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, Quick Question.
In the second grammar test:
We should have turned left, _____?
haven't we
shouldn't we
i don't understand why the correct answer is "Shouldn't we" because shouldn't we is present simple(im pretty sure)
for example we say
We should leave, shouldn't we?
im not saying "we should have left, shouldn't we?"
Hello Davud_Thinkz,
The correct tag is 'shouldn't we'.
Modal verbs like should are followed by infinitives but there are many forms of the infinitive:
For all of these the tag is based on the modal verb, not the form of the infinitive which follows it.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
How to answer, tagged question?
If a course exists about that can you please share the link
Thanks,
Hello Khaled.,
The answer should match the question in the main part of the sentence:
She is a doctor, isn't she?
Yes, she is. / No, she isn't.
You work in Spain, don't you?
Yes I do. / No, I don't.
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
1.What a beautiful day ,*******?
2.How interesting,*****?
What is the correct question tag ?
Thanks
Hello Khaled.,
These are expressions without verbs, so you need to imagine the 'full' sentence with a verb in order to create a tag question:
However, I think a more natural form to ask for confirmation would be something like Don't you think?
Peter
The LearnEnglish Team
He ought to , *****?
Here we treat ought to like need to
And put doesn't he right ?
Thanks,
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