Welcome to our comprehensive guide on question tags in English! If you’re aiming for a B2 level of English proficiency, mastering question tags is essential. They are a common feature in spoken English and add nuance to your conversations. In this lesson, we’ll break down everything you need to know about question tags in English, from their basic structure to practical usage and common mistakes. Get ready to improve your spoken English and sound more natural!

What are Question Tags?

Question tags are short questions at the end of statements. They turn a statement into a question, or more often, invite agreement or confirmation. Think of them as a way to check if you and the person you’re talking to are on the same page. They are a key part of English grammar and understanding them will significantly improve your English speaking skills.

Let’s look at a simple example:

“It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?”

In this example, “isn’t it?” is the question tag. The statement is “It’s a beautiful day.” The question tag transforms the statement into a question, seeking agreement that it is indeed a beautiful day.

Question tags are used for various purposes, including:

• Seeking confirmation: You believe something is true, but you want to double-check. “You’re coming to the party, aren’t you?”
• Inviting agreement: You want the other person to agree with your statement. “The movie was fantastic, wasn’t it?”
• Softening statements: Making statements less direct or confrontational. “You wouldn’t mind helping me with this, would you?”

How to Form Question Tags: The Basic Rules

Forming tag questions correctly involves understanding the grammar of the main statement. Here are the fundamental rules:

Rule 1: Auxiliary Verbs and ‘To Be’

If the main statement has an auxiliary verb (like is, are, was, were, have, has, had, can, could, will, would, should, might, must) or the verb ‘to be’ (is, are, am, was, were), you use the same auxiliary or ‘to be’ verb in the question tag. The tag will be the opposite polarity (positive statement, negative tag; negative statement, positive tag).

• Positive statement, negative tag:
  • She is a doctor, isn’t she?
  • They have finished the project, haven’t they?
  • You can speak Spanish, can’t you?
  • He was late, wasn’t he?
  • We are going to the beach, aren’t we?
• Negative statement, positive tag:
  • She isn’t a teacher, is she?
  • They haven’t seen that movie, have they?
  • You can’t drive, can you?
  • He wasn’t there, was he?
  • We aren’t staying long, are we?

Rule 2: Main Verb is Present Simple (excluding ‘to be’)

If the main verb is in the present simple tense (and is not ‘to be’), use ‘do‘ or ‘does‘ in the question tag. Remember to use ‘does’ for third person singular (he, she, it) and ‘do’ for all other subjects.

• Positive statement, negative tag:
  • You like coffee, don’t you?
  • He works here, doesn’t he?
  • They live in London, don’t they?
• Negative statement, positive tag:
  • You don’t like tea, do you?
  • She doesn’t eat meat, does she?
  • They don’t speak French, do they?

Rule 3: Main Verb is Past Simple (excluding ‘to be’)

If the main verb is in the past simple tense (and is not ‘to be’), use ‘did‘ in the question tag.

• Positive statement, negative tag:
  • You went to the cinema, didn’t you?
  • She finished her homework, didn’t she?
  • They arrived late, didn’t they?
• Negative statement, positive tag:
  • You didn’t see him, did you?
  • She didn’t call, did she?
  • They didn’t enjoy the concert, did they?

Rule 4: Special Cases

There are a few special cases to be aware of when forming question tags:

• ‘I am’: The question tag for ‘I am’ is ‘aren’t I?‘. “I am late, aren’t I?“ (Not “amn’t I?” which is not grammatically standard)
• ‘Let’s’: For suggestions starting with ‘Let’s’, the question tag is ‘shall we?‘. “Let’s go for a walk, shall we?“
• Imperatives (commands): For commands, you can use ‘will you?‘ or ‘won’t you?‘ (often ‘will you?’ is more polite). “Open the window, will you?“ or “Don’t forget to call, will you?“ (or won’t you? – slightly less polite, more like a threat).
• ‘Have got’ (possession): You can use ‘have’ or ‘have got’ in the tag. Both are correct, but ‘have got’ is more common in British English.
  • You’ve got a car, haven’t you? (or …have you?)
  • She has got a new job, hasn’t she? (or …has she?)
• ‘There is/are’: Use ‘there’ in the tag. “There are many people here, aren’t there?“ “There isn’t any milk, is there?“
• Words like ‘never’, ‘hardly’, ‘scarcely’, ‘rarely’, ‘seldom’: These words have a negative meaning, so the question tag will be positive. “He never complains, does he?“ “She hardly ever goes out, does she?“

Intonation in Question Tags: Rising and Falling

Intonation is crucial when using tag questions, as it changes their meaning. There are two main types of intonation:

Falling Intonation

When you use a falling intonation on the question tag, it means you are sure of the statement and are simply expecting the other person to agree. It’s more of a statement than a real question.

Example: “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it↓?” (Falling intonation on “isn’t it”)

Meaning: You are confident it’s a beautiful day and expect agreement.

Rising Intonation

When you use a rising intonation on the question tag, it means you are not sure about the statement and are asking a genuine question. You want to know if your statement is correct.

Example: “He’s from Spain, isn’t he↑?” (Rising intonation on “isn’t he”)

Meaning: You are unsure if he’s from Spain and are asking for confirmation.

Paying attention to intonation will make your spoken English sound more natural and nuanced.

Common Mistakes with Question Tags

Even advanced learners sometimes make mistakes with tag questions. Here are some common errors to avoid:

• Incorrect auxiliary verb: Using the wrong auxiliary verb in the tag. Incorrect: “You like pizza, are you?” Correct: “You like pizza, don’t you?“
• Wrong polarity: Not making the tag the opposite polarity of the statement. Incorrect: “She is happy, is she?” Correct: “She is happy, isn’t she?“
• Forgetting ‘do/does/did’: Forgetting to use ‘do/does/did’ with present and past simple verbs (excluding ‘to be’). Incorrect: “He plays football, is he?” Correct: “He plays football, doesn’t he?“
• Using ‘not’ incorrectly: Making sure to contract ‘not’ with the auxiliary verb in negative tags (e.g., ‘isn’t’, ‘aren’t’, ‘doesn’t’, ‘didn’t’). Less common to say: “She is a doctor, is she not?” Correct: “She is a doctor, isn’t she?“

Question Tags in Everyday Conversation

Question tags are incredibly useful in everyday spoken English. They help you:

• Keep conversations flowing: They encourage the other person to respond and participate.
• Build rapport: They create a sense of shared understanding and agreement.
• Be polite and less direct: They soften statements, making them less confrontational.

For example, instead of saying “You agree with me,” you can say “You agree with me, don’t you?” which sounds much more conversational and less demanding.

Practice using question tags in your daily conversations to make your English sound more natural and engaging. This will significantly improve your English speaking fluency.

Let’s Practice!

Now it’s time to put your knowledge to the test! Fill in the blanks with the correct question tags.

1. You’re tired, ___________?
2. She doesn’t like spicy food, ___________?
3. They went to Italy last summer, ___________?
4. He can play the guitar, ___________?
5. We haven’t met before, ___________?
6. Let’s order pizza, ___________?
7. Open the door, ___________?
8. I am invited, ___________?
9. There is a problem, ___________?
10. She hardly ever cries, ___________?

Answers to Practice Exercises

1. You’re tired, aren’t you?
2. She doesn’t like spicy food, does she?
3. They went to Italy last summer, didn’t they?
4. He can play the guitar, can’t he?
5. We haven’t met before, have we?
6. Let’s order pizza, shall we?
7. Open the door, will you?
8. I am invited, aren’t I?
9. There is a problem, isn’t there?
10. She hardly ever cries, does she?

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Keep practicing and you’ll master question tags in no time! Good luck with your English learning journey!