we?
wasn’t he?
does she?
aren’t you?
shall we?
do you?
is there?
will he?
isn’t it?
are we?
shouldn’t I?
does she?
isn’t he?
won’t you?
shall we?
isn’t it?
have they?
hadn’t he?
aren’t they?
was there?
couldn’t she?
shall we?
were you?
does he?
is it?
Conclusion
Mastering question tags can elevate your English fluency, making your speech engaging and precise. Practice these rules and examples regularly to integrate question tags effortlessly into your conversations.
"Do you feel confident using question tags in English conversations?"
• Yes, I use them often.
• Sometimes, but I’m not sure about the rules.
• No, I need more practice.
• What are question tags?
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