Question tags
Look at these examples to see how question tags are used.
You haven't seen this film, have you?
Your sister lives in Spain, doesn't she?
He can't drive, can he?
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
- Grammar test 1
Read the explanation to learn more.
Grammar explanation
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.
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.
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.
He isn't here, is he?
The trains are never on time, are they?
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. 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:
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:
The bus stop's over there, isn't it?
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?
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?
I'm going to get an email with the details, aren't I?
Do this exercise to test your grammar again.
- Grammar test 2
Hello Khaled.,
The tag question for ought to here is oughtn't he.
Need to is sometimes called a semi-modal as it is a verb with a modal-like meaning and some aspects of modal verb form, but also some form elements which are like non-modal verbs. For example, we can form negatives with needn't or doesn't need to.
Ought to has only the modal-like negative form of oughtn't to, so that is what you should use here.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Let him do ....... , *******?
The question tag here is
What is the correct answer and why?
thanks,
Hello Khaled.,
This is an example of a sentence with an imperative form (Let him...). For imperatives, both will and won't can be used to form a tag question. Generally, tag questions with imperatives add emphasis, suggesting impatience or irritation on the part of the speaker.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
She must have known , ........
What is the correct question tag here and what is the rule with the model verbs ?
Hello Khaled.,
When the modal verb is positive you use a negative modal verb for a tag question asking for confirmation, so the tag here is mustn't she. This is the same for all auxiliary verbs, whether modal verbs or verbs in constructions such as continuous forms (be), perfect forms (have/had) or negative forms (do).
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Nothing is impossible, is it ?
Is any word starts with the No+word
Prefix, Is considered a negative sentence ?
Hello Khaled.,
Sentences using negative impersonal pronouns (nobody, no-one, nothing) as the subject are considered negative when creating a tag question.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Dear teacher, I have a question for “This is David, isn’t it?” Or “This is David, isn’t he?”
Thanks
Hello KatherineThu,
The correct form here is '...isn't it?'
It is the pronoun for tag questions when the subject is this or that.
We would use '...isn't he?' if the subject were 'he': He is David, isn't he?
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
This is Lucy, isn't it?
He is Andy, isn't he?
She is Veena, isn't she?
I am Shetu, aren't I?
Shetu Yogme