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Unit 20
Question Tags
isn't it? / don't you?
What are Question Tags?
Question tags are short questions added to the end of a statement. We use them to check information, seek agreement, or invite someone to respond.
The golden rule: Positive statement → negative tag. Negative statement → positive tag.
How to Form Question Tags
| Step | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Find the auxiliary/modal in the main sentence | Use the same auxiliary in the tag | She is → isn't she? |
| 2. Make it opposite polarity | Positive → negative tag / Negative → positive tag | They have → haven't they? |
| 3. Use the correct subject pronoun | Replace the noun with a pronoun | John went → didn't he? |
Question Tags by Tense
| Statement | Tag | Tense / auxiliary |
|---|---|---|
| She is a teacher, | isn't she? | to be (present) |
| They are coming, | aren't they? | to be (present) |
| It was cold yesterday, | wasn't it? | to be (past) |
| He works here, | doesn't he? | present simple |
| You like coffee, | don't you? | present simple |
| They went home, | didn't they? | past simple |
| She has finished, | hasn't she? | present perfect |
| You can swim, | can't you? | modal: can |
| He will come, | won't he? | modal: will |
| She should know, | shouldn't she? | modal: should |
Negative Statements → Positive Tags
| Statement | Tag |
|---|---|
| She isn't coming, | is she? |
| They don't know, | do they? |
| He hasn't called, | has he? |
| You can't drive, | can you? |
| It wasn't your fault, | was it? |
Special Cases
| Statement | Tag | Note |
|---|---|---|
| I am right, | aren't I? | "Am I not?" is old-fashioned. "Aren't I?" is standard. |
| Let's go, | shall we? | Special tag for "let's" suggestions. |
| Don't do that, | will you? | Special tag for negative imperatives. |
| Open the door, | will you? / would you? | Tag for imperatives (requests). |
| Nobody came, | did they? | Negative words (nobody, nothing, never) → positive tag. |
More Special Cases
| Statement | Tag | Note |
|---|---|---|
| There is a problem, | isn't there? | "there" is repeated in the tag |
| This is your bag, | isn't it? | this / that → it |
| Everyone was happy, | weren't they? | everyone / somebody / nobody → they |
| You have a car, | don't you? | have (possession) → do/does |
| She never eats meat, | does she? | never = negative → positive tag |
Intonation — Rising vs Falling
The tone of a question tag changes the meaning:
| Intonation | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Falling ↘ (confident) | I'm sure — just confirming | It's a beautiful day, isn't it? ↘ (I think so) |
| Rising ↗ (uncertain) | I'm not sure — genuinely asking | You've met her before, haven't you? ↗ (I'm not sure) |
Annotated Examples
Subject
Verb
Auxiliary
Object
Adjective
Adverb
Preposition
Hover over any word to see its role.
subjectSheverbisobjecta doctor,auxiliaryisn'tsubjectshe?
↳ Positive statement + "is" → negative tag: isn't she?
subjectTheyauxiliarydon'tverblikeobjectfish,auxiliarydosubjectthey?
↳ Negative statement + "don't" → positive tag: do they?
subjectYouverbwentobjectto the party,auxiliarydidn'tsubjectyou?
↳ Past simple + positive → negative tag: didn't you?
Common Mistakes
She likes coffee, isn't it?
→
She likes coffee, doesn't she?
The tag must match the subject AND tense. "She likes" → doesn't she?
They went home, didn't they not?
→
They went home, didn't they?
The tag has ONE word (did/didn't) + subject only.
You can swim, can you?
→
You can swim, can't you?
Positive statement → negative tag: can't you?
He works here, isn't he?
→
He works here, doesn't he?
"Works" = present simple → does/doesn't in the tag.
Nobody called, didn't they?
→
Nobody called, did they?
"Nobody" = negative word → positive tag: did they?
There is a bank near here, isn't it?
→
There is a bank near here, isn't there?
"There is" → isn't there?
Everyone loved it, didn't he?
→
Everyone loved it, didn't they?
everyone / someone → they in the tag.