Question tags

Form

Positive statement, + auxiliary + not + subject + ?
Your name's David, isn't it?
You can drive, can't you?

Negative statement, + auxiliary + subject + ?
You don't speak Spanish, do you?

How to use question tags

Checking what we believe to be true

We can use question tags to check something we believe to be true.

Your name's David, isn't it?
I am fairly sure his name is David but I'm not 100 per cent certain.

You like fish, don't you?
I think he likes fish but I'm not absolutely sure.

He's not coming to the meeting, is he?
I don't think he's coming to the meeting.

Positive and negative tags

If the statement is grammatically positive, the tag is usually negative. If the statement is grammatically negative, the tag is usually positive.

Intonation changes depending on how certain you are

More certain

If you are very certain of something, the intonation of the tag falls. You are expecting the person to say yes.
You were here yesterday, weren't you? Falling intonation on the question tag.

Less certain

If you are less certain and you think the answer might be no, the intonation of the tag rises.

Question tags are not always used to ask questions

Sometimes we use question tags to express an idea and invite other people to agree with us. We are not really asking a question.

It's cold in here, isn't it?
You are not asking whether it is cold. You are saying that you think it is cold and you are inviting the other speaker to agree.

'It's a lovely day, isn't it?'
'It certainly is.'

Responses to question tags

How you respond to a question tag can seem confusing.

When the speaker is right

If the speaker is correct, the person who replies follows the grammar of the tag and uses yes for a positive and no for a negative.

You're David, aren't you?
Yes, I am.
The first speaker is correct. He is David.

You don't live here, do you?
No, I don't.
The first speaker is correct. He doesn't live here.

When the first speaker is wrong

If the statement is positive, it's possible to answer with no.

You're David, aren't you?
(No) I'm not, actually. I'm Michael.

If the statement is negative, it is not usual to answer with yes.
'You don't live here, do you?'
'I do actually. I live just across the road.'
Note that the auxiliary do is stressed. It is also common to use some other word or phrase such as actually to show contradiction, or to give some evidence: 'I'm Michael'; 'I live just across the road'

Positive statements with positive tags

In special cases we add positive tags to positive statements.

Suggestions with Let's

Let's go for a drink, shall we?

Some requests with will

When we make a request starting with an imperative, it's common to use a positive tag.
Give me a hand, will you?
Shut the door, will you?

Other exceptions

I am....aren't I?

When we make a statement in the first person I with the verb to be, the tag isaren't I? There is no contraction of am not (amn't) I?

I'm late again, aren't I?
Note - the slang term ain't is not the tag for 'I am'.

ESL quizzes for question tags

quiz

Question tags quiz