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
Excuse me , What is the difference between "talk to " and "talk with"?
Hello Mr. Mansour Abdellah,
In many contexts you can use either with no difference in meaning. In fact, I can't think of a context in which only one would be possible, so the difference is really one of nuance and/or style rather than meaning. Some people see talk with as suggesting more of a two-way conversation while talk to is often used for giving or receiving information. However, I don't think this is a very useful rule and it's much more a question of personal preference and possibly dialect. Talk to is more common in British English, I believe, while talk with is more common in US English.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Please, could you help me with these questions?
4- Little water was left for me, .........?
11- He must be ill; he didn't attend the lesson today, .........?
12- He must study hard otherwise, he will fail, .........?
13- He must have bought a new car, .........?
16- The baby is fast asleep, .........?
Hello Iceed,
There are basically two steps to choosing the correct form: 1) identify the auxiliary verb that the question tag is related to, and 2) form the question tag.
In sentence 11, for example, the verb before the question tag is 'didn't attend'. To form the question tag, you use the same tense and person and use affirmative form (since 'didn't' is negative) of the auxiliary verb: 'did he?'. In 12 and 16, it's similar: 'won't he' and 'isn't it'. 13 looks a little trickier, but you do the same: take the auxiliary verb 'must' and then negate it: 'mustn't he'.
I can't think of a way that 4 could sound natural to me, but assuming this is from some textbook, I suppose the answer it suggests is 'wasn't it'. But this is very awkward sounding. I wouldn't include this sentence in an exercise on question tags.
By the way, please let us know what you think the answers are. It will help us explain our answers better.
Hope this helps.
Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team
Hello, Sir!
I wanted to know which tag is correct.
Not only Rima but also Rudra went there, .............?
(a) did he?
(b) didn't he?
(c) did they?
(d) didn't they?
I like you loved travelling, ................?
(a) didn't you?
(b) didn't I?
(c) don't we?
Thanking you again.
Hi SM JAKIRUL ISLAM,
In the first question, I would choose (b) or (d). If the speaker wants to focus on both Rima and Rudra together, "didn't they?" would be better. If the speaker wants to focus on Rudra only (for example, if it has already been established earlier in the conversation that Rima went there), then "didn't he?" would be better.
The second question ("I like you loved") is not grammatical. But you could say "You loved travelling, didn't you?".
I hope that helps.
Jonathan
LearnEnglish team
Help me sir please. Problem 1: What is the correct tag question of proverbs like (a) None is none under the sun,isn't it/ are they? (b) Time and tide wait for none, isn't it/ do they? (c) Waste not, want not, isn't it?
Problem 2: What is the correct tag question of interrogative sentences like: (a) Who cares, do they?
Problem 3:Can we add tag question to phrases like (a) Good morning, ......? (b) Happy birthday, ....?
I've given the answer with confusion. I think that as the proverbs are universal, the tag question should be always 'isn't it'. We should not use any tag question with interrogative sentences like 'who cares' because it itself a question. We might not add tag question with phrases like 'Good morning/ happy birth' because they are wishes and we cannot ask for confirmation from the hearer we are wishing. But some teachers of Bangladesh set question like these in exams.
Thanking again. I will be happy if you give solutions with reference.
Hello SM JAKIRUL ISLAM,
Your question has already been asked and answered on another site:
https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/522069/tag-questions-of-proverbs-interrogative-sentences-and-phrases#522077
The discussion there is clear and very thorough. I don't think there is anything to add to it other than to highlight that proverbs are fixed expressions which we do not change, and so the idea of adding a tag question to them is a very odd one which no native speaker would consider appropriate.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
Hello, Sir!
I wanted to know if negative prepositions, such as "without" affect the tag:
e.g., You went to the party without her, did you? / didn't you?
Thank you for your time.
Hello Sokhomkim,
Good question! No, in general they don't. In this sentence, the typical question tag is 'didn't you' whether you say 'with' or 'without'.
Best wishes,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team